Results 3,041-3,060 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (15 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: No application has been received by my Department under the 2005 scheme of community support for older people, for a group in the Derrygorman area. I attach, for information, a list of groups in the Mayo area, should the individual in question wish to make an application under the 2006 scheme, which will be advertised early next year. Organisation Address Phone Number Parkside...

Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (15 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: The group will be notified of the result of its application shortly.

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (15 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: I assume the question refers to my Department's voluntary housing capital assistance scheme, CAS, where funding is available to approved housing bodies for the provision of housing accommodation for persons with special needs, such as the elderly, homeless or persons with disabilities. All local authorities have developed five-year action plans for social and affordable housing, involving a...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (15 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: My Department gave approval to Mayo County Council to accept a tender in respect of the rural house in question on 20 September 2005. This clears the way for the council to enter into a contract and commence construction of the house.

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (15 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: I refer to the reply to Question No. 508 of 6 December 2005. Persons who would not qualify for assistance under the essential repairs grant, disabled persons grant or special housing aid for the elderly schemes may, if they would otherwise be in need of local authority housing, qualify to have works carried out under the scheme of improvement works in lieu of local authority housing....

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (15 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: The combined capital allocation to local authorities for the disabled persons and essential repairs grant schemes represents not a grant, but the maximum total amount which authorities are authorised to spend on the schemes in the year in which the allocation is made. Expenditure on the grant schemes is funded by the two-thirds recoupment available from my Department together with the...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (15 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 455 and 460 together. A review of Part V, which was promised in An Agreed Programme for Government, was undertaken by my Department in consultation with major stakeholders in 2002. These included local authorities, professional institutes, social housing providers and other social housing interests, in addition to the Irish Home Builders Association which...

Written Answers — Local Authority Staff: Local Authority Staff (15 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: Carrick-on-Suir Town Council's application under my Department's 2005 housing management initiative grant scheme in respect of the employment of a tenant liaison officer was approved in June 2005.

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (15 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: The manner to which local authorities avail of Part V arrangements for social and affordable housing is a matter to be determined by local authorities based on the housing needs identified in their housing strategies. My Department has not refused to sanction houses which are to be transferred to a local authority in accordance with an agreement under Part V. However, my Department would be...

Water and Sewerage Schemes. (14 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. The Scarriff, Feakle and Quilty sewerage scheme, which includes Mullagh and the Carrigaholt, Labasheeda and Cooraclare scheme are being procured as two separate group projects. They are approved for construction in my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2004-2006 and are part of a package of more than 20 water and sewerage schemes,...

Social and Affordable Housing. (14 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: I thank Deputy Walsh for raising this matter. As he knows, the affordable housing initiative was one of the ten special initiatives in Sustaining Progress. The Government is committed to delivery of affordable housing under this initiative. No doubt, the House is aware that progress is being made on the initiative and Part V affordable units are an important contribution to it. Approximately...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (14 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 247, 249 and 251 together. As I pointed out in my reply to Question No. 336 on 13 December, it was brought to my attention last year that demands for services in a number of local drugs task force areas were arising in the context of changing trends in drug misuse. In view of this I announced an emerging needs fund earlier this year. The emerging needs fund...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (14 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: The task forces are, for the most part, currently implementing their second round of action plans and it is only in the current year that full implementation of some of these plans has been achieved. Before even considering the development of further strategies I feel it would be prudent to evaluate what has been achieved by the local drug task forces to date. This matter is currently...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (14 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: As I said in my reply to question No. 334 yesterday, I received a letter from the individual concerned in which he indicated his intention to resign his position as representative of the community sector on the national drugs strategy team. His contribution to the national drugs strategy is acknowledged and appreciated. The issues raised in his letter of resignation focus on the emerging...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (14 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: My Department has recently published the results of the 2005 housing needs assessment which indicate that the number of households in need of social housing has fallen by almost 10% from 48,413 households in 2002 to 43,684 households in 2005. A breakdown of the number of households by each local authority is available on my Department's website at www.environ.ie. My Department does not have...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (14 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: My Department recently gave approval in principle to Westmeath County Council to refurbish seven housing estates in the county, including Dalton Park in Mullingar, under the remedial works scheme. I understand that the council will undertake a pilot phase on Dalton Park. The council has been requested to draw up detailed plans and costings for Dalton Park for submission to my Department prior...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (14 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: The number of house improvement loans paid by local authorities in the past three years is set out in the table. Year Number of loans paid 2002 502 2003 533 2004 381 Details of the number of applications made to local authorities are not available in my Department.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (14 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: I recently announced a revised loan limit of €185,000 for social and affordable housing schemes as part of the publication of the new housing policy framework. The new limit will apply from January 2006.

Written Answers — Homeless Persons: Homeless Persons (14 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: Local authorities and the Health Service Executive are responsible for meeting the accommodation and health care needs of homeless persons. The Government's integrated and preventative strategies on homelessness provide the framework within which the agencies fulfil these responsibilities. Under the terms of the integrated strategy, homeless fora, representatives of the statutory and...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (14 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: Local authorities have responsibility for the assessment of housing need within their areas and the development of individual projects at local level to respond to these. All local authorities have developed five year action plans covering the full range of social and affordable housing interventions across the range of needs. My Department has approved these plans for all authorities and...