Results 1,241-1,260 of 2,386 for speaker:Michael Finneran

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (30 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: The applicable interest rate paid by local authority borrowers on fixed rates is set by reference to prevailing fixed interest rates at the time of loan draw down. Loans in respect of which interest rates in excess of 10% apply were issued by local authorities prior to 1991 and reflect the long-term costs of the funds to the Housing Finance Agency (the Agency) prevailing at the time these...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (30 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: In the case of local authority housing, local authorities set rents for social housing tenants based on their Differential Rents Schemes. While it is a matter for each authority to determine an individual household's rent, the principle of the scheme is that a household is charged a rent based on a proportion of their income. In the case of family-type accommodation provided by approved...

Written Answers — Capital Assistance Scheme: Capital Assistance Scheme (30 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: Following consultation with, and the supply of additional information by, Kilkenny County Council, my Department revised the level of supplementary grant for the project concerned to €31,400 and the Council was notified of this on the 24 June 2009. This brings the total amount of funding approved for the project under the Capital Assistance Scheme to €909,872.

Written Answers — Housing Policy: Housing Policy (30 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: The principles underpinning current Government housing policy are set out in my Department's housing policy statement Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities published in February, 2007. The policy statement is underpinned by the sustainable communities philosophy which incorporates economic, environmental and social considerations. Sustainable communities are defined as communities that...

Written Answers — Housing Policy: Housing Policy (30 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: Complaints concerning the administrative actions of local authorities already come within the remit of the Ombudsman and, as such, an administrative remedy without recourse to the Courts already exists in respect of any housing related dispute involving a housing authority. Complaints regarding services provided by financial service providers, including mortgage lenders, can be made by...

Written Answers — Homelessness Strategy: Homelessness Strategy (30 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 377 and 378 together. Data on homelessness are obtained from a range of sources. Homelessness is a specific category of need under the statutory housing needs process. In the context of the social housing reform programme, my Department is, in consultation with housing authorities, moving towards having a national needs assessment completed on a more regular...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (30 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: Minimum standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2008, made under section 18 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992. With very limited exemptions, these regulations apply to local authority and voluntary housing units, as well as private rented accommodation, and all landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (30 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: It is the responsibility of local authorities to maintain their housing stock in good order, and the general responsibility in relation to this has been enshrined in the new Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008. Each year local authorities submit an improvement works programme to my Department detailing how the authority's internal capital receipts will be used to maintain and...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (30 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: The making and amending of rent schemes is the responsibility of local authorities as an integral part of their housing management functions, subject to broad principles laid down by my Department in Circular letter HRT 3/2002 of 6 March 2002. It is not my intention to implement a national standardised differential rent scheme. However, in the context of new provisions to be introduced on...

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (30 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: The Residential Tenancies Act 2004 introduced a new regulatory framework governing private rented residential accommodation and it provided for, inter alia, the registration of private rented residential tenancies, the cheap and speedy resolution of disputes between parties to such tenancies and the establishment of the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) to discharge a range of...

Written Answers — Traveller Accommodation: Traveller Accommodation (30 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 384 to 386, inclusive, together. In accordance with the provisions of the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act, 1998, responsibility for the assessment of the accommodation needs of Travellers and the preparation, adoption and implementation of multi-annual Traveller Accommodation Programmes (TAPs) rests with individual housing authorities. The proposal for...

Written Answers — Housing for People with Disabilities: Housing for People with Disabilities (30 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 387 and 388 together. The Government's housing policy statement, Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities, reflects the commitment in Towards 2016 Social Partnership Agreement to develop a national housing strategy for people with a disability. Work on the strategy commenced in October 2007 under the aegis of a National Advisory Group, headed by my...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (30 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: In recent years significant efforts have been made to ensure that all new construction projects, including the delivery of local authority housing stock, are designed and built to high energy efficiency and sustainable development standards. To that end, Part L of the current Building Regulations requires that all new housing, including social housing: has 40% lower heat energy demand than...

Written Answers — Shared Ownership Scheme: Shared Ownership Scheme (30 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: The terms of individual shared ownership transactions are governed by the provisions of the lease entered into between the purchaser and the housing authority and, accordingly, I have no function in relation to issues arising in individual cases. It is, however, open to any person occupying a dwelling under the shared ownership scheme to buy out the local authority's share and acquire full...

Written Answers — Child Care Facilities: Child Care Facilities (30 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: National policy in relation to childcare is the responsibility of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. Within this context local authorities are involved in promoting childcare at local level through a range of policies and activities. County/City Childcare committees operate under the auspices of the local government-led County/City Development Boards to support a co-ordinated and...

Written Answers — Housing Aid for the Elderly: Housing Aid for the Elderly (30 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: Under my Department's Housing Aid for Older People grant scheme, which is administered by individual local authorities, grants of up to €10, 500 are payable, subject to certain conditions, in respect of works which are deemed necessary for making habitable the homes of older people. Grant eligible works include structural repairs and improvements, repairs to/replacement of windows and...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (30 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: My Department's involvement with the Housing Adaptation Grant Schemes for Older People and People with a Disability relates primarily to the recoupment of a proportion of local authority expenditure on the payment of individual grants. These schemes introduced in November 2007 are funded by 80% recoupment available from my Department, together with 20% contribution from the resources of the...

Written Answers — Capital Funding Scheme: Capital Funding Scheme (1 Jul 2009)

Michael Finneran: An application for post-tender approval for this project, costing an estimated €1.613 million, has been received in my Department from Kilkenny County Council, which is responsible for the administration of the Capital Funding Schemes in their area. The application is being considered in light of the available funding and competing demands. Having regard to the existing high level of...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (1 Jul 2009)

Michael Finneran: I thank Senators for their constructive and thoughtful contributions to the Bill. Rather than attempt to respond to each point on Second Stage I can do this in response to Senators' amendments on Committee Stage. I will respond, however, to a few points. Senator Leyden spoke about the sale of local authority properties. Later this afternoon I will be leading Report and Final Stages of the...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (1 Jul 2009)

Michael Finneran: I am pleased to be back in the Upper House to report on a range of amendments made by the Dáil to the Bill. The Bill was first discussed in this House on 1 October 2008 and completed all Stages on 10 December last. Since then, as Senators will be aware, it has been debated in the Dáil, amended and, I believe, improved significantly. The list before the House today contains 157 amendments...