Results 3,241-3,260 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

Housing Policy: Statements (Resumed). (16 Nov 2005)

Noel Ahern: Where is this scheme on the council list?

Housing Policy: Statements (Resumed). (16 Nov 2005)

Noel Ahern: Where is it on the council priority list?

Housing Policy: Statements (Resumed). (16 Nov 2005)

Noel Ahern: Did the council make it number one on its list?

Housing Policy: Statements (Resumed). (16 Nov 2005)

Noel Ahern: I thank all the Members who spoke for their contributions. The Government has set extremely ambitious housing goals which it is delivering. The important point is that we are delivering record levels of housing in general as well as record levels of investment in social and affordable housing. Today, I listened to some Members who came into the House to complain about the lack of housing in...

Housing Policy: Statements (Resumed). (16 Nov 2005)

Noel Ahern: ——one third of the funds. If there is a problem in County Galway, it is because the local councillors decided to change the mix or decided not to provide one third of the funding.

Seanad: Departmental Properties. (16 Nov 2005)

Noel Ahern: I thank the Senators for raising the matter. The identification and disposal of State land by various Departments and Government agencies for affordable housing is part of the affordable housing initiative. As the House is aware, this initiative was included as part of one of the ten special initiatives in the Sustaining Progress partnership agreement. The initiative is aimed at those who in...

Seanad: Departmental Properties. (16 Nov 2005)

Noel Ahern: What is the rumour locally? Is it suggested that the land is being given for the affordable housing initiative or that it is being sold privately?

Seanad: Departmental Properties. (16 Nov 2005)

Noel Ahern: Some years ago the Government made an agreement with the social partners. Under that agreement, we agreed to provide 10,000 houses under the affordable housing initiative. We did a trawl of different Departments and agencies for suitable land. The Athenry site was provided by the Minister for Agriculture and Food at the time and the HSE suggested it might have other land available in various...

Seanad: Departmental Properties. (16 Nov 2005)

Noel Ahern: My interest is housing. The land coming to us from different Departments and agencies was land that was in their ownership for years and was surplus to any short or medium-term need. It would seem strange, therefore, that land recently bought would be transferred. What we wanted — I am coming at this from the point of view of affordable housing rather than hospital services — was free...

Seanad: Departmental Properties. (16 Nov 2005)

Noel Ahern: I do not need to know those details until I am offered the land. Any land we get is deemed surplus land not required for medium-term requirements. However, I have not received any land yet. These sites were only up for consideration. I do not know whether we will get part or all of what was suggested. We expect finalisation of the HSE examination soon.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (15 Nov 2005)

Noel Ahern: An application has been received by my Department from the company in question under the 2005 programme of grants for locally-based community and voluntary organisations. The process of assessment of the large number of applications received under the programme is nearing completion and I expect to be deciding on qualifying applications over the coming weeks.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (15 Nov 2005)

Noel Ahern: Persons in receipt of rent supplementation are eligible for the rental accommodation scheme, RAS. Some recipients of rent supplement have part-time work or participate in community employment schemes. These persons would be eligible to transfer to RAS if they are deemed to have a long-term housing need. Following transfer to RAS, persons may obtain full-time employment and remain within the...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (15 Nov 2005)

Noel Ahern: This High Court case, to which my Department was not a party, related to the terms for the purchase by certain tenants of maisonettes from Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. The resulting judgment is being examined by my Department with a view to identifying any need to amend regulations or guidance to local authorities in consequence of the judgment. Pending completion of this...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (15 Nov 2005)

Noel Ahern: Mayo County Council submitted preliminary proposals in July 2005 to my Department for remedial works to a significant range of local authority houses in its functional area. Following the submission of further information, my Department was in a position to issue approval to the council in September 2005 to accept tenders for the refurbishment of rural houses in the Belmullet area. In order...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (15 Nov 2005)

Noel Ahern: My Department informed Kildare County Council in June 2005 of a site subsidy of €133,929 for the eight individual sites in the Celbridge scheme. There is no application with my Department from the council concerning a site subsidy for the scheme in Leixlip. The level of low cost site subsidy provided by my Department for a local authority under the low cost site scheme varies from location...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (15 Nov 2005)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 655 and 684 together. A tabular statement gives details of the combined capital allocation for disabled persons and essential repairs grants notified to each local authority in 2004, the combined expenditure on the schemes in 2004 by each local authority and the combined capital allocations for both schemes notified to authorities in 2005. In 2004 the capital...

Written Answers — Housing Management Companies: Housing Management Companies (15 Nov 2005)

Noel Ahern: I refer the Deputy to the reply to Question No. 97 of 25 October 2005. As indicated, arrangements for managing and maintaining the communal elements of private apartment complexes are increasingly being addressed by management companies. These are constituted under the Companies Acts and are required to comply with the provisions of company law, which is the responsibility of the Minister for...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (15 Nov 2005)

Noel Ahern: Under the terms of the current tenant purchase scheme, the price of a dwelling is its market value in its existing state of repair and condition less discounts related to the length of tenancy. A sum of €3,809 is also deducted from the market value. Any increase in the market value of the dwelling due to improvements made by the tenant is disregarded in calculating the amount to be paid....

Written Answers — Women's Refuges: Women's Refuges (15 Nov 2005)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 666 and 667 together. I assume that the question refers to assistance from my Department under the voluntary housing capital loan and subsidy scheme for a proposed project by Sonas Housing Association in Blanchardstown. An application for funding under this scheme has been received from Fingal County Council; clarification on a number of aspects has been...

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

Noel Ahern: The intention of the Oireachtas, as set out in section 14 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2002, is that housing authorities should be permitted to take account, in the determination of rents or other payments from tenants, of cost incurred by the housing authority in relation to insurance or to any management services provided for the dwelling. However, the degree of any impact...