Results 18,181-18,200 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Voluntary Sector Funding (28 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 167 and 225 together. The organisation in question submitted an application to Pobal under the Scheme to Support National Organisations in the Community and Voluntary Sector. In total 148 applications were received and assessed by Pobal on behalf of my Department with 70 organisations to receive funding. The quality of applications was very high, leading to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Private Rented Accommodation Standards (28 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: Minimum standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2008, as amended by the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) (Amendment) Regulations 2009, made under section 18 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992. The Regulations specify requirements in relation to a range of matters, such as structural repair, sanitary...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management Regulations (28 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: Responsibility for environmental functions in relation to waste and resource efficiency, including waste management, regulation of waste collection companies and regulation of recycling facilities, will transfer to the Department of Communications, Energy & Natural Resources. That Department will be renamed as the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment following...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Disposal (28 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 170 to 172, inclusive, together. In an open market, it is a matter for a waste collector to set charges at the level they consider to be competitive, in compliance with the requirements of environmental and other applicable legislation. However, since the waste industry began releasing its planned pricing plans in relation to the nationwide roll-out of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (28 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: Planning legislation places no specific restrictions on the height of trees, nor does it make any particular provision for remedy from any other nuisance which may be caused by trees in an urban residential area. However, there is currently a civil remedy available concerning branches or roots of neighbouring trees encroaching on a person’s property. The previous Minister of State...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management (28 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 174 and 179 together. Waste Enforcement Regional Lead Authorities (WERLAs) have been established in each of the three existing waste regions, with responsibility for coordinating waste enforcement actions and ensuring consistent enforcement of waste legislation while still leaving local authority personnel as first responders on the ground to specific...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Disposal (28 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 175, 177, 178 and 183 together. A Study of Pay-by-use Systems for Maximising Waste Reduction Behaviour in Ireland, published in 2011, estimated that: - 46% of households used differential bin-based charges (a flat fee), - 34% used tag-based charges (either pay-by-lift or tags), and - 20% used weight - based charges . While the Study does not break down...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Private Rented Accommodation (28 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Residential Tenancies Act 2004 regulates the landlord-tenant relationship in the private rented residential sector and sets out the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants. The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as an independent statutory body under the Act to operate a national tenancy registration system and to resolve disputes between landlords and tenants....

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Disposal Charges (28 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: An interdepartmental working group, established in line with national waste policy to report to Government with options to minimise the impact of waste charges on low income households, has submitted two reports to date. The working group, which comprises representatives of my Department and the Departments of Social Protection; Public Expenditure and Reform; Finance; and the Tánaiste's...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management (28 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: Altering the structure of household waste collection market was the subject of a public consultation exercise back in 2011. A comprehensive Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) from 2012 also considered options regarding the organisation of the household waste collection market and is available on my Department’s website at the following weblink: .The RIA recognised that there were some...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management Regulations (28 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: Under the European Union (Household Food Waste and Bio-waste) Regulations 2015, household waste collectors are required to provide, or arrange for the provision of a separate collection service for food waste from households in designated brown bin areas. In accordance with the Regulatory Impact Assessment prepared for these Regulations, the roll-out of the brown bin has been phased in on a...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes (28 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides for the transfer of water services functions from the 34 water services authorities to Irish Water. Under the legislation, Irish Water now has the powers previously held by local authorities in relation to the takeover of Group Water Schemes. This means that Irish Water may acquire by agreement a waterworks or waste water works, subject generally...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Community Development Projects (28 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: The organisation in question submitted an application to Pobal under the Scheme to Support National Organisations in the Community and Voluntary Sector. In total 148 applications were received and assessed by Pobal on behalf of my Department with 70 organisations to receive funding. The standard of application received was generally of a very high quality ensuring the appraisal process was...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: EU Directives (28 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive sets out the requirements for the collection, treatment and discharge of waste water from urban areas/agglomerations. Compliance with the requirements of this Directive is reported annually by the Environmental Protection Agency in their Urban Waste Water Treatment Report. In September 2013, the European Commission commenced formal infringement...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes Provision (28 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. This includes design, build and operate water treatment plants. Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives. The team can be contacted via email to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Policy (28 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: I recognise the difficulty faced by households in accessing the housing market. The Programme for a Partnership Governmentcontains a commitment for the introduction of a new model of affordable rental to provide more housing options for low income households and to relieve pressure on the social housing sector. €10 million is being made available from the proceeds of the sale of Bord...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Functions (28 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: In 2015, a process was established by my predecessor to review the operation of the revised local government structures. This involved a broadly based Advisory Group , consisting of members appointed in a personal capacity rather than as representatives of particular organisations, and a Local Government Forum for engagement with the Association of Irish Local Government, which is the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Disposal Charges (28 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 190 and 192 together. Under the Waste Management (Collection Permit) Regulations 2007, as amended, there has been a requirement since 1 July 2015 for collectors to weigh household waste collected at kerbside, using approved weighing instruments and to make this information available to the householder. The same refuse collection vehicles are often used...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management (28 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: Under the Waste Management (Collection Permit) Regulations 2007, as amended, the collection of bags is being phased out from 1 July, 2016. Local authorities have been requested to designate areas as not being suitable for wheelie bin collections (i.e. designate areas which should remain on bag collections) in advance of the deadline. In brief, the criteria they have been asked to use in...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Staff Recruitment (28 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: As announced in Budget 2015, the moratorium on recruitment has been lifted throughout the Local Authority Sector. 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...