Results 18,681-18,700 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management (18 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: I refer to the reply to Question No. 367 on yesterday’s Order Paper which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Credit Unions (18 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: The agreed Programme for a Partnership Governmentrecognises the potential role that credit unions can play in housing finance and supports the efforts of the Registrar of Credit Unions at the Central Bank to gradually lift current lending restrictions as appropriate, including for housing. The Programme further provides that we will investigate with all stakeholders how credit unions can...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (18 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: Targets in respect of social housing delivery via a combination of building, buying and leasing schemes were set for each local authority out to 2017 and are available on my Department’s website, along with the associated provisional funding allocations, at the following link: . Almost €87 million has been allocated to Kildare County Council for the delivery of 1,283 social...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Fire Stations Provision (18 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: The provision of fire services in local authority areas, including the establishment and maintenance of fire brigades, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of premises, is a statutory function of the individual fire authorities under the provisions of the Fire Services Act 1981. My Department supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a central...

Adjournment Debate: Traveller Accommodation (17 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: I apologise to the House for not being here for the start of Deputy Adams's speech. My understanding was that I would be up next rather than now because we swapped with the previous Minister. However, I picked up most of what the Deputy was saying.

Adjournment Debate: Traveller Accommodation (17 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Deputy will get my script, the official response, on a lot of issues. I believe we are meeting tomorrow to discuss housing generally but I am aware that the Deputy has asked to meet me on Traveller accommodation, in particular. We can have a detailed discussion on the Woodland Park issue in Dundalk, in which I know the Deputy has been involved. There are many complications associated...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Mortgage Data (17 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: Under the Approved Housing Body (AHB) Mortgage to Rent Scheme, to date in Co. Kildare, the number of successful completed cases is 8 with a further 56 under active consideration, and in Co. Laois the number of completed cases is 3 with a further 20 under active consideration.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Wind Energy Guidelines (17 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 348 and 350 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 noise limit of 40 decibels for future wind energy developments, -...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges (17 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Government is committed to introducing and supporting legislation in the Oireachtas, within six weeks of its appointment, to suspend domestic water charges for a period of nine months from the end of the current bill cycle. The proposed details of the suspension will be set out in the legislation when published. In line with the suspension of domestic water charges, and to ensure equity...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (17 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: A key principle underlying my Department’s activities is enabling communities themselves to identify and address social and economic needs and problems in their own areas. There is a particular focus on supporting communities that are vulnerable, disadvantaged or under threat, and an adherence to the values of local participation. The Government currently provides substantial...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Funding (17 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Public Service Reform Plan (2014-16) commits to a more strategic approach to the allocation of State funding, which is focused on the outcomes of service users being met in return for monies spent. This strategic approach, known as commissioning, seeks to assess and identify the needs of a population, ascertain desired outcomes for that population, pinpoint service priorities and goals,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (17 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Government’s Housing Policy Statement, published in June 2011, clearly identified that the priority for Government is to meet the most acute needs of households applying for social housing support in all local authority areas, by providing housing support based on choice, fairness and equity across tenures and on delivering quality outcomes for the resources invested. The 2011...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (17 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: In accordance with the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, housing authorities have statutory responsibility for the assessment of the accommodation needs of Travellers and the preparation, adoption and implementation of multi-annual Traveller Accommodation Programmes in their areas. My Department’s role is to ensure that there are adequate structures and supports in place to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Staff Recruitment (17 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 355 and 356 together. My Department does not currently have an application on file from Kerry County Council for sanction for the recruitment of Traffic Wardens. Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Electromagnetic Fields Studies (17 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 357, 358 and 422 together. The issue of the potential health effects of electromagnetic fields was the subject of an Expert Group Report commissioned by the Government and published in March 2007. This report, entitled Health Effects of Electromagnetic Fields, which considered issues such as digital signals, microwaves and mobile phone masts, is available for...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Provision (17 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 359 and 390 together. The Government is committed to the overall objective that every household, including first-time buyers, will have access to secure, good quality housing suited to their needs at an affordable price, in a sustainable community. Ultimately a shortage of supply of houses and apartments to buy and rent is at the heart of the challenges in...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax (17 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: CO2emissions are the basis for charging motor tax for private vehicles registered since 2008. Vehicles registered prior to that are taxed on the basis of engine capacity. I have no plans to change the basis of charging motor tax from engine capacity to CO2emissions for vehicles registered prior to 2008. The question of applying the CO2based system to all cars was the subject of detailed...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (17 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: The apartment minimum sizes specified in the Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New Apartments - Guidelines for Planning Authorities, published in December 2015, are mandatory for all local authorities. The sizes for 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments are not new standards but a restatement of the minimum apartment sizes for such apartments set out in previous statutory guidelines...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme Eligibility (17 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 362, 363, 376, 382, 397 and 404 together. Provision was made in the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 for a new Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme for existing local authority houses. Following the necessary preparatory work the new Scheme came into operation on 1 January 2016. The Scheme is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (17 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Programme for a Partnership Government has undertaken tosignificantly increase and expedite the delivery of social housing units, the targets for which are set out in the Social Housing Strategy 2020. The Strategy has targeted the provision of over 110,000 social housing units, through the delivery of 35,000 new social housing units and meeting the housing needs of some 75,000...