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

Written Answers — Traveller Accommodation: Traveller Accommodation (18 May 2004)

Noel Ahern: Local authorities provide Traveller accommodation in accordance with their five-year Traveller accommodation programmes which are based on a prior assessment of need. This assessment takes into account both current and future need having regard to new family formations. While local authorities may not be in a position, in all cases, to make precise assessments of the category of accommodation...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (18 May 2004)

Noel Ahern: The essential repairs grant scheme is administered by the local authorities in accordance with the Housing (Disabled Persons and Essential Repairs Grants) Regulations 2001 and in line with various guidelines issued from time to time by my Department. A housing authority may pay a grant to a person carrying out essential repairs to a house where these are reasonably necessary to prolong the...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (18 May 2004)

Noel Ahern: I assume that the question refers to the capital funding schemes for social housing projects, undertaken by non-profit voluntary and co-operative housing bodies, which are operated by my Department. Under the voluntary housing capital loan and subsidy scheme funding for up to 100% of the approved cost of a project for family type housing is available in respect of eligible projects. Funding...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (18 May 2004)

Noel Ahern: Assessment of the housing needs of applicants for local authority housing is an integral and ongoing part of local authority administration and is appropriately reserved from the general revenues available to local authorities. It is not proposed to allocate special resources for this purpose.

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (18 May 2004)

Noel Ahern: I refer to the reply to Question No. 789 of 27 April 2004.

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (18 May 2004)

Noel Ahern: The termination of the new house grant scheme, which was announced on 14 November 2002, arose from the necessity, in the context of the 2003 Estimates, for the Government to ensure a sustainable match between expenditure and resources, and to concentrate housing programmes on areas of greatest impact and social need. It is not proposed to review the basis on which the scheme was terminated or...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (18 May 2004)

Noel Ahern: The disabled persons grant scheme is administered by individual local authorities. The framework for the operation of the scheme is laid down in statutory regulations and, as far as practicable, is designed to give an appropriate degree of flexibility to local authorities. My Department recoups to authorities two thirds of their expenditure on the payment of individual grants. It is the...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (18 May 2004)

Noel Ahern: There is no record of the receipt of an application for a new house grant from the person named at the address given.

Written Answers — Volunteer Service: Volunteer Service (18 May 2004)

Noel Ahern: The Deputy will be aware that the Volunteer 21 initiative was launched by the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs in December last and I understand that the matter is the subject of a comprehensive reply to today's Question No. 14603/04 from the Deputy to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. I am glad to confirm that there were contacts at official level between my own...

Housing Provisions: Motion. (25 May 2004)

Noel Ahern: She could get it if she wanted.

Housing Provisions: Motion. (25 May 2004)

Noel Ahern: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "acknowledges the achievements of the Government in: —increasing housing supply as the key response to the broad range of housing needs and demand; —achieving the 9th successive year of record housing completions involving the addition of 68,819 new houses in Ireland in 2004;—

Housing Provisions: Motion. (25 May 2004)

Noel Ahern: ——continuing to develop measures to address affordability; —putting in place a strong social and affordable housing programme involving investment of €1.8 billion in 2004; —progressing the commitment in the Sustaining Progress partnership agreement to the delivery of an ambitious scale of affordable housing——

Housing Provisions: Motion. (25 May 2004)

Noel Ahern: ——through the affordable housing initiative and Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000-2002 and to reviewing the effectiveness of programmes designed to assist low income groups, including those with social and special housing needs; and —introducing and resourcing an integrated strategy on homelessness; and supports the continued actions by the Government to increase housing...

Housing Provisions: Motion. (25 May 2004)

Noel Ahern: ——and the positive effects thereof. It is blatantly obvious that the Labour Party tables this sort of standard motion every few months to create news and obtain a few soundbites——

Housing Provisions: Motion. (25 May 2004)

Noel Ahern: ——in the run-up to the local elections.

Housing Provisions: Motion. (25 May 2004)

Noel Ahern: One could say that if the Labour Party cannot come up with anything——

Housing Provisions: Motion. (25 May 2004)

Noel Ahern: No, I will not.

Housing Provisions: Motion. (25 May 2004)

Noel Ahern: No. I listened for 40 minutes and I am entitled to have my say.

Housing Provisions: Motion. (25 May 2004)

Noel Ahern: I thank the Ceann Comhairle. These are standard Labour Party tactics and we see them used on Leaders' Questions every day.

Housing Provisions: Motion. (25 May 2004)

Noel Ahern: Recent years have witnessed an unprecedented demand for housing, brought about by a number of economic and demographic changes, including rising disposable incomes, historically-low interest rates and changing household formation patterns. These factors continue to place significant pressure on housing demand and house prices. The Government's strategy is to increase housing supply to meet...