Results 3,281-3,300 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: The Government consider that home ownership should be made available to as many people as possible where this is their preferred option. Local authorities play a key role supporting paths to home ownership for lower income groups. Over 23,000 households were assisted through all measures between 2002 and 2006 with activity in 2006 up over 30% on the 2002 figure. This includes paths from...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: Information to end September 2006 on the number of transactions completed under the shared ownership scheme is published in my Department's Housing Statistics Bulletins, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library, and also on my Department's website at www.environ.ie. Since 1997, 10,546 transactions have been completed under the shared ownership scheme. The following is the...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 24 and 86 together. Under Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2006, each local authority is required to prepare a housing strategy identifying the full range of housing needs in the authority's area and is obliged to zone sufficient land to meet the needs identified. The housing strategy also provides the basis for determining the percentage,...

Written Answers — Construction Industry: Construction Industry (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 32 and 82 together. The significance of the construction industry, including the housing sector, to the Irish economy is acknowledged. In addition, the strength of Ireland's economic performance, which most commentators consider is likely to continue, is itself a key factor underpinning the strength and stability of the housing market. Government policy is...

Written Answers — Housing Aid for the Elderly: Housing Aid for the Elderly (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: My Department is still continuing its examination of the possibility of including radon remediation measures as eligible works under the new scheme of Housing Aid for Older People. My Department undertook to examine the possibility that where a suite of works is grant aided to make an older persons home habitable, radon remediation measures may be allowable in areas where radon levels are...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: I refer to the reply to Question No. 163 of 27 February 2007. Cork County Council, who have lead responsibility for planning and developing this project on State land provided under the Affordable Housing Initiative, held interviews on 23 March last to appoint consultants to advance a number of issues relating to the project. These include the preparation of the documentation associated with...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: I am aware of the figures regarding vacant houses outlined in the recently published report by the Central Statistics Office. My Department will be fully considering this data, and other information to be released by the CSO over the coming months, as part of ongoing housing policy development. Details of an initial analysis of these data are contained in reply to Question No. 61 on today's...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: The Government's new housing policy statement Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities, reiterates the Government's strong commitment to ensuring a sufficiency of housing to meet demand, particularly from first time buyers. Investment in infrastructure and streamlining of the planning system, has underpinned the strong supply response to the unprecedented demand which has arisen due to...

Written Answers — Housing Policy: Housing Policy (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: The National Housing Conference, which was jointly organised by my Department and the RIAI, had as its central theme the Government's recently published housing policy statement Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities. The policy statement sets out a vision to guide the transformation of the Irish housing sector over the next ten years, by delivering more and better quality housing responses...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: The Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) is designed to cater for the accommodation needs of persons in receipt of rent supplement who have a long-term housing need. It is a collaborative project between my Department, local authorities, the Department of Social and Family Affairs and the Health Service Executive. All housing authorities are now mobilised and practically all have begun to...

Written Answers — Vacant Dwellings: Vacant Dwellings (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: The Census of Population results, which were issued by the Central Statistics Office on Thursday 29 March 2007, are the first of a series of reports that will issue over the coming year, all of which will have to be evaluated as part of policy development. The CSO report indicated that about 266,000 dwellings were vacant on the Census night in April 23 2006. These statistics are derived from...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: There are currently no proposals to introduce a specific mechanism for transferring households from social housing in Northern Ireland. The allocation of social housing in individual cases is a matter for the housing authority concerned in accordance with its scheme of letting priorities and authorities have discretion to accept housing applicants from outside their functional area.

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: Reform and development of the private rented sector is an important element of the Government's housing policy and we have undertaken a range of action to promote greater quality in various aspects of the sector, including accommodation standards. The Residential Tenancies Act 2004 provides a modern framework of landlord and tenant legislation. The Private Residential Tenancies Board was...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: Information to end September 2006 on activity under Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2006 is published in my Department's Quarterly Housing Statistics Bulletins, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library, and also on my Department's website at www.environ.ie. Provisional annual data indicate that some 2,200 social and affordable homes were delivered under Part...

Written Answers — Housing Completions: Housing Completions (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: Information to end September 2006 on the number of house completions and activity under Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2006 is published in my Department's Quarterly Housing Statistics Bulletins, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library, and also on my Department's website at www.environ.ie. Full-year data indicate that there were 93,419 new home...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: The most recent assessment of need for social housing was undertaken by local authorities in March 2005. The results of that assessment indicated that there were 43,684 households on local authority housing waiting lists. More comprehensive data in relation to the 2005 assessment at an individual local authority level were published in the Annual Bulletin of Housing Statistics 2005, a copy...

Written Answers — Housing Market: Housing Market (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: Housing affordability is influenced by a range of factors such as house prices, interest rates and income levels. House prices have stabilised since the last quarter of 2006, following generally high rates of increase since the June 2005 quarter. ECB interest rates have increased from 2% to 3.75% since December 2005. Economic commentators do not at present predict further significant...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: In accordance with the dormant accounts legislation, the Government approved a grant for the group concerned under the alcohol related harm funding measure at its meeting last Tuesday, 3rd April 2007. Pursuant to the decision, the group will be advised in relation to the grant and any specific conditions attaching.

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: I can confirm that the Government has now approved the publication of the Charities Bill 2007. The Bill itself is currently being printed and I anticipate that it will be published shortly after Easter. I have circulated an information note on the Bill to each member of the Oireachtas today.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: A statutory assessment of housing need is undertaken by local authorities on a triennial basis. The most recent assessment of need for social housing was undertaken by local authorities in March 2005. The results of that assessment indicated that the net need for local authority housing was 43,684. The corresponding figure for 2002 was 48,413. Further data from the 2005 assessment is...