Results 18,461-18,480 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Committee on Housing and Homelessness: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: We can have a long debate about the remit of NAMA. The NAMA vehicle was set up to take broken property-related loan books off the banking system and its remit was to try to minimise the financial exposure to the State. That is the remit it continues to work out, which is why it has - and it is unapologetic about it - a commercial remit to try to do that. It is predicting that by 2020 it...

Committee on Housing and Homelessness: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: Absolutely. For example, there are very strategic and large landbanks in Cork, in particular, as well as Limerick and Athlone. These landbanks are often in city centres and will never really be used for commercial rail in the future. Obviously, Irish Rail must get a commercial rate of return for an asset that it owns and is on its balance sheet. It cannot simply write it off without all...

Committee on Housing and Homelessness: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: It can be buy-to-lease or build-to lease. Absolutely, and perhaps we could expand that model. If one looks at the UK, there is a huge reliance on approved housing bodies there to build and manage large property portfolios of social housing and often also of specialised housing. Whether it is for the elderly or the disability sector, there are specialised providers of certain types of...

Committee on Housing and Homelessness: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: In Tipperary the figure was quite high.

Committee on Housing and Homelessness: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: I could not possibly comment on that.

Committee on Housing and Homelessness: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: The figure in Leitrim was 47% so there are other high figures as well. I thank the committee. I would have preferred to have stayed for longer. I look forward to getting the committee's report when it is produced. If people want follow-up meetings on the report recommendations, we will happily oblige. If the committee needs any information from the Department in terms of statistics we...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Leader Programmes Administration (2 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: My Department is currently concluding the selection of LEADER local development strategies, in accordance with strict EU regulatory requirements.  At this stage, 32 strategies have been received from the 28 designated LEADER areas, of which 26 have been evaluated.  The remaining six strategies will be evaluated by the Selection Committee later this month. To date, discussions...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Assets (2 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: My Department has not received an application from Kerry County Council to dispose of the property in question. It is a matter for the Council, which owns the property, to determine in the first place its future use or disposal.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management (2 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: Government waste policy is predicated on the waste hierarchy as set out in the EU’s Waste Framework Directive. A number of specific measures have been, and will continue to be, introduced to reduce the amount of waste generated in the State and to increase the segregation of waste which cannot be prevented in line with Government policy.  The introduction of pay-by-weight charges...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Unfinished Housing Developments (2 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: Since 2010, an annual National Housing Survey of Unfinished Housing Developments has been conducted during the Summer months to monitor progress. In that period, the number of unfinished housing developments has decreased by approximately three-quarters, from nearly 3,000 in 2010 to 668 in 2015. Of the 668 unfinished developments identified in the 2015 survey, my objective is to resolve as...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water (2 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Government decided in December 2011, based on the recommendations in an independent assessment, to establish a public water utility company to take over the operational and capital delivery functions of local authorities in the water services area. The Government also decided that the question of whether the role of Irish Water should be assigned to an existing State Agency merited...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Regeneration Projects (2 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 188 and 189 together. The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Regeneration Projects Funding (2 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: My Department’s regeneration programme targets the country’s most disadvantaged communities; those defined by the most extreme social exclusion, unemployment and anti-social behaviour. Regeneration seeks to rebuild these communities by addressing not just the physical environment in which they live but also by investing in the social and economic development of the areas. This...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Residential Property Data (2 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: My Department does not hold the information requested by the Deputy. The Housing Agency presented a paper for the Oireachtas Committee on Housing and Homelessness in relation to vacant homes in Ireland. I understand the figures produced by the Housing Agency drew on Census 2011. The report is available at: This year’s Census will provide more information on the number of vacant...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Private Rented Accommodation (2 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. Security of tenure under the Act is based on rolling four-year tenancy cycles. Where a tenant has been in occupation of a dwelling for a continuous period of 6 months and no notice of termination has been...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Hazardous Waste Removal (2 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: I have no function in relation to the matters raised in this question. Notwithstanding the role performed by the Government in the designation of this general area as a Strategic Development Zone, it is subsequently a matter for the relevant development agency (in this instance, Dublin City Council), in consultation with landowners, including the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (2 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: Requirements to provide social or affordable housing in Dublin Docklands development arose under the planning schemes made pursuant to the Dublin Docklands Act 1990, and in relation to future development, will arise under Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000. This is now a matter for Dublin City Council and I have no role in relation to it. I cannot comment on the application of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Docklands Oversight and Consultative Forum (2 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: Part 5 of The Dublin Docklands Development Authority (Dissolution) Act, 2015 contain provisions for the establishment of the Docklands Oversight and Consultative Forum and came into operation on 1 March 2016. Dublin City Council recently nominated four councillors to the Forum. The Council has also advertised in local and national media inviting organisations who are representative of...

Rent Certainty Bill 2016: First Stage (1 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: Which Bill?

Ceisteanna - Questions: Citizens Assembly (1 Jun 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy's party was not campaigning too hard on it.