Results 1,201-1,220 of 1,046,829 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Máiría Cahill OR speaker:Shane Cassells OR speaker:Brendan Howlin OR speaker:Robert Troy) in 'Committee meetings'

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógail) - Other Questions (Resumed): Housing Provision (22 Oct 2024)

Questions Nos. 59 to 61, inclusive, taken with Written Answers.

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógail) - Other Questions (Resumed): Housing Provision (22 Oct 2024)

Question No. 62 taken with Question No. 56.

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógail) - Other Questions (Resumed): Housing Provision (22 Oct 2024)

Question No. 63 taken with Question No. 57.

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógail) - Other Questions (Resumed): Solar Energy Guidelines (22 Oct 2024)

Solar Energy Guidelines

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógail) - Other Questions (Resumed): Solar Energy Guidelines (22 Oct 2024)

David Stanton: 64. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to introduce national guidelines to manage the development of large-scale solar farms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41434/24]

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógail) - Other Questions (Resumed): Solar Energy Guidelines (22 Oct 2024)

David Stanton: This question relates to the possible need to introduce national guidelines to manage the development of large-scale solar farms. In my part of the country, we are seeing hundreds of acres being earmarked for solar farms. As the Tánaiste stated last week, we are talking about 40 shades of green turning into 40 shades of grey.

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógail) - Other Questions (Resumed): Solar Energy Guidelines (22 Oct 2024)

Alan Dillon: As with the vast majority of development types, there are currently no specific planning guidelines in place in respect of solar energy development. Proposals for individual solar energy developments are subject to the statutory requirements of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, in the same manner as other proposed developments. Planning applications are made to the relevant...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógail) - Other Questions (Resumed): Solar Energy Guidelines (22 Oct 2024)

David Stanton: I thank the Minister of State for his response, but I put it to him that the development of large-scale - I am talking about hundreds of acres - solar farms is very new. While we have national guidelines on the production of renewable energy that seem to dictate planning guidelines, there are no guidelines on large-scale solar farms. This involves the transformation of whole townlands and...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógail) - Other Questions (Resumed): Solar Energy Guidelines (22 Oct 2024)

Alan Dillon: We have made the existing and evolving planning system sufficiently robust with regard to large-scale solar developments. Through the revised national planning framework, the Government and the Oireachtas are allocating and integrating the regional spacial and economic strategies. That in turn will inform city and county development plans and lead to the identification of large-scale...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógail) - Other Questions (Resumed): Housing Schemes (22 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 57, 63, 66, 70 and 73 together. The vacant property refurbishment grant, or the Croí Cónaithe towns grant, is a key support introduced by this Government to bring vacant and derelict properties back into use. It is a significant grant. A grant of up to €50,000 is available for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation as a...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógail) - Other Questions (Resumed): Housing Schemes (22 Oct 2024)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: The Minister is right. I would love to see it extended and enhanced, if possible. To be fair to the Minister and the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, in the few years I have been in the House listening to them fielding questions on housing, they have always said the most efficient house to bring back into circulation is the house that is already built. That is why this grant is so...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógail) - Other Questions (Resumed): Housing Schemes (22 Oct 2024)

Éamon Ó Cuív: This scheme is a great idea. The Minister knows I am big supporter of it. The number of applications is satisfactory. It will bring a lot of houses back to life. I noticed the scheme seems to be much more successful in rural areas, which highlights an ongoing physical difficulty of doing up terraced houses. The Minister said 930 applications have been paid out, which is approximately...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógail) - Other Questions (Resumed): Housing Schemes (22 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I might give some figures first, which might be helpful to the Deputies. In Cork city, 318 applications were received, of which 241 were approved. Only nine were rejected. The other applications are being processed and applications are still coming in. A total of 28 grants have been paid out in Cork city. That figure will accelerate substantially over the coming months. We are budgeting...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógail) - Other Questions (Resumed): Housing Schemes (22 Oct 2024)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Is that the city or the county?

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógail) - Other Questions (Resumed): Housing Schemes (22 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: That is County Galway. Galway city is behind and we have engaged with the council. A total of 79 applications were received, of which 58 were approved. I can provide these details to Deputies across local authorities. To answer Deputy Ó Cuív's question, extensions can be granted. I have not had any case come back to me where a local authority said it would not extend it if it...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógail) - Other Questions (Resumed): Housing Schemes (22 Oct 2024)

Housing Schemes

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógail) - Other Questions (Resumed): Housing Schemes (22 Oct 2024)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: 58. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of tenant in-situ applications approved in Cork city and county since the inception of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42876/24]

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógail) - Other Questions (Resumed): Housing Schemes (22 Oct 2024)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: What is the number of tenant in-situ applications approved in Cork city and county since the inception of the scheme?

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógail) - Other Questions (Resumed): Housing Schemes (22 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Under Housing for All, we made provision for the purchase of 200 social housing acquisitions and to permit that each year. In 2023, with the Deputy's support, the Government agreed that we would increase the provision and the allocation of funds for 1,500 social housing acquisitions. This has continued into 2024 and my Department will fund local authorities to acquire at least 1,500 social...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógail) - Other Questions (Resumed): Housing Schemes (22 Oct 2024)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: The scheme is a very good one. I said that and welcomed it when it was initiated a few years ago. It is good to see that those targets are not ceilings, which the Minister has reiterated on the floor of the Dáil on numerous occasions. For a while, there was resistance in certain local authorities regarding targets. It is good to see that both Cork city and county have breached those...