Results 201-220 of 2,386 for speaker:Michael Finneran

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (Panel Members)(Amendment) Bill 2008: Second Stage (20 Oct 2010)

Michael Finneran: The Senator might be picking it up wrong.

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (19 Oct 2010)

Michael Finneran: It is open to any person or household to apply to a housing authority for an assessment of their housing need. The application process is the gateway to a broad range of social housing supports provided by housing authorities. The number of households that apply for social housing support from housing authorities continuously fluctuates as new households apply for housing support. Under...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (19 Oct 2010)

Michael Finneran: Information in relation to vacant local authority houses is a Local Authority Service Indicator and reports on these indicators are available on the Local Government Management Agency's website. The latest available figures relate to 2008 and report a significant decrease in the level of local authority housing stock that is vacant. The 2008 report shows that a total of 3,859 dwellings were...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (19 Oct 2010)

Michael Finneran: Under the leasing initiative housing authorities can lease vacant and unsold affordable units to approved housing bodies where they feel that these units cannot be sold in the current market conditions. During the lease period my Department recoups to the authority the interest payments liable in respect of the loans taken by the authority to fund the affordable property in the first...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (19 Oct 2010)

Michael Finneran: As of now, 111 full applications have been received under the Home Choice Loan scheme. Of these, 17 have been approved, with 4 of these now drawn down. Of the 17 approved applications, 11 were for second hand properties and 4 for new build properties. The remaining two applications have been approved in principle. All 4 of the loans drawn down relate to new build properties. The total cost...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (19 Oct 2010)

Michael Finneran: In the early part of 2009 local authorities had an estimated 3,700 unsold affordable housing units on hands. Very considerable progress has been made on both the sale of affordable housing and the deployment of unsold affordable homes for other purposes, including temporary use under the social leasing or RAS schemes. As of now, there are approximately 640 affordable units available for sale...

Written Answers — Urban Regeneration Projects: Urban Regeneration Projects (19 Oct 2010)

Michael Finneran: My Department currently supports an ambitious programme of regeneration projects to deliver integrated physical, social and economic regeneration, ranging from large-scale urban regeneration projects such as Ballymun and Limerick City to smaller estate regeneration projects in a number of regional towns around the country. This year, my Department is providing some €126.8 million to...

Written Answers — Land Transfers: Land Transfers (19 Oct 2010)

Michael Finneran: Under the Land Aggregation Scheme, housing authorities may, subject to approval from my Department, transfer residential lands on which there are outstanding loans from the Housing Finance Agency to Housing and Sustainable Communities Ltd. (HSC Ltd – a company under the Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency) when the loans fall due for redemption and on the basis that there are no...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (19 Oct 2010)

Michael Finneran: Preparatory work is underway to bring Part 4 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, which provides for tenant purchase of apartments in designated local authority complexes, into operation. I expect to make the necessary statutory instruments early in 2011 to enable the apartments sales scheme to be introduced as quickly as possible thereafter.

Written Answers — House Prices: House Prices (19 Oct 2010)

Michael Finneran: To take account of the lack of reliable sales prices in the case of residential property, and accurate information on market rents and other terms, including rent review clauses, in the case of commercial leases, the Government made a commitment in the renewed Programme for Government to create and maintain a comprehensive register in respect of commercial and residential property...

Written Answers — Building Regulations: Building Regulations (19 Oct 2010)

Michael Finneran: Under a programme established in 2009 to improve the energy efficiency of local authority social housing units, my Department approved energy efficiency improvement works to some 1,155 vacant units across the country with a view to achieving a high standard of Building Energy Rating [BER] of at least C1, where practicable. Although the scheme only commenced in Autumn 2009, by year end my...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (19 Oct 2010)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 107 and 114 together. Of the private lease units approved, 144 are operational with agreements signed. The average monthly cost for these units is €588 and the total full year cost in respect of the units is €1,015,988. Varying discounts have been achieved depending on the details of the lease terms. Discounts therefore range from 8% for units where the...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (19 Oct 2010)

Michael Finneran: Since its introduction in September 2005, some 29,445 household units have been transferred to the Rental Accommodation Scheme from rent supplement. Of these, 16,319 were housed directly in RAS accommodation and a further 13,126 were accommodated under other social housing options. A breakdown by local authority is set out in the table below. RAS Cumulative figures up to end September 2010...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (19 Oct 2010)

Michael Finneran: I am determined to ensure that the housing programme continues to be framed in a manner which optimises the delivery of social housing. To achieve this, it is essential that we tailor the use of available Exchequer supports to prevailing market conditions, and explore alternative solutions to address housing needs, having full regard to the sustainable communities philosophy outlined in the...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (19 Oct 2010)

Michael Finneran: The timing mismatch between the collapse in demand for housing and the less rapid slowing of construction output has led to a situation in which there is now an overhang of vacant, unsold property. It is our intention to meet the accommodation needs of as many households as possible within the resources at our disposal. Oversupply of housing is a key factor in that regard, and there is...

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (19 Oct 2010)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 422 and 423 together. Minimum standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2008, made under section 18 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992. All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties comply with these regulations. Responsibility for enforcing the...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (19 Oct 2010)

Michael Finneran: Following consideration of a recent submission from Limerick County Council, my Department has increased the funding for the project in question from €668,884 to €756,422.

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (19 Oct 2010)

Michael Finneran: Section 63 of the Housing Act 1966 provides for a definition of overcrowding. There are no plans at present to amend this definition.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (19 Oct 2010)

Michael Finneran: The number of households on a local authority's waiting list continuously fluctuates as households on the list are allocated housing and new households apply for housing support. A statutory assessment of housing need is carried out every three years by all housing authorities. The last assessment took place in 2008 and indicated that there were 56,249 households in need of social housing...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (19 Oct 2010)

Michael Finneran: Housing authorities currently have delegated sanction to provide single units of social housing from within their annual social housing investment programme allocations. The construction of one off rural houses may continue to be considered by housing authorities in determining priorities under their proposed social housing investment programmes for 2011 to 2012. However, having regard to...