Results 2,761-2,780 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern
- Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (21 Mar 2006)
Noel Ahern: The bulk of the drugs funding available is channelled through the local and regional drugs task forces. I understand from the Dublin north east drugs task force, in whose area the project in question is situated, that it has not received a funding application from this group. However, the group is welcome to forward an application to the task force for assistance from the premises initiative...
- Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (21 Mar 2006)
Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 532, 534 and 539 together. My Department has overall responsibility for co-ordinating the implementation of the National Drugs Strategy 2001-2008. The strategy contains 108 individual actions, under the five pillars of supply reduction, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and research, to be implemented by a range of Departments and agencies. My Department...
- Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (21 Mar 2006)
Noel Ahern: 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 2002-03. This study surveyed more than 8,000 people aged between 15 and 64 in Ireland and Northern Ireland between October 2002...
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (21 Mar 2006)
Noel Ahern: There are no proposals with my Department from Kildare County Council for the refurbishment of houses in the scheme in question.
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (21 Mar 2006)
Noel Ahern: Information to end September 2005 on the number of housing units provided under the various affordable housing schemes in each local authority area is published in my Department's housing statistics bulletins, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library and also on the Department's website at www.environ.ie. The annual housing statistics bulletins provide, among other things,...
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (21 Mar 2006)
Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 842 and 844 together. As stated in the reply to Question No. 282 of 16 February, the Local Government Computer Services Board, LGCSB, has been commissioned to develop an integrated housing project on behalf of local authorities and my Department. A two-phase approach has been adopted for the implementation of the project. An interim package, Housing Operations...
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (21 Mar 2006)
Noel Ahern: The income eligibility and loan limits for the affordable housing schemes were reviewed and increased with effect from 1 January 2006. The income eligibility for a single income household was increased from â¬36,800 to â¬40,000 and from â¬90,000 to â¬100,000 for a two-income household. The maximum loan that can be advanced by local authorities for the acquisition or construction of a...
- Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (21 Mar 2006)
Noel Ahern: It is not proposed to reintroduce a generally available house improvement grant scheme. However, there are a number of targeted options currently available to assist vulnerable groups such as lower-income households and elderly persons to secure necessary improvement works to their houses. These include the local authority house improvement loan scheme, the disabled persons and essential...
- Written Answers — House Completions: House Completions (21 Mar 2006)
Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 852 and 853 together. Housing statistics, including annual completions for the past five years, are published in the housing statistics bulletins which are available in the Oireachtas Library and on the Department's website. My Department does not have a definitive breakdown of house completions either by type of purchaser or whether they were second or...
- Written Answers — Special Housing Needs: Special Housing Needs (21 Mar 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 — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (21 Mar 2006)
Noel Ahern: The income eligibility limits for shared ownership, affordable housing and local authority house purchase loans are â¬40,000 for a single income household and â¬100,000 for a dual income household. The maximum loan which may be advanced by a local authority is â¬185,000 and subject to this limit, a loan of up to 95% of the price of the house may be made available. A local authority may...
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (21 Mar 2006)
Noel Ahern: I refer to the reply to Question No. 572 of 7 March 2006. RAS is designed to cater for the accommodation needs of certain persons in receipt of rent supplement, normally for more than 18 months and who have a long-term housing need. Since persons on a back-to-work allowance scheme keep their current social welfare rent supplement payment on a tapered withdrawal basis over a four year period,...
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (21 Mar 2006)
Noel Ahern: My Department gave approval to Cavan County Council in December 2005 to accept a tender for phases two and three of the refurbishment of houses at Drumnaveil, Cootehill, County Cavan, under the remedial works scheme. It is now a matter for the council to enter into a contract with the contractor to enable work to commence as soon as possible.
- Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (21 Mar 2006)
Noel Ahern: The combined capital allocation notified to Monaghan County Council for the payment of disabled person's and essential repairs grants in 2005 was â¬1,450,000.
- Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (21 Mar 2006)
Noel Ahern: The combined capital allocation notified to Cavan County Council for the payment of disabled person's and essential repairs grants in 2005 was â¬1,800,000.
- Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (21 Mar 2006)
Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 871, 874 and 875 together. Non-compliance with the tenancy registration requirements of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 is a criminal offence. Enforcement of the registration provisions, including prosecution, where appropriate, is the statutory responsibility of the Private Residential Tenancies Board. I am not aware that deficiencies are evident in powers...
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (21 Mar 2006)
Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 873 and 881 together. Funding is available from my Department for the refurbishment and improvement of local authority houses under the remedial works scheme. The capital funding provided to local authorities with the remedial works programmes in 2004 and 2005, which comprises Exchequer grants and local authority internal capital receipts, is set out in the...
- Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (21 Mar 2006)
Noel Ahern: The minimum standards applying to rented accommodation are contained in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 1993 made under the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992. Enforcement of the regulations is a function of local authorities, which have powers under the 1992 Act to enter and inspect at all reasonable times a house to which the regulations apply. Where an...
- Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (21 Mar 2006)
Noel Ahern: The objective of the shared ownership scheme is to enhance affordability by allowing eligible applicants to purchase at least 40% of the value of the dwelling and to rent the remaining share from the local authority. In effect, the scheme offers home ownership in a number of steps to purchasers who cannot afford full outright ownership in the traditional way. The statutory provisions...
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (21 Mar 2006)
Noel Ahern: Wexford County Council submitted proposals to my Department in mid-2005 to construct four houses in the scheme in question. It was considered that a more efficient use could be made of the available site and following discussions with the Department the council has agreed to revise its proposals and now intends to construct six houses on the site. The Department will determine funding for the...