Results 2,161-2,180 of 2,386 for speaker:Michael Finneran

Social and Affordable Housing. (9 Jul 2008)

Michael Finneran: The Government is committed to the Limerick regeneration project. It would be inappropriate for me to give any figure for 2009, which I do not have at this stage.

Social and Affordable Housing. (9 Jul 2008)

Michael Finneran: I stated that the Government is committed to the Limerick regeneration project.

Social and Affordable Housing. (9 Jul 2008)

Michael Finneran: Obviously, if the Government is committed to the project, it must be funded.

Social and Affordable Housing. (9 Jul 2008)

Michael Finneran: A statutory assessment of housing need is carried out every three years by all housing authorities. The last assessment took place in 2005 and indicated that there were 43,684 households on local authority housing waiting lists. Detailed information on this assessment is available on my Department's website. Local authorities are currently carrying out the 2008 statutory housing needs...

Social and Affordable Housing. (9 Jul 2008)

Michael Finneran: The first question concerned housing assessments. The last was in 2005 and we await the return of the others. Some 65 out of 88 have been returned. That is the system at present but I take the point that it could be annual. It is a three year assessment at the moment. The Deputy referred to my reply citing building starts. The target was 9,000 and the number of starts was 9,061. Social...

Social and Affordable Housing. (9 Jul 2008)

Michael Finneran: Our target is 27,000 new homes up to 2016 and we are well on target for this, with more than 9,000 this year. With regard to the question from Deputy Flanagan, this matter was debated by the Seanad yesterday and information was relayed to us that there may be empty houses. Some local authorities tell us they are in a position to turn around the houses inside of four weeks. We will seek an...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (8 Jul 2008)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 875 and 946 together. Detailed information on the number of sales through tenant purchase by housing authorities from 1994 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. Final data on tenant purchases in 2007 will be published in the 2007...

Written Answers — Housing Aid for the Elderly: Housing Aid for the Elderly (8 Jul 2008)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 876, 881 and 916 together. The administration of the Housing Adaptation Grant Schemes for Older People and People with a Disability, which were introduced in November 2007 in place of the Essential Repairs and Disabled Person's Grant Schemes, is a matter for individual local authorities. My Department made combined capital allocations of €491,790,...

Written Answers — Housing Aid for the Elderly: Housing Aid for the Elderly (8 Jul 2008)

Michael Finneran: I refer to the reply to Question No. 554 of 1 July 2008. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Services for People with Disabilities: Services for People with Disabilities (8 Jul 2008)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Question Nos. 896 and 945 together. The administration of the Housing Adaptation Grant Scheme for People with a Disability, including the processing of individual applications, and the determination of works necessary for the proper accommodation of people with a disability, are matters for individual local authorities, in line with conditions set down in the Housing...

Written Answers — Departmental Meetings: Departmental Meetings (8 Jul 2008)

Michael Finneran: Following receipt of the Liberty House proposal, my Department wrote to the local authority on 4 December 2007 expressing concerns regarding the value for money represented by the proposal and whether the appropriate tenure mix would be achieved, and highlighting the need for a clear development strategy for the remaining blocks. These issues were further discussed with the local authority...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (8 Jul 2008)

Michael Finneran: On 21 May 2007 my Department issued approval to Meath County Council to seek tenders for the project in question. My Department is awaiting the outcome of that process.

Written Answers — Housing Policy: Housing Policy (8 Jul 2008)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 932 and 934 to 939, inclusive, together. Considerable progress has been made to date on implementation of the reforms set out in the Government's housing policy statement, Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities, since its publication in February 2007. Relevant sections of my Department's 2007 Annual Report and Annual Output Statement, which are available in...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (8 Jul 2008)

Michael Finneran: I refer to the reply to Question No. 415 of 4 June 2008. The position in relation to the project in question remains unchanged.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (8 Jul 2008)

Michael Finneran: Since the announcement of 19 May 2008 by Dublin City Council that a number of regeneration projects being carried out through PPP arrangements would not now be proceeding as planned, my Department and the Council have met several times to assess the implications of the announcement for the projects concerned. The City Council has also been engaged in discussions with the developer to...

Public Private Partnerships: Motion. (8 Jul 2008)

Michael Finneran: I echo the comments of my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Gormley, in acknowledging the importance of the issues at the core of this evening's debate and reiterate the clearly articulated commitment of Dublin City Council on the priority which attaches to the tenants living in the affected estates. In my role as Minister of State with responsibility for housing, urban renewal and developing...

Seanad: Housing Market: Statements (8 Jul 2008)

Michael Finneran: I thank Senators for their attention and contributions to the debate. I outlined earlier some of the remarkable progress being made in the delivery of the housing policy reforms set out in the policy statement, Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities. I assure Senators I am committed to driving the housing agenda forward positively within the resources available. My focus will continue to...

Seanad: Housing Market: Statements (8 Jul 2008)

Michael Finneran: I do not have the relevant figures in my possession. Statements regarding the number of repossessions are made on occasion. When representatives of the Irish Banking Federation came before the Joint Committee on Finance and the Public Service a couple of months ago, they indicated that the number of repossessions was extremely small. I accept, however, that the position may have changed in...

Seanad: Housing Market: Statements (8 Jul 2008)

Michael Finneran: The scheme will be published in the coming weeks and it will be dealt with in the next session.

Seanad: Housing Market: Statements (8 Jul 2008)

Michael Finneran: I am pleased to have this opportunity to address the House. I wish to use my time to outline recent developments in regard to housing policy. In particular, I wish to update Senators on the progress we are making on implementation of the programme and policy reforms set out in the housing policy statement, Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities, which was published early last year. The...