Results 1,361-1,380 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

Written Answers — Housing Projects: Housing Projects (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: Under the amendment made to the terms of my Department's voluntary housing capital assistance scheme in November 2001, up to 25% of accommodation in new projects provided throughout the country by individual voluntary housing bodies with funding under the scheme may be allocated to elderly returning emigrants who satisfy eligibility criteria in relation to their present circumstances and are...

Written Answers — Housing Projects: Housing Projects (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: Preliminary documentation has been received from Mayo County Council in regard to the refurbishment of housing estates in the county including the estate in question. My Department recently wrote to the council requesting that it submit a schedule of proposed remedial works over the next three years at various locations throughout the county to enable the council and the Department examine...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: The management and control of local authority dwellings is vested in and exercised by the housing authority concerned subject to compliance with regulations and statutory provisions. The Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 1993 lay down minimum physical standards which the dwelling must meet. The development of policy and procedures for re-lets is a matter for the individual...

Written Answers — Housing Aid for the Elderly: Housing Aid for the Elderly (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: A total of €2.66 million for the operation of the scheme was allocated to the Health Service Executive south eastern area for 2005. The overall provision for the scheme in 2005 has been fully allocated by the task force, who administer the scheme under the aegis of my Department, and no additional funding is available in the current year.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: Information for 2004 and up to June 2005, on the number of loan approvals and loans paid under the shared ownership scheme, which were made by each local authority, is set out in the following table: The income eligibility and maximum loan limits applying to the shared ownership scheme were reviewed and increased substantially in July 2004 and these are kept under continuous review....

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: The first resale of houses sold under the tenant purchase scheme requires the consent of the local authority. This condition applies for a period of 20 years. This restriction does not apply to second or subsequent purchasers. Neither does the restriction apply to a lending agency, so that in the event of default on a mortgage taken out by the purchaser, the lending agency will be able to...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: Details of the number of local authority dwellings without a central heating system at 31 December 2004 have been requested from local authorities. On the basis of the returns received to date my Department estimates the number of such dwellings to be 36,000.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: A total of €1.1 million in capital funding has been provided to date to Kilkenny Borough Council for refurbishment work to houses in Ossory Park. My Department understands that work to 15 houses has been completed with work to a further four houses due for completion shortly. The next phase of the refurbishment involves the redevelopment of part of Ossory Park known as Lower Street. It is...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: It is anticipated that the results of the most recent assessment of need for social housing which was carried out in March 2005 will be published shortly. In the light of the results of the assessment my Department will be examining the extent and nature of need and how the needs of households can best be met from the range of targeted social and affordable housing measures that are...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: Investment on housing under the national development plan in the period 2000 to 2004, at €6.86 billion, was almost 8% ahead of NDP estimates. While output levels for social housing by the local authority and voluntary sector have been less than anticipated, record levels of completions have been achieved and the needs of 60,000 households have been met under a range of social and affordable...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: The most recent assessment of need for local authority housing took place at end March 2005. My Department is finalising the analysis of returns furnished by local authorities. I anticipate publishing the results shortly. The 2005 assessment of need is more detailed than previously and requires local authorities to submit data in electronic format to the Local Government Computer Services...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: Following initial work on business process mapping and standard coding methods, a two-phase approach has been adopted for the integrated housing project. Consequently, an interim package to meet some of the housing needs of local authorities is being rolled out to all authorities, with the exception of Dublin City Council, which owing to the scale of its operations, has appointed a company to...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: Under the rental accommodation scheme, RAS, announced by the Government in July 2004, local authorities will, over a four-year period, progressively assume responsibility for accommodating supplementary welfare allowance, SWA, rent supplement recipients of 18 months or more continuous duration with a long-term housing need. The RAS is a collaborative project between my Department, local...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: A comprehensive feasibility assessment on the site at Darrara, Clonakilty, was carried out in terms of strategic land use planning, financial viability, affordability and suitable infrastructural solutions. The feasibility study was approved by Cork County Council on 30 September 2005. Following this, public consultation took place during October 2005 culminating in a council decision to...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: I am concerned to ensure that house purchasers are not adversely affected by any practices that might make it more difficult or expensive to access a home in certain circumstances. My Department has been considering the practice of stage payments with a view to clarifying the issues involved and identifying likely implications of possible options, including potential legislative action, and...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: I assume the question refers to the unit cost limits under the voluntary housing capital assistance scheme, which were last revised in 2001. The information requested is set out in the following table: Unit Rate Rural Urban* Certain offshore Islands â'¬ â'¬ â'¬ Category 1 (1/2 person units) 88,900 120,700 114,300 Category 2 (3 or more person units) 108,000 139,700...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: The Government is fully committed to developing and expanding the voluntary and co-operative housing sector by supplying the necessary financial resources and support to enable it to become an important and significant force and provider in the housing area. Provision of funding for the schemes has been increased significantly from €44 million in 1999 to €237 million in 2005. As a result,...

Seanad: Security of the Elderly. (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: I thank Senator Finucane. As he said, the scheme of community support for older people was transferred to the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs in 2002 from the Department of Social and Family Affairs. The scheme was originally established in the mid-1990s in response to a spate of burglaries of homes of older people and was based on the concept of contact with people at...

Seanad: Security of the Elderly. (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: I do not see how that is possible. Perhaps they should shop around for better value. Some groups that provide a service to community groups and senior citizen groups take good care of the groups but they are not cheap. It may be that some products are better than others but I do not think major differences exist. The Department is flexible, even if an application was received two or three...

National Drugs Strategy. (26 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: The report of the steering group on the mid-term review of the national drugs strategy was published in June of this year. The report was the culmination of a comprehensive review, which was launched last year and which included extensive public consultations. The review was overseen by a steering group, chaired by my Department, and comprised representatives of the relevant Departments and...