Results 521-540 of 2,386 for speaker:Michael Finneran

Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) (No. 2) Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (27 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: On behalf of the Minister, Deputy Gormley, I thank all Deputies who contributed to this debate and I appreciate the indications of support for the Bill. The Minister in his introductory remarks made clear that the sole reason for increasing motor tax rates was to fund local government. He also pointed out that motor tax increases since the year 2000, including the current increases, are...

Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) (No. 2) Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (27 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: I express my gratitude to all contributors to the debate. I appreciate the point made by Deputy Pat The Cope Gallagher regarding holiday homes and I will refer his point on 16% VRT on new cars coming into the country.

Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) (No. 2) Bill 2008: Referral to Select Committee (27 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, in accordance with Standing Order 122(1) and paragraph 1(a)(i) of the Orders of Reference of that committee.

Social and Affordable Housing. (27 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: The overall objective of Government housing policy, as set out in the Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities policy statement published in February 2007, is to enable every household to have available an affordable dwelling of good quality, suited to its needs, in a good environment and, as far as possible, at the tenure of its choice. When viewed in this context, the issue of...

Social and Affordable Housing. (27 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: To date, 9,300 social and affordable homes have been delivered under Part V, with activity increasing in this area. While the charge has been made about these houses not being available in the future, and while I understand this to be the case, 9,300 have been delivered. For 2007, the number of affordable houses, leaving out social houses, was 3,539, which is a significant number. I...

Social and Affordable Housing. (27 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: I did not hear the question.

Social and Affordable Housing. (27 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: The figure available on the social housing programme for 2009 is €1.5 billion. While it is 1.7% down on 2008, it amounts to €4.2 million per day. In the circumstances in which we find ourselves, with decreased costs in construction I expect our local authorities will deliver more houses with the money available than they did in 2008.

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (27 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 21 together. I wish to clarify the position in relation to the targets for social housing and the actual delivery achieved as there seems to be some confusion in this regard. The commitment entered into by the Government under the social partnership agreement, Towards 2016, was to achieve 27,000 social housing "starts" over the three year period 2007...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (27 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: 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 fundamentals and ensuring, ultimately, that the housing market is...

Written Answers — Rental Accommodation: Rental Accommodation (27 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: The minimum standards for rented accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 1993. These regulations apply to local authority and voluntary housing units as well as private rented accommodation and local authorities have responsibility for the enforcement of the regulations in relation to all properties — local authority, voluntary and private. In...

Written Answers — Rental Accommodation: Rental Accommodation (27 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 23, 37 and 42 together. Minimum standards regulations for rental accommodation are currently prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 1993, made under section 18 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992. These regulations specify requirements in relation to a range of matters, such as structural repair, absence of damp and...

Written Answers — Strategy on Homelessness: Strategy on Homelessness (27 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: A new Government strategy on homelessness, The Way Home: A Strategy to Address Adult Homelessness in Ireland 2008 — 2013, was published in August 2008. The strategy builds on the strong progress made under previous homeless strategies and sets out a vision to address adult homelessness over the next five years. The strategy recognises that homelessness involves a complex interplay between...

Written Answers — Rental Accommodation: Rental Accommodation (27 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 28 and 55 together. Details of the inspections of private rented accommodation carried out, the dwellings inspected which did not meet the statutory standards and prosecutions initiated up to 2007 are included in my Department's Annual Housing Statistics Bulletins, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library and on my Department's website at...

Written Answers — Rental Accommodation: Rental Accommodation (27 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 30, 36, 38, 40, 44, 49, 51, 52 and 140 together. Minimum standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 1993, made under section 18 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992. All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties comply with these regulations. Failure to...

Written Answers — Rental Accommodation: Rental Accommodation (27 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: The registration fees collected by the Private Residential Tenancies Board in 2005, 2006 and 2007, and the number of registrations recorded each year, are set out in the following table. Also included in the table is the number of late registrations and composite fees recorded in 2007. Five sevenths of all registration fees paid to the Board is allocated to support local authorities in...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (27 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: Work is continuing to address the outstanding issues relating to the tenant purchase of local authority apartments. I hope that legislative proposals for a viable apartment sales scheme can be finalised in time for consideration during the Dáil Committee Stage of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008.

Written Answers — Strategy on Homelessness: Strategy on Homelessness (27 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: There is no funding application in respect of this project with my Department at present.

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (27 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: The various affordable housing schemes assist in achieving the Government objective of enabling every household to have available an affordable dwelling, as far as possible, at the tenure of its choice. This is accomplished by making homes available for purchase by those who, under normal circumstances, cannot afford outright ownership at full market prices. Mortgage finance for affordable...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (27 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: Information on affordable housing activity, up to the end of June 2008, is available on my Department's website at www.environ.ie. Information is also published in my Department's Housing Statistics Bulletins, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library.

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (27 Nov 2008)

Michael Finneran: We have made considerable progress in recent years in meeting housing needs through the broad range of social and affordable housing programmes. In 2007 alone, the needs of almost 18,300 households were met across the housing spectrum and all the indications available to us at this stage would suggest that 2008 will be another year of significant delivery under the main housing programmes....