Results 261-280 of 2,386 for speaker:Michael Finneran

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (29 Sep 2010)

Michael Finneran: I announced details of a new programme of Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) projects in January 2010. This ambitious programme, consisting of 64 new projects, was identified following consideration of each proposal received, the relative priority afforded to the projects by the local authorities concerned and the competing demands across all local authorities. At that time, the project in...

Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (29 Sep 2010)

Michael Finneran: The Sustainable Communities Fund was established as a key deliverable under my Department's statement on housing policy Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities with the objectives of supporting initiatives that would improve quality of life in regeneration areas, promoting social inclusion by meeting equality, diversity, and special needs, and facilitating better management of local...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (29 Sep 2010)

Michael Finneran: The local authority mortgage protection insurance scheme is overseen by the Mortgage Protection Committee which is a sub-committee of the County and City Managers Association (CCMA) and is representative of the CCMA, local authorities, the Housing Finance Agency and my Department. Participation in the mortgage protection insurance scheme is compulsory for local authority house purchase loans...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (29 Sep 2010)

Michael Finneran: Eligibility generally for the affordable housing schemes is determined on the basis that applicants are in need of housing and cannot afford to purchase a house on the open market. The administration of the various affordable housing schemes, including the allocation of affordable housing, is a matter for each local authority. Generally speaking, the schemes are for the benefit of first...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (29 Sep 2010)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1494 and 1495 together. Social housing allocations by local authority for the period 2007-2010 are available on my Department's website at www.environ.ie under Publications/Statistics and Regular Publications/Housing Statistics.

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (29 Sep 2010)

Michael Finneran: The information sought in relation to the Social Housing Investment Programme is set out in the table below. In relation to the expenditure to date in 2010, it is important to note that expenditure tends to be back-ended in any given year. 2006 2007 2008 2009 Spent to date – 2010 B.1 Capital B.1.1 LA Housing 858,694,000 941,273,000 979,728,785 690,536,343 117,990,180 B.1.2 CAS...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (29 Sep 2010)

Michael Finneran: The PRTB was established in 2004 and has as its key functions: (a) the operation of a national registration system for all private residential tenancies; (b) the operation of a dispute resolution service; (c) the provision of information, carrying out of research and the provision of policy advice regarding the private rented residential sector. Local authorities, supported by a dedicated...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (29 Sep 2010)

Michael Finneran: The Affordable Homes Partnership (AHP) provided information to consumers, brokers, estate agents and developers through a variety of media including the internet and local and national newspapers. Any costs arising have been met from existing resources within the AHP.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (29 Sep 2010)

Michael Finneran: Regulations and guidelines for housing authorities in relation to differential rent are currently in preparation in my Department. Once section 31 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, which provides for rent schemes and charges, has been commenced, housing authorities will have one year in which to put in place a new differential rent scheme. In that context, it is envisaged...

Written Answers — Homeless Agency Staff: Homeless Agency Staff (29 Sep 2010)

Michael Finneran: The Homeless Agency does not operate directly under the aegis of my Department and its staffing is thus a matter, in the first instance, for Dublin City Council. My Department is aware that the staff complement of the Agency was 15 in 2007 to 2009 and 13 in 2010. The core objective of the National Homelessness Strategy is to eliminate long term homelessness and the need to sleep rough by end...

Emergency Planning (8 Jul 2010)

Michael Finneran: That is not correct.

Mental Health Services (8 Jul 2010)

Michael Finneran: At the outset, I would like to thank Deputy Neville for raising this report on today's Adjournment. It is an issue close to my heart. I have been chairman of the Roscommon Mental Health Association for many years and hold that position at the moment. When A Vision for Change was published in 2006, it was universally welcomed as a progressive, evidence based and realistic document which...

Voluntary Housing Associations (8 Jul 2010)

Michael Finneran: I thank Deputy Durkan for raising this item as it allows me the opportunity to acknowledge the very good work done by the voluntary and co-operative housing sector. The sector has a proud record of achievement in the provision of rental accommodation to substantial numbers of vulnerable households over the past 20 years or so. Since the 1980s, more than 23,000 homes have been delivered...

European Economic and Social Committee (8 Jul 2010)

Michael Finneran: I thank Deputies McGrath and Hoctor for their contributions. The European Economic and Social Committee, EESC, plays an important role in the European policy making process and I am delighted with the opportunity to speak on the matter this evening. The EESC is a consultative body of the European Union and is the prime forum for the representation of organised civil society within the...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (8 Jul 2010)

Michael Finneran: In July, 2009 the Department of Social Protection introduced changes in the way in which applications for rent supplement are assessed. The main effect of these changes is that persons who are six months in private rented accommodation and whose circumstances have changed such that they can no longer afford the rent do not require to have an assessment of housing need carried out by a local...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (8 Jul 2010)

Michael Finneran: My Department collates and publishes a wide range of housing statistics that inform the preparation and evaluation of housing policy. Data on social housing commencements are published in the quarterly housing statistics bulletin, the most recent of which is Q3 2009. The full range of data compiled and bulletins issued can be viewed on my Department's website, www.environ.ie. Under the social...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (8 Jul 2010)

Michael Finneran: The purpose of affordable housing is to support access to home ownership for middle income households by making housing available for purchase at a discount from market price. In the absence of an occupancy condition attaching to the allocation of an affordable house the very principle for providing that house could be undermined and call into question the use of Exchequer funding for...

Written Answers — House Prices: House Prices (8 Jul 2010)

Michael Finneran: The renewed Programme for Government sets out a clear commitment to create and maintain a comprehensive House Price Database based on sales prices. My Department has met with a broad range of interested parties in regard to the shape that such a register might take and recommendations arising from this process will shortly be made to Government. The timing of the establishment of a register...

Written Answers — Homeless Persons: Homeless Persons (8 Jul 2010)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 20 and 513 together. The overall national policy framework to address homelessness is set out in the Government's homelessness strategy, The Way Home, which was published in August 2008 and the National Implementation Plan for the strategy, which was published in April 2009. Implementation of the homelessness strategy at local and regional level will be...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (8 Jul 2010)

Michael Finneran: Section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous) Provisions Act 2009 provides for a new housing needs assessment process, replacing section 9 of the Housing Act 1988 which currently governs the assessment of need. Regulations are now in preparation in my Department which will give detailed effect to the new needs assessment process. It is envisaged that these Regulations will be made, and section...