Results 2,861-2,880 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

Seanad: Homelessness: Motion (15 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: I assure the Senator that I am not influenced by the ESRI's way of thinking, which is that the poor should wait.

Seanad: Homelessness: Motion (15 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: Senator Tuffy seems to be yearning for the vast estates of the past, which would not solve anything.

Seanad: Homelessness: Motion (15 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: They might help to put a roof over people's heads, but they lead to many other bloody problems. The rental accommodation scheme has been mentioned. I listened yesterday morning to a radio programme that is not always favourable to the Government's way of thinking.

Seanad: Homelessness: Motion (15 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: The programme featured a complimentary piece about the scheme, which will be of huge benefit over time. It is being developed slowly, but the people who are availing of it will be able to go back to work without losing their rent allowance payments, as they would have previously. I accept that it is happening slowly as a result of various difficulties, but it will take those who avail of it...

Seanad: Homelessness: Motion (15 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: I am just saying it would be good if——

Seanad: Homelessness: Motion (15 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: ——the community welfare officers who are allocating rent allowance would inspect some of the properties.

Seanad: Homelessness: Motion (15 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: Like all Senators, I am aware of houses in my constituency and every other constituency in respect of which certain people have been getting rent allowance for many years. The people in question know their accommodation is substandard, but we continue to give them rent allowance for such properties. I do not know why we are doing that, especially as many of the 80,000 houses in question are...

Seanad: Homelessness: Motion (15 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: I accept that such people are not in their own homes — they are in such accommodation on a short-term basis — and that they would like to be able to say they have a roof over their heads. The notion that the standards in the private rented sector are all bad is not true, as much of the accommodation in that sector is very good. Accommodation alone will not solve homelessness. We must...

Seanad: Homelessness: Motion (15 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: The resources are being provided. In tomorrow's Estimates, Members will see that more and more money is being provided for social housing. We are well ahead on our expenditure on the national development plan in that area. I accept that the figure for needs assessment is still at 43,000, but it is down 10%. Approximately 40% of those included are single. Senator Brady correctly pointed...

Seanad: Homelessness: Motion (15 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: The notion that we are doing nothing and the authorities are looking for money is wrong. I want units to be built and I expect something for providing the money. However, the authorities have given us their strategies and plans and we are resourcing that. If that is not enough, their officials should tell us. I welcome this debate. I thank the Senators for their contributions. We are all...

Seanad: Homelessness: Motion (15 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: ——but we are working with the groups. The motion was a bit unbalanced.

Seanad: Homelessness: Motion (15 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: It was not a true reflection of what has happened.

Seanad: Homelessness: Motion (15 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: The amendment gives us a better flavour of what has happened and where we are going.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (16 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: It is the responsibility of Athy Town Council to determine how best to advance the Remedial Works Scheme in Townspark and to develop proposals in order to proceed with refurbishment works to local authority dwellings. My Department will give consideration to proposals put forward by the Council.

Seanad: Drug Misuse: Statements (16 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: I am pleased have an opportunity this afternoon to update the Members of the Seanad on the efforts we are making to combat the misuse of drugs in society. Given that all jurisdictions have difficulties in coping with this problem, which is encountered throughout the world, it is hardly surprising that Ireland has problems in this regard. We are dealing with the misuse of drugs in a...

Seanad: Drug Misuse: Statements (16 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: I thank Senators for expressing their views and acknowledge their desire to co-operate in fighting this problem. Senator McHugh discussed the issue as it affects youth. While the Department of Education and Science has overall responsibility for the Youth Work Act, we have established the young people's services and facilities fund to specifically target areas and communities at risk from...

Seanad: Driver Education. (16 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: I wish to outline the position of the Department of Education and Science on the introduction of driver education to the school curriculum. The Department has no plans to introduce driver education in the form of driving lessons in schools. It is not the norm within the European Union. As the Senator may be aware, a report produced for the NCCA by an expert group which included...

Seanad: Institutes of Technology. (16 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: As Senator Cummins is aware, the Taoiseach recently confirmed that the Minister for Education and Science plans to commission a preliminary independent examination of a submission that has been made by the governing body of Waterford Institute of Technology. The governing body wrote to the Department of Education and Science in February 2006 requesting a review of its status under section 9...

Seanad: Institutes of Technology. (16 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: As per the Act.

Seanad: Institutes of Technology. (16 Nov 2006)

Noel Ahern: The Senator is not being fair. I outlined what the Department is doing, which is in accordance with what was laid down in legislation. The other comments about the OECD are fair. I accept that they do not sound encouraging, but they are used as background and tell us of the parameters and of the other view. I fully understand the local view about university status, but the Government is...