Results 3,001-3,020 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

Written Answers — Services for People with Disabilities: Services for People with Disabilities (7 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 535 and 536 together. Notification of individual allocations to local authorities for disabled persons and essential repairs grant schemes in 2006 will be made available following the publication of the Revised Estimates for Public Services 2006 which will be published within the next month.

Written Answers — Voluntary Housing: Voluntary Housing (7 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: I assume that the question refers to housing provided by approved housing bodies with funding provided under my Department's capital loan and subsidy scheme. While there is no provision at present in the voluntary housing scheme for the purchase of individual houses by tenants, my Department indicated in the recently published document Housing Policy Framework — Building Sustainable...

Written Answers — Voluntary Housing: Voluntary Housing (7 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: I assume that the question refers to assistance from my Department under the voluntary housing schemes. My Department's involvement with the schemes relates primarily to the provision of funds for individual projects. The administration of the schemes, and the certification that particular projects comply with the terms of the schemes, are the responsibility of the local authority. Approved...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (7 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: The Housing (Disabled Persons and Essential Repairs Grant) Regulations 2001 governs the operation of the disabled persons and essential repairs grant schemes. The regulations came into effect on 19 December 2001. Under the regulations, and with effect from 6 December 2000, my Department recoups to local authorities two thirds of their expenditure on disabled persons' grants to a maximum of...

Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (2 Feb 2006)

Noel Ahern: The establishment of a broad national awards scheme for recognition of notable achievement does not come within my Department's remit. The Joint Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs report on volunteers and volunteering in Ireland advanced a number of proposals on this topic in its recommendations last year on volunteering. Subsequently, I launched a range...

Written Answers — Dormant Accounts Fund: Dormant Accounts Fund (31 Jan 2006)

Noel Ahern: I announced details on 4 January 2006 concerning the allocation of €24 million in 2006 from the dormant accounts fund for the purpose of supporting programmes and types of projects tackling social and economic disadvantage. Details of the announcement are available on the website of my Department, www.pobail.ie. The detailed arrangements to administer the funding measures announced on 4...

Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (31 Jan 2006)

Noel Ahern: The guidelines for the 2005 programme of grants for locally-based community and voluntary organisations set out a list of categories of organisations and activities which are ineligible for funding. Sports clubs are one of those ineligible categories. It was for this reason that the application from the organisation in question was deemed ineligible. It is open to the applicant organisation...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (31 Jan 2006)

Noel Ahern: A sum of €220 million in capital funding is available this year for allocation to local authorities under the shared ownership scheme. Local authorities have been requested to submit a forecast of their requirements under the scheme and they will be advised of their allocation following an assessment of these returns, in the normal way.

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (31 Jan 2006)

Noel Ahern: Local authorities have been asked to submit their 2006 requirements under the annuity loan scheme in the normal way. They will be notified of their allocations, following an assessment of the returns, as soon possible.

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (31 Jan 2006)

Noel Ahern: The low-cost sites scheme allows local authorities to provide housing sites at reasonable cost to assist persons in housing need to provide their own housing. As this is a demand-led scheme operated in the first instance by local authorities, the Department does not make individual financial allocations to local authorities. My Department is examining whether greater use can be made of this...

Written Answers — National Homeless Strategy: National Homeless Strategy (31 Jan 2006)

Noel Ahern: The independent review of the implementation of the integrated and preventative homeless strategies and their associated action plans has been completed and will be published shortly.

Written Answers — Traveller Community: Traveller Community (31 Jan 2006)

Noel Ahern: My Department provides both capital and current funding to local authorities towards the provision and management of Traveller specific accommodation in addition to funding standard local authority accommodation in which Travellers are accommodated. Capital funding for Traveller specific accommodation is provided to local authorities for the construction of new Traveller specific...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (31 Jan 2006)

Noel Ahern: Section 96(3)(d) of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2002 provides that where houses or sites are to be transferred to the planning authority the price of such houses or sites are determined on the basis of building and attributable development costs as agreed between the authority and the developer, including profit on the costs. Following representations made by the Irish Home...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (31 Jan 2006)

Noel Ahern: The system concerned has been developed and is being maintained under a renewable contract with one of the companies named. My Department does not have direct contract with the other company in respect of this project. The software system is operational and is being used to collect data from some financial institutions. We are already receiving details in respect of approximately 25,000...

Written Answers — Drugs Use: Drugs Use (26 Jan 2006)

Noel Ahern: The national drugs strategy contains 108 actions to counteract drug misuse, including the misuse of cocaine and crack cocaine. At present there is no substitution treatment drug for cocaine and existing services such as counselling and behavioural therapy are the best treatments available. In this context, the Health Service Executive has recruited additional counsellors and outreach workers...

Written Answers — Local Drugs Task Forces: Local Drugs Task Forces (26 Jan 2006)

Noel Ahern: As part of the national drugs strategy, ten regional drugs task forces, RDTFs, have been established throughout the country. The RDTFs work in a partnership manner, similar to the local drugs task forces, LDTFs, and are made up of nominees from State agencies working in the region, the community and voluntary sectors and elected public representatives. They cover all parts of the country that...

Written Answers — Voluntary Housing Scheme: Voluntary Housing Scheme (26 Jan 2006)

Noel Ahern: Following the receipt of documentation requested from Kerry County Council, which are responsible for the detailed administration of the voluntary housing scheme in their area, further clarification has been sought from the council on this proposal and is awaited. When this is to hand the application will be further considered by my Department and the council will be advised of the outcome as...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (26 Jan 2006)

Noel Ahern: South Dublin County Council submitted proposals to my Department in September 2005 for funding to undertake a window replacement programme to their own houses in the estates in question. My Department requested further information from the council to enable consideration to be given to the application. On receipt of this information from the council a decision will be made in the matter.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (26 Jan 2006)

Noel Ahern: Bray Town Council notified my Department in July 2005 of its proposals, following a public procurement process to appoint a consultant to undertake a fire safety audit on the houses in the Oldcourt Estate, Bray, County Wicklow. When these plans are more advanced I understand that the council will make a funding submission to the Department, which will be considered.

Written Answers — Security of the Elderly: Security of the Elderly (25 Jan 2006)

Noel Ahern: The matter raised by the Deputy in regard to the operation of the scheme of community supports for older people will be borne in mind when the details of the scheme for 2006 are being finalised.