Results 1,761-1,780 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

Rent Supplement: Motion. (14 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: This compares with 8,500 seven or eight years ago. The completion figures for last year are good. Deputy Lynch mentioned the number on the waiting list in Cork city, but nationwide the list is down 9.5% from three years ago.

Rent Supplement: Motion. (14 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: The figure is now approximately 43,000 households, and many of them will be single people though we do not have the detail yet.

Rent Supplement: Motion. (14 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: If Deputy Lynch is friendly with any councillors will she press them on the matter? They can build what they like now.

Rent Supplement: Motion. (14 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: I am doing my job. I was trying to provide the Deputy with a little information because she does not seem to be in receipt of the facts. There is no hold up. I have been long enough in this business to remember occasions under previous Governments when funding was not available. The standard excuse given was that it was buried in the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local...

Rent Supplement: Motion. (14 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: Give it time and it will address some of the poverty traps raised by Deputy O'Sullivan.

Rent Supplement: Motion. (14 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: The key objectives of the new scheme are to provide an additional source of good quality rental accommodation for persons in need of housing support, bring about a reduction in long-term dependence on rent supplement and ensure equity of treatment between local authority and RAS tenants by enabling RAS recipients to seek and gain employment without loss of housing supports. That will happen...

Rent Supplement: Motion. (14 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: We cannot just switch over because it will take a couple of years to develop.

Rent Supplement: Motion. (14 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: The scheme will help to address the issue of homelessness by making independent living a more realistic option through the use of RAS as part of a wider tenancy sustainment programme and will bring about a real improvement in standards in the private rented sector through the sole use of good quality accommodation for RAS tenants. I accept that only 700 people have moved across to date and...

Rent Supplement: Motion. (14 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: Certain problems arose over the years and this is our opportunity to sort them out. The new system will enhance the capacity of local authorities to respond to demands for a graduated and flexible system of housing supports to meet long-term needs. RAS is a supply based social housing support designed to cater for the long-term housing needs of rent supplement recipients. It is estimated that...

Rent Supplement: Motion. (14 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: Why does the Deputy's local council not allocate money for that purpose? Two thirds of the money is provided by the Department but councils are unwilling to allocate the remaining third.

Rent Supplement: Motion. (14 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: It is a question of priorities.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (14 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 110, 159 and 177 together. Under the rental accommodation scheme, RAS, local authorities are providing accommodation for certain recipients of SWA rent supplement who have been assessed as having a long-term housing need. The initial project to transfer rent supplement recipients of 18 months or more continuous duration is due to be completed by the end of...

Written Answers — Housing Policy: Housing Policy (14 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: There have been huge advances in housing over the past decade. Overall housing supply has increased dramatically, in response to demands arising from economic growth and demographic change. About one third of Ireland's houses have been built in the past decade and 2005 saw a further year of record housing output, with close to 81,000 new homes completed. Latest forecasts suggest that our...

Written Answers — Housing Policy: Housing Policy (14 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: The Government has actively addressed the issue of housing affordability. Our policy has been to make housing supply more responsive to demand in order to improve affordability and access to housing — particularly for first time buyers. There is clear evidence that this policy is having effect. Last year, 2005, was the eleventh year of record overall house completions with more than 80,000...

Written Answers — House Prices: House Prices (14 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 123, 140, 160 and 203 together. I refer to the reply to Question No. 103 on today's Order Paper.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (14 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: Details of capital funding for disabled persons and essential repairs grant schemes in 2006 will be made available in the Revised Estimates for Public Services 2006 which will be published later this month.

Written Answers — Housing Aid for the Elderly: Housing Aid for the Elderly (14 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 133 and 644 together. The special housing aid for the elderly scheme, administered by a task force under the aegis of my Department and operated by the Health Service Executive, was established to provide assistance to improve the housing conditions of elderly persons living alone in unfit and insanitary conditions. Typically, the work undertaken would be...

Written Answers — Housing Policy: Housing Policy (14 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: The Government has actively addressed the issue of housing affordability. Our policy has been to make housing supply more responsive to demand to improve affordability and access to housing, particularly for first time buyers. There is clear evidence that this policy is having effect; 2005 was the eleventh year of record overall house completions, with more than 80,000 completions. Increased...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (14 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: My Department has not assessed numbers of households likely to require assistance from affordable housing measures in the period 2006 to 2010. However, local authorities, in drawing up their housing strategies, estimate the proportion of need for new households in their area that would fall below a common affordability threshold. Housing strategies are an important tool in assessing overall...

Written Answers — Housing Policy: Housing Policy (14 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: The new Centre for Housing Research replaces the housing unit which was set up as a joint initiative between my Department and the local authorities in 1998. The overall purpose of the centre, which operates out of the Institute of Public Administration, is to facilitate the improved management of the public and social housing sector and in this regard the centre will continue the work...