Results 3,001-3,020 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (12 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000-2006 requires, inter alia, that up to 20% of land zoned for residential developments or for a mix of residential and other uses, is to be reserved to meet social and affordable housing needs. Instead of the transfer of land there are other options available to satisfy the Part V requirement viz. the provision of new units or other lands...

Written Answers — Residential Density: Residential Density (12 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 546 and 548 together. Local housing strategies, provided for under the Planning and Development Act 2000, determine housing requirements under local development plans. In developing these strategies, local authorities must ensure that there is an appropriate mix of dwelling types and sizes to cater for a range of housing needs. My Department has been...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (12 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: The national Building Regulations operative from 1 June 1992 apply to all new buildings and existing buildings which have been the subject of a material alteration. Responsibility for compliance with the Building Regulations is a matter for the builder and the owner of a building, while enforcement of the Regulations is the responsibility of the local building control authorities....

Seanad: Garda Vetting Unit (12 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: I speak on behalf of the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on this important topic of vetting in the pre-school sector. I trust the House will allow me to address some of the apparently erroneous assumptions made in the matter raised on the Adjournment. It is the case that the coming into operation of the Child Care (Pre-School Services) Regulations 2006 has been...

Seanad: Garda Vetting Unit (12 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: I will convey to the Minister what has been said. To be fair the reply is about——

Seanad: Garda Vetting Unit (12 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: I will not comment on that one way or the other. If I came to the House with a six or ten-page reply——

Seanad: Garda Vetting Unit (12 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: —— on the needs of children, the Senator would ask me to get to the point and give an answer relevant to the question. I will not comment on the other matter as I am not as knowledgeable on it as the Senator. Therefore, I will reserve comment on whether it is a cop-out or otherwise.

Seanad: Water and Sewerage Schemes (12 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Roche. I thank Senator Kitt for the opportunity to update the House on the progress of this important scheme. The Minister is conscious of the unsatisfactory state of affairs in Kinvara where raw sewage is being discharged directly into the bay. This arrangement is not...

Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: There is not yet any legislation.

Dormant Accounts Fund. (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 42, 73 and 103 together. Decisions on the disbursement of funds from dormant accounts under the initial round of funding were a matter for the Dormant Accounts Fund Disbursements Board, an independent body established under the Dormant Accounts Acts. Under this round, the board approved 521 projects for funding totalling slightly more than €60 million. To...

Dormant Accounts Fund. (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: As for the amount being huge, initially, some major payments were made. Subsequently, the fund was extended from financial institutions to encompass insurance companies, An Post and similar bodies. Hence, there were some very significant once-off inflows. In future, the amount of money accruing to the fund may not be so dramatic. I believe more people will reclaim their moneys as the...

Dormant Accounts Fund. (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: I have no data to hand regarding geographic spread. Incidentally, however, some funding was announced last weekend regarding older people's facilities and I happened to perform a minor analysis on the allocation. When considered from the perspective of geographic spread, it was not carried out fairly. This pertains to independent assessment because if it was in my hands, or those of any...

Dormant Accounts Fund. (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: Kerry. I looked at the list with a particular Deputy and there was none from his constituency. I checked up on it and found there had been no applications from that midlands county. If a politician had his or her hands over all of this, we would be much more likely to look at how our colleagues might be influenced by it. If one looks at the funding measure for older people, one can see...

Dormant Accounts Fund. (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: Yes. There are data in the reply on the different categories to date — the number of projects and total amounts in the cases of the RAPID areas, support for vulnerable immigrants, support for the suicide prevention programme, supports for offenders and ex-offenders, and supports for older people. We listed the seven or eight headings we would address during the year. Those five have been...

National Drugs Strategy. (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 44, 51, 53 and 88 together. I have been aware for some time of the anecdotal evidence of increased cocaine prevalence and, for this reason, last year I asked the national advisory committee on drugs and the national drugs strategy team to prepare a briefing paper on cocaine. This paper was presented at the last interdepartmental group on drugs meeting in...

National Drugs Strategy. (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: I thank the Deputy for his questions and know he understands the problem. I do not disagree with anything contained in the Citywide survey — it is a reflection of attitudes on the ground. We are working in partnership with community groups and the local drugs taskforces. Approximately €70 million is being spent annually on projects that were recommended and suggested at community...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 47 and 109 together. The 2007 Estimates provision of just over €43m represents a continuation of the increased level of funding that I have secured to tackle the problem of drugs misuse in recent years. The similar allocation for the Drugs Initiative/Young People's Facilities and Services Fund in 2006 represented an increase of 37% on the original 2005...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: My Department has been allocated an additional €5 million in 2007 to further support the development of volunteering in Ireland. This is in keeping with the Government's commitment under Towards 2016. My Department will continue to focus on building on the existing volunteering infrastructure, including the Volunteer Bureaux, promoting Volunteering among young people and developing...

Written Answers — Drugs Seizures: Drugs Seizures (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 55, 56 and 99 together. I am fully aware, through my own contacts and that of my officials with the relevant Departments and Agencies involved in the roll-out of the National Drugs Strategy, of the increase in the number of large drug seizures by An Garda Síochána and I congratulate them on these successes. I am in regular contact with the Department of...

Written Answers — Security of the Elderly: Security of the Elderly (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: The Scheme Community Support for Older People is operated by my Department and provides funding to local community and voluntary groups who identify vulnerable older people in their communities and arrange for the installation of socially-monitored alarms and other items of psychical security equipment. €3 million has been made available to the Scheme of Community Supports for Older People...