Results 3,081-3,100 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

Written Answers — Dormant Accounts Fund: Dormant Accounts Fund (6 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Question Nos. 332 and 333 together. The Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Act 2005 provides for significant changes in regard to the disbursement of funds from dormant accounts and for a reconstituted board. The Act was commenced on 1 September 2005. Under this new legislation, the Minister is required to consult with appropriate Ministers for the purpose of developing a proposal...

Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (6 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: As the Deputy may be aware, this is a matter principally for the Health Board Executive and I understand that a grant has already been approved by the executive for the services in question. My Department has, however, indicated that the possibility of providing a small top-up grant will be examined and a decision in this regard will be made in the near future.

Written Answers — Traveller Community: Traveller Community (6 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: My Department's function in regard to Travellers is to ensure an adequate legislative and financial framework is in place within which local authorities, relevant voluntary bodies, and Traveller organisations may provide, or be assisted in the provision of, management and maintenance of accommodation for Travellers. The legislative framework for the provision of accommodation for Travellers...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (6 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: No general income threshold is set by my Department for eligibility for local authority housing. Local authorities are responsible under the Housing Act 1988 for assessing housing needs in accordance with their scheme of letting priorities. In making this assessment, local authorities have regard, inter alia, to the income and family circumstances of the applicant. Persons who are, in the...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (6 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: Houses sold under the various affordable housing schemes at a discount from market value contain a clawback provision, which is necessary to ensure that there is no short-term profiteering on the resale of a house. In the traditional circumstances where local authorities were the sole supplier of mortgage finance for affordable housing, authorities registered the clawback as a charge on the...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (6 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: In selling houses to individuals under the various affordable housing schemes, local authorities provide a variety of services to facilitate the speedy execution of sale transactions. My Department does not have detailed information on the scope of these services. However, as with any other private house purchase, the intending purchaser is responsible for the engagement of their own legal...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (6 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: There are a number of schemes operated by my Department which provide financial assistance for the improvement of houses in order to make them habitable. The essential repairs grant scheme is designed to enable people whose houses cannot be made habitable in all respects at a reasonable cost to have basic repairs carried out. The types of work allowable under the scheme, which is administered...

Written Answers — Homeless Persons: Homeless Persons (6 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 attended by representatives of the statutory...

Written Answers — Homeless Persons: Homeless Persons (6 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 512 and 521 together. The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, through its role as chair of the national steering committee on violence against women, has overall responsibility for issues relating to violence against women. Local authorities and the Health Service Executive are responsible for meeting the accommodation and health care needs of...

Written Answers — Homeless Persons: Homeless Persons (6 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: I refer to the reply to Question Nos. 143 to 147 of 17 November 2005. A meeting is now being arranged with officials of my Department, Fingal County Council and the voluntary body concerned, with a view to clarifying the matters which are outstanding and to discuss ways in which the project can be progressed.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (6 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: The management, maintenance and improvements of rented dwellings is the responsibility of the local authority concerned and the funding of such works is provided by local authorities from their own resources as part of their ongoing maintenance programmes. My Department has given approval under the remedial works scheme for the refurbishment of houses in the county. In this regard I refer to...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (6 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: The Government's commitment to addressing the housing waiting lists is reflected in the 5% increase in the provision for social and affordable housing for 2006 in the recent Abridged Estimates Volume, AEV. This is the first step in the Estimates process and does not take account of any further adjustments, particularly with regard to capital provision, which may be announced on budget day....

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (6 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: The Part V provisions are now fully operational in all local authorities and I am satisfied that they are contributing significantly to the provision of social and affordable housing. The manner to which local authorities avail of Part V arrangements for social and affordable housing is a matter to be determined by individual local authorities based on the housing needs of identified in their...

Written Answers — Homeless Persons: Homeless Persons (6 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 518 and 519 together. Local authorities and the Health Service Executive are responsible for meeting the accommodation and health care needs of homeless persons. It is, therefore, a matter for individual authorities to determine the level of bed and breakfast accommodation to be provided, having regard to the need for such accommodation within their areas....

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (6 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: The €1.3 billion investment programme for housing in 2006, which was announced in the Abridged Estimates Volume, AEV, represents a 5% increase over the 2005 allocation. While investment on this scale will allow for the delivery of a strong programme of social and affordable housing in 2006, the AEV provision does not take account of any further adjustments, particularly with regard to...

Written Answers — Drug Rehabilitation Projects: Drug Rehabilitation Projects (1 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: The North West Training and Development Project is currently in receipt of core funding of approximately €80,000 per annum as part of the north inner city local drugs task force development plan. In addition, FÁS provides funding through its special category community employment scheme for the trainees and supervisor of the project. Issues concerning the provision and funding of staff...

Written Answers — Anti-Social Behaviour: Anti-Social Behaviour (1 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: The Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1997 provides for a range of measures to assist housing authorities in addressing problems arising on their estates from anti-social behaviour. Under the Act anti-social behaviour is defined to include the manufacture, production, preparation, importation, exportation, sale, supply, or distribution of a controlled drug. The Act enables a housing...

Written Answers — Traveller Accommodation: Traveller Accommodation (1 Dec 2005)

Noel Ahern: I understand that, following discussions with my Department, Roscommon County Council is to reconsider design aspects of this proposal in conjunction with the families concerned. The application for funding will be further considered in the Department on receipt from the council of clarification on this issue as well as on the priority of this application vis-À-vis the remainder of its...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (30 Nov 2005)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 55 and 69 together. As I have previously pointed out in the House, I do not accept that the publication of legislation to regulate charities has been subject to delay. In fact, it is only following the establishment of my Department in June 2002, and the setting up of a dedicated charities regulation unit in February 2003, that substantive moves began to be...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (30 Nov 2005)

Noel Ahern: As the Deputy is aware, my Department has overall responsibility for co-ordinating the implementation of the National Drugs Strategy 2001-2008. It also has responsibility for the work of the local and regional drugs task forces as well as the young people's facilities and services fund. Through these initiatives, a range of voluntary and community groups are funded to tackle drug misuse in...