Results 1,941-1,960 of 4,773 for speaker:Paudie Coffey

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations (10 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: My Department does not maintain a database on the percentage of buildings which are wheelchair friendly. The Building Regulations 1997 to 2014 provide for the health, safety and welfare of persons in and around buildings and set out the legal requirements for the design and construction of new buildings, including houses, extensions and material alterations and certain changes of use to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations Compliance (10 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I refer to the reply given to Question No. 519 of 18 November 2014 which sets out the position in relation to this matter. I welcome the decision by Quality Qualifications Ireland to facilitate the development of a common standard for architectural technology in line with the National Qualifications Framework which is an important step towards the development of a statutory register. I am...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Foreshore Licence Applications (10 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: My Department is engaged with the Office of the Attorney General to establish how the provisions of the Foreshore Act interact with folio and other purported rights to harvest seaweed. Applications to harvest seaweed are being progressed as far as possible within this context. With regard to the application from the first named company, public and prescribed bodies consultations have been...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (10 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: Section 2 of Schedule 9 of the Planning and Development Regulations, 2001, as amended, prescribes the scale of fees for planning applications. Class 4 of section 2 provides that the fee for the provision of a building, other than a house, the alteration of an existing house, the construction of a structure within the curtilage of an existing house, or an agricultural building, shall be...

An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Uimh. 2) 2014: An Dara Céim [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (No. 2) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (6 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: This has been a very interesting, topical and welcome debate and I thank Deputy Brian Stanley for introducing the Bill. I thank Deputy Peter Mathews for his contribution. In any debate we need to have opposing and alternative views which he expressed strongly. Some of these views I would agree with but others I would oppose vehemently, particularly on Alexis Tsipras. Both his and his...

An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Uimh. 2) 2014: An Dara Céim [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (No. 2) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (6 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The Government is not opposing the passage of the Bill on Second Stage, simply because we agree with its principle. A strong case has been made in the House in favour of reducing the voting age to 16 years. Some of these points were made at the Convention on the Constitution which voted 52% in favour of reducing the voting age, while 47% voted against. The views of Deputy Peter Mathews...

An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Uimh. 2) 2014: An Dara Céim [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (No. 2) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (6 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I acknowledge the work of Deputy Brian Stanley and his colleagues in bringing the Bill before the House. Although it is relatively short, the matter it addresses is significant in electoral terms and I am happy to set out the Government's position on it. There are few more important matters than the right to vote or, to put it more precisely, the question of who has the right to vote....

Topical Issue Debate: Library Services Funding (5 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I reiterate the commitment of my Department and its Ministers to local authorities and the public library service, including its future development. A sum similar to the €143.4 million allocated for libraries in 2014 will be allocated in 2015 to a very valuable service. It is important that the service has a strategy in Opportunities for All. The strategy recognises the continuing...

Topical Issue Debate: Library Services Funding (5 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I thank Deputy Kitt for raising this issue, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, and for providing me with an opportunity to set out the position on funding for the public library services. I would like to state at the outset my own personal commitment to the library service and to library facilities, which make a real difference to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Data (5 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: My Department does not maintain a statistical database of the Building Energy Ratings of dwelling units owned by local authorities.The national database of building energy ratings is maintained by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.  I understand that the software used to maintain the database was modified in July 2012 to allow for the identification of BER certificates relating...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Waiting Lists (5 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: As I indicated in my reply to the Question referred to by the Deputy, decisions on granting priority to households in the allocation of dwellings are a matter for the housing authority concerned, in accordance with section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Allocation Regulations 2011 .

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (5 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I understand the scheme referred to was introduced by a local authority to enable older people to downsize from homes that may have become too large for them to more suitable accommodation, thus potentially freeing up homes for larger families. While I have no proposals to introduce a national scheme along these lines, it is open to housing authorities, in the context of implementing the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations Compliance (5 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: Under the Building Control Acts 1990 to 2014, primary responsibility for compliance with the requirements of the Building Regulations rests with the designers, builders and owners of buildings. Enforcement of the Building Regulations is a matter for the 31 local building control authorities who have extensive powers of inspection and investigation under the Acts. While I appreciate and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Funding (5 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I have no proposals for the introduction of a fund along the lines suggested. The remediation of defects is a matter between the contracting parties, i.e. the homeowner, the builder /developer and/or their respective insurers. Where a structural guarantee is in place , there may be obligations on the guarantee provider if the defects fall within scope of the structural guarantee. In the event...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Insurance Coverage (5 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: HomeBond is a private limited company providing structural guarantees for new houses and, since November 2008, the HomeBond Insurance scheme is underwritten by Allianz Insurance. As is the case for any private company, its operations are a matter for its management and Board of Directors. My Department understands that HomeBond Insurance Services Ltd is regulated by the Central Bank of...

Topical Issue Debate: Private Rented Accommodation Costs and Controls (4 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: With due respect, this is the first social housing strategy in a generation. I commend the Government and in particular the Minister, Deputy Kelly, on the work they have done in ring-fencing significant funds. This is a significant commitment by Government to address the social housing deficit. The Deputy should at least make some acknowledgement of those efforts. To say on the floor of...

Topical Issue Debate: Private Rented Accommodation Costs and Controls (4 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The strategy has been put in place. The funding has been provided.

Topical Issue Debate: Private Rented Accommodation Costs and Controls (4 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The Government has reiterated its commitment.

Topical Issue Debate: Private Rented Accommodation Costs and Controls (4 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: We are now engaged with local authorities, approved housing bodies and every other stakeholder that can contribute to offering solutions to the huge social housing deficit. We will deliver on that because the next phase of that implementation is about to be rolled out in coming weeks. The Deputy will see in his constituency as in other constituencies, the start of that delivery. This...

Topical Issue Debate: Private Rented Accommodation Costs and Controls (4 Feb 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The main cause of rising rents is a lack of supply in the market. The Deputy mentioned the social housing strategy 2020, which was published last November. This is not just a strategy. It sets out 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. In addition, the...