Results 1,801-1,820 of 2,386 for speaker:Michael Finneran
- Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (25 Feb 2010)
Michael Finneran: No funding restrictions have been placed on local authority lending for house purchase. Annual allocations to local authorities for house purchase and house improvement lending, totalling almost â¬43 million, will be notified to local authorities shortly. This represents an increase of â¬38.6 million, or 90.2%, on the 2009 provisional outturn of almost â¬4.4 million. It is important to...
- Written Answers — Voluntary Housing Agencies: Voluntary Housing Agencies (25 Feb 2010)
Michael Finneran: The provision of accommodation by approved voluntary and co-operative housing bodies is an integral part of my Department's overall response to delivering on social housing need. Under the terms of the capital funding schemes, approved housing bodies manage and maintain the properties and are responsible for implementing letting policies as agreed with the relevant housing authority. I have...
- Written Answers — Housing Aid for the Elderly: Housing Aid for the Elderly (25 Feb 2010)
Michael Finneran: I refer to the reply to Question No. 20 on today's Order Paper. On the basis of the most recent returns from local authorities, 13,012 applications have been submitted and are awaiting approval under the suite of Housing Adaptation Grant Schemes for Older People and People with a Disability. In the case of Kildare County Council, which administers the scheme on a county at large basis, the...
- Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (25 Feb 2010)
Michael Finneran: It is a matter for individual housing authorities to plan the composition and management of their social housing investment programmes having regard to the specific social housing needs and priorities in their areas and to the Exchequer funding allocations available to them. The annual allocations for the Social Housing Investment Programme will issue in March 2010 following discussions with...
- Written Answers — Long-term Leasing Initiative: Long-term Leasing Initiative (25 Feb 2010)
Michael Finneran: My Department is not directly involved in the agreement of any actual leases under the long-term leasing initiative. While I am aware that discussions have taken place between a range of relevant parties regarding the initiative, including the banking sector, voluntary and cooperative housing bodies, and the National Asset Management Agency, my Department would generally not be aware of the...
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (2 Mar 2010)
Michael Finneran: Under section 58 of the Housing Act 1966, the management and maintenance of the local authority housing stock is a matter for individual authorities. Minimum standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2008, as amended by the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) (Amendment) Regulations 2009, made under section 18 of the Housing...
- Written Answers — Traveller Accommodation: Traveller Accommodation (2 Mar 2010)
Michael Finneran: I have no function in relation to the awarding of contracts for the construction of halting sites. Under section 149 of the Local Government Act 2001, the making of contracts is a function of the manager of the relevant local authority. I regret that, due to industrial action, I am unable to provide any further information on this matter.
- Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (2 Mar 2010)
Michael Finneran: In February 2009, I announced my intention to review the provisions of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 under which the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) operates. The purpose of this review is to consider whether the Act best supports the PRTB's key functions and whether legislative amendments would support either the achievement of additional operational efficiencies by the PRTB...
- Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (2 Mar 2010)
Michael Finneran: I have no function in the operational matters of the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB), an independent statutory body established under the Residential Tenancies Act 2004. In February 2009 I announced my intention to review the provisions of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 under which the PRTB operates. I announced the preliminary results of this review, in November 2009 including...
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (2 Mar 2010)
Michael Finneran: I refer to the reply to Question No. 574 of 2 February 2010. The position is unchanged.
- Written Answers — Housing Schemes: Housing Schemes (2 Mar 2010)
Michael Finneran: My Department's Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) provides funding to approved housing bodies of up to 100% of the approved costs of accommodation for older people, the homeless, persons with special needs, returning emigrants and victims of domestic violence. To date, my Department has not received any application for a project under CAS at this location. I understand, however, that Cork...
- Written Answers — Fire Stations: Fire Stations (2 Mar 2010)
Michael Finneran: The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under section 10 of the Fire Services Act 1981. The Department's role is one of supporting and assisting local authorities in delivering fire services...
- Written Answers — Fire Stations: Fire Stations (2 Mar 2010)
Michael Finneran: The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under section 10 of the Fire Services Act 1981. The Department's role is one of supporting and assisting local authorities in delivering fire services...
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (2 Mar 2010)
Michael Finneran: It is a matter for individual housing authorities to plan the composition and management of their social housing investment programmes having regard to the specific social housing needs and priorities in their areas and to the Exchequer funding allocations available to them. The annual allocations for the Social Housing Investment Programme will issue in March 2010 following discussions with...
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (3 Mar 2010)
Michael Finneran: A person residing in the United Kingdom who wishes to return to Ireland is not precluded from applying for social housing support in Ireland. The acceptance or non-acceptance of housing applicants from outside the functional area of a local authority is a matter solely for the authority concerned. Section 9(5) of the Housing Act 1988 provides that 'a housing authority may, to such extent...
- Written Answers — Housing Policy: Housing Policy (3 Mar 2010)
Michael Finneran: The Government's Housing Policy Statement, Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities, reflects the commitment in Towards 2016 to develop a national housing strategy for people with a disability which will have particular regard to the housing needs of people with a mental health disability. The strategy is being developed in conjunction with a National Advisory Group, chaired by my Department...
- Written Answers — Mortgage Lending: Mortgage Lending (4 Mar 2010)
Michael Finneran: The data requested in respect of mortgage lending for 2008 can be viewed on my Department's website, www.environ.ie. Data in respect of 2009 lending have not yet been finalised.
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (9 Mar 2010)
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. It is a matter for local authorities, when assessing individual households, to consider whether rents payable are in accordance with the authority's rent scheme....
- Written Answers — Rental Accommodation Standards: Rental Accommodation Standards (9 Mar 2010)
Michael Finneran: Minimum standards for rental accommodation are prescribed by regulations made under section 18 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992. In the Partnership Agreement Towards 2016, the Government committed to updating and more effectively enforcing the minimum standards regulations for rented houses and, in November 2008, delivered on this commitment by approving a package of...
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (9 Mar 2010)
Michael Finneran: Detailed information on the number of sales through tenant purchase by local authority area is available on my Department's website at www.environ.ie and in my Department's Housing Statistics Bulletins, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library. My Department does not collect data on the numbers of units subsequently sold on.