Results 2,181-2,200 of 2,386 for speaker:Michael Finneran
- Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (19 Oct 2010)
Michael Finneran: Housing authorities currently have delegated sanction to provide single units of social housing from within their annual social housing investment programme allocations. The construction of one off rural houses may continue to be considered by housing authorities in determining priorities under their proposed social housing investment programmes for 2011 to 2012. However, having regard to...
- Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (19 Oct 2010)
Michael Finneran: I do not propose to undertake a review of the incremental purchase scheme at this time. Existing social housing tenants are afforded the opportunity to purchase the homes in which they currently reside, under the tenant purchase scheme. This scheme, in its current form, has been in place since 1995. Notwithstanding this, when I introduced the Incremental Purchase Scheme on 14 June 2010, I...
- Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (19 Oct 2010)
Michael Finneran: Earlier this year I announced details of the 75 individual projects to be advanced under my Department's funding schemes for voluntary and co-operative housing, including the project being advanced by Croom Voluntary Housing Association at Towerfield in Croom. My Department has been liaising closely with Limerick County Council in relation to this proposal and a decision on grant approval...
- Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (19 Oct 2010)
Michael Finneran: Under my Department's Social Housing Investment Programme, funding of up to 90% of cost is provided to local authorities to undertake necessary adaptations and extensions to their housing stock to meet the needs of tenants with a disability. I have no proposals to extend the scope of the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability to include local...
- Written Answers — Housing Finance Agency: Housing Finance Agency (19 Oct 2010)
Michael Finneran: The Housing Finance Agency advances funds to local authorities to be used by them for any purpose authorised under the Housing Acts and it finances its operations by borrowing or raising funds for these purposes. The Agency's total outstanding loan book at end September 2010 was â¬4.53 billion.
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (20 Oct 2010)
Michael Finneran: The enhancement of energy efficiency standards remains a priority within my Department's overall strategy for the improvement of local authority housing. To that end, I have significantly increased the amount of funding available for the national retrofitting programme from â¬20 million in 2009 to â¬40 million this year. This is in addition to the â¬5 million that is being used to...
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (20 Oct 2010)
Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 224 and 232 together. Each local authority is responsible for the effective and efficient management and maintenance of it's social housing stock. The detailed information sought with regard to vacant local authority properties is not available in my Department. Information on the level of vacant local authority dwellings is collected annually as part of the...
- Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (20 Oct 2010)
Michael Finneran: My Department has provided funding of â¬4.5 million for a remedial works project at the John Paul Estate over the period 2007 to 2010. The pilot phase of the project included construction and refurbishment of a total of 28 units. A further phase of the project involving the retrofitting of ten units will commence in late 2010 or early 2011. My Department is in regular contact with the...
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (20 Oct 2010)
Michael Finneran: Local authorities have, for a number of years now, progressed an ambitious programme of house purchases better to meet local housing need as well as to promote my Department's sustainable communities objectives. These programmes are undertaken and managed by the authorities having regard to their annual housing capital allocation and the unit cost limits for various types of properties, as...
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (20 Oct 2010)
Michael Finneran: I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 425, 426, 427, 428 and 429 of 1 June 2010. My Department has not yet received a proposal from Dublin City Council regarding the proposed project but understands that the Regeneration Board, established by the City Council, has engaged consultants to work with local residents with a view to developing regeneration solutions that are acceptable to the...
- Seanad: Seanad Electoral (Panel Members)(Amendment) Bill 2008: Second Stage (20 Oct 2010)
Michael Finneran: I thank Senator Cummins for raising this issue and for his engagement with the all-party group on Seanad reform. I welcome the opportunity to deliver the Government's response to the Seanad Electoral (Panel Members) (Amendment) Bill 2008 and to speak more generally on the reform of the Seanad. Senator Cummins has outlined the provisions of the Bill and I will not dwell further on these...
- Seanad: Seanad Electoral (Panel Members)(Amendment) Bill 2008: Second Stage (20 Oct 2010)
Michael Finneran: The Senator might be picking it up wrong.
- Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (21 Oct 2010)
Michael Finneran: The Government is committed to dealing effectively with the range of complex issues relating to multi-unit developments and is bringing forward a comprehensive suite of legislative proposals in response to the Law Reform Commission's Report on Multi-Unit Developments. In its consultation paper issued in late 2006 the Law Reform Commission made a number of recommendations relating to areas...
- Written Answers — Strategy on Homelessness: Strategy on Homelessness (21 Oct 2010)
Michael Finneran: I refer to the reply of Question No. 67 of 19 October 2010 which set out the position on meeting the Government's targets for tackling homelessness.
- Written Answers — Traveller Accommodation: Traveller Accommodation (27 Oct 2010)
Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 481 and 482 together. In accordance with the provisions of the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act, 1998, responsibility for the planning and implementation of proposals for the extension or refurbishment of Traveller accommodation is a matter for the relevant housing authority. Initial proposals for the provision of 22 extra units of Traveller...
- Written Answers — Traveller Accommodation: Traveller Accommodation (27 Oct 2010)
Michael Finneran: The detailed information requested in relation to the location of Traveller accommodation housing schemes in each local authority area is not available in my Department. However, details of all Traveller-specific units of accommodation completed from 2002â 2008 are included in the annual reports of the National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee (NTACC), copies of which are...
- Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (27 Oct 2010)
Michael Finneran: Where a person is selling an affordable home and the clawback amount payable would reduce the proceeds of resale below the initial price actually paid, current legislation provides for the amount of the clawback payable to be reduced to the extent necessary to avoid that result. The clawback provisions do not therefore need to be amended to take account of any negative equity that may arise....
- Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (27 Oct 2010)
Michael Finneran: My Department is committed to a multi-annual regeneration programme in Dublin City to help improve the lives and conditions of the communities involved. The programme is reviewed on a regular basis with Dublin City Council, including through the biannual Housing Action Plan meetings, with new projects added and additional elements of existing projects advanced, as resources permit. It is a...
- Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (27 Oct 2010)
Michael Finneran: While provision has been made in the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 to allow purchasers under the new Affordable Dwelling Purchase Arrangements to re-mortgage or top-up their mortgage without triggering the clawback, the Act does not provide this facility for purchasers under existing affordable housing or shared ownership arrangements. I have requested my Department to arrange...
- Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (27 Oct 2010)
Michael Finneran: Since 2000, very significant levels of investment have been made available under the Social Housing Investment Programme with over â¬11.5 billion provided for the construction or acquisition of units by local authorities and approved housing bodies. Details on the amount spent under the various social housing programmes and the outputs achieved are set out in tables 1 and 2. Meeting housing...