Results 2,321-2,340 of 2,386 for speaker:Michael Finneran

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (16 Dec 2010)

Michael Finneran: Under the terms of the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability, which is administered by the local authorities, grants of up to €30,000 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 occupancy of their own...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (12 Jan 2011)

Michael Finneran: The information requested is supplied in the following tabular statement. Tabular Statement

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (12 Jan 2011)

Michael Finneran: Where any borrower, either from a local authority or from a private financial institution, is facing difficulties in meeting mortgage repayments, they should engage proactively and constructively with the lender to seek to achieve an agreed solution. The services of the Money Advice and Budgetary Service are also available to such borrowers and support is available through the Supplementary...

Written Answers — Ambulance Service: Ambulance Service (12 Jan 2011)

Michael Finneran: I confirm that correspondence in relation to this matter has been received in the Department. However, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, has no role in the provision of ambulance services in the State. Operational responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services, including the National Ambulance Service, is a matter for the...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (12 Jan 2011)

Michael Finneran: My Department does not hold information on the number of households on a local authority's waiting list. This figure continuously fluctuates as households on the list are allocated housing and new households apply for housing support. A statutory assessment of housing need is carried out every three years by all housing authorities. The last assessment took place in 2008 and indicated...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (12 Jan 2011)

Michael Finneran: I expect to make the necessary statutory instruments in the coming months to enable the tenant purchase scheme for local authority apartments under Part 4 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 to be brought into operation as quickly as possible thereafter.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (12 Jan 2011)

Michael Finneran: In areas where there may be insufficient demand accurately to determine the market value rent for a leasing proposal, housing authorities and approved housing bodies determine a market value for that area using the market rent value of the area of nearest equivalence. I have no plans at present to introduce a minimum market value rent in any area.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (12 Jan 2011)

Michael Finneran: Regulations and guidelines for housing authorities in relation to differential rent are currently in preparation in my Department. Once section 31 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, which provides for rent schemes and charges, has been commenced, housing authorities will have one year in which to put in place a new differential rent scheme. It is expected that the...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (12 Jan 2011)

Michael Finneran: As part of Budget 2011, a new tenant purchase scheme will be introduced to allow local authority tenants to avail of a discount of up to 45% on the market price of a house they are eligible to purchase under the scheme. Under the current scheme a maximum 30% discount is accumulated over a 10 year period at a rate of 3% for each year of the tenancy. The new scheme will allow tenants to...

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (12 Jan 2011)

Michael Finneran: The Residential Tenancies Act 2004 sets out the fees to be charged by the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) for the registration of a tenancy and it also provides that the PRTB may adjust the fees charged, having regard to changes in the value of money. The fees provided for in the Act are €70 for the registration of a tenancy within one month of the commencement of the tenancy;...

Water Utilities: Motion (13 Jan 2011)

Michael Finneran: This debate has covered many areas related to the water sector. This demonstrates the complexity of delivering and maintaining such a vital public service. It is important to emphasise that recent disruptions that were very difficult for families, businesses and the farming community are not the norm. These arose from adverse and unprecedented severe weather conditions. Met Éireann has...

Water Utilities: Motion (13 Jan 2011)

Michael Finneran: The programme published in 2010 reflects the priorities for main distribution by local authorities. Over time this investment will further improve the general condition of Irish water services infrastructure. There must be a strong, strategic framework for the sector, not only to guide investment but to ensure services are delivered as effectively and efficiently as possible. The passage of...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (13 Jan 2011)

Michael Finneran: Under the revised suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, grants are available to assist older people and 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 homes. Under the...

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (13 Jan 2011)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 192 and 193 together. A Commission on the Private Rented Sector was established by my Department in July 1999 to examine the working of the landlord and tenant relationship in respect of residential tenancies in the private rented sector and to make such recommendations, including changes to the law, as the Commission considered proper in order to: · ...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (18 Jan 2011)

Michael Finneran: My Department's involvement with voluntary and co-operative housing schemes relates primarily to the provision of funds for individual projects. The detailed administration of the schemes, and the certification that projects comply with the terms and conditions of the funding schemes, are the responsibility of the relevant local authority. It is thus a matter for each local authority to...

Written Answers — Building Regulations: Building Regulations (18 Jan 2011)

Michael Finneran: The National House Building Guarantee Scheme was established in January, 1978, under the aegis of the Construction Industry Federation, to provide a guarantee to purchasers of new houses against major structural defects. My Department's inspectors carried out inspections of properties covered under the guarantee scheme on an agency basis on behalf of the guarantee company. Costs associated...

Written Answers — Services for People with Disabilities: Services for People with Disabilities (18 Jan 2011)

Michael Finneran: It is a matter for individual housing authorities to assess the specific social housing needs and priorities in their areas, including those for adults with a physical or intellectual disability, and to identify a range of housing options to meet such needs. In line with the Government's housing policy statement, Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities, the development of a national housing...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (18 Jan 2011)

Michael Finneran: Existing Part V agreements continue to stand even where a loan in respect of a particular development with such an agreement attached has transferred to the National Asset Management Agency or a development is in receivership. However, the manner in which such agreements are delivered on is a matter for the relevant local authority. My Department is not aware of any specific difficulties...

Regional Road Network (19 Jan 2011)

Michael Finneran: I am taking this important matter for the Minister for Transport, Deputy Dempsey, and thank Deputy Kehoe for raising it. The Minister for Transport appreciates the work done by the local authorities, the National Roads Authority and, particularly, the local authority front-line staff. He thanks them for the exceptional work which they undertook in sometimes appalling conditions to deal with...

Water Services (19 Jan 2011)

Michael Finneran: I thank Deputy Clune for the opportunity to outline the position in respect of the upgrading of water services infrastructure in the Cork area. An extensive range of water services projects is, with Exchequer funding support, being progressed in Cork county and city at present. Since entering Government, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has made water...