Results 2,941-2,960 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

Rent Supplement: Motion. (14 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: Give it time and it will address some of the poverty traps raised by Deputy O'Sullivan.

Rent Supplement: Motion. (14 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: The key objectives of the new scheme are to provide an additional source of good quality rental accommodation for persons in need of housing support, bring about a reduction in long-term dependence on rent supplement and ensure equity of treatment between local authority and RAS tenants by enabling RAS recipients to seek and gain employment without loss of housing supports. That will happen...

Rent Supplement: Motion. (14 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: We cannot just switch over because it will take a couple of years to develop.

Rent Supplement: Motion. (14 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: The scheme will help to address the issue of homelessness by making independent living a more realistic option through the use of RAS as part of a wider tenancy sustainment programme and will bring about a real improvement in standards in the private rented sector through the sole use of good quality accommodation for RAS tenants. I accept that only 700 people have moved across to date and...

Rent Supplement: Motion. (14 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: Certain problems arose over the years and this is our opportunity to sort them out. The new system will enhance the capacity of local authorities to respond to demands for a graduated and flexible system of housing supports to meet long-term needs. RAS is a supply based social housing support designed to cater for the long-term housing needs of rent supplement recipients. It is estimated that...

House Prices. (14 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: A consistent element of Government policy has been to promote adequate supply of housing to meet demand. Despite strong demand pressures and increased levels of mortgage lending, house price increases have moderated significantly in recent years from rates of around 40% per annum in the late 1990s. This is attributable to the large increase in housing output that has been achieved, including...

House Prices. (14 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: Last year was the opposite of the previous year, where from early 2004, on a quarterly basis, the rate of increase declined. This time last year, experts were talking about a 5% or 6% increase. It seemed, however, that another wave of increases took place as the year went on. We do not have our own figures for the fourth quarter but the ESRI figure would have increased 1% on the previous...

House Prices. (14 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: House prices entered another cycle of increases during the year because of three factors. There are 90,000 extra people working in the economy, 70,000 extra have entered the State and some financial institutions have an overly generous approach. Credit is by definition inflationary. It is not just 100% mortgages; there are interest-only mortgages and terms of 35 and 40 years. Some people are...

House Prices. (14 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: No, they are being taken up by everybody.

House Prices. (14 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: The issue is fundamentally one of demand. The economy and credit are booming. We are trying to meet strong demand and the only way to do so is to tackle supply. At the same time, we are not losing sight of those who are being squeezed out of the market. I have been invited to attend an open day on the northside of Dublin tomorrow to view affordable houses which are being sold for €165,000....

Community Development. (9 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: The Minister for Finance announced in budget 2002 that in my Department's Vote a special one-off provision of £450,000 would be included as a contribution towards the cost of constructing a community centre in Cobh. In subsequent years, during which this project went through various preparatory phases, my Department was in close contact with Cobh Community Centre Ltd., the company...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (9 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: Standardised arrangements are currently in place with two of the main financial institutions who have introduced schemes of mortgage financing for persons wishing to access affordable housing. These arrangements relate only to the first time purchase of affordable properties. The question of facilitating arrangements for persons in affordable housing also wishing to remortgage with private...

Written Answers — Homeless Persons: Homeless Persons (9 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: Government policy on housing has the overarching aim of enabling every household to have available an affordable dwelling of good quality, suited to its needs, in a good environment and, as far as possible, at the tenure of its choice. The Government's approach to achieving this policy aim is that those who can afford to do so should provide for their own housing, with the aid where available...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (9 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: While local authorities must operate prudentially in regard to approving housing loans, they are not necessarily prevented from making a loan to a borrower who cannot obtain mortgage protection insurance because he or she by reason of health or age would not be acceptable to an insurer. Accordingly, the limitation of cover in the standard local authority mortgage protection scheme to persons...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (9 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: In regard to tenants of social housing, I refer to the reply to Question No. 682 of 15 November 2005. My Department's standing advice to local authorities is that applicants for affordable housing, including local authority tenants who avail of the affordable housing schemes, should be provided with full details on management charges together with mortgage and other costs associated with home...

Written Answers — Dormant Accounts Fund: Dormant Accounts Fund (8 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: The Deputy will be aware that I have outlined in the House on a number of occasions the reasons the Government decided to make changes to the dormant accounts scheme. In summary, these were to fully address governance and accountability issues and to provide for greater transparency in decision-making on disbursements. On 4 January 2006, I announced details concerning the allocation of €24...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (8 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: I am aware of the college lifestyle and attitudinal national, CLAN, survey which was jointly carried out by the health promotion unit of the Department of Health and Children and NUI Galway in the 2002-03 academic year. A total sample of 3,259 students from universities and other third level institutions across Ireland was involved in the wide-ranging survey, where drugs was only one of many...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (8 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: It is my view that a change in the law regarding the possession of cannabis, or a reclassification of the drug would be of no benefit whatsoever in tackling drug use here — in fact I think that it would aggravate the problem. While cannabis may not be as dangerous as some other drugs, the evidence is that it is damaging to the physical and mental health of the user, particularly the young...

Written Answers — Turasóireacht sa Ghaeltacht: Turasóireacht sa Ghaeltacht (8 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: Táim cinnte go n-aontóidh an Teachta liom go bhfuil saibhreas cultúrtha ar leith fréamhaithe i dteanga na Gaeilge, an teanga is ársa san Eoraip ar an dtaobh thuaidh de Shléibhte na nAlp, ó thaobh labhartha agus scríofa de. Tá tábhacht ar leith leis an ilghnéitheacht teangacha don oidhreacht chultúrtha agus do shaibhreas coiteann an chine dhaonna sa saol atá inniu ann. Tá...

Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (8 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: Funding of €1.46 million to promote volunteering has been allocated to 24 county-city development boards and to Údarás na Gaeltachta. The following table provides the details. In the case of areas where no allocation has yet been made my Department is in discussions with the relevant authorities with a view to allocating funds subject to their meeting the criteria involved. Volunteering...