Results 301-320 of 2,386 for speaker:Michael Finneran

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (24 Sep 2008)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1467, 1481 and 1482 together. A combined allocation of €1,242,150 was made to Mayo County Council earlier this year for purposes of the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability, Mobility Aids Grant Scheme, and Housing Aid for Older People Scheme. It is a matter for the Council to decide on the specific level of funding to be directed towards...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (24 Sep 2008)

Michael Finneran: Allocations to each local authority towards the operation of the revised suite of housing adaptation grant schemes — the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability, the Mobility Aids Grant Scheme and the Housing Aid for Older People Scheme and the processing of outstanding claims under the now discontinued Disabled Persons and Essential Repairs Grants schemes, are set out in the...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (24 Sep 2008)

Michael Finneran: My Department has received a request from Galway City Council for an increase in its initial allocation of €1,049,490 in respect of the Housing Adaptation Grant Schemes for Older People and People with a Disability. In light of the particularly high level of activity under the revised schemes in 2008, my Department has recently made a supplementary allocation of €300,000 to Galway City...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (24 Sep 2008)

Michael Finneran: The clawback provision, attached to a house purchased under the various affordable housing schemes at a discount from market value, is activated where the house is resold before the expiration of 20 years from the date of purchase. In such an event, the person selling the property must pay to the housing authority a percentage of the proceeds of the sale. The clawback is necessary to ensure...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (24 Sep 2008)

Michael Finneran: There is no provision at present in the voluntary housing schemes for the purchase of individual houses by tenants. However, the Government's housing policy statement, Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities, indicated that consideration would be given, in consultation with the voluntary and co-operative sector, to piloting a tenant purchase scheme for some new voluntary homes based on the...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (24 Sep 2008)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1484 and 1485 together. Work is continuing to resolve the outstanding complex issues relating to tenant purchase of apartments with a view to finalising proposals for a viable sales scheme in time for consideration during the passage through the Oireachtas of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008, which was presented to the Seanad on 23 July 2008.

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (24 Sep 2008)

Michael Finneran: The acquisition costs of units acquired under Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000-2006 are calculated in accordance with the relevant legislation. They are based on the sum of the site costs calculated at existing use value, actual construction costs as agreed between the local authority and the developer, plus reasonable profit. It is open to local authorities further to reduce...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 Sep 2008)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1492 and 1493 together. As previously indicated to local authorities, requests for additional funding under the Housing Adaptation Grants Schemes for Older People and People with a Disability are dealt with in the context of the reallocation of any surplus resources arising elsewhere. In this context, my Department has advised all local authorities to monitor...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (25 Sep 2008)

Michael Finneran: My Department approved a tender for this project on 29 August 2007. The local authority concerned, however, were unable to progress the matter until mid 2008. In the interim, under the Government's Construction Procurement Reform Process introduced to help address concerns about the extent of cost overruns on public works contracts, new contract procedures came into force. These new...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (25 Sep 2008)

Michael Finneran: A combined allocation of €1,191,450 was made to Clare County Council earlier this year for the purposes of the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability, Mobility Aids Grant Scheme, and Housing Aid for Older People Scheme. My Department has received a request from Clare County Council for additional funding under these schemes and the Council was recently notified of an...

Written Answers — Remedial Works Scheme: Remedial Works Scheme (25 Sep 2008)

Michael Finneran: My Department is currently seeking applications for new remedial works projects to be undertaken and funded over the next three years. I understand that Kildare County Council will be submitting a project at St Patrick's Park, Rathangan for consideration under this call for proposals. The closing date for project submissions is 30 October 2008.

Written Answers — Grant Applications: Grant Applications (25 Sep 2008)

Michael Finneran: Provisional approval to a grant of €3,810 issued in this case on 21 July 2008.

Written Answers — Emigrant Support Services: Emigrant Support Services (25 Sep 2008)

Michael Finneran: My Department provides funding towards the administrative and general expenses of certain not-for-profit organisations and bodies which provide information, research, training or support services in the area of housing. Applications for funding in 2008, including an application from the promoters of the Safe Home Programme, are being examined at present. I intend to announce details of...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (25 Sep 2008)

Michael Finneran: The management of local authority housing stock and the allocation of such stock is a matter for each housing authority. Local authorities provide information on the proportion of stock that is vacant at the end of each year, and this information is collated and published as part of the Annual Service Indicators in Local Authorities Report. Copies of the 2007 report are available from the...

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (30 Sep 2008)

Michael Finneran: My Department has no function in the operational matters of the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB), which is an independent statutory body established under the terms of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004. The PRTB may be contacted at their offices at O'Connell Bridge House, Dublin 2 or by telephone or email. Contact details are available on the Board's website at www.prtb.ie.

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (30 Sep 2008)

Michael Finneran: Data in relation to social housing acquisitions, starts and completions are published in my Department's Annual and Quarterly Housing Statistics Bulletins, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas library. Bulletins from 2000 onwards are also available on my Department's website, www.environ.ie.

Written Answers — Voluntary Housing Sector: Voluntary Housing Sector (30 Sep 2008)

Michael Finneran: There is no provision at present in the voluntary housing schemes for the purchase of individual houses by tenants. However, the Government's housing policy statement, Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities, indicated that consideration would be given, in consultation with the voluntary and co-operative sector, to piloting a tenant purchase scheme for some new voluntary homes based on the...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (30 Sep 2008)

Michael Finneran: The Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008, which was presented to the Seanad on 23 July 2008, did not include provision for the tenant purchase of local authority apartments as it was not possible to resolve the complex issues involved in time for publication. Work is continuing to resolve the outstanding issues with a view to finalising proposals for a viable sales scheme in time for...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (30 Sep 2008)

Michael Finneran: The Government has undertaken a broad range of actions as part of a strategic response to enhance the range of housing supports and services available to the disadvantaged and vulnerable in society, including older people and people with a disability. These actions range from the introduction of better-targeted financial supports to the development of inter-agency protocols to ensure...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (30 Sep 2008)

Michael Finneran: Cork County Council has recently undertaken radon testing on local authority houses in the North Cork area and is considering the results of these tests. My Department has not received any application for funding to undertake radon proofing works on the Council's housing stock at this time.