Results 701-720 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (2 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 499 to 506, inclusive, together. 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. In that context data in relation the number of applicants on individual authority waiting lists in 2006 are not available in...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (2 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Wicklow Town Council undertook a feasibility study in respect of a proposed remedial works project at the estate in question. While the feasibility study indicated issues in respect of the existing water and sewage infrastructure and road network, it also included proposals to address these matters. Infill houses are proposed in areas to minimise or avoid any unsupervised open space which...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (2 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: The estate in question has been designated for funding under my Department's Remedial Works Scheme. The pilot phase of the project has been completed. The overall proposals for the remaining dwellings are now being examined in my Department in relation to their scope and suitability as well as indicative costings and implementation, and a response will be made to the Town Council as soon as...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (3 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Applicants for affordable housing under Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2006 or the Affordable Housing Initiative satisfy the income eligibility requirement if the mortgage repayments for suitable accommodation available in the market would exceed 35% of their net income. There are no plans to change this approach, which provides a mechanism for taking into account up to...

Seanad: Social Welfare Offices (3 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: I thank Senator McCarthy for his good wishes. The Department of Social and Family Affairs delivers a frontline service to its customers through a network of 59 local offices and 66 branch offices countrywide. The main services provided from these offices include jobseeker's payments, one-parent family payment and a customer information service. The 59 local offices are staffed by...

Seanad: Social Welfare Offices (3 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Both Senator McCarthy's and my concerns will be conveyed to the Minister.

Seanad: Planning Issues (3 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: I thank the Senator for his good wishes. We will probably meet in Killarney again soon. The European Commission wrote to the Department on 27 June this year seeking its views on whether the so-called local needs test contained in a number of county development plans for the granting of planning permission for one-off dwellings in rural areas is compatible with Articles 43 and 56 of the...

Markets in Financial Instruments and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2007: Second Stage (Resumed) (4 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: I thank all the Deputies who attended for this debate. I particularly thank the Whips for agreeing to give priority to this Bill, in recognition of the requirement to activate some of its provisions from 1 November next. Deputies raised many interesting points, some of which were of a general nature rather than specific to the provisions of this Bill. I shall try, nevertheless, to respond...

Markets in Financial Instruments and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2007: Second Stage (Resumed) (4 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Next Tuesday, subject to the agreement of the Whips.

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (4 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department is aware of an issue which has arisen whereby some applicants who have bought sites under the low cost sites scheme have experienced difficulties in obtaining mortgages from certain financial institutions. This arises where a financial institution objects to a local authority having the first charge on the property for clawback purposes. My Department has advised authorities...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (9 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Expenditure under the social housing and traveller accommodation programmes by Kildare County Council and Athy Town Council is set out in the table below: Kildare County Council 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 to date1 â'¬ â'¬ â'¬ â'¬ â'¬ â'¬ Social Housing2 23,998,000 10,761,200 14,048,792 29,755,708 32,532,432 33,745,741 Traveller Accommodation 730,904 101,408 176,249...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (9 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information requested is not available in my Department. However, the Local Authority Housing Needs Assessment 2005 shows that there were a total of 6,624 Non Irish Households on the waiting list. A breakdown of these by local authority was published in my Department's Annual Housing Bulletin for 2005, which is available in the Oireachtas Library and on my Department's website at...

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (9 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Following on a commitment in the partnership agreement Towards 2016, a comprehensive Action Programme to promote improvement in standards of private rented accommodation is being undertaken. An important element of this Programme is the updating of the existing standards regulations, in consultation with local authorities and other relevant interests. This work is progressing and I envisage...

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (9 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Funding provided to local authorities, through the Private Residential Tenancies Board, from the proceeds of tenancy registration fees in respect of functions relating to private rented accommodation standards and rent books, increased from €1.582m in 2005 to €2.026m in 2006, an increase of some 28%. Returns in relation to enforcement of the regulations have been received in respect of...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (9 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has received no specific proposals on this matter.

Written Answers — Rural Renewal Scheme: Rural Renewal Scheme (9 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: An inspection with a view to issuing a Certificate of Reasonable Cost, if in order, will be carried out as soon as possible.

Local Authority Housing. (10 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: The local authority tenant purchase scheme was first introduced on a national basis in 1973 and the scheme in its current form has been in operation since 1995. The current scheme allows tenants who have been resident in a local authority house for a minimum period of one year to apply to their local authority to either purchase the dwelling outright or acquire it by way of shared ownership....

Local Authority Housing. (10 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: We hope the Bill will be put in place in early 2008. There are very complex issues relating to it. The Government is committed to introducing changes in the tenant purchase system. We must also take account of the advice from the Office of the Attorney General. There are certain issues with which the officials from the Attorney General's office are not satisfied. Officials from my...

Local Authority Housing. (10 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: I want to ensure that I am not misquoted. The Office of the Attorney General is not causing a blockage. There are complex legal issues that must be overcome. It is incumbent on the Attorney General and on my Department to ensure that, when the legislation is introduced, it will stand up to scrutiny. We want to be absolutely certain that, when the legislation is introduced in 2008, it will...

Local Authority Housing. (10 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: That information is never published.