Results 81-100 of 2,386 for speaker:Michael Finneran

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (20 May 2008)

Michael Finneran: The commencement of the project on foot of the approval issued by my Department on the 8 February 2008 is a matter for the housing authority. I have included in the housing allocations for 2008 a sum of €2.5m to allow the project concerned to be advanced this year.

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (20 May 2008)

Michael Finneran: The Government is committed to expanding social and affordable housing programmes over the coming years. The Programme for Government provisions build on the Government's housing policy statement Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities, and the National Development Plan 2007-2013 (NDP), reflecting also the strong commitment to expand social and affordable housing provision contained in the...

Written Answers — Strategy on Homelessness: Strategy on Homelessness (20 May 2008)

Michael Finneran: Homelessness involves a complex interplay between personal, economic, social and structural factors. Significant progress has been undertaken to address this issue since the adoption of the Integrated Government Strategy on Homelessness in 2000. This has resulted in an improvement in both the quality and range of services for homeless persons. Homeless fora have been established throughout...

Written Answers — Housing Policy: Housing Policy (20 May 2008)

Michael Finneran: My Department, through its various mechanisms of policy, legislation and guidance, places priority attention on the promotion of quality in the built environment. Building quality housing is at the core of the Government's housing policy statement Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities, which sets out a vision to guide the transformation of the Irish housing sector over the next ten years....

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (20 May 2008)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 558 to 561, inclusive, together. While continuing to have a particular focus on the Greater Dublin Area, the remit of the Affordable Homes Partnership was extended in June 2007 in relation to a number of affordable housing issues. These include issues in relation to communications on affordable housing, and common approaches to affordable housing application...

Written Answers — Housing Aid for the Elderly: Housing Aid for the Elderly (20 May 2008)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 568 and 587 together. The most recent information received from Clare County Council and North Tipperary County Council regarding activity under the Housing Adaptation Grant Schemes for Older People and People with a Disability, is set out below. Scheme Clare County Council North Tipperary County Council Apps. Received Apps. Approved Grants Paid Apps....

Written Answers — Strategy on Homelessness: Strategy on Homelessness (20 May 2008)

Michael Finneran: The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Strategy on Homelessness: Strategy on Homelessness (20 May 2008)

Michael Finneran: The provision of accommodation by approved voluntary and co-operative housing bodies is an integral part of the Department's overall response to delivering on housing need for older people. Under the Capital Assistance Scheme, funding of up to 100% of the approved cost is available for the provision of permanent accommodation for groups with special housing needs, including the elderly,...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (20 May 2008)

Michael Finneran: A statutory assessment of housing need is carried out triennially by housing authorities. The most recent of these took place in 2005 with previous assessments undertaken in 2002, 1999 and 1996. The results of the 2005 assessment indicated that there were 43,684 households on local authority housing waiting lists. Data in relation to these assessments for each housing authority are...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (20 May 2008)

Michael Finneran: Under section 58 of the Housing Act 1966, housing authorities are responsible for the management and maintenance of dwellings, of which they are the owner, provided under the Act. Regulations under the section allow that the tenant may, with the consent of the authority, exchange the tenancy of his/her house for the tenancy of another house provided by a housing authority. The...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (20 May 2008)

Michael Finneran: 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. Local authorities and approved housing bodies are working in close co-operation to deliver an expanded range of social housing options and a wide range of accommodation types to meet the needs of low-income families...

Written Answers — Housing Aid for the Elderly: Housing Aid for the Elderly (20 May 2008)

Michael Finneran: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 568, 588 and 589 together. The Housing Aid for Older People Scheme is administered by local authorities and is part of a revised framework of grant aid, introduced in November 2007, to assist older people and people with a disability with their accommodation needs. The Scheme, which amalgamates the provisions of the old Essential Repairs Grant Scheme and...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (21 May 2008)

Michael Finneran: Under Section 58(3) of the Housing Act, 1966, 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: That the rent payable should be related to income and a smaller proportion of income should be required from low income households; That...

Written Answers — Illegal Encampments: Illegal Encampments (21 May 2008)

Michael Finneran: Local authorities have a wide and effective range of powers to deal with unauthorised Traveller encampments. The principal powers of local authorities to deal with the unauthorised placing of temporary dwellings on public property, under legislation coming within the ambit of my Department, are contained in the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Act 1948, and Section 10 of the Housing...

Written Answers — Public Order Offences: Public Order Offences (22 May 2008)

Michael Finneran: Action to deal with anti-social behaviour is primarily a matter 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 prohibits anti-social behaviour in, or in the...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (22 May 2008)

Michael Finneran: Data in relation to the number of social housing completions in each local authority area, including data for 2006 and 2007, are published in my Department's Annual Housing Statistics Bulletins, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas library. These data are also available on my Department's website. Data for the first quarter of 2008 will be published shortly.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (22 May 2008)

Michael Finneran: The results of the 2005 statutory assessment of housing need indicated that there were 43,684 households on local authority housing waiting lists. More comprehensive data in relation to that assessment for each housing authority are available on my Department's website at www.environ.ie. Local authorities are currently carrying out the 2008 statutory housing needs assessment, the results of...

Written Answers — Strategy on Homelessness: Strategy on Homelessness (22 May 2008)

Michael Finneran: I refer to the reply to Question No. 555 of 20 May 2008 which set out the most recently published national figures for homelessness. Details of the number of homeless households in each local authority area are published in the Annual Housing Statistics Bulletins, which are available in the Oireachtas Library and on my Department's website at www.environ.ie. Question No. 286 answered with...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (22 May 2008)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 287 and 288 together. The regeneration of estates is a key element of the Government's housing policy statement Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities and over €120 million has been provided from the Exchequer in 2008 to aid this process. This is in addition to funding from the private sector and from local authorities' own resources. Public Private...

Seanad: Public Private Partnerships (22 May 2008)

Michael Finneran: I thank the Senator for his good wishes to me on my appointment. I also thank him raising this matter. It is one of particular importance to the communities in the areas concerned which are naturally disappointed with this week's developments and have concerns about the implications for the regeneration of their areas. To put the matter into context, I emphasise that the use of public...