Results 18,141-18,160 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011 prescribe maximum net income limits for each housing authority, in different bands according to the area, with income being defined and assessed according to a standard Household Means Policy. The income bands and the authority area assigned to each band were based on an assessment of income needed to provide for a household's basic needs...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Programme for Government Implementation (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 37 and 113 together. There is a significant number of objectives in A Programme for a Partnership Governmentrelevant to my remit. My Department has reviewed the programme and has commenced work on the implementation of priority actions; with those due within the first 100 days well underway. One of the more urgent challenges facing my Department is the need...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Change Policy (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: The extent of the environmental challenge posed by climate change is well understood by Government and this understanding is reflected in the prominence given to climate change in the Programme for a Partnership Governmentand in the establishment of a new Department of Communications, Climate Change and Environment, pending the making of the necessary Government orders. Existing policy in...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Mahon Tribunal (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters and Payments (the Mahon Tribunal) was appointed by the Houses of the Oireachtas in October 1997 to inquire into and report on allegations of corruption within the planning system, set out in its terms of reference which have expanded since its establishment. As an independent Tribunal of Inquiry, the Mahon Tribunal is responsible for...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Government Reform (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: The decision to replace town authorities with a new model of municipal governance under the Local Government Reform Act 2014 was designed primarily to strengthen local government within counties and to address widely acknowledged and long-standing weaknesses and anomalies in the previous system, including divided administration between town and county authorities, for example, in relation to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Wind Energy Guidelines (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 42 and 54 together. In December 2013, my Department published proposed “draft” revisions to the noise, setback distance and shadow flicker aspects of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines. These draft revisions proposed: - the setting of a more stringent day- and night-time noise limit of 40 decibels for future wind energy developments,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Provision (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: The long-term solution to the challenge of homelessness, including those families with dependents that are homeless, is to increase the supply of homes. The Social Housing Strategy2020targets the delivery of 110,000 units for social housing purposes with 35,000 new units to be delivered by local authorities and approved housing bodies, and 75,000 households to be supported mainly through the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Disposal Charges (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: I have engaged actively and intensively with representatives of the waste industry and have agreed a clear way forward that results in customers paying no more than their current rate for presenting the same amount of waste over the next 12 months - by means of a price freeze to end-June 2017. Under the agreement reached with the waste industry, customers will from 1 January 2017be able to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: My Department supports local authorities and approved housing bodies to acquire properties for social housing use through a range of funding methods and from a range of vendors. In 2015, local authorities acquired over 1,000 new properties in transactions ranging from individual units to large blocks of units.  In addition, with support from the Social Housing Current Expenditure...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Staff Recruitment (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible. In this regard, it is a matter for each individual Chief Executive to recruit and assign staff to specific divisions. My Department works closely with all...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Ministerial Meetings (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: Following receipt of a request for a meeting, I met with representatives of the Local Authority Members Association (LAMA) on 21 June 2016. During the meeting the LAMA delegation set out its views relating to elected member workload, following the implementation of the 2014 local government reforms, financial supports and social insurance issues affecting its members, as well as LAMA...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: European Investment Bank (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: Funding from the European Investment Bank is available for use in the provision of social housing in Ireland. In 2015, a €300 million fund for investment in social housing was put in place by the Housing Finance Agency, with the support of the Government. €150 million of this fund was provided by the European Investment Bank. This funding is available to approved housing...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation Provision (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Programme for a Partnership Governmentincludes a commitment to the preparation and publication of an ‘Action Plan for Housing’ within the first 100 days of Government. The Action plan will draw on the Report of the Special Committee on Housing and Homelessness,which was published on 17 June. The Action Plan aims to address the challenges in the housing sector in a targeted...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: Waste collection in Ireland is subject to compliance with applicable environmental and other relevant legislation, primarily the Waste Management Act 1996, as amended, and conditions attached to each waste collector’s collection permit under the Waste Management (Collection Permit) Regulations 2007, as amended. Waste collection in individual local authority areas may also be subject...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Mortgage to Rent Scheme Administration (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Mortgage to Rent (MTR) scheme is a targeted intervention for those households in unsustainable mortgage arrears who are not in a position to meet their long-term housing needs and are therefore eligible for social housing support. The Housing Agency co-ordinates the operation of the scheme on behalf of my Department. The scheme has performed well for the 162 families that continue to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Funding (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: The future capital funding provision for the delivery of social housing will be determined in the context of the 2017 Estimates process and will be informed by the forthcoming ‘Action Plan on Housing’,which I am currently preparing. The Action Plan will seek to address the challenges in the housing sector in a targeted and meaningful way. In this regard, my Department is...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Maintenance (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: The management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including the implementation of planned maintenance programmes and carrying out of responsive repairs and pre-letting repairs to properties, is a matter for each individual local authority under section 58 of the Housing Act 1966 and is not directly funded by my Department. Over and above maintenance programmes and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Provision (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: In October 2015, the Government approved a programme to deliver 500 units of rapid-delivery housing across the Dublin Region for homeless families currently residing in commercial hotels. This programme is being implemented to mitigate the issues associated with an increasing volume of homeless households accommodated in inappropriate commercial hotel arrangements. The units will provide...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Standards (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: Local authorities are currently undertaking an ambitious programme of insulation retrofitting, with the support of my Department, on the least energy efficient social homes. Funding of some €85 million has been provided from 2013 to end-2015 to improve energy efficiency and comfort levels in over 46,000 local authority homes, benefitting those at risk of fuel poverty and making a...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Provision (29 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: The advancement of the project at Bagnalstown, County Carlow to construct 24 new social housing units through design, planning and construction is a matter in the first instance for Carlow County Council. My Department recently granted funding approval for this project following the completion of the tendering process by the local authority and I expect works to commence on site shortly.