Results 2,401-2,420 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

National Drugs Strategy. (14 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: Certainly, it appears that our projections were a bit optimistic. The group is continuing its work which has proven to be a bigger job than originally expected. I am informed that the recommendations will be finalised in the coming months. Much work has been done. The group has probably gone into the matter in far more detail than was expected and it has had a great deal of consultation with...

National Drugs Strategy. (14 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: It may be the case that too many people are involved. The group is chaired by my Department and it includes representatives from the Departments of Health and Children, Education and Science, the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, and Justice, Equality and Law Reform as well as representatives from the national drugs strategy team, the national advisory committee on drugs, FÁS, the...

National Drugs Strategy. (14 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 42 and 43 together. The overall aim of the mid-term review of the national drugs strategy, NDS, was to examine the progress made to date in achieving the key strategic goals set out in the strategy and to enable priorities for future action to be identified for the remaining period up to 2008. As part of the review, the steering group undertook an extensive...

National Drugs Strategy. (14 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: I thank the Deputy for his comments. I accept the needle exchange was a weakness in the operation of the strategy. While a number of centres in Dublin have needle exchange programmes, they tend to operate for only a couple of days per week or for only part of the day. Too many people, therefore, were coming to one or two main centres in the city centre. The HSE has provided extra money this...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (13 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: The new Housing Policy Framework: Building Sustainable Communities launched by Government last December outlines a substantially increased programme of investment in social and affordable housing measures for the period 2006-2008. Exchequer capital resources provided by my Department for these measures for this period stand at almost €4 billion, over 20% higher than the past three years,...

Written Answers — Housing Provision: Housing Provision (13 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 76 and 116 together. The preparation of the National Development Plan 2007-2013 (NDP) is being coordinated by the Department of Finance and a high level steering group, chaired by that Department and comprising senior officials of other relevant Departments, has been established to oversee drafting. The housing material of the NDP is being drafted by my...

Written Answers — Housing Provision: Housing Provision (13 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: The most recent assessment of need for social housing which was undertaken by local authorities in March 2005 indicated that there were 43,684 households on local authority waiting lists compared with 48,413 in March 2002 — a decrease of almost 10%. I recently informed local authorities of their financial allocations for their local authority housing programmes and have urged them to...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (13 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: I assume that the Question relates to Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 — 2004. Information on the number of housing units acquired under Part V is published in my Department's Housing Statistics Bulletins, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library and on the Department's website at www.environ.ie. I am satisfied that Part V is operational in all planning...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (13 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: The new Housing Policy Framework: Building Sustainable Communities launched by Government last December provides for further increases in the investment in social and affordable housing programmes. Exchequer capital resources provided to my Department for these programmes for the period 2006 to 2008 stand at almost €4 billion, over 20% higher than the previous three years, and this sum...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (13 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: Following the outcome of the review of the implementation of the disabled persons and essential repairs grant schemes, proposals for the future operation of the schemes are being prepared in my Department. I hope to be in a position to announce these shortly.

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (13 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: My Department considers that the design, construction and layout of new social and affordable housing is of a very high standard and that a high level of energy efficiency is being achieved in these projects. A number of housing developments which use innovative energy efficiency and environmentally friendly technologies have already been undertaken by local authorities and any further...

Written Answers — Vacant Dwellings: Vacant Dwellings (13 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: My Department does not have a detailed breakdown of housing stock by type of purchaser or by nature of occupancy. Information collected as part of the Census of Population can provide some data on vacant dwellings. However, as there may be a number of reasons why a dwelling is vacant at any point in time, such as households' absence on the night of the Census or rented dwellings between...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (13 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 105 and 154 together. Under the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS), local authorities are providing accommodation for certain recipients of SWA rent supplement who have been assessed as having a long-term housing need. The RAS is an additional housing option and eligible persons can indicate their preference to be accommodated by local authorities under the RAS...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (13 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: The recent announcement of resources for the Local Authority housing construction programme in 2006 brings projects cumulative expenditure on this programme substantially ahead of NDP target. Expenditure under the Voluntary Housing and Affordable Housing Schemes will also be substantially on target, as the following table indicates: Expected expenditure 2000 to end 2006 Target to end...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (13 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: It is not proposed to introduce a general housing benefit scheme. The Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) which commenced operation in 2005 is designed to provide housing assistance through supply driven mechanisms as part of a flexible and graduated system of housing supports for those in need of housing. The costs of rent supplement is a matter for the Minister for Family and Social Affairs...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (13 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: Capital funding is available through my Department's Capital Assistance Scheme to approved voluntary housing bodies to provide accommodation to meet special housing needs, such as elderly, homeless or persons with disabilities and may include accommodation for victims of domestic violence. My Department's involvement with the scheme relates primarily to the provision of funds for individual...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (13 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: Significant progress continues to be made under the Sustaining Progress Affordable Housing Initiative with provisional figures to the end of March 2006 indicating that a total of 1,961 housing units have been provided to date on AHI sites and through the Part V affordable arrangements. To date, over 70 projects on State and Local Authority lands are planned which, together with the projected...

Written Answers — Energy Efficiency Measures: Energy Efficiency Measures (13 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Question Nos. 140 and 417 together. It is my understanding that a downward adjustment of €150,000 has been proposed in the pre-tender budget cost approval notified to Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council in respect of the construction of 43 units at Benamore, Newtownpark Avenue to reflect an anticipated grant for energy efficiency measures from Sustainable Energy Ireland...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (13 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: Responsibility for the management, maintenance and improvements of their rented dwellings, including the implementation of a planned maintenance programme lies with the local authorities and is financed from their own resources. The National Survey of Housing Quality 2001-2002 reported that just under three-quarters of persons in local authority accommodation are satisfied or very satisfied...

Written Answers — Sustainable Communities: Sustainable Communities (13 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: Work is well underway on a new housing policy statement which will set out more detailed approaches to implementing the Housing Policy Framework: Building Sustainable Communities published in December 2005. This statement, which will be published later this year will take a medium term perspective, will have regard to current discussions within the Partnership Talks, and will link into the...