Results 2,101-2,120 of 2,386 for speaker:Michael Finneran

Written Answers — Library Projects: Library Projects (8 Jul 2010)

Michael Finneran: In August 2008, my Department issued a circular to all library authorities in relation to a new capital programme. As part of that circular, proposals from previous capital programmes which had not received tender approval were withdrawn. A proposal for a new library headquarters for Kilkenny had been in place for some time but had not progressed in part due to lack of a suitable site. As a...

Written Answers — Fire Stations: Fire Stations (8 Jul 2010)

Michael Finneran: The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under section 10 of the Fire Services Act 1981. The Department's role is one of supporting and assisting local authorities in delivering fire services...

Written Answers — Housing Policy: Housing Policy (8 Jul 2010)

Michael Finneran: In overall terms the significant transformation of housing programmes underway will continue as the major priority in the medium term, with the shift away from new build projects towards more flexible forms of housing provision such as leasing. As part of this process, available capital funding will be increasingly targeted at regeneration, special needs housing and improving the...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (8 Jul 2010)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 511 and 512 together. I refer to the reply to Question No. 407 of 1 June, 2010. The number of boarded up houses held by local authorities continuously fluctuates as houses become vacant and are remediated, re-let or demolished. Information, other than that made available through annual Local Authority Service Indicator Reports, is not collected on the number...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (8 Jul 2010)

Michael Finneran: Local authorities operate a range of housing supports, including support involving the voluntary and cooperative sector, for households with varying degrees of need, from the most vulnerable and disadvantaged households, including homeless people and people with disabilities, to middle income households whose needs may be more modest. The various supports available are detailed on my...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (8 Jul 2010)

Michael Finneran: The Government's key priorities in shaping overall housing provision have been to focus the impact of necessary adjustments on areas with scope to maintain output through more flexible approaches and where the policy context supports such approaches, and to continue to direct available capital resources substantially towards the most vulnerable and disadvantaged. In keeping with this...

Written Answers — Homeless Persons: Homeless Persons (8 Jul 2010)

Michael Finneran: The statutory definition of homelessness is provided in section 2 of the Housing Act 1988. It is a matter for the relevant housing authority to determine, having regard to this provision, whether a person is homeless in a particular case. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation for homeless persons rests with the housing authorities and the HSE has...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (8 Jul 2010)

Michael Finneran: Meeting social housing need remains a high priority for the Government. While ensuring that we can deliver across the full range of needs, the scale and composition of the public housing programme in the years ahead will be dependent on a number of factors, including the level of available funding and the evolution of the housing market generally. I am determined to ensure that the programme...

Written Answers — Fire Services: Fire Services (8 Jul 2010)

Michael Finneran: The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade (personnel and equipment), is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under section 10 of the Fire Services Act, 1981. Staffing and organisational arrangements for the purposes of carrying out the functions of fire authorities are matters for the relevant city or...

Written Answers — Services for People with Disabilities: Services for People with Disabilities (8 Jul 2010)

Michael Finneran: Comprehensively to assess the overall level of demand for grant assistance under the suite of Grant Schemes for Older People and People with a Disability, my Department requested local authorities to submit details of their funding requirements for 2010 by 22 January 2010, with a view to determining the allocations for this year as soon as possible after the publication of the 2010 Revised...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (8 Jul 2010)

Michael Finneran: It is a matter for individual housing authorities to plan the composition and management of their social housing investment programmes having regard to the specific social housing needs and priorities in their areas and to the Exchequer funding allocations available to them. The allocations from the Social Housing Investment Programme to South Tipperary County Council for its...

Written Answers — Housing Aid for the Elderly: Housing Aid for the Elderly (8 Jul 2010)

Michael Finneran: Details of the annual Exchequer allocations to South Tipperary County Council for the period 2002 to 2010 are set out in the table below. Data for 2002 incorporate the allocation under the discontinued Disabled Persons and Essential Repairs Grant Schemes and the capital allocation for House Purchase and Improvement Loans. Data for 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 relate to the Disabled Persons and...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (8 Jul 2010)

Michael Finneran: A total of 66 houses have been repossessed by local authorities in the five year period 2005-2009. This includes 7 voluntary repossessions. While repossession by a local authority is a last resort, where it does occur it is related to the non-payment of a local authority mortgage, rather than to house type or category of ownership (e.g. affordable home, shared ownership, tenant purchase...

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (8 Jul 2010)

Michael Finneran: The table below sets out the number of household units that have been transferred from rent supplement to the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) and other social housing options for the years 2007 to 2009 and the first five months of 2010. Transfers to RAS and Social Housing (up to end May '10) Local Authorities (Housing) 2007 2008 2009 Jan-May 2010 Carlow Co. Cl. 113 133 150 37 Cavan...

Written Answers — Fire Stations: Fire Stations (8 Jul 2010)

Michael Finneran: The provision of funding for a fire station at Cloughjordan will be considered under future fire services capital programmes within the constraints of available resources and will have regard to the fire authority's priorities, the existing facilities available, the level of activity, the proximity of other fire stations and the totality of demand from other fire authorities. In autumn 2008,...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (8 Jul 2010)

Michael Finneran: I approved a record Exchequer allocation of €80 million for 2010 to local authorities on 5 March under the suite of Housing Adaptation Grant Schemes for Older People and People with a Disability. The total 2010 allocation to Tipperary North County Council amounts to €1.65m, including €1.34m in Exchequer funding. My Department will review the funding position in the course of the year...

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

Michael Finneran: Under the terms of the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability grants of up to €30,000, which may cover up to 95% of the cost, are available to assist people with a disability to have necessary adaptations, repairs or improvement works carried out in order to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs and to facilitate the continued independent occupancy of their...

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

Michael Finneran: Information on the number of local authority tenancies and the numbers of households supported through the Rental Accommodation Scheme to the end of 2008 can be found in my Department's annual Housing Statistics Bulletins which are available on Full details for the year ending 31 December 2009 will be published on the website in the coming weeks. Approved Voluntary and Co-Operative housing...

Written Answers — Private Residential Tenancies Board: Private Residential Tenancies Board (29 Sep 2010)

Michael Finneran: I have no function in the operational matters of the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB), as it is an independent statutory body established under the Residential Tenancies Act 2004. However dispute resolution statistics are published as part of the annual report of the PRTB and available on their website at www.prtb.ie.

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

Michael Finneran: There is no provision in current housing legislation that precludes a household, who may have owned a home previously, from being included on a local authority waiting list, provided they meet the eligibility criteria set down by the housing authority. It is a matter solely for the housing authority concerned to determine whether any applicant for social housing support is eligible for and...