Results 501-520 of 2,386 for speaker:Michael Finneran

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (19 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: Social inclusion is in existing legislation. The interpretation has been that it encompasses economic, cultural, ethnic and other issues. By adding one or two pieces to it, we may be excluding something else. If we leave it as it is, it will be interpreted as including all those areas. I do not want to exclude any group or person.

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (19 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: This amendment is not appropriate for inclusion in section 19. The section provides the general power for housing authorities to provide or manage the provision of social housing support and is essentially a restatement of section 56 of the Housing Act 1966. However, section 19 is more comprehensive with an updated power for housing authorities to provide what is now a broader range of...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (19 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: As I said, in line with the homelessness strategy, I intend to put on a statutory basis the homelessness action plan by bringing forward amendments during the passage of the Bill. I spoke about that plan before lunch today. Such plans will deal with the implementation issue as well as addressing the concerns that have been expressed. I know that they are two different sections, but I have...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (19 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: I will not comment on the workings of the bells of the House. To clarify the situation for Senator Coffey, it is during the passage of this Bill that I will put those provisions of the implementation plan on a statutory basis. They are included. In the strategy I announced in August, I referred to this. The Way Home strategy outlines the approach to local homeless action plans and...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (19 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: We are only on Committee Stage. The implementation plan will be in place before the end of the year but it is not in place as we stand.

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (19 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: The position is we are working on the Committee Stage amendment and that work is continuing as we speak. It is a work in progress and it will be part of this legislation.

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (19 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: I do not expect it will be in place during Committee Stage in the Seanad. However, as the Senator knows, the legislation will finally come back to the House in which it was initiated. For explanation purposes, there are a number of other provisions that are also being worked on by the Attorney General, such as the sale of flats in Dublin, which we may deal with later, and that type of...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (19 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: I reject totally that there is any question of this being a half-baked Bill. There is a simple explanation. The Bill was published in advance of the strategy, which came afterwards. I am sure the House would want me to put the implementation plan on a statutory basis as soon as possible. I am being as helpful as I can to the House and to the people in having it included in this...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (19 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: The intention was not for this to reflect badly on the House in any way. If anything, the intention was to reflect favourably on the House by initiating the legislation here, as somebody who spent 14 years in this House. Senators will have an opportunity to debate every part of the Bill because as they are aware, a Bill must come back to the House in which it is initiated. We are all aware...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (19 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: The local action plans are part of the implementation plan. This issue will be put on a statutory footing but some of the implementation issues do not need to be put on a statutory footing. I want to make that distinction. Some of the implementation plan will need a legislative framework and some of it will not. I repeat that the statutory part of the implementation plan will be part of...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (19 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: It is a matter for the Houses to organise their business through the Whips. We cannot delay the progress on the legislation and I will not delay it. We have indicated here in respect of a number of amendments that we must go back to the Parliamentary Counsel. The same must apply to those that must be dealt with in the future. It is a work in progress and parliamentarians understand that....

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (20 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: The making and amending of rent schemes is the responsibility of local authorities as an integral part of their housing management functions, subject to broad principles laid down by my Department in Circular letter HRT 3/2002 of 6 March 2002. Decisions on whether or not to disregard either a proportion of income or particular sources of income for the purposes of calculating rents are...

Written Answers — Registration of Tenancies: Registration of Tenancies (25 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Question Nos. 446 and 454 together. In 2006 and 2007, the amounts collected by the Private Residential Tenancies Board in fees associated with the registration of tenancies were €5,995,772 and €6,156,749, respectively. The purposes for which such fees are utilised include the provision of financial support to assist local authorities in discharging their functions under...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (25 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: The total capital investment in the supply of social housing for the years 2004-2007 was €4,222,092,455. The breakdown between the local authority programme and the Capital Loan and Subsidy (CLSS) and Capital Assistance (CAS) Schemes for the Voluntary and Co-Operative Housing sector for this period is set out in the table below, together with the corresponding allocations for 2008....

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (25 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: My Department's Housing Aid for Older People Scheme, which is administered by local authorities, provides targeted support to improve conditions in the existing housing of older people. The types of works which may be grant aided under the Scheme are varied and may include the provision and upgrading of insulation works. In addition, older people living in local authority housing may benefit...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (25 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: The Housing Adaptation Grant Schemes for Older People and People with a Disability are funded by 80% recoupment available from my Department together with 20% contribution from the resources of the local authority. In May 2008, my Department made a combined capital allocation of €638,820 to Longford County Council for the operation of the Housing Adaptation Grant Schemes for Older People...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (25 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: The housing units referred to were developed by the National Association of Building Co-operatives (Nabco), on behalf of Dublin City Council, under the 1999 Affordable Housing Scheme. In conjunction with Nabco and my Department, the City Council is considering how these dwellings can, as soon as possible, be utilised in meeting housing needs.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (26 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: In the first instance, the allocation of a dwelling to a household is a matter for each individual local authority in accordance with its scheme of letting priorities, and the making of such a scheme is a reserved function of the authority under section 11 of the Housing Act 1988. In metropolitan areas which cross local authority boundaries, it is important that effective arrangements are...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (26 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: The interest rate on local authority housing loans is determined by the Housing Finance Agency (HFA) by reference to mortgage rates prevailing in the financial market. The current variable interest rate to local authority borrowers, excluding mortgage protection, is 5.25%. The current fixed interest rate available on local authority loans, excluding mortgage protection, is 5.5% for a period...

Written Answers — House Prices: House Prices (26 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 222 to 224, inclusive, together. As indicated during the debate on Budget 2009, it is important that the ongoing process of correction in the housing market is not artificially interfered with. Given that sentiment in the housing market is heavily dependent on wider sentiment in the economy, the Government's approach is focused on the broader economic...