Results 2,541-2,560 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (4 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: My Department will have regard to the recently published preliminary Census data, as well as the further reports on foot of the Census of Population 2006, to be prepared by the Central Statistics Offices over the coming year and half, when reviewing examining the potential implications of the preliminary data for the National Spatial Strategy, the Regional Planning Guidelines and City and...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (4 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: My Department has issued comprehensive guidelines to assist local authorities in the implementation of Part V of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 on a number of occasions since December, 2000. Guidelines have also been issued in relation to social housing and the various affordable schemes. Housing Action Plans for the period 2004 – 2008, which set out targets and timescales for...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (4 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: A review of Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 was carried out to ensure that it was meeting its objectives in relation to social and affordable housing. Complaints had been received that the provisions of Part V were both inflexible and overly bureaucratic and that they were not achieving the desired results of improving the supply of social and affordable housing. The changes...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (4 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: Information to end June 2006 on activity under Part V in each local authority area is on my Department's website at www.environ.ie. Information is also published in my Department's Housing Statistics Bulletins, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library. While the Bulletins include, inter alia, detailed information on housing activity, loans, social housing output and capital...

Written Answers — Local Authority Grants: Local Authority Grants (4 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: The review of the Disabled Persons Grant scheme, which incorporates the conditions governing the Essential Repairs Grant scheme and the Special Housing Aid for the Elderly Scheme, was recently finalised within my Department. Proposals for the future operation of the schemes are now being prepared by my Department, in consultation with other public agencies concerned, and I expect to be in a...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (4 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 203 and 212 together. Under Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000-2006 planning authorities are required, in developing their housing strategies, to ensure that policies and objectives are in place that will counteract undue social segregation in housing developments between people of different social backgrounds. Furthermore, local authorities...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (4 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: The most recent assessment of need for social housing, 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%. The number of local authority house completions/acquisitions for the first 6 months of 2006 stands at 1,786, while the number of units in progress at...

Written Answers — Housing Policy: Housing Policy (4 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: I refer to the reply to questions 1514, 1515, 1516, and 1551 of 27 September 2006. The Law Reform Commission is currently examining legal aspects generally regarding the management of multi-unit structures and its consultation paper is expected shortly. A final report will then be prepared following the consultation period and its recommendations will be considered by the Departments...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (4 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: I am satisfied at this early stage that the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) is meeting the objectives set for it by Government in July 2004. RAS has progressed from piloting to full local authority mobilisation. RAS is being constantly monitored and its use should be continued as part of the range of local authority responses to meeting long-term housing needs. RAS uses a range of...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (4 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: I am very much aware of the importance of the efficient operation of the Disabled Persons and Essential Repairs Grant schemes in assisting with the provision of appropriate accommodation for disabled and elderly persons in the community. The administration of the Disabled Persons Grant scheme is delegated to local authorities within the framework laid down in statutory regulations in order...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (4 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: The Government's commitment to a strong local authority housing construction/acquisition programme is reflected in the record allocation of €942 million provided to local authorities under the programme for 2006. This should allow for the completion of over 5,000 housing units in the year. I have urged them to accelerate progress on the implementation of their programmes in order to...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (4 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: My Department had allocated €65 million for the funding of Disabled Persons and Essential Repairs Grant schemes in private houses in 2006. It is expected that a further €7 million will be spent this year on works of adaptation to make local authority rented houses more suitable for a disabled member of the household, bringing the total expenditure in the area to €72 million. I am...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (4 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: Kildare County Council have been allocated €39 million in capital funding for their local authority housing construction / acquisition programme in 2006. My Department has not received an application from the County Council for additional funding. However, any such application will be considered taking account of the overall provision under the local authority housing...

Youth Services. (5 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: The young people's facilities and services fund was established by Government in 1998 to assist in the development of youth facilities, including sport and recreational facilities, and services in disadvantaged areas where a significant drug problem exists or has the potential to develop. The objective of the fund is to attract "at risk" young people into these facilities and divert them...

Youth Services. (5 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: While I acknowledge the Deputy's comments, it would be misleading to give the impression that Clonmel or the south east has not been well resourced simply because the young people's fund covers the 14 local drugs task forces. Several years ago, four additional provincial centres, namely Limerick, Waterford, Carlow and Galway, two of which are in the south east, were selected for funding for...

Youth Services. (5 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: The Department of Education and Science provides the bulk of the funds for youth workers. My Department has funded youth workers in Clonmel under the dormant accounts scheme and the RAPID programme. I do not know whether these workers are in place. We are considering an expansion of the young people's fund but I do not want to give the Deputy false hopes because, based on the report I have...

Youth Services. (5 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: I am not.

Youth Services. (5 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: Have youth workers been employed yet with the money provided in July?

Youth Services. (5 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: The grant provided for the employment of two youth workers.

Illegal Fireworks. (5 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: The Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell, is fully aware of the difficulties which the illegal use of fireworks present each year around this time, the dangers they pose and the distress they cause to people, particularly the elderly. In recent days we have been reminded of the serious danger fireworks pose with the injury of a young girl in Finglas....