Results 2,461-2,480 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

Seanad: Housing Policy: Motion. (7 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: A significant amount of the expanded output of affordable housing over the coming years will be delivered through the affordable housing initiative. A key factor in meeting the 10,000 units proposed for this initiative has been the release of State and local authority lands. More than 70 projects planned for State and local authority lands together with the 2,500 affordable housing units...

Seanad: Housing Policy: Motion. (7 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: Increasingly, that will no longer be the case. Output is now gathering momentum. Last year, 1,400 units came under Part V, 600 the year before, and the total to date is about 2,100. In addition, local authorities, using the various flexible options now available to satisfy Part V obligations, have acquired land, or partially or fully serviced sites, and funds which will assist in the delivery...

Seanad: Housing Policy: Motion. (7 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: One can either do that or get on with the job of providing houses. That is what we are doing under the affordable homes partnership, because that group, chaired by Des Geraghty, is making good progress on the implementation of its work programme, including advancing certain affordable housing initiative projects on State lands. I mentioned Harcourt Square in that regard. Given that the pilot...

Seanad: Housing Policy: Motion. (7 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: Good homes are now being built. I am not passing comment on any houses that people went to in London. I am resisting the temptation to build cheap social housing. While it would bring the waiting lists down and make me look good, it would not be a sustainable and long-term answer. Approximately €50 million is spent each year on homelessness. It is a much more complex issue than having a...

Seanad: Housing Policy: Motion. (7 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: Beds are provided for those who want them. Many of the homeless——

Seanad: Housing Policy: Motion. (7 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: That is another matter. Many of them have addiction or psychiatric problems and will not take up accommodation. There will always be homelessness. The real answer in dealing with——

Seanad: Housing Policy: Motion. (7 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: Yes there is. The real judge of the effectiveness of Government policy is how quickly one can turn these people around. Homelessness is the safety net for every other situation in life. It is not whether there are 50 or 150 persons sleeping rough in Dublin city, it is about how quickly they can be turned around and brought off the streets. Much good work is being done in this area. In a time...

Seanad: Housing Policy: Motion. (7 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: I will bring the Senator out to see some of them.

Seanad: Housing Policy: Motion. (7 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: Yes. Affordable housing.

Seanad: Housing Policy: Motion. (7 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: I am opening them all the time. They are everywhere, except in Clonakilty where the Senator's party tried to block them.

Seanad: Housing Policy: Motion. (7 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: I will and I hope the Senator will wait until then.

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (1 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: I am advised that the Inter Sectoral Crack Cocaine Strategy Group arose from the North Inner City Community Policing Forum and that this Group is formulating proposals that may lead to a submission to the National Drug Strategy Team. As proposals from the Group have yet to be formulated, I cannot indicate what my response to them is likely to be. However, I will consider any submission in the...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (1 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: When Local Drugs Task Force projects are mainstreamed the associated funding provision passes from the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs to the relevant Department or Agency. The subsequent issue of core funding for mainstreamed drugs projects is a matter for the State Agency involved, following consultation with the project promoter and the relevant Local Drugs Task Force.

Written Answers — Security of the Elderly: Security of the Elderly (1 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Parliamentary Question No.174 of the 28th April 2005. The details in respect of grants paid under the 2005 scheme are available on my Departments website: www.pobail.ie. The figures for Socially Monitored Alarms in 2005 are as follows: Year Number of Groups Approved Number of Applications (Individuals) Number of Applications (Individuals) Approved...

Written Answers — Services for People with Disabilities: Services for People with Disabilities (1 Jun 2006)

Noel Ahern: I refer to the reply to Question No. 314 of 17 May 2006. The position is unchanged.

Physical Education Facilities. (31 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: I thank Deputy Deenihan for raising the matter. Obesity in children has been identified as an emerging public health problem, especially in the western world. Data from recent surveys indicate that one in five Irish boys and girls is overweight and one in 20 is obese. Worryingly, the age of onset of obesity in children across the world is falling and a child is twice as likely to be an obese...

Physical Education Facilities. (31 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: They have the development levies. I do not know much about County Kerry but perhaps the percentage for the amenity——

Physical Education Facilities. (31 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: Perhaps councillors might fight for a higher percentage. A scheme is being introduced this year. The Deputy is the expert on Kerry and some of the places I might have driven through on holidays are not huge compared with some of the suburbs in Dublin. However, if there is a local need and a local committee to drive the fund-raising, then the Department and the council might work with them. If...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (31 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: My Department has responsibility for the co-ordination of the National Drugs Strategy across a range of Government Departments and State Agencies. Just over €245m has been allocated for this work since 1997. Approximately €125m has been allocated to support in the region of 440 projects contained in the two rounds of plans of the 14 Local Drugs Task Forces (LDTFs) in the areas of...

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (31 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: The Young Peoples Facilities & Services Fund (YPFSF) was established in 1998 to assist in the development of facilities (including sport and recreational facilities) and services in disadvantaged areas where a significant drug problem existed or had the potential to develop. To date, the focus of the Fund has been in the 14 Local Drugs Task Force areas (12 in Dublin and the others in Bray and...