Results 1,021-1,040 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Voluntary Housing Associations: Voluntary Housing Associations (14 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Bodies seeking to obtain approved status under Section 6 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1962 must be constituted as a limited company, or as a society registered with the Registrar of Friendly Societies or as a trust incorporated under the Charities Acts. Certain restrictions apply in relation to the election/appointment of directors, trustees or senior officials of such...

Written Answers — Voluntary Housing Associations: Voluntary Housing Associations (14 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 242, 243 and 245 together. 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...

Written Answers — Tax Clearance Certificates: Tax Clearance Certificates (14 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The requirements laid down in article 5 of the Housing Regulations 1980 (Amendment) Regulations, 1992 were introduced in order to apply the Department of Finance's tax clearance procedures to applicants for local authority housing loans and persons undertaking any work financed by such loans. There are no proposals, at present, to amend these provisions.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (14 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I understand that all new ESB customers, and not just those accommodated through the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS), are required to sign up for a Direct Debit to pay their bills, or else to pay a deposit of €300. The levying of such charges is a matter for the ESB and I have no function in that regard. Nevertheless it should be noted that in transferring tenants to RAS, the general...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (19 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: A meeting has been arranged between my Department and Monaghan County Council for 29 February, 2008, with a view to clarifying a number of issues in relation to this project. A decision on the funding application will be made as soon as possible afterwards.

Written Answers — Housing Aid for the Elderly: Housing Aid for the Elderly (19 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Notification of individual allocations to local authorities for the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability, the Mobility Aids Grant Scheme and the Housing Aid for Older People scheme in 2008 will be made available following the publication, shortly, of the Revised Estimates for Public Services 2008.

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (19 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The terms and conditions of the various affordable housing schemes and the regulations governing local authority loans do not prohibit an affordable home owner from renting a spare room in his/her home so long as the property is occupied by the purchaser, as his/her principal place of residence.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (19 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I refer to the reply to Question Nos. 666 and 624 of 27 November 2007 in which I indicated that, generally, housing allocations in 2008 will be made directly to city, county, borough and town councils. County and city councils have since been provided with an indication of the general level of Exchequer funding that will be available over the next three years for the main housing programmes....

Seanad: Housing Grants (19 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I thank the Senator for giving me this opportunity to discuss the new framework of housing adaptation grant schemes, which my Department introduced on 1 November 2007, and the issue of the transfer of the special housing aid for the elderly scheme from the HSE to my Department. As the Senator will be aware, to facilitate the continued independent occupancy of their homes by older people and...

Seanad: Schools Building Projects (19 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I thank the Senator for giving me the opportunity of outlining to the House the Department's position regarding the provision of a new community school for Glenamaddy, County Galway. It is proposed to build a new community school in Glenamaddy with a floor area of approximately 5,200 sq. m. to cater for a long term projected enrolment of 550 pupils. This new school is to cater for the...

Seanad: Schools Building Projects (19 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Minister is well aware of the needs of educational facilities in areas outside the greater Dublin area. This matter has been brought to her attention and she is cognisant of this fact.

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

Batt O'Keeffe: I refer to the reply to Question No. 534 of 18 December 2007. The position is unchanged.

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

Batt O'Keeffe: From time to time housing authorities need to acquire properties outside of their areas to meet housing need. Typically this can arise where there is a shortage of suitable land for the construction of social housing and/or second hand properties available in their areas. In other circumstances, housing authorities may also need to acquire properties to satisfy a housing need that exists on...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (26 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 479 and 480 together. 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 broad principles laid down by my Department in Circular letter HRT 3/2002 of 6 March 2002. I have no plans to change these principles at present. Decisions on whether or not to...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (26 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 482 and 483 together. Comprehensive data on the number of social and affordable housing units constructed are only collected on a quarterly basis. My Department is currently compiling data which reflect activity in the fourth quarter of 2007, completing the picture of activity during the year as a whole. The latest information available, for the period ended...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (26 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The following table sets out the funding provided to the housing authorities concerned under the local authority capital programme for housing construction and acquisitions in the 2005-2007 period: 2005 2006 2007 €m €m €m Exchequer Allocation 12.000 17.000 25.000 Expenditure Recouped 13.569 21.815 25.441 My Department recently advised city and county councils of indicative...

Written Answers — Housing Aid for the Elderly: Housing Aid for the Elderly (26 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 490 and 491 together. My Department has asked local authorities to indicate their capital requirements in 2008 for the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability Scheme, the Mobility Aids Grant Scheme, and the Housing Aid for Older People Scheme. On receipt of this information, my Department will notify individual local authorities of their 2008...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (26 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Bray Town Council submitted a copy of its consultants report to my Department on 29 November 2007. It is a matter for the housing authority to develop proposals to address the issues raised in the report and submit them to the Department, as appropriate.

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (26 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Legislative provision to facilitate arrangements under which a local authority could agree to its clawback charge ranking in second place behind a new or topped-up mortgage charge, thereby facilitating persons in affordable housing wishing to re-mortgage with a private lender, is being considered in the Social Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill which is currently being drafted. I expect...

Seanad: State Property (26 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I thank Senator Coghlan for giving me an opportunity to discuss this important matter on behalf of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley. Killarney House and the greater part of the accompanying estate was sold to the State in 1978 by the then owner, Mr. John McShain, for a sum below market value on the assurance that the house and the estate would be...