Results 281-300 of 2,386 for speaker:Michael Finneran

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

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 24, 27 and 514 together. Over 1,400 prospective purchasers formally registered interest on the dedicated Home Choice loan website and, to date, 85 applications have been made. Of these, 9 have been approved, with 4 of these now drawn down. Of the 9 approved applications, 5 were for second hand properties and 4 for new build properties. The 4 loans drawn...

Written Answers — Multi-Unit Developments: Multi-Unit Developments (8 Jul 2010)

Michael Finneran: The Government has demonstrated a clear commitment to dealing effectively with the range of complex issues relating to multi-unit developments and is bringing forward a comprehensive suite of legislative proposals in response to the Law Reform Commission's Report on Multi-Unit Developments. In its consultation paper issued in late 2006 the Law Reform Commission made a number of...

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

Michael Finneran: When I introduced the Incremental Purchase Scheme, applying to certain new local authority housing stock, on 14 June 2010 I indicated my intention to bring forward legislation in 2011 to underpin a similar scheme for the sale of existing local authority houses to tenants. This scheme will replace the current tenant purchase scheme introduced in 1995. The intention to replace the existing...

Written Answers — Housing Schemes: Housing Schemes (8 Jul 2010)

Michael Finneran: My Department received a further submission in relation to the scheme in question from Monaghan County Council on 28 June 2010. This is now being examined and my Department will respond to the Council's proposals as soon as possible with a view to progressing the scheme.

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

Michael Finneran: To the end of quarter 2 2010, 1,618 unsold affordable units have been approved for inclusion in the Social Housing Leasing Initiative. Of these, 614 of the units have lease agreements signed and in place with approved housing bodies. While the cost of the lease agreement is a matter for the relevant local authority, in general, in most lease agreements the approved housing body pay the local...

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

Michael Finneran: I refer to the reply to Question No. 505 of 6 July 2010, which sets out the current position.

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

Michael Finneran: The Housing (Interest on Moneys Owed to Housing Authorities) Regulations 2010 do not apply to existing local authority rent schemes. However, these Regulations will apply to new rent schemes, which housing authorities will be required to put in place in 2011 under the Housing Act, 2009, and represent a reasonable provision that where a tenant of a housing authority has not paid the...

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

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 494 and 495 together. Part 3 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 provides for an incremental purchase scheme in respect of newly-built houses reserved by housing authorities and approved housing bodies for the purpose. I recently made the necessary regulations bringing the scheme into operation from 14 June 2010. The Regulations allow...

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

Michael Finneran: As the matters referred to are connected with the subject of a judgement of the High Court it would not be appropriate for me to comment in any detail. Statutory responsibility for the provision of traveller accommodation rests with the relevant housing authority; accordingly it is a matter for Dublin City Council, in this instance, to consider the appropriate options. My Department's role in...

Written Answers — Library Projects: Library Projects (8 Jul 2010)

Michael Finneran: In August 2008, my Department issued a circular to all library authorities in relation to a new capital programme. As part of that circular, proposals from previous capital programmes which had not received tender approval were withdrawn. A proposal for a new library headquarters for Kilkenny had been in place for some time but had not progressed in part due to lack of a suitable site. As a...

Written Answers — Fire Stations: Fire Stations (8 Jul 2010)

Michael Finneran: The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under section 10 of the Fire Services Act 1981. The Department's role is one of supporting and assisting local authorities in delivering fire services...

Written Answers — Housing Policy: Housing Policy (8 Jul 2010)

Michael Finneran: In overall terms the significant transformation of housing programmes underway will continue as the major priority in the medium term, with the shift away from new build projects towards more flexible forms of housing provision such as leasing. As part of this process, available capital funding will be increasingly targeted at regeneration, special needs housing and improving the...

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

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 511 and 512 together. I refer to the reply to Question No. 407 of 1 June, 2010. The number of boarded up houses held by local authorities continuously fluctuates as houses become vacant and are remediated, re-let or demolished. Information, other than that made available through annual Local Authority Service Indicator Reports, is not collected on the number...

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

Michael Finneran: Local authorities operate a range of housing supports, including support involving the voluntary and cooperative sector, for households with varying degrees of need, from the most vulnerable and disadvantaged households, including homeless people and people with disabilities, to middle income households whose needs may be more modest. The various supports available are detailed on my...

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

Michael Finneran: The Government's key priorities in shaping overall housing provision have been to focus the impact of necessary adjustments on areas with scope to maintain output through more flexible approaches and where the policy context supports such approaches, and to continue to direct available capital resources substantially towards the most vulnerable and disadvantaged. In keeping with this...

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

Michael Finneran: The statutory definition of homelessness is provided in section 2 of the Housing Act 1988. It is a matter for the relevant housing authority to determine, having regard to this provision, whether a person is homeless in a particular case. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation for homeless persons rests with the housing authorities and the HSE has...

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

Michael Finneran: Meeting social housing need remains a high priority for the Government. While ensuring that we can deliver across the full range of needs, the scale and composition of the public housing programme in the years ahead will be dependent on a number of factors, including the level of available funding and the evolution of the housing market generally. I am determined to ensure that the programme...

Written Answers — Fire Services: Fire Services (8 Jul 2010)

Michael Finneran: The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade (personnel and equipment), is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under section 10 of the Fire Services Act, 1981. Staffing and organisational arrangements for the purposes of carrying out the functions of fire authorities are matters for the relevant city or...

Written Answers — Services for People with Disabilities: Services for People with Disabilities (8 Jul 2010)

Michael Finneran: Comprehensively to assess the overall level of demand for grant assistance under the suite of Grant Schemes for Older People and People with a Disability, my Department requested local authorities to submit details of their funding requirements for 2010 by 22 January 2010, with a view to determining the allocations for this year as soon as possible after the publication of the 2010 Revised...

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

Michael Finneran: It is a matter for individual housing authorities to plan the composition and management of their social housing investment programmes having regard to the specific social housing needs and priorities in their areas and to the Exchequer funding allocations available to them. The allocations from the Social Housing Investment Programme to South Tipperary County Council for its...