Results 781-800 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — National Development Plan: National Development Plan (18 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: The housing component of National Development Plan 2007-2013 is being delivered through two sub-programmes: Social Housing Provision and Renewal, and Affordable Housing and Targeted Private Housing Supports. Investment under each sub-programme of some €14 billion and €4 billion, respectively, has been committed over the period of the plan and expenditure at the end of September 2007...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (23 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: The provision of accommodation by approved voluntary and co-operative housing bodies is an integral part of my Department's overall response to delivering on social housing need. In cases where a particular social housing need exists and where a voluntary housing body is unable to meet this need from its existing housing stock, the person or family concerned should apply to the relevant...

Written Answers — Management Fees: Management Fees (23 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has no function in relation to the cost of management and maintenance of private accommodation. Property management companies, consisting of the owners of dwellings, are generally constituted under the Companies Acts and are required to operate in compliance with company law, which comes within the area of responsibility of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment....

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (23 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: The question of facilitating arrangements for persons in affordable housing wishing to re-mortgage with private lenders has been the subject of discussions between my Department and a number of the financial institutions. The current practice requires that if a private lender agrees to provide re-mortgage finance it will be on the basis that their mortgage charge will rank below the clawback...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (23 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: The assessment of housing need, including verification of the relevant circumstances of applicants, is a matter for the local authority concerned. As standard procedure, local authorities seek information on applicants' accommodation history and have powers under Section 15 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1997 to seek information from a range of relevant bodies in relation to...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (23 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Local authorities are responsible for the adoption of their differential rents schemes and my Department has no direct function in their administration. While my Department's circular letter HRT 3/2002 laid down broad principles in relation to the content of local authority differential rents schemes, including that the rent payable should be related to income with a smaller proportion of...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (23 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Information on payments in lieu of land transfers under Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2006 and a breakdown of the number of houses provided under the various affordable schemes in each local authority area up to end June 2007, is available on my Department's website at www.environ.ie. Information is also published in my Department's Housing Statistics Bulletins, copies...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (23 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Information on social housing completions in County Meath in each of the years 2002 to 2006 is available on my Department's website at www.environ.ie. Information is also published in my Department's Annual Housing Statistics Bulletins, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library. There were 52 social housing completions in County Meath in the 9 months to end September 2007. A...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (23 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: A capital allocation of €2.2 million was made available to Meath County Council for funding of disabled persons and essential repairs grant schemes in 2007. Following an application for additional funding from Meath County Council, that authority's capital allocation was increased in October 2007 by €1.8 million, to give a total capital allocation of €4 million for 2007.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (23 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: A programme of remedial works at the estate in question was undertaken in four phases from January 2003, with work still ongoing. To date almost €7 million in Internal Capital Receipts and Exchequer funding has been expended on the works. The refurbishment works broadly include the provision of external insulation, replacement of windows and doors, removal of external panelling, provision...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (23 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Where an affordable home is sold within a period of 20 years from the initial purchase, a proportion of the proceeds must be repaid to the relevant local authority. This requirement, known as clawback, is necessary to ensure that there is no short-term profit taking on the resale of houses provided under the various affordable housing schemes at a discount from market value. Where the...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (23 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department wrote to Athlone Town Council in January 2007 in relation to the proposed regeneration of the estate in question, seeking a review of the objectives of the regeneration project, taking into account Athlone's Gateway status. Discussions on the project between my Department and the Council are ongoing, after which it is expected that a revised submission will be prepared by the...

Written Answers — Housing Aid for the Elderly: Housing Aid for the Elderly (24 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Funding towards the cost of home adaptations for the disabled is currently provided through the local authorities under the Disabled Persons Grant scheme. My Department recently announced a new Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability and this will come into operation on 1 November, 2007. The new grant may cover up to 95% of the cost of works and the maximum grant is being...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (24 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: The local authority made an initial submission to my Department in respect of the development in question on 10 July 2007. Following consideration of this submission in my Department, a request for a clarification on a number of points issued to the authority on 20 August 2007. A response in this regard was received from the local authority on 22 October 2007. This is currently being...

Written Answers — Anti-Social Behaviour: Anti-Social Behaviour (25 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Action to deal with anti-social behaviour is primarily an issue for the Garda Síochána and legislation in this regard is the responsibility of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. Landlords are, however, responsible for enforcing the obligations that apply to their tenants under the Residential Tenancies Act 2004. The Act, in this regard, prohibits a private rental tenant...

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (25 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Social Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, currently being drafted, is expected to be published in early 2008. Work on addressing the complex legal issues relating to the tenant purchase of local authority apartments and maisonettes is being advanced in that context.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (31 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Details of the number of housing units completed in each local authority in each of the past ten years to 2006 and for the 6 months to end June 2007, have been published in my Department's Housing Statistics Bulletins, which are available in the Oireachtas Library, or on the Department's website at www.environ.ie.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (31 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Details of the number of housing units completed in each local authority in each of the past ten years to 2006 and for the 6 months to end June 2007, have been published in my Department's Housing Statistics Bulletins, which are available in the Oireachtas Library, or on the Department's website at www.environ.ie. The tenure mix of the surrounding areas for individual acquisitions varies...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (31 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 548 and 549 together. Details of the number of housing units completed in each local authority area in each of the past ten years to 2006 and for the 6 months to end June 2007, have been published in my Department's Housing Statistics Bulletins, which are available in the Oireachtas Library, or on the Department's website at www.environ.ie. Detailed...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (31 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Initial papers were received from the authority on 25 April 2007. I refer to the reply to Question No. 232 of 18 October 2007. The position is unchanged.