Results 2,661-2,680 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

House Prices. (4 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: They do not appear to be overly deprived and seem to manage. I accept that expectations are higher. The potential problem with mortgages concerns future increases in interest rates. This is where real concerns may arise. Financial institutions are supposed to conduct stress tests. However, I have heard rumours — I do not have the facts — that they do not perform stress tests as thoroughly...

House Prices. (4 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: In the main, Question No. 7 pertains to affordable houses. My understanding is that Deputy Finian McGrath has attempted to raise the issue of social housing. This year's budget for social housing is €1.4 billion, which constitutes a significant sum of money. The output for local authority houses last year was the highest for 20 years. The number on the waiting list was down 10%, and if we...

Local Authority Housing. (4 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 and 100 together. Under the rental accommodation scheme, or 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...

Local Authority Housing. (4 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: There is no problem with the budget. It is not a case of resources if many local authorities are not using the money.

Local Authority Housing. (4 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: The scheme has been started by 19 local authorities.

Local Authority Housing. (4 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: I gave the figures. There are about 60,000 people on rent supplement. There are about 33,000 of those who are over the 18-month waiting period. About 1,000 people have moved so far. This will be a very slow process, and to date it is slower than we expected. One has to negotiate case by case with each landlord. Much of the accommodation for which people were receiving rent allowance is very...

Local Authority Housing. (4 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: No. We are trying to deal with 33,000 people.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (3 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: An application on behalf of the project has been made under the Emerging Needs Fund. The application seeks to replace the current funding arrangement for the staffing of the project, which is through the Special CE scheme, with funding from the Emerging Needs Fund, as well as to cover additional programme costs and staff and management training costs. As I stated in my reply to Question No....

Written Answers — Dormant Accounts Fund: Dormant Accounts Fund (3 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: The Deputy will be aware that disbursements from the Dormant Accounts Fund are designed to assist three broad categories of persons; those who are economically and socially disadvantaged, those who are educationally disadvantaged and persons with a disability. The Government approved the allocation of €60 million from the Fund in 2006 and a breakdown of this figure shows that €24 million...

Written Answers — Garda Stations: Garda Stations (3 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: On foot of the Government's decision to assign this site to the Affordable Housing Initiative, the Affordable Homes Partnership has been requested to undertake the procurement process involved. It is envisaged that the site will be the subject of a land swap, similar to the successful swap undertaken in 2005 in respect of an adjoining site, and the Partnership has been undertaking the...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (3 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 530 and 531 together. Fingal County Council have developed a Local Area Plan for the South East Balbriggan area which provides for the construction of some 1,800 social, affordable and private dwellings over a six to eight year period. Given the size of the proposed development, an Environmental Impact Study will be required to be prepared for submission to An...

Written Answers — Voluntary Housing Organisations: Voluntary Housing Organisations (3 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: Voluntary housing organisations operate under the terms of the capital funding schemes. Complaints in relation to the operation of these schemes in respect of particular projects are dealt with by the relevant local authority. Through the Rental Housing Regulations 1993, local authorities also have an enforcement role to ensure that housing associations comply with the requirement of the...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (3 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: Information on the number of local authority house starts and units provided under the various affordable housing schemes, including units agreed to under Part V arrangements, by Kildare County Council for the years 2000 to 2004 is available in the Annual Housing Statistics Bulletins published by my Department, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library. This information,...

Seanad: Water and Sewerage Schemes. (3 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: I thank the Senator for raising this issue. The Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2005-07, published in December 2005, includes some 60 major water and sewerage schemes for Galway, with a value of over €450 million. I am pleased to confirm that the Glenamaddy sewerage scheme is included in the investment programme as a scheme approved to start construction in 2007. The...

Seanad: Schools Building Projects. (3 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: I thank the Senator for raising the matter as it affords me the opportunity to outline to the House the strategy of the Department of Education and Science for capital investment in education projects and also to outline the position regarding the development of education provision in Mercy College secondary school, Woodford, County Galway. Modernising facilities in our 3,200 primary and 750...

Seanad: Neighbourhood Watch Schemes. (3 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: The programme of grants for locally-based community and voluntary organisations which the Senator mentioned is funded by my Department and supports the activities of local voluntary and community groups addressing disadvantage in their community. The programme transferred to my Department from the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs in 2002. Since then, and in its previous...

Seanad: Neighbourhood Watch Schemes. (3 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: There would be no problem. The organisation will have to apply again because the application submitted was for last year. It is seeking security measures for the elderly, including alarm pendants, locks and bolts for doors and windows, security lights that come on automatically when one approaches and non-electrified fire alarms. These are granted through the scheme of community supports for...

Seanad: Neighbourhood Watch Schemes. (3 May 2006)

Noel Ahern: We have so many good schemes giving out so much good money that I can well understand how a voluntary group could send in the wrong form. Unfortunately, the application was assessed under the criteria of the scheme to which it pertained and the system does not allow for its transfer to the other scheme. The Department proceeds on the basis of what one puts down in writing. I have no doubt but...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (27 Apr 2006)

Noel Ahern: As the Deputy is aware, the project in question was established as part of a series of pilot cocaine interventions. An evaluation of the project is currently being carried out and I expect this will be submitted to my Department in the near future. Notwithstanding the fact that it was established on a pilot basis, and that the evaluation of the project is not yet complete, I am glad to be...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (27 Apr 2006)

Noel Ahern: Under the terms of the current tenant purchase scheme as outlined in circular HRT 6/95 of 18 May 1995 the price of a dwelling is its market value less discounts related to the length of tenancy. A sum of €3,809 is also deducted from the market value. For the purposes of determining the sale price the market value may be further reduced to take account of improvements made by the tenant to...