Results 321-340 of 3,821 for in 'Written Answers' speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (13 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 408 and 409 together. The most recent assessment of need for social housing was undertaken by local authorities in March 2005. The results of that assessment indicated that there were 43,684 households on local authority housing waiting lists. In relation to the Dublin region, the following table gives the number of households on the waiting lists of the...

Written Answers — Rural Renewal Schemes: Rural Renewal Schemes (13 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: A further inspection of this property was carried out last week and a Certificate of Reasonable Cost will issue very shortly.

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (13 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Eligibility for the affordable housing schemes is determined on the basis that applicants are in need of housing and cannot afford to purchase a house outright on the open market. Any downturn in house prices improves affordability in the market and would, therefore, be expected to reduce demand for the affordable housing schemes. Applicants for affordable housing under Part V of the...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (14 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The negative impact referred to relates to increased mortgage protection insurance costs which would arise for borrowers if the obligatory nature of the arrangements were altered. The Mortgage Protection Committee, which is a sub-committee of the County and City Managers' Association and is also representative of the Housing Finance Agency and my Department, has recently appointed a...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (14 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The application for post tender approval is being considered in the light of the additional information received from Dublin City Council on 18 January, 2008, and a decision will be made as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (14 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department recoups 90% of expenditure by local authorities on the provision of accommodation for homeless persons under Section 10 of the Housing Act 1988. Funding to local authorities for the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons has increased significantly since the adoption of the Integrated Strategy on Adult Homelessness in 2000, with €12.6m provided...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (14 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 232 and 247 together. The making and amending of rent schemes is the responsibility of local authorities as an integral part of their housing management functions, subject to the following broad principles laid down by my Department in Circular letter HRT 3/2002 of 6 March 2002: the rent payable should be related to income and a smaller proportion of income...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (14 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: An application for funding under the Capital Assistance Scheme towards the provision of 8 units of accommodation has been received from Cork County Council who are responsible for the detailed administration of schemes in their area. Further clarification has been sought from the Council on this proposal and a reply is awaited. When this is to hand, the application will be further...

Written Answers — Voluntary Housing Associations: Voluntary Housing Associations (14 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Bodies seeking to obtain approved status under Section 6 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1962 must be constituted as a limited company, or as a society registered with the Registrar of Friendly Societies or as a trust incorporated under the Charities Acts. Certain restrictions apply in relation to the election/appointment of directors, trustees or senior officials of such...

Written Answers — Voluntary Housing Associations: Voluntary Housing Associations (14 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 242, 243 and 245 together. The provision of accommodation by approved voluntary and co-operative housing bodies is an integral part of my Department's overall response to delivering on social housing need. Local authorities and approved housing bodies are working in close co-operation to deliver an expanded range of social housing options and a wide range of...

Written Answers — Tax Clearance Certificates: Tax Clearance Certificates (14 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The requirements laid down in article 5 of the Housing Regulations 1980 (Amendment) Regulations, 1992 were introduced in order to apply the Department of Finance's tax clearance procedures to applicants for local authority housing loans and persons undertaking any work financed by such loans. There are no proposals, at present, to amend these provisions.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (14 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I understand that all new ESB customers, and not just those accommodated through the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS), are required to sign up for a Direct Debit to pay their bills, or else to pay a deposit of €300. The levying of such charges is a matter for the ESB and I have no function in that regard. Nevertheless it should be noted that in transferring tenants to RAS, the general...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (19 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: A meeting has been arranged between my Department and Monaghan County Council for 29 February, 2008, with a view to clarifying a number of issues in relation to this project. A decision on the funding application will be made as soon as possible afterwards.

Written Answers — Housing Aid for the Elderly: Housing Aid for the Elderly (19 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Notification of individual allocations to local authorities for the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability, the Mobility Aids Grant Scheme and the Housing Aid for Older People scheme in 2008 will be made available following the publication, shortly, of the Revised Estimates for Public Services 2008.

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (19 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The terms and conditions of the various affordable housing schemes and the regulations governing local authority loans do not prohibit an affordable home owner from renting a spare room in his/her home so long as the property is occupied by the purchaser, as his/her principal place of residence.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (19 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I refer to the reply to Question Nos. 666 and 624 of 27 November 2007 in which I indicated that, generally, housing allocations in 2008 will be made directly to city, county, borough and town councils. County and city councils have since been provided with an indication of the general level of Exchequer funding that will be available over the next three years for the main housing programmes....

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (21 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I refer to the reply to Question No. 534 of 18 December 2007. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (21 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: From time to time housing authorities need to acquire properties outside of their areas to meet housing need. Typically this can arise where there is a shortage of suitable land for the construction of social housing and/or second hand properties available in their areas. In other circumstances, housing authorities may also need to acquire properties to satisfy a housing need that exists on...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (26 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 479 and 480 together. The making and amending of rent schemes is the responsibility of local authorities as an integral part of their housing management functions, subject to the broad principles laid down by my Department in Circular letter HRT 3/2002 of 6 March 2002. I have no plans to change these principles at present. Decisions on whether or not to...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (26 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 482 and 483 together. Comprehensive data on the number of social and affordable housing units constructed are only collected on a quarterly basis. My Department is currently compiling data which reflect activity in the fourth quarter of 2007, completing the picture of activity during the year as a whole. The latest information available, for the period ended...