Results 2,541-2,560 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

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

Noel Ahern: In accordance with Section 9 of the Housing Act 1988 an assessment of need for local authority housing is undertaken every three years, the last of which was undertaken in 2005. The 2005 assessment was the most rigorous to date and was the first time that an IT database was used to gather, collate and examine the results of the assessment. The procedure involved each local authority...

Local Authority Housing. (16 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I will outline to the House the plans we have to amend and update existing housing legislation as part of a programme to reform the social housing sector. My Department is drafting the heads of a housing miscellaneous provisions Bill to give effect to the policy initiatives set out in Housing Policy Framework — Building Sustainable Communities,...

Local Authority Housing. (16 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: It would be wrong to give encouragement that the flat prices involved will be at 1988 or 1998 prices. We have a tenant purchase scheme which is under consideration in the wider manner, but we are talking of taxpayer money and though we would like to give things away, we cannot do so. The fundamentals of the scheme would involve prices very near open market value. It is a case of how one...

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (16 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: I take it that the Deputy is referring to my recent announcements of allocations totalling over €4m for projects and initiatives under the Emerging Needs and Young People's Facilities and Services Funds. The Emerging Needs Fund was devised to provide a flexible and timely response to evolving needs in regard to drug misuse in Local Drugs Task Force areas. My recent announcement involved...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (16 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: The Working Group on Rehabilitation was established in September 2005 and includes representatives from a range of Government Departments and Agencies involved in delivering rehabilitation services, as well as representatives from the National Drugs Strategy Team (NDST), the National Advisory Committee on Drugs (NACD) and the Community and Voluntary sectors. The terms of reference of the...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (16 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: Under the Health Act, 2004, the management and delivery of health and personal social services is the responsibility of the Health Services Executive. My Department has overall responsibility for the co-ordination of the implementation of the National Drugs Strategy 2001-2008. The National Drugs Strategy Team is a cross-departmental Team involving Departments (including the Department of...

Written Answers — Drug Seizures: Drug Seizures (16 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: The Gardaí confirm that there has been a growth in the amount of cocaine and cannabis seized so far this year. I congratulate the Gárdaí on their success in that regard, including recent seizures in Cork and Dublin, and on their significant on-going contribution to disrupting the sale of illegal drugs in this State. Supply reduction is one of the cornerstones of the National Drugs Strategy...

Written Answers — Community Grants: Community Grants (16 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: The Programme of Grants for Locally-Based Community and Voluntary Organisations consists of three schemes, the first of which makes funds available for small scale refurbishments of the premises of locally-based Community and Voluntary Organisations. This is complemented by a second scheme to provide for the purchase of essential equipment including I.T. equipment. The third scheme provides...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (16 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 80, 87, 104, 112, 122 and 125 together. A sub group of the National Drugs Strategy Team was established in 2004 to make proposals in relation to combating cocaine abuse. As part of its recommendations the subgroup proposed funding to support four pilot treatment projects. The four projects deal with the following cohorts of cocaine users: intravenous cocaine...

Written Answers — Drug Use Prevalence: Drug Use Prevalence (16 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 82 and 84 together. The National Advisory Committee on Drugs and the Drug and Alcohol Information and Research Unit (Northern Ireland) commissioned the first Drug Prevalence Survey, the purpose of which was to establish the population prevalence of drug use on the island of Ireland, in 2002/2003. This study surveyed over 8,000 people aged 15-64 in Ireland and...

Written Answers — Dormant Accounts Fund: Dormant Accounts Fund (16 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: I refer the Deputy to my replies to Question Numbers 60 and 68 of 21st March 2006 and to Question Number 913 of 25th January 2006. I have no plans to change the position as outlined in those replies.

Written Answers — Dormant Accounts Fund: Dormant Accounts Fund (16 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question Number 148 of 9th March 2006 relating to ownership of dormant accounts and to my earlier reply to Question Number 913 of 25th January 2006 concerning funding for vulnerable Irish communities abroad. Under the Dormant Accounts Acts 2001-2005 information regarding those who opened accounts that have been deemed dormant accounts is maintained by the...

Written Answers — Drugs Awareness Programme: Drugs Awareness Programme (16 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: My Department was not consulted or involved in any way in relation to the booklet to which the Deputy refers. Furthermore, no funding was allocated by my Department for its production or distribution. I understand that the booklet in question was produced on a private basis, with local businesses being invited to sponsor its distribution in local schools in return for an acknowledgement in...

Written Answers — Drugs Awareness Programme: Drugs Awareness Programme (16 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: The actions outlined in the National Drugs Strategy pertaining to the education system have been progressed with the significant input of the Department of Education and Science. Officials of the Minister for Education and Science sit on the Regional and Local Drug Task Forces, the National Drugs Strategy Team and the Inter-Departmental Group on Drugs, illustrating the degree of co-operation...

Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (16 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 105, 342 and 343 together. Decisions on the disbursements of funds from dormant accounts under the initial round of funding were a matter for the Dormant Accounts Fund Disbursements Board, an independent body established under the Dormant Accounts Acts. Under this round, the Board approved 521 projects for funding totalling over €60 million; 101 of these...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (16 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: The allocation of €4,836,927 in 2005 for cohesion and volunteering measures is shown in the following tabular statement. Included in this sum is €566,100 in respect of cohesion projects relating to the 2004 round of funding and €1,463,400 in respect of volunteering measures. In furtherance of the cohesion process commenced in 2004, in line with the Government decision on the review of...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (16 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: While I am in regular contact with the National Drugs Strategy Team, I have not had specific discussions with them on drug use among undergraduate students in full-time third level education. However, I can assure the Deputy that I am in on-going contact with all those involved in efforts to disrupt the distribution and consumption of illegal drugs throughout society. The primary focus of the...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (16 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: I am aware that Blanchardstown Local Drugs Task Force, with funding provided by my Department through the National Drugs Strategy, has recently launched a confidential anti-drug dealing telephone help-line. I understand that the local response to this initiative has been positive and I will await with interest the outcome of the evaluation of the service.

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (16 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: I can assure the Deputy that my officials have on-going contact with representatives of An Garda Síochána, through the implementation structures of the National Drugs Strategy, and the prevalence of crack cocaine in the country is discussed periodically. Furthermore, I met with representatives of the Gardaí at the last meeting of the Interdepartmental Group on Drugs in April. The Gardaí...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (16 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: Ten Regional Drugs Task Forces (RDTFs) have been established in areas not covered by Local Drugs Task Forces. Thus all parts of the country are now serviced by a Drugs Task Force. The overall role of the RDTFs is to prepare and implement regional Actions Plans which identify existing and emerging gaps in services in relation to education/prevention, curbing supply, treatment and...