Results 18,621-18,640 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Disposal Charges (24 May 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 for...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Pyrite Issues (24 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 215 and 216 together. The expert panel on concrete blocks, which commenced its work in April of this year, was established with the following terms of reference:- - To identify, insofar as it is possible, the numbers of private dwellings which appear to be affected by defects in the blockwork in the Counties of Donegal and Mayo; - To carry out a desktop...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Mortgage to Rent Scheme (24 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: There are currently two Mortgage to Rent (MTR) schemes in operation through my Department. A scheme exists whereby a local authority (LA) can acquire ownership of properties with unsustainable local authority mortgages, thus enabling the household to remain in their home as a social housing tenant (LA- mortgage-to-rent). The other scheme provides for an Approved Housing Body (AHB) to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (24 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: On 7 April 2016, Dublin Airport Authority ( DAA ) announced that it is progressing its plans to deliver a new runway for Dublin Airport, planning permission for which was granted in 2007. The 3,110 metre runway will be built approximately 1.6 km north of the existing main runway and is expected to be delivered in 2020. It is understood that DAA expects to commence works on site before the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Maintenance (24 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: Funding of some €8 2 million has been provided from 2013 to 2015 to support local authorities in a programme of improving the energy performance of older local authority housing stock, resulting in improved energy efficiency and comfort levels, and therefore Building Energy Ratings, in over 45 ,000 local authority homes to date. My Department notified local authorities earlier this...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (24 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Social Housing Strategy 2020 (November 2014), provides for clear, measurable actions and targets to increase the supply of social housing, reform delivery arrangements and meet the housing needs of all households on the housing list with flexibility to meet future demand. In total, 110,000 new social housing units are targeted for delivery with 35,000 new units to be delivered by local...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Data (24 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: Procurement in relation to social housing build developments, from pre-planning through to construction, arises primarily in relation to procurement of consultants and procurement of contractors. These follow either national or EU procurement requirements, depending on the cost involved, as required by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Carrying out procurement as part of a...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Leader Programmes Administration (24 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: I have no plans to alter the delivery structures or partnership arrangements under the new LEADER programme. These arrangements have been determined locally in line with the ‘bottom-up’ approach to rural development. Two broad implementation approaches have emerged as part of the ongoing LEADER local development strategy selection process. In this regard, the programme...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Quality (24 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) monitors the quality of Ireland’s water and environment under the Water Framework Directive (WFD) monitoring programme which began in 2007. Under this programme, the EPA assesses general physico-chemical parameters (nutrients, oxygen, temperature, salinity) and biological quality elements (phytoplankton, macroalgae and angiosperms). Since...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Library Projects (24 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: I refer to the reply to Question No. 746 of 6 April 2016, which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Properties (24 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: My Department does not own any property or land holding. In that context, the question of the rental value of a vacant property does not arise.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Finance Agency (24 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Housing Finance Agency’s function is to advance loan finance to local authorities and the voluntary housing sector to be used by them for any purpose authorised by the Housing Acts, 1966-2014, and to borrow or raise funds for this purpose. It also lends to local authorities for waste and environment capital projects. The direct building of social housing units by local...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Services (24 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: I understand that Dublin City Council is currently engaged in discussions with a retailer with the objective of securing a retail development in Ballymun and as this is a matter for the City Council to pursue, I am happy that it is considering all options in the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management (24 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 231 and 239 together. My Department has met with groups who represent persons with special needs to discuss and explore the impact of pay-by-weight charging on households with special needs. My Department has also been in consultation with the HSE and the waste management industry to discuss the issue and to try to find a workable and fair solution to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Funding (24 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: Information on the funding provided to each local authority by my Department and the number of grants paid to applicants under the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, since the grants were introduced in 2007, is available at the following link: . Information on the 2016 allocations is available on my Department’s website at the following link: .

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Funding (24 May 2016)

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

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Funding (24 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: 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: Housing Assistance Payments Data (24 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: Funding for the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme has increased year on year, since it commenced in September 2014, in order to meet the continuing costs of existing HAP households, and the costs of an additional households to be supported. The majority of this funding is to support on-going rent payments to landlords in respect of existing HAP households and the cost of additional HAP...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (24 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (SHCEP), previously referred to as the Social Housing Leasing Initiative, was introduced in February, 2009. Since then the programme has been expanded on a number of occasions to provide for new types of supply and to involve a greater range of agencies and bodies in providing accommodation. SHCEP supports the delivery of social housing by...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Funding (24 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: My Department provides funding to Approved Housing Bodies through local authorities for the construction and acquisition of units of accommodation under the Capital Loan and Subsidy Scheme and the Capital Assistance Scheme. Since 2008, a total of€496.5 million has been provided under the Capital Loan Subsidy Scheme and €638.4 million under the Capital Assistance Scheme. A...