Results 2,041-2,060 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (17 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: Ireland's housing stock is comparatively the newest and fastest growing in Europe. The Building Regulations have represented an important policy instrument for ensuring satisfactory standards of thermal insulation and other energy performance features in new housing stock. Part L Building Regulation insulation standards for new dwellings have been in operation since 1 June 1992 with...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (17 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: My Department has previously issued approval to North Tipperary County Council for the use of its surplus internal receipts for the construction of boundary walls in Marion Estate, Newport. It is understood that the Council has engaged the National Building Agency to examine and re-assess refurbishment works in the estate; the provision of boundary walls will be examined as part of this exercise.

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (17 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: Capital funding is provided to approved housing bodies which provide accommodation under my Department's voluntary and co-operative housing schemes. My Department's involvement with the schemes relate primarily to the provision of funds for individual projects. The administration of the schemes, the certification that particular projects comply with the terms of the schemes and the payment of...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (17 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: Section 90(12)(a) of the Housing Act 1966, (as amended) provides the legislative basis for the power of a housing authority in certain circumstances to refuse to consent to the re-sale of a tenant purchase dwelling within the period of twenty years from the date of the completion of the sale. My Department is reviewing all aspects of the tenant purchase scheme in the context of the commitment...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (17 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: The latest information available, to end June 2006 on the number of affordable housing units acquired under the various Affordable Housing Schemes is published in my Department's Housing Statistics Bulletins, which are available in the Oireachtas Library and on the Department's website at www.environ.ie. In addition, some €38 million has been received in lieu of land under Part V.

Traffic Management. (12 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: ——and in addition to that, stakeholders in the park, the local authorities, the Garda authorities, the Dublin Transportation Office and the Office of Public Works were consulted. In formulating the study therefore, Messrs. Faber Maunsell took a wide range of views into account and a firm of environmental consultants, Messrs. ERM Limited, was also engaged to assess the proposed measures...

Services for People with Disabilities. (12 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: I take this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney. I am pleased to have an opportunity to address the general issues raised by the Deputy. I emphasise the Government's commitment to providing high quality services to all people with a disability. This commitment is illustrated by the substantial investment we have made in services...

Services for People with Disabilities. (12 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: I accept some of the points raised by the Deputy and will not defend the HSE regarding some of the unacceptable responses all Members receive. If the Deputy is correct, services should not relate to where one lives. However, considerable improvements have taken place in services for people with a disability. For example, between 1997 and 2005 additional revenue and capital funding of...

Planning Issues. (12 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: I am pleased to update the House on the proposed sale of lands at Clare Hall and Belmayne. The purchase of the site was not directly funded by my Department. The site was part of a 30-acre site bought by Dublin City Council in 1999 for €18.8 million, for social and affordable housing purposes, by means of a housing finance agency loan. That purchase had the approval of the Department of...

Planning Issues. (12 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: I expressed my concerns to councillors and they were raised on the floor of the council. I would have preferred that this land was used for a different purpose. The Deputy has often voiced his concern about housing waiting lists and so on and I was shocked when councillors from different parties, including my own and that of the Deputy, agreed to sell this. The process has gone through in...

Planning Issues. (12 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: The contracts have not been signed, but the decision to sell has been approved by Dublin City Council. Despite my reservations, I do not know how that can be changed at this stage.

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (12 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: Access to affordable housing for first time buyers remains a core objective of housing policy. This objective is being supported by record levels of housing as evidenced in the completion of some 285,000 houses since the termination of the first time buyers grant in 2002, and significant output under an expanding range of affordable housing schemes: some 17,000 units are to be provided...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (12 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: The application was received on 24 March 2004. Following technical examination and the receipt of a revised design from Cork County Council my Department approved the invitation of tenders for this project on 8 March 2005.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (12 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 187 and 188 together. Each local authority calculates the local authority housing rents payable in its area in accordance with a differential rents scheme adopted by the elected members and subject to guidance issued by my Department. My Department has issued guidelines to local authorities in relation to rents of local authority dwellings under circular...

Written Answers — Housing Management Companies: Housing Management Companies (12 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 189 to 191, inclusive, together. I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 1514, 1515, 1516 and 1551 of 27 September 2006. My Department will keep developments in this area under review. Financial assistance is provided by my Department to housing authorities in relation to the capital cost of their housing construction/ acquisitions programmes. The costs of...

Prison Accommodation. (12 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: The Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, which operates under the aegis of the Council of Europe, was established under the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment in 1987. The committee is composed of lawyers, medical doctors, prison experts, parliamentarians etc. from the member states and...

Prison Accommodation. (12 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: The same position applies in the Garda investigation into the incident and they had indicated they had no further requirement of the crime scene for their criminal investigation. Normal procedure following a serious criminal incident in a prison is that the scene of the crime is sealed and preserved until the gardaí have concluded their examination. In normal circumstances, the area would...

Prison Accommodation. (12 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: ——and this is why the replacement of the Mountjoy complex by the site at Thornton Hall in north County Dublin is such a priority for the Tánaiste, the Government and the Irish Prison Service. The CPT has not raised any complaints with the Irish authorities concerning access to the B base of Mountjoy Prison.

Traffic Management. (12 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: In mid-March of this year, the Commissioners of Public Works commissioned a traffic management study for the Phoenix Park and the following advertisement was published on 15 April 2006: PHOENIX PARK TRAFFIC STUDY The Phoenix Park is Ireland's premier National Historic Park, and Europe's largest enclosed city park. It is widely acknowledged as a valuable amenity resource and a major...

Seanad: Housing Policy: Statements (12 Oct 2006)

Noel Ahern: I thank Members for their comments. I tried to be factual in my opening statement and I thank everyone who tried to be reasoned in their responses. Some comments were not valid. I might go on about supply, but it is important. Only with a decent supply can one bring stability to house prices. In recent years, overall supply has increased considerably, but it must be put in context. The...