Results 421-440 of 2,386 for speaker:Michael Finneran

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (29 Oct 2008)

Michael Finneran: Demand under the housing adaptation grant schemes for older people and people with a disability has been accelerating year on year, with annual expenditure in recent years rising from €13 million in 1997 to an initial expenditure estimate of over €71 million in 2008. The launch of the revised suite of grant schemes in November 2007 and the associated publicity has led to a heightened...

Seanad: Hospital Services (29 Oct 2008)

Michael Finneran: I thank Senator Buttimer for placing this matter on the Adjournment, which I will take on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney. The Health Service Executive has advised that the limb-fitting service in St. Finbarr's Hospital falls under the remit of the acute hospital service, specifically the orthopaedic services provided by St. Mary's Orthopaedic...

Seanad: Social and Affordable Housing (29 Oct 2008)

Michael Finneran: I thank the Senator for raising this issue. Following the announcement by Dublin City Council that the particular public private partnership project envisaged for O'Devaney Gardens would not proceed, my Department has engaged closely with the council to identify the next steps for residents and for the project itself. As part of this process, I have met representatives of the O'Devaney...

Seanad: Waste Disposal (29 Oct 2008)

Michael Finneran: I thank Senator Coffey for raising this issue on the Adjournment. Representatives from the waste industry met my Department on Friday, 24 October 2008 to discuss industry concerns regarding the sudden drop in international demand for recycled materials. Their principal issue of concern was the need to increase rapidly the storage capacity of existing permitted and licensed facilities. My...

Medical Aids and Appliances. (30 Oct 2008)

Michael Finneran: I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney. The Minister has identified the need to improve services to persons with cystic fibrosis in the Estimates process over recent years. Since 2006, additional revenue funding of €6.78 million has been allocated to the Health Service Executive to develop services for patients with cystic fibrosis....

Architectural Heritage. (30 Oct 2008)

Michael Finneran: The role of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government is to ensure the regulatory framework is robust and adequate to underpin the protection and conservation of our built heritage and to encourage best practice in this area. Part IV of the Planning and Development Act 2000 provides the primary legislative framework for the care and protection of the architectural...

Urban Development Project. (30 Oct 2008)

Michael Finneran: I thank Deputy Broughan for raising this matter. While specific responsibility for the planning and delivery of the north fringe development rests with the local authorities involved, namely, Dublin City Council and Fingal County Council, at a national policy level, the achievement of sustainable communities is a key objective for the Government. New development must be more than just the...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (30 Oct 2008)

Michael Finneran: I am, at present, considering the scope to approve further projects under my Department's Capital Loan and Subsidy Scheme in light of the funding available, and will make an appropriate announcement in that regard very shortly.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (30 Oct 2008)

Michael Finneran: An application for a Remedial Works Scheme at Spriggs Road was received by my Department on 15 October 2008 for consideration under the 2009 Remedial Works Programme. Under this programme local authorities are invited to apply for co-funding of remedial works schemes to commence in 2009. The closing date for receipt of applications is 31 October 2008, after which all applications will be...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (4 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Question Nos. 381 and 397 together. A number of local authorities have experienced heightened levels of activity under the revised suite of Housing Adaptation Grant schemes for older people and people with a disability following their launch in November 2007. All authorities have been requested to operate the grant schemes on a prioritised basis, within available resources,...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (4 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Question Nos. 382 and 384 together. In May 2008 my Department notified local authorities of a combined capital allocation of €71.4 million for the operation of the Housing Adaptation Grant schemes for Older People and People with a Disability in private houses in 2008. Individual allocations were notified to local authorities based on their estimated requirements as...

Written Answers — Voluntary Housing Sector: Voluntary Housing Sector (4 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: An application by Kildare County Council for approval to purchase the property in question under the Capital Loan and Subsidy Scheme was received in my Department in July 2008. This is being examined at present and a decision will be made as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (4 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: I am, at present, considering the scope to approve further projects under my Department's Capital Assistance Scheme in light of the funding available, and will make an appropriate announcement in that regard very shortly.

Written Answers — Housing Policy: Housing Policy (4 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: I have no function in relation to the matter in question. In any event, I also understand that the matter is the subject of legal proceedings and, in the circumstances, it would be inappropriate to comment on the attached correspondence.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (4 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: The Home Choice loan scheme will be available to first time buyers of new houses, subject to a maximum loan of €285,000, depending on income, and a maximum loan to value ratio of 92%. The loan term will be up to 30 years. A single standard variable interest rate product, related to the prevailing rates available from commercial institutions will be applicable. All applications will be...

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (4 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: Based on figures supplied to my Department by local authorities at the end of 2007, the average rent paid per week by local authorities to private landlords participating in the rental accommodation scheme and broken down by unit size is set out in the table: Unit Size Average weekly cost € 1 Bed 115.71 2 Bed 153.04 3 Bed 169.34 Tenants under the Rental...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (4 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: I refer to the reply to Question Nos. 347, 348 and 349 of 9 July 2008. As indicated, the resolution of problems arising between building owners and builders are matters between the parties concerned, namely, the building owner, the relevant developer and the builder's insurer. Where the construction of a building is the subject of a contract between the client and the builder, enforcement...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (4 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: Cosc, the National Office for the Prevention of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (an executive office of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform) was established by Government in June 2007, with the key responsibility to ensure the delivery of a well coordinated "whole of Government" response to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. The major priority for Cosc is...

Written Answers — Homeless Persons: Homeless Persons (4 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: I refer to the reply to Question No. 204 of 23 October 2008 in relation to occupancy of emergency accommodation. As homeless people seek emergency accommodation from various agencies through a number of different routes and at various times and different locations, it is not considered feasible to compile definitive statistical data on the number of people who seek emergency accommodation.

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (4 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: I anticipate that the merger of the Rent Tribunal and the Private Residential Tenancies Board will be achieved next year, in advance of the expiration, on 31 July 2009, of the term of appointment of the Tribunal's current members. My Department is currently examining the appropriate mechanism to underpin the merger. I expect that legislation will be required and, in that event, I would...