Results 18,741-18,760 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

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

Simon Coveney: The expert panel on concrete blocks has met on two occasions since it was established early last month and also met last week with a number of affected homeowners in Donegal in order to view first-hand the problems that have emerged in their homes and to seek any additional information that may be available to better inform the panel of the nature of the problems that have emerged in the...

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

Simon Coveney: The Water Services Act 2013 provided for the establishment of Irish Water as a subsidiary of Bord Gáis Éireann (now Ervia), conforming to the conditions contained in the Act and registered under the Companies Acts. As Irish Water is a State owned company, the board members of Irish Water or Ervia cannot purchase shares in Irish Water. Section 5 of the Water Services Act 2013,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Household Charge Administration (17 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: The Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 provided the legislative basis for the Household Charge. Under the Act, an owner of a residential property on the liability date is liable to pay the Household Charge, unless otherwise exempted or entitled to claim a waiver. The Charge has operated on a self-assessment basis with an owner of a residential property determining liability and...

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

Simon Coveney: The chairpersons of the committees which are reviewing the boundaries at Athlone, Carlow, Drogheda and Waterford have indicated that further work is required in order to complete the reviews, including work arising from the large volume of submissions received on foot of public consultations. My Department is in communication with the chairpersons regarding the additional timescale involved...

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

Simon Coveney: The local authority mortgage protection insurance (MPI) scheme is overseen by the Mortgage Protection Committee which is a sub-committee of the County and City Management Association (CCMA) and is representative of the CCMA, local authorities, the Housing Finance Agency and my Department. The group policy is a commercial insurance product which is procured in accordance with EU procurement...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Fire Safety Regulations (17 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: I understand that Waterford City and County Council is liaising with the residents of the Ceol na Mara development on an ongoing basis in an effort to be of support and assistance to residents at this difficult time. Part B of the Building Regulations sets out the statutory standards of fire safety that apply when a new building is constructed in order to ensure the safety of persons in...

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

Simon Coveney: I am aware of concerns regarding discharges at Doldrum Bay in Howth, County Dublin. However, neither I nor my Department has any role in monitoring or supervising the delivery of water services or any pollution incidents arising therefrom. Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels for...

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

Simon Coveney: Total motor tax receipts from 2014 to the end of April 2016 are set out in the following table. Year Motor Tax Receipts € 2014 1,159,331,931 2015 1,124,351,806 To the end of April 2016 386,951,283 Income from Motor Tax currently accrues to the Local Government Fund. When established, one of the purposes for which the Fund was used was to provide General Purpose Grant...

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

Simon Coveney: Grants are available to assist low-income householders with the cost of replacing lead pipes and fittings within the boundaries of their principal private residence. Only the cost of replacement works constitutes qualifying expenditure. Assessment costs do not qualify for grant aid. The scheme is administered by the local authorities and its key features are as follows: - Households with...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Mortgage to Rent Scheme Eligibility (17 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: I propose to take Questions Nos. 427 to 429, inclusive, together. 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)....

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Credit Union Lending (17 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...

Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of Government: Motion (6 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: Who are you kidding?

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Young Farmers Scheme (5 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: The person named submitted applications under the ‘young farmer’ category of the 2015 National Reserve and the Young Farmers Scheme. The applications were successful and payment issued on 17thDecember 2015.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Young Farmers Scheme (5 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: The person named submitted an application under the ‘young farmer’ category of the 2015 National Reserve. This application was not successful as the applicant did not hold either low value entitlements or so called ‘naked land’ on which an allocation from the National Reserve could be made. The person named contacted my Department directly in April 2016 regarding...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greyhound Industry (5 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: Once appropriate animal health and welfare certification requirements are met, dogs, including greyhounds, may be exported internationally. Exporters are also required to comply with the provisions of Council Regulation (EC) No. 1 of 2005 on the protection of animals during transport. The Irish Greyhound Board (IGB) has recently advised all owners involved in the export of greyhounds to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishery Harbour Centres (5 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: Howth Fishery Harbour Centre is one of the six designated Fishery Harbour Centres which are owned and managed by my Department under Statute. There are a total of 70 properties/sites in the Howth Fishery Harbour Centre property portfolio, the majority of which are occupied by a variety of public and commercial bodies which support the Fishery Harbour Centre’s role as a working fishery...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: TAMS Applications (5 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: The applicant in question has applied under the second tranche of the Low Emission Slurry Spreading scheme in TAMS II. The application has passed the initial administrative checks. All applications received are examined, validated and then have to be ranked and selected. Approvals will commence when this process is complete.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: District Veterinary Offices (5 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: All applications for registration of calf births are validated to ensure the accuracy of the information on bovines held on the Department’s Animal Identification and Movement (AIM) database. In this particular case, the Calf Birth Registration Agency issued correction letters to the keeper as the calving interval in both cases is less than 290 days. The Regional Veterinary Office...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: GLAS Eligibility (5 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: Farmers opting for any action under the GLAS scheme are required to respect the management requirements set out in the detailed GLAS specifications accompanying the Scheme, and any other instructions or clarifications issued by the Department. One of the main actions for grazing land under GLAS is ‘Low Input Permanent Pasture’, which is designed to preserve and enhance old...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Coillte Teoranta (5 May 2016)

Simon Coveney: Coillte Teoranta was established as a private commercial company under the Forestry Act, 1988 and day-to-day operational matters, such as communications with the media, are the responsibility of the company. In relation to the manner in which the employees were informed, I am advised that a series of meetings were held, beginning in early November 2015, to which all Coillte staff were...