Results 2,261-2,280 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

House Prices. (13 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: If houses are over-priced, why are prices rising? I suppose they are rising for different reasons, namely, because an extra 90,000 people were working in the economy last year and because we had 55,000 immigrants into Ireland last year, people who are at the age when they rent or buy houses. The house price rises were partly due to those factors, but also because of a policy started about...

House Prices. (13 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: I am not recommending that the answer to affordability is longer-term mortgages. I am simply saying they are a fact. Many people are now getting 35-year mortgages. I heard of some financial institution spokesperson talking of intergenerational mortgages. Maybe that is a concept yet to come in, but such institutions are using other financial gimmicks. The real solution is supply. We have tried...

House Prices. (13 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: I am sorry if I keep repeating the same figures, but the output figure for last year was 81,000, while 14 or 15 years ago the figure would typically have been about 20,000. The level of output by the industry has hugely increased. Under any law of economics, supply should sooner or later equal demand, which should bring a bit of sense to the situation.

House Prices. (13 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: I am not the Minister for Finance and will let him decide on that.

House Prices. (13 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: Yes, but stamp duty is a matter for the Minister for Finance. It has been adjusted before and I am sure it will be adjusted again. Let us be consistent. The last time it was adjusted, the Opposition accused us of putting up prices. Which way does it want it? There are many houses available for under €317,500.

House Prices. (13 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: There is a tendency to get carried away with the average house price. There are many affordable new houses, even in Dublin, under €200,000. Plenty of second-hand houses are priced well under €300,000. I accept the figure is under pressure but the first-time buyer is still a major player in the housing market.

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (13 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: The new Housing Policy Framework: Building Sustainable Communities launched by Government last December outlines a substantially increased programme of investment in social and affordable housing measures for the period 2006-2008. Exchequer capital resources provided by my Department for these measures for this period stand at almost €4 billion, over 20% higher than the past three years,...

Written Answers — Housing Provision: Housing Provision (13 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 76 and 116 together. The preparation of the National Development Plan 2007-2013 (NDP) is being coordinated by the Department of Finance and a high level steering group, chaired by that Department and comprising senior officials of other relevant Departments, has been established to oversee drafting. The housing material of the NDP is being drafted by my...

Written Answers — Housing Provision: Housing Provision (13 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: The most recent assessment of need for social housing which was undertaken by local authorities in March 2005 indicated that there were 43,684 households on local authority waiting lists compared with 48,413 in March 2002 — a decrease of almost 10%. I recently informed local authorities of their financial allocations for their local authority housing programmes and have urged them to...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (13 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: I assume that the Question relates to Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 — 2004. Information on the number of housing units acquired under Part V is published in my Department's Housing Statistics Bulletins, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library and on the Department's website at www.environ.ie. I am satisfied that Part V is operational in all planning...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (13 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: The new Housing Policy Framework: Building Sustainable Communities launched by Government last December provides for further increases in the investment in social and affordable housing programmes. Exchequer capital resources provided to my Department for these programmes for the period 2006 to 2008 stand at almost €4 billion, over 20% higher than the previous three years, and this sum...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (13 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: Following the outcome of the review of the implementation of the disabled persons and essential repairs grant schemes, proposals for the future operation of the schemes are being prepared in my Department. I hope to be in a position to announce these shortly.

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (13 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: My Department considers that the design, construction and layout of new social and affordable housing is of a very high standard and that a high level of energy efficiency is being achieved in these projects. A number of housing developments which use innovative energy efficiency and environmentally friendly technologies have already been undertaken by local authorities and any further...

Written Answers — Vacant Dwellings: Vacant Dwellings (13 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: My Department does not have a detailed breakdown of housing stock by type of purchaser or by nature of occupancy. Information collected as part of the Census of Population can provide some data on vacant dwellings. However, as there may be a number of reasons why a dwelling is vacant at any point in time, such as households' absence on the night of the Census or rented dwellings between...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (13 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 105 and 154 together. Under the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS), local authorities are providing accommodation for certain recipients of SWA rent supplement who have been assessed as having a long-term housing need. The RAS is an additional housing option and eligible persons can indicate their preference to be accommodated by local authorities under the RAS...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (13 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: The recent announcement of resources for the Local Authority housing construction programme in 2006 brings projects cumulative expenditure on this programme substantially ahead of NDP target. Expenditure under the Voluntary Housing and Affordable Housing Schemes will also be substantially on target, as the following table indicates: Expected expenditure 2000 to end 2006 Target to end...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (13 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: It is not proposed to introduce a general housing benefit scheme. The Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) which commenced operation in 2005 is designed to provide housing assistance through supply driven mechanisms as part of a flexible and graduated system of housing supports for those in need of housing. The costs of rent supplement is a matter for the Minister for Family and Social Affairs...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (13 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: Capital funding is available through my Department's Capital Assistance Scheme to approved voluntary housing bodies to provide accommodation to meet special housing needs, such as elderly, homeless or persons with disabilities and may include accommodation for victims of domestic violence. My Department's involvement with the scheme relates primarily to the provision of funds for individual...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (13 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: Significant progress continues to be made under the Sustaining Progress Affordable Housing Initiative with provisional figures to the end of March 2006 indicating that a total of 1,961 housing units have been provided to date on AHI sites and through the Part V affordable arrangements. To date, over 70 projects on State and Local Authority lands are planned which, together with the projected...

Written Answers — Energy Efficiency Measures: Energy Efficiency Measures (13 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Question Nos. 140 and 417 together. It is my understanding that a downward adjustment of €150,000 has been proposed in the pre-tender budget cost approval notified to Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council in respect of the construction of 43 units at Benamore, Newtownpark Avenue to reflect an anticipated grant for energy efficiency measures from Sustainable Energy Ireland...