Results 1,801-1,820 of 15,555 for speaker:Eoghan Murphy

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Funding (9 Jul 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: My Department has not received a request for funding to date from Kerry County Council for the purchase of either of the properties for which details are provided.  The identification of suitable opportunities for the provision of new social housing is a matter for each local authority in the first instance and they must satisfy themselves as to the suitability of a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Staff Data (9 Jul 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: My Department gathers quarterly data on staff numbers in local authorities. Staffing numbers for the local authority sector are available on the Public Service Numbers databank which is hosted and maintained by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and is available at the following link: The information sought is available broken down on a quarterly basis. The staffing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (9 Jul 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: Details of the amount spent by my Department on the Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters and Payments in the years 2009 to date are set out in the following table.  This is the only tribunal, commission or inquiry relating to my Department in the period. Year Expenditure  2009 €5.910m 2010 €3.281m 2011 €4.137m 2012 €3.282m...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes Grants (9 Jul 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of the planning, delivery and operation of water and wastewater services at national, regional and local levels. Responsibility for the independent economic regulation of the water sector is assigned to the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU). These are responsibilities that are assigned to Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Data (9 Jul 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: My Department publishes status reports on a quarterly basis, which list all social housing construction schemes for all local authority areas, including Galway County Council.  The most recent of these reports covers the period up to the end of March 2019, and contains information on the progress of over 20,300 new social housing homes nationally, which are currently approved and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant Funding (9 Jul 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: I have allocated funding of €71.25m nationally in 2019 for the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, in respect of private houses.  This includes €2,655,162 for Galway County Council, comprising exchequer funding of €2,124,130 and €531,032 from the local authority, an increase  of €296,352 over 2018. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Climate Change Policy (9 Jul 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: In 2018, my Department ceased the purchase of single-use plastic beverage cups, cutlery and drinking straws. This practice ceased well in advance of the requirement of the Government decision to do so after 1 January 2019. This exclusion of single use plastic is in line with Irish Government policy & EU Directives and has also been included in a Request for Tender document that...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Home Loan Scheme (9 Jul 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: I propose to take Questions Nos. 859 and 861 together. My Department does not collect information on the number of Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan (RIHL) applications received by Local Authorities or the number of applications in respect of which additional information may have been requested.  However, the Housing Agency provides a central support service, which assesses...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Home Loan Scheme (9 Jul 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: When the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan (RIHL) scheme was initially being developed, it was estimated that the drawdown of loans would be approximately €200 million over three years. The RIHL has proven to be more successful than initially anticipated, with some €140 million drawn down to the end of March 2019. The first tranche of funding has not been exhausted. My officials...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Data (9 Jul 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: Part 5 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 was commenced in June 2018 to provide a statutory basis for the delivery of affordable housing for purchase. I signed regulations in respect of the making of Schemes of Priority on 12 March 2019 and these were issued to local authorities on 22 March 2019.  The purpose of a Scheme of Priority is to set out the affordable purchase...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Data (9 Jul 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: Statistical information in relation to social housing delivery across all delivery streams, including rapid delivery, is published on my Department's website at the following link: . At the end of 2018, 423 homes had been delivered under the rapid delivery programme, which includes 22 in 2016, 186 in 2017 and 215 in 2018. Since the programme's inception, some 40 projects have been...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Repair and Leasing Scheme (9 Jul 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: Provisional data for the Repair and Leasing Scheme (RLS) indicate that up to end Q1 2019, a total of 1,335 applications for the scheme had been received; 102 homes had been brought back into use and tenanted and 138 agreements to lease had been signed. Delivery under RLS is reported as part of Social Housing Leasing output and these figures are available on my Department’s website at...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Data (9 Jul 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: A range of housing options are necessary to ensure a supply of accommodation to meet different types of social housing need. Harnessing the off-balance sheet potential of private investment in social housing is an important objective of the Government and the social housing targets set out in Rebuilding Ireland over the period to 2021 reflect the ambition in that regard.   My...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Service Staff (9 Jul 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: A full time firefighter is required to retire at 55 under the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004. The retirement age is set at 55 due to the physically demanding nature of the firefighter role.  The retirement age for retained firefighters is 55, with provision for an annual extension up to 58 years of age, subject to a formal application process including...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Applications (9 Jul 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: The day-to-day operation of social housing allocations to eligible applicants, including applications under the Choice Based Letting system (CBL), is a matter for the relevant local authority. I am advised by Cork City Council that CBL is the primary method of allocation in that area.  I understand that applicants who were previously in areas of Cork County and, who following...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Guidelines (9 Jul 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: There are no specific provisions or recommendations in planning legislation or guidelines related to the size of basements. However, the Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New Apartments Guidelines for Planning Authorities (2018), issued under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, allow for some internal storage space at basement level. Planning authorities and An...

Seanad: Citizens’ Assemblies Bill 2019: Second Stage (4 Jul 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: The Citizens’ Assemblies Bill 2019 is a technical Bill to enable the register of electors to be used for selecting members of the citizens’ assemblies which the Government agreed on 11 June to establish. Two assemblies are being established, the Citizens’ Assembly 2019 and the Dublin Citizens’ Assembly. The role of the Citizens’ Assembly will be to bring...

Seanad: Citizens’ Assemblies Bill 2019: Second Stage (4 Jul 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: I thank Senators for their contributions and their brevity. The Cathaoirleach mentioned a woman he met in America. I hope she did not come back and vote because that would have been illegal but I understand the point the Cathaoirleach made about the electoral register and I will come back to that in a moment. The citizens' assembly model has improved our public discourse and political...

Seanad: Citizens’ Assemblies Bill 2019: Second Stage (4 Jul 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: The Senator's characterisation of them is unfair. He referred to the outcomes and said ordinary voters did not want them. They did, because they voted for those outcomes overwhelmingly. In that regard, the moves we are making now in respect of the citizens assemblies that are to be established on two important issues are welcome. I thank the House for its support.

Seanad: Citizens' Assemblies Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (4 Jul 2019)

Eoghan Murphy: Reference was made to legislation to extend the presidential franchise to citizens outside of Ireland. I know the Senator wanted to have it yesterday but the Cabinet will have the Bill next Tuesday. We will then be able to publish it and begin work on it as quickly as possible. We want to provide for the option of a referendum in October or November, depending on the time it takes for the...