Results 1,181-1,200 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Housing Inspections: Housing Inspections (22 Apr 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: In the course of the discussion on Question No. 16 of 27 February 2008, reference was made to levels of inspections and the percentage increases in inspections year on year. As some confusion arose, particularly in ascribing data to specific years, I would like to take the opportunity to set out the position clearly. Some 9,835 inspections of private rented accommodation were reported by...

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (22 Apr 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: A lease is defined in the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 as an instrument in writing, whether or not under seal, containing a contract of tenancy in respect of a dwelling and, therefore, comes within the jurisdiction of the Act. Tenancy registration is a matter for the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB), which is an independent statutory body established under the Act. Section 134 of...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (23 Apr 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Local Authorities have discretion under Section 11 of the Housing Act 1988 in the allocation of individual houses to meet the needs of particular cases. Regarding the approaches to downsizing, I have no plans at this time to issue a directive to local authorities; however, in the context of the Government's statement on housing policy, Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities, I will...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (23 Apr 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has given approval to a remedial works project at Vartry Heights in Roundwood. The local authority expect to tender for the works in the coming months. Approval has also been given to the local authority for firestopping works at Sycamore Drive and Mountainview Estates in Newtownmountkennedy. Funding is to be provided from the authority's internal capital receipts and works...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (23 Apr 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I refer to the reply to Question No. 537 of 11 March 2008. The working group comprises representatives of my Department and Dublin and Cork City Councils but has the option, depending on the issues to be discussed, of inviting representatives of other local authorities to attend group meetings.

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (24 Apr 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I refer to the reply to Question No. 414 of 22 April 2008. The income and loan limits applying in relation to local authority housing loans are currently under review.

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (24 Apr 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Government's housing policy statement, Building Homes, Sustaining Communities, signalled the intention to introduce an incremental purchase scheme. The objective of the proposed scheme is to make it possible for households with incomes lower than those required for affordable housing to gain access to home ownership, through making new local authority housing available for purchase by...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (24 Apr 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I refer to the reply to Question No. 557 of 31 October 2007. My Department has not yet received a copy of the report in question.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (29 Apr 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Ballymun Regeneration Project has been the subject of a special examination by the Comptroller and Auditor General. The Report prepared on foot of this examination, which was published in March 2008, details the range of factors which have influenced the cost and timescale for this largescale regeneration programme. The report is available on the Comptroller and Auditor General's...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (29 Apr 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Section 25 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2007 provides that Rent Supplement "shall not be payable in respect of a person's residence where his or her residence is situated in an area notified to the Minister for Social and Family Affairs by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government as being an area of regeneration for the purpose of providing for greater social...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (29 Apr 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Government's housing policy aims to ensure that there is a broad range of housing options available to match the diversity of housing need. This includes options to improve the affordability of renting for low-income groups and provide paths to home ownership, where appropriate. The supply of affordable housing has consistently increased over the past few years from about 2,000 units...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (29 Apr 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 459 and 474 together. My Department operates a number of schemes designed to assist people with a disability, including those in employment, with their accommodation needs. The Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability Scheme, which is administered by local authorities, assists in the provision/adaptation of accommodation to meet the needs of...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (29 Apr 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: There is no provision at present in the voluntary housing schemes for the purchase of individual houses by tenants. However, the Government's housing policy statement, Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities, indicated that consideration would be given, in consultation with the voluntary and co-operative sector, to piloting a tenant purchase scheme for some new voluntary homes based on the...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (29 Apr 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Following receipt of the Liberty House proposal, my Department wrote to the local authority on 4 December 2007 expressing concerns regarding the value for money represented by the proposal and whether the appropriate tenure mix would be achieved, and highlighting the need for a clear development strategy for the remaining blocks. These issues were further discussed with the local authority...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (29 Apr 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Under the terms of the Disabled Persons Grant Scheme, my Department recoups 66% of the expenditure on individual grants to local authorities. Information on local authority activity under this Scheme for the years 2000 to 2006 is published in my Department's Annual Housing Statistics Bulletins, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library and on my Department's website,...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (29 Apr 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability Scheme, which is administered by local authorities, was introduced on 1 November 2007. The Scheme replaces the old Disabled Persons Grant Scheme with the aim of providing targeted and more equitable support to assist people with a disability with their accommodation needs. The types of work grant aided under the Scheme may include...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (29 Apr 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Earlier this year my Department asked local authorities to indicate their capital requirements and proposals for the funding of their own 20% contribution for the operation, in 2008, of the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability Scheme, the Mobility Aids Scheme and the Housing Aid for Older People Scheme. The combined capital allocation to local authorities represents not a...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: Capital funding of €49.656 million is provided in the 2008 Revised Estimates for Public Services for the combined funding of the Adaptation Grant Schemes for Older People and People with a Disability. This represents the amount available for recoupment to local authorities in respect of individual grants paid under the Schemes. The Housing Aid for Older People Scheme is funded by 80%...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: Notification of combined capital allocations for 2008 in respect of the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability Schemes will shortly issue to local authorities. It is a matter for local authorities to decide on the level of funding to be provided for the Housing Aid for Older People Scheme in their area, from within the combined allocation notified to them by...

Seanad: Water and Sewerage Schemes (30 Apr 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I thank the Senator for the opportunity to set out the position on this scheme. The Rathowen sewerage scheme has been approved for funding under my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2007-2009 as a scheme to advance through planning at an estimated cost of €1.9 million. The scheme is one of a total of 19 water services projects being progressed in County Westmeath at present....