Results 541-560 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

Written Answers — Voluntary Activity: Voluntary Activity (5 Oct 2004)

Noel Ahern: In September 2003 I announced the successful applicants for two funding initiatives arising from the White Paper on a framework for supporting voluntary activity, the funding scheme to support the role of federations, networks and umbrella bodies in the community and voluntary sector and the funding scheme for training and supports in the community and voluntary sector. The training and...

Written Answers — Drug Misuse: Drug Misuse (5 Oct 2004)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 174, 225 and 229 together. The report by the Health Research Board to which the Deputies refer — Trends in Treated Problem Opiate Use in the Seven Health Board areas outside the Eastern Regional Health Authority, 1998 to 2002 — was launched in early September. The report shows that the numbers in treatment for heroin use outside the Eastern Regional Health...

Written Answers — Insurance Industry: Insurance Industry (5 Oct 2004)

Noel Ahern: I refer the Deputy to my previous replies to Questions Nos. 54 and 211 of 3 June 2004.

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (5 Oct 2004)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 183 and 463 together. I refer the Deputy to my reply to Questions Nos. 12, 20, 26 and 34 of 3 June 2004. The process of examination and consideration of the issues is continuing in my Department.

Written Answers — Drug Misuse: Drug Misuse (5 Oct 2004)

Noel Ahern: As the Deputy is aware, the young people's facilities and services fund, YPFSF, was established in 1998 to assist in the development of facilities — including sport and recreational facilities — and services in disadvantaged areas where a significant drug problem exists or has the potential to develop. To date, the main focus of the fund has been in the 14 local drugs task force, LDTF,...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (5 Oct 2004)

Noel Ahern: At the request of my Department, the national drugs strategy team established a sub-group to report on and recommend appropriate pilot projects which might be established to deal with the issue of cocaine misuse in local communities. The sub-group's report was received by officials in my Department within the last week and the recommendations contained in it are being examined at present....

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (5 Oct 2004)

Noel Ahern: As the Deputy may be aware, in May last, the national advisory committee on drugs, NACD, produced a report entitled Review of Harm Reduction Approaches to Minimising the Sharing of Equipment Used to Administer Drugs. The report was commissioned in response to action 100 of the National Drugs Strategy 2001-2008 which called for research to be conducted into the effectiveness of new mechanisms...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (5 Oct 2004)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 199 and 201 together. The National Drugs Strategy 2001-2008 provides for the establishment of ten regional drugs task forces, RDTFs, throughout the country. Currently, the RDTFs are mapping out the patterns of drug misuse in their areas — as well as the range and level of existing services — with a view to better co-ordination and addressing gaps in the...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (5 Oct 2004)

Noel Ahern: I assure the Deputy that the Government continues to take the issue of drug misuse seriously and will continue to push forward with the implementation of the National Drugs Strategy 2001- 2008. In this regard, one of the principle aims of the strategy is to encourage drug misusers into treatment and the Department of Health and Children — which has overall responsibility for the addiction...

Written Answers — Dormant Accounts Fund: Dormant Accounts Fund (5 Oct 2004)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 210 and 222 together. The Deputy will be aware that in June 2004, the Government announced an increase in the overall amount that the Dormant Accounts Fund Disbursements Board may spend from €30 million to €60 million. The board has engaged Area Development Management, ADM, to administer this round of funding on its behalf. To date the board has approved...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (5 Oct 2004)

Noel Ahern: As the Deputy may be aware, on 1 September last I launched the first Irish review of scientific evidence regarding cannabis. The report, entitled An Overview of Scientific and other Information on Cannabis was published by the national advisory committee on drugs, NACD. The report is part of this Government's ongoing commitment to improving our knowledge base in the drugs field. As I stated...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (5 Oct 2004)

Noel Ahern: As the Deputy is aware, my Department has overall responsibility for co-ordinating the implementation of the National Drugs Strategy 2001-2008. The strategy contains 100 individual actions, under the four pillars of supply reduction, prevention, treatment and research, to be implemented by a range of Departments and agencies. My Department also has responsibility for the work of the 14 local...

Written Answers — Housing Aid for the Elderly: Housing Aid for the Elderly (5 Oct 2004)

Noel Ahern: A second round allocation for 2004 will shortly be determined and notified to health boards by the task force, which, under the aegis of my Department, administers the scheme of special housing aid for the elderly.

Written Answers — Strategic Planning Guidelines: Strategic Planning Guidelines (5 Oct 2004)

Noel Ahern: My Department is currently assessing the draft action plan submitted by Limerick County Council. It is intended that the matter will be finalised by the end of the year.

Written Answers — Traveller Accommodation: Traveller Accommodation (5 Oct 2004)

Noel Ahern: All local authorities required to do so have adopted, and are in the process of implementing, five-year Traveller accommodation programmes, under the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998. These programmes, covering the period 2000 to 2004, estimated that, nationally, 3,785 units of accommodation would be required during the programmes to meet the then existing need and the additional...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (5 Oct 2004)

Noel Ahern: A total of 106 housing units have been provided under Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000-02 during the first half of 2004. I anticipate that 500 housing units will be provided over the whole of 2004 under Part V.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (5 Oct 2004)

Noel Ahern: Section 15 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1997 authorises certain exchanges of information in relation to persons seeking housing who may have been engaged in anti-social behaviour. These exchanges are permitted between specified agencies: housing authorities, the Criminal Assets Bureau, the Garda Siochána, the Department of Social and Family Affairs, health boards and...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (5 Oct 2004)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 464 to 466, inclusive, together. As the Deputies may be aware, the National Advisory Committee on Drugs, NACD, produced a report last May entitled Review of Harm Reduction Approaches to Minimising the Sharing of Equipment Used to Administer Drugs. Arising from the report, the NACD recommended that service provision for drug users in prison should mirror the...

Written Answers — Charities Legislation: Charities Legislation (5 Oct 2004)

Noel Ahern: An Agreed Programme for Government contains a commitment to reform charities law. Responsibility for delivery on that commitment was assigned to my Department. I launched a public consultation in February of this year. The reference document for the public consultation was a Government-approved consultation paper on establishing a modern statutory framework for charities. The 85 submissions...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (5 Oct 2004)

Noel Ahern: The 2004 scheme of community support for older people was advertised nationwide on 29 July 2004 with a closing date of 13 September 2004. My Department is engaged in processing applications for the scheme and grants will issue to community groups in respect of successful applications at the earliest possible date.