Results 3,221-3,240 of 7,024 for speaker:Willie Penrose

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (21 Jul 2011)

Willie Penrose: Local authority rents are set in accordance with a rent scheme adopted by each local council. The making and amending of these rent schemes are an integral part of a housing authority's housing management functions, subject to broad principles laid down by my Department in Circular letter HRT 3/2002 of 6 March 2002. Section 31 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 will...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (21 Jul 2011)

Willie Penrose: My Department continues to work closely with Dublin City Council in progressing its regeneration programme for the former PPP projects at St. Michael's Estate, O'Devaney Gardens, Dominick Street, St. Theresa's Gardens, Croke Villas, and Dolphin House. To support this programme, I have made an allocation of €7 million available to the Council this year to support the construction works at...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (21 Jul 2011)

Willie Penrose: My Department provides funding for senior citizen housing projects through a number of capital funding mechanisms, including the Social Housing Investment Programme, Capital Assistance Scheme and the Improvement Works Programme, the allocations for which are provided to Dublin City Council on a annual basis. There is no specific allocation for senior citizen projects within the overall...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (21 Jul 2011)

Willie Penrose: Compilation of the detailed information sought, with regard to the number, location, status, value and decisions made or pending in relation to all applications received from local authorities in respect of proposals by individual approved housing bodies over the past four years, would involve an inordinate amount of staff time and resources. My Department will compile a spreadsheet, showing...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (21 Jul 2011)

Willie Penrose: A statutory assessment of housing need is carried out every three years by all housing authorities. Data for the 2011 Assessment of Housing Need is currently being compiled by the Housing Agency and will be published as soon as possible. The last assessment took place in 2008 and indicated that there were 56,249 households in need of social housing support. Detailed information on this...

Written Answers — Derelict Sites: Derelict Sites (21 Jul 2011)

Willie Penrose: I propose to take Questions Nos. 480 and 481 together. I understand that the Questions refer to the actions taken by Dublin City Council in meeting their obligations under the Derelict Sites Act 1990. The Derelict Sites Act 1990 provides that local authorities are required to take all reasonable steps, including the exercise of appropriate statutory powers, to ensure that any land within...

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (21 Jul 2011)

Willie Penrose: The Residential Tenancies Act 2004 applies to every dwelling that is the subject of a tenancy, subject to a limited number of exceptions which are set out in section 3(2) of the Act. Where a dwelling is occupied by a person under an arrangement or agreement which is not a tenancy or under a tenancy to which the Act does not apply, the PRTB does not have any function in the registration of...

Written Answers — Unfinished Housing Developments: Unfinished Housing Developments (21 Jul 2011)

Willie Penrose: The unfinished housing developments safety initiative was introduced earlier this year to deal with the health and safety issues presented by unfinished estates. My Department has allocated an initial €5 million to allow local authorities to identify such estates and make application for funding to alleviate the problem. To date 237 developments have been identified as qualifying for...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (21 Jul 2011)

Willie Penrose: Section 29 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 provides for the prescription of different forms of local authority tenancies. In fulfilment of the commitment outlined in the Programme for Government, consideration will be given to making regulations providing for probationary tenancies, and their termination in the event of anti-social behaviour, when section 29 is being...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (21 Jul 2011)

Willie Penrose: In view of the fact that the Domestic Violence Act 1996 provides a legal framework within which the victims of domestic violence can seek a range of remedies in the courts to suit particular circumstances, I have no proposals to extend the statutory powers of housing authorities in relation to anti-social behaviour in local authority housing to cover cases of domestic violence.

Written Answers — Homeless Persons: Homeless Persons (21 Jul 2011)

Willie Penrose: There are a number of measures available to housing authorities for dealing with persons made homeless as a result of domestic violence. I will, however, consider whether further safeguards need to be introduced in the context of future legislation.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (21 Jul 2011)

Willie Penrose: A new standard procedure for assessing applicants for social housing was introduced in every housing authority on 1 April 2011. The new assessment system includes a requirement that applicants only need to apply to one housing authority to be placed on up to three waiting lists, provides for the use of a standard application form and sets maximum net income limits based on the cost of housing...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (21 Jul 2011)

Willie Penrose: My Department issued approval to Dublin City Council in September 2009 for the acquisition of 112 social units and associated ancillary facilities, including community and day care facilities at Spencer Dock, in the sum of €34.5 million. It is understood that a number of legal issues have arisen in connection with the planning of the development. Until these are resolved it is not possible...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (21 Jul 2011)

Willie Penrose: The Dublin Docklands Development Authority was established both to secure the social and economic regeneration of the Dublin Docklands area on a sustainable basis and to secure improvements in its physical environment. Since its establishment in 1997, the Authority has overseen the urban regeneration of the Dublin Docklands area into a vibrant city quarter, realising considerable achievements...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed). (21 Jul 2011)

Willie Penrose: While I appreciate the reasoning behind this amendment, I do not propose to accept it. Senator Wilson is trying to take account of a situation where European elections or local authority elections might be held close to a by-election. We must bear in mind from where we are coming with regard to the proposed amendment of section 29 of the Electoral Act 1992. Up to now the position has been...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (21 Jul 2011)

Willie Penrose: I thought commissions were set up to ensure there would be no gerrymandering. I am sure they are fair. We cannot have our loaf and eat it in this regard. I was not around at the time, but perhaps the perception - which is everything - was that additions were being made to constituencies to suit a Minister with a strong vote in a certain area.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (21 Jul 2011)

Willie Penrose: In fairness, the commission will be independent. In reply to Senator Wilson who always asks a prescient question, the membership of the commission is set down in law. Section 7 of the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2009 reads: A Constituency Commission shall consist of the following members: (a) (i) a judge of the Supreme Court, or (ii) following consultation with the President of the High...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (21 Jul 2011)

Willie Penrose: I am very proud that it is known as the Lake County and of everything we have available in Westmeath. We have tremendous facilities. If the Senator ever visits the county, he will find the finest of equestrian facilities, lakes and much more and will be very welcome. I am a little miffed and aggrieved that part of north Westmeath was hived off in forming the constituency of Meath West....

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (21 Jul 2011)

Willie Penrose: I am quite happy to speak to the section but I like to reply to each individual who makes a contribution. Senator Cullinane, for whom I have the height of respect, is perceptive but he appears to have missed the point. In his Second Stage contribution the Minister, Deputy Hogan, highlighted the Government's intention to reduce the size and the cost of Government. The change to the...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (21 Jul 2011)

Willie Penrose: There is no use talking about the average industrial wage. I have brothers on the average industrial wage, and I will not be lectured on that. I have been there. I set up my own business and I know the difference between being employed and being self-employed. Most people work 39 hours a week but my average working week is approximately 70 hours. If that was factored over a period per...