Results 1,961-1,980 of 2,386 for speaker:Michael Finneran

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (25 May 2010)

Michael Finneran: I refer to the reply to Question No. 480 of 20 October 2009. My Department has been in regular contact with Kilrush Town Council in relation to this project. The Town Council is currently addressing remaining design concerns in conjunction with my Department. The project will be advanced as soon as possible within the Remedial Works Programme 2009-2011, subject to agreement on an inclusive...

Written Answers — Housing Aid for the Elderly: Housing Aid for the Elderly (26 May 2010)

Michael Finneran: In the case of housing adaptations carried out with assistance provided under my Department's suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, relevant building works must be carried out in accordance with the Building Regulations and, in the case of new dwellings, in accordance with Part M of the Regulations in order to ensure visitability by people with...

Written Answers — Housing Aid for the Elderly: Housing Aid for the Elderly (26 May 2010)

Michael Finneran: The discontinued Special Housing Aid for the Elderly Scheme was administered by a Task Force under the aegis of my Department and operated by the Health Service Executive (HSE) at local level. In 2009, following detailed consultation with the HSE and with the approval of the Task Force, my Department allocated €3.5m to the HSE, in respect of the remaining claims on hands in all HSE...

Written Answers — Homeless Persons: Homeless Persons (26 May 2010)

Michael Finneran: I refer to the replies to Question No. 14 of 25 February 2010 and Question No. 168 of 1 April 2010, which set out the position generally regarding the implementation of the Government's Homeless Strategy and the Implementation Plan for the Strategy. As indicated in these replies a comprehensive range of measures has been put in place in the context of my Department's responsibility for...

Social and Affordable Housing (27 May 2010)

Michael Finneran: In April 2010, my Department advised housing authorities of revised arrangements for the funding of land used for social housing and sought information from them on local authority residential land holdings for the purpose of ensuring the optimal use of the lands in question. Where loans are due to mature before the end of 2010 and where it is considered that the land involved is unlikely to...

Social and Affordable Housing (27 May 2010)

Michael Finneran: The Deputy has put three questions. First, legislation is not necessary in the short term. The people in the Housing Finance Agency will act on behalf of the Government with a special agency property company but legislation will be needed. We have not decided on the precise form of the legislation as to whether it will be a separate Bill or part of another Bill. There is not a cost...

Social and Affordable Housing (27 May 2010)

Michael Finneran: I do not know the amount of lands involved that will be transferred because it is a voluntary transfer from the local authorities. I can give the Deputy the figure for the amount of land currently owned by local authorities which is approximately €650 million nationally. Some local authorities may decide to transfer loans to the central agency. We are compiling that. We gave a date of...

Social and Affordable Housing (27 May 2010)

Michael Finneran: More than 1,400 prospective purchasers formally registered interest on the dedicated home choice loan website and to date, 68 applications have been made. Of these, four have been approved, with three of these now drawn down, 36 applications have been turned down, seven have been withdrawn and further information has been sought in respect of 21 applications. The scheme is demand led. As...

Social and Affordable Housing (27 May 2010)

Michael Finneran: The Deputy has asked a number of questions. I agree the credit crunch was the reason I introduced the home choice scheme because the banks were not lending and the information was that people were finding it difficult to meet the 20% deposit which banks and financial institutions were seeking. With regard to two refusals, this is not a new practice. It is well known to those Members who...

Social and Affordable Housing (27 May 2010)

Michael Finneran: I disagree with the Deputy as regards the loan. It is in existence as a safety valve, an alternative for people who cannot get a loan from the financial institutions. There is no great activity in the financial institutions on the granting of loans for house purchase by first-time buyers. On account of the loan being available, it is possible that the financial institutions are prepared to...

Social and Affordable Housing (27 May 2010)

Michael Finneran: This is demand-led scheme so there is no pot of money, as it were. This money is drawn down from the HFA as required.

Social and Affordable Housing (27 May 2010)

Michael Finneran: The loan does not apply to the affordable homes side. People will need to appreciate there are existing annuity loans with local authorities for people in certain categories who do not reach the level of income of those entitled to apply for a home choice loan.

Hospital Services (27 May 2010)

Michael Finneran: I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney. The Government is committed to ensuring the delivery and maintenance of the best quality health service possible and in providing the highest standard of patient care in an effective and efficient way with the resources allocated. Roscommon and Portiuncula hospitals play...

Health Services (27 May 2010)

Michael Finneran: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue and I welcome the opportunity on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, to reaffirm the Government's commitment to the principles underpinning the establishment of the Health Service Executive as a single, national authority with responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services. While I...

Hospital Services (27 May 2010)

Michael Finneran: I take this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney. The Deputy's question assumes that there is to be a withdrawal of surgical services at Mullingar hospital. The Minister has been advised by the HSE that at present there are no plans to relocate surgical services from Mullingar hospital to Tullamore hospital. Decisions on the allocation...

Adult Education (27 May 2010)

Michael Finneran: I am replying to this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills. I wish to thank the Deputy for giving me this opportunity to outline the position of the Department of Education and Skills in relation to changes announced in the budget in relation to student maintenance grants for those also availing of the back to education allowance...

Adult Education (27 May 2010)

Michael Finneran: I am responding on behalf of the Minister-----

Adult Education (27 May 2010)

Michael Finneran: The higher education grant scheme is administered by local authorities. There are three schemes administered by the vocational education committees. Under the terms of the maintenance grant schemes, grant assistance is awarded to students who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those which relate to nationality, residency, means and previous academic attainment. The back to...

Adult Education (27 May 2010)

Michael Finneran: Students progressing to a new course, with effect from the 2010-11 academic year, will no longer be eligible for student maintenance grants in addition to back-to-education allowance or VTOS support, but can apply for assistance under the student grant schemes towards the cost of the student services charge and any fees payable.

Adult Education (27 May 2010)

Michael Finneran: Access courses are generally organised by individual institutions and are not approved courses under the terms and conditions of the student grant schemes. The Higher Education Authority recently estimated the number of students currently on full-time Access courses at some 369. As these are not approved courses, students on Access courses in the 2009-10 academic year would not be in receipt...