Results 2,041-2,060 of 2,386 for speaker:Michael Finneran

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (29 Jun 2010)

Michael Finneran: My Department is currently gathering repossession and arrears information from all local authorities in relation to quarter 1 2010. Once this information has been collected and collated it will be included in the quarterly statistics published by my Department. A total of 66 repossessions across all local authorities have been carried out in the five year period 2005-2009. This includes 7...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (29 Jun 2010)

Michael Finneran: One of the conditions applying to the availability of local authority mortgages is that the applicant be a first time buyer. Provisions regarding the application of stamp duty and the definition of a first time buyer for the purposes of stamp duty are set out in the Stamp Duties Acts, which fall within the remit of the Minister for Finance.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (29 Jun 2010)

Michael Finneran: Paragraph 16 of the circular in question allows local authorities to apply the Shared Ownership rent subsidy, pro rata, in the current year in the event that a household suffers financial difficulties. While my Department does not require local authorities to report all instances of the application of paragraph 16, the policy approach contained therein remains in place and has been extended...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (29 Jun 2010)

Michael Finneran: I refer to the reply to Question No. 372 of 25 May 2010. The position remains unchanged.

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (29 Jun 2010)

Michael Finneran: The main functions of the new Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency are, [a] within a shared service environment, to assist local authorities in the discharge of their functions under housing, planning and building control legislation, to facilitate, advise and assist housing authorities, approved housing bodies and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (29 Jun 2010)

Michael Finneran: From a social housing perspective, there is clear potential for real and meaningful synergies between the work of the National Asset Management Agency in ensuring the stability of the financial system and the role of my Department in responding to social housing need. For some time now the social housing investment programme has been undergoing a significant restructuring to shift the focus...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (29 Jun 2010)

Michael Finneran: In April 2009 my Department commenced a review of the provisions of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, under which the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) operates. The purpose of this review was to consider whether the Act best supported the PRTB's key functions and whether legislative amendments would support either the achievement of additional operational efficiencies by the PRTB...

Written Answers — Voluntary Housing: Voluntary Housing (29 Jun 2010)

Michael Finneran: Under my Department's Capital Loan and Subsidy Scheme (CLSS), mortgage finance is provided to approved housing bodies by way of loans from the Housing Finance Agency (HFA) to meet the cost of providing social rented accommodation for low-income families. At end 2009, approved housing bodies had provided some 9,335 units of accommodation and loans to the value of around €1.3 billion had been...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (29 Jun 2010)

Michael Finneran: In accordance with standard practice, the norms of constitutional and administrative law, European Convention on Human Rights law and relevant EU law were taken into account in drafting the provisions of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, and housing authorities are required to discharge their functions under the Act in a manner consistent with such norms.

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (29 Jun 2010)

Michael Finneran: There is no provision in the European Convention on Human Rights Act 2003 for Ministers to issue directions to particular bodies on whether they are deemed, for the purposes of the Act, to be organs of the State, an expression defined in section 1(1) to include "any ... body ... which is established by law or through which any of the legislative, executive or judicial powers of the State are...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (29 Jun 2010)

Michael Finneran: The Housing Forum plays an important role in inputting to policy development and evaluating outcomes over the period of the framework of the National Agreement, Towards 2016. The Forum provides an opportunity for its members to contribute constructively to ongoing housing policy formulation and implementation. It also has a monitoring role in relation to activity on housing programmes. The...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (29 Jun 2010)

Michael Finneran: A revised proposal in respect of 4 units of accommodation was received from Kilkenny County Council on 22 March 2010. The proposal will be considered for inclusion in the list of projects to be funded under my Department's Capital Assistance Scheme in 2011.

Written Answers — Local Authority Loans: Local Authority Loans (29 Jun 2010)

Michael Finneran: I have requested my Department to arrange to have the provisions necessary to address this matter included in the first appropriate legislative vehicle that becomes available.

Written Answers — Housing Statistics: Housing Statistics (30 Jun 2010)

Michael Finneran: My Department collates and publishes a wide range of housing statistics, the full range of which can be viewed on www.environ.ie. 6,112 houses have been completed up to end May 2010 and a more detailed breakdown by area is available on the website. Broad trends for construction activity, including housing, are contained in the annual Construction Industry Review and Outlook, an independent...

Seanad: Water Supply (30 Jun 2010)

Michael Finneran: I thank the Senator for raising this issue, which relates to water conservation works, which are a priority under my Department's water services investment programme. The main objectives of the water conservation programme are to reduce water loss in the public supply networks; to obtain value for money by deferring capital expenditure on new water supply schemes through improved supply and...

Seanad: Water Supply (30 Jun 2010)

Michael Finneran: My Department is awaiting the tender documents and the necessary supporting information from Donegal County Council. When that arrives, and even if it arrives tomorrow, I assure the Senator it will be dealt with as a matter of urgency.

Seanad: Water Supply (30 Jun 2010)

Michael Finneran: Phase 1.

Seanad: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Jun 2010)

Michael Finneran: I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of the Minister for Social Protection. The main objective of the free travel scheme administered by the Department is to encourage older people and people with disabilities to remain independent and active in the community. The scheme permits a recipient to travel for free on most CIE public transport services, Luas and a range of services...

Seanad: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Jun 2010)

Michael Finneran: I appreciate the point made by the Senator. Two issues arise, the first of which is that there is no provision or regulation in law for the transfer of a travel pass. The second, which is fundamental, is that the woman concerned does not have a travel pass, but that might change if her application for carer's allowance is successful. Perhaps the matter might be revisited at that time.

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (1 Jul 2010)

Michael Finneran: Under the land aggregation scheme developed by my Department housing authorities may transfer residential lands on which there are outstanding loans from the Housing Finance Agency to a central agency when the loans fall due for redemption and on the basis that there are no short to medium term plans for the development of the land. In such cases it is not proposed to transfer debt from the...