Results 1,161-1,180 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern
- Written Answers — Security of the Elderly: Security of the Elderly (28 Jun 2005)
Noel Ahern: A figure of â¬2.8 million has been allocated to the scheme of community supports for older people in 2005. These resources are directed to providing equipment to those members of the community aged 65 and over who have a genuine need for assistance under the scheme including those who require replacement of socially-monitored alarms. The limit referred to in my reply to Question No. 508 of...
- Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (28 Jun 2005)
Noel Ahern: The national assessment committee of the young peoples facilities and services fund, which is chaired by my Department, is finalising its assessment of capital applications received in respect of the third round of funding. I hope, therefore, to be in a position to make an announcement on these applications in the very near future.
- Written Answers — Dormant Accounts Fund: Dormant Accounts Fund (28 Jun 2005)
Noel Ahern: The Deputy will be aware that decisions on the disbursement of unclaimed moneys from the dormant accounts fund are a matter for the Dormant Accounts Fund Disbursements Board. This is an independent statutory body, under the aegis of my Department, established under the dormant accounts acts. The board engaged Area Development Management Limited, ADM, to administer the initial round of funding...
- Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (28 Jun 2005)
Noel Ahern: The NESC housing report endorses the Government's general approach to housing policy while highlighting important policy challenges ahead. These include ensuring a high quality sustainable development in both urban and rural areas, assisting the market to maintain a high level of supply and providing an effective range of supports to those households who fall below the affordability...
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (28 Jun 2005)
Noel Ahern: The management, maintenance and improvement of their rented dwellings, including the installation of central heating is primarily the responsibility of local authorities to be financed from their own resources. In addition, where capital funding is provided under remedial or regeneration schemes operated by my Department for upgrading local authority dwellings, the provision of central...
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (28 Jun 2005)
Noel Ahern: It is understood that Mayo County Council will submit a proposal to my Department shortly seeking approval for the acceptance of a tender for works to be undertaken to the house in question under the improvement works in lieu of rehousing scheme. Under the scheme, local authorities have delegated authority to proceed with improvement works where the cost is under â¬75,000. In this instance,...
- Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (28 Jun 2005)
Noel Ahern: The number of social houses completed from 1998 to 2004 is set out in the table below. Year Local Authority construction programme Voluntary Housing Schemes Total 1998 2,771 485 3,256 1999 2,909 579 3,488 2000 2,204 951 3,155 2001 3,622 1,253 4,875 2002 4,403 1,360 5,763 2003 4,516 1,617 6,133 2004 3,539 1,607 5,146 Details of completions for the first...
- Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (28 Jun 2005)
Noel Ahern: Details of the number of housing units provided under the various affordable schemes in each local authority area are published in my Department's housing statistics bulletins. Information is already available to September quarter 2004, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library. Information will shortly be available to end 2004 in the 2004 annual housing statistics bulletin...
- Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (28 Jun 2005)
Noel Ahern: The maximum loan which can be advanced for a local authority house purchase is â¬165,000. The limit has been effective since 13 July 2004. The maximum loan which could be advanced in 2003 and to 12 July 2004 was â¬130,000. The maximum mortgage loan is determined by the relevant local authority by reference to the purchaser's ability to repay with respect to the net income of the household....
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (28 Jun 2005)
Noel Ahern: Local authorities are required to make a scheme of letting priorities to determine the order of priority to be afforded to applicants in the lettings of dwellings provided by the authority. The order of priority of different categories of persons to be set in a scheme of letting priorities and the other detailed contents of a scheme are entirely a matter for decision by the local authority....
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (28 Jun 2005)
Noel Ahern: My Department gave approval to Westmeath County Council in May 2005 to accept a tender for a pilot phase of the remedial works scheme to ten houses at Ennell Court, Mullingar. The sum of â¬500,000 has been allocated to the county council in 2005 for this scheme. Further capital provision will be made for future phases based on the outcome of the pilot phase.
- Written Answers — Local Authority Lands: Local Authority Lands (28 Jun 2005)
Noel Ahern: My Department carries out a survey of the total amount of serviced land zoned for residential purposes, owned both privately and by local authorities. This survey is valuable in assessing the overall stock of land at the same point each year, and the sufficiency of that stock to underpin required housing supply. Since 2003, the Department has extended this survey to collate data on the amount...
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (28 Jun 2005)
Noel Ahern: I refer to the reply to Question No. 27 of today's date.
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (28 Jun 2005)
Noel Ahern: My Department's local authorities loan system has helped significant numbers of low-income households to purchase their own homes under a range of targeted schemes including the shared ownership and 1999 affordable housing schemes. In July of last year I carried out a review of the loan and income limits which resulted in an increase in the maximum loan available for the acquisition or...
- Written Answers — House Prices: House Prices (28 Jun 2005)
Noel Ahern: The Government's overall housing strategy is to increase housing supply to meet demand and to improve affordability, particularly for first-time buyers. A range of measures implemented by the Government has focused on increasing the supply of residential land through investment in infrastructure, using land more effectively through higher residential densities and the introduction of a range...
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (28 Jun 2005)
Noel Ahern: I refer to the reply to Question No. 25 of 28 June 2005. The Government has responded actively to intensified needs by expanding social and affordable housing output. New multi-annual action plans have been prepared by local authorities for the provision of social and affordable housing over the period 2004 to 2008. These are designed to assist local authorities in identifying priority needs...
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (28 Jun 2005)
Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 839 and 840 together. The number of local authority houses under construction at 31 December 2004 in County Kildare was 260 units. A breakdown between Kildare County Council and the county's urban authorities will be available in the 2004 annual Housing Statistics Bulletin, to be published shortly. The figure for the end of March 2005 will be published in due...
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (28 Jun 2005)
Noel Ahern: A number of local authorities operate a scheme whereby elderly persons who own an existing house can apply for a local authority tenancy and sell their house to the authority at a reduced market value. The scheme allows elderly persons to move to accommodation better suited to their needs, generally with access to better services. At the same time, it provides the local authority with access...
- National Drugs Strategy. (29 Jun 2005)
Noel Ahern: The Cabinet Committee on Social Inclusion agreed the report of the steering group on the mid-term review of the national drugs strategy in April and it was published earlier this month. The report is the culmination of the mid-term review, a comprehensive review process launched last year and included extensive public consultations. A steering group, chaired by my Department, made up of the...
- National Drugs Strategy. (29 Jun 2005)
Noel Ahern: Progress has been considerable. Seven of the ten regional plans have been submitted. The first tranche of resources of these will be announced in the next ten to 14 days. The Department is driving it through the national drugs strategy team. The problem has spread to other Leinster towns as evidenced with the recent deaths, which are sad. That is what the regional task force plans will...