Results 961-980 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (18 Dec 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: I refer to the reply to Question No. 107 of 10 October 2007 in relation to a possible licensing system for landlords. I am aware that a recent report by the Centre for Housing Research suggested the piloting of a system for certification of compliance with private rented accommodation standards. While it is not proposed to introduce such a system in the short-term, this proposal will be kept...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (18 Dec 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: The housing needs of vulnerable groups, including households with members who have mental or physical health issues, are met in a number of ways. In certain cases, needs can be met through the main social housing programme. Voluntary and cooperative housing bodies are also funded to provide accommodation specific to particular needs, including the needs of people with disabilities. In...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (18 Dec 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: An inspection with a view to issuing a Certificate of Reasonable Cost was carried out on 12 October 2007. However, it was not possible to compile an estimate of cost because the necessary supporting documentation was not available. The applicant has since advised my Department that the documentation is now available and a further inspection will be carried out as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (18 Dec 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: I refer to the reply to Question No. 559 of 3 July 2007. I understand that works on the first phase of the project, which commenced in June 2007, are near completion. It is envisaged that, following consultation with the residents concerned, works on the second phase of the project should commence by mid-2008.

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (19 Dec 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: The survey to which the question refers has not been brought to my attention. Limerick City Council recently submitted a report on the regeneration strategy for St. Mary's Park, which involved extensive consultation with residents of the area. This report, and the appropriate arrangements for taking forward the regeneration of St. Mary's Park within the overall framework of the Limerick...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (19 Dec 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: A range of measures are available to local authorities through their social housing investment programmes to meet the housing needs of people with a disability who are on their waiting lists. These range from standard local authority rented housing to loans for improvements and grants for adaptation of existing houses. In assessing applications for accommodation, authorities have been asked...

Written Answers — Housing Aid for the Elderly: Housing Aid for the Elderly (30 Jan 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The special housing aid for the elderly scheme is currently administered by a Task Force under the aegis of my Department and operated at a local level by the Health Service Executive. A total of €22.012 million in 2006 and €19.132 million in 2007 was allocated to the Health Service Executive for the operation of this scheme nationally. Of this €4.8 million in 2006 and €3.498 million...

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (30 Jan 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1304 and 1384 together. Minimum standards for private rented accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 1993, which specify requirements in relation to matters such as the structural condition of dwellings and their sanitary facilities, heating and ventilation. All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Jan 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The making and amending of rent schemes is the responsibility of local authorities as an integral part of their housing management functions subject to the following broad principles laid down by my Department: the rent payable should be related to income and a smaller proportion of income should be required from low income households; allowances should be made for dependent children...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (30 Jan 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: In 2004 my Department introduced a central heating programme which provides funding for the installation of central heating in existing local authority dwellings. Under the programme a grant of €6,000 or up to 80% of the cost, whichever is the lesser, is available. From 1 January 2007, the central heating programme has been included as part of a local authority's improvement works...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (30 Jan 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Capital funding is available through my Department's Capital Loan and Subsidy Scheme to approved voluntary and co-operative housing bodies to provide accommodation to meet the housing needs of low income families and other groups with special housing needs. My Department's involvement with the scheme relates primarily to the provision of funds and ensuring that the requirements of the Capital...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (30 Jan 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1349 and 1350 together. I refer to the reply to Question No. 232 of 18 October 2007. The position is unchanged. My Department is in regular communications with the Kildare housing authorities in relation to their social housing programmes and has formal meetings on a biannual basis as part of the Housing Action Plan process. The Department is scheduled to...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (30 Jan 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Specific state support for the accommodation needs of older people or people with special housing needs ranges from grant schemes which allow people to remain in their homes to the provision of specific sheltered housing options. Both the local authorities and the voluntary and co-operative housing sectors are providing an expanded range of social housing options and a wide range of...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (30 Jan 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The local authority mortgage protection insurance scheme has applied to all house purchase loans approved by authorities on or after 1 July 1986. One of the conditions of the scheme, which is a group policy, is that it is obligatory for all local authority borrowers who meet the eligibility criteria to join. Altering this condition would have a negative impact on the scheme and increase the...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (30 Jan 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1378, 1380, 1381 and 1388 together. Since the introduction of Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000, my Department has issued a range of implementation guidelines for local authorities. In addition, the Affordable Homes Partnership (AHP), working in conjunction with my Department, published a Resource Pack on concluding Part V agreements in 2006....

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (30 Jan 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1385 and 1386 together. The Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) mainly provides for the accommodation needs of Rent Supplement recipients of 18 months duration who are assessed as having a long-term housing need. However local authorities have discretion in utilising RAS in cases, including certain homeless cases, of persons who are less than eighteen months on...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (30 Jan 2008)

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. Funding of up to 100% of the approved cost is available to approved housing bodies for the provision of permanent accommodation for low-income families and for persons with special housing needs, including the...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (30 Jan 2008)

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. Under the Voluntary Housing Capital Assistance Scheme, funding of up to 100% of the approved cost is available for the provision of permanent accommodation for persons with special housing needs, including those...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (30 Jan 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I understand that a Part V agreement has been reached in respect of 24 Social and Affordable dwellings in this scheme, and has approved the acquisition of the 18 social dwellings for inclusion in the Social Housing Investment Programme. I also understand that the housing authority is endeavouring to conclude the arrangements to acquire the dwellings.

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (30 Jan 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Social Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, currently being drafted, is expected to be published in mid-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.