Results 3,281-3,300 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern
- Genetically Modified Organisms. (3 Nov 2005)
Noel Ahern: I thank the Deputy for the opportunity to outline the position on the authorisation by the European Commission on 31 August 2005 of Monsanto GT73 genetically modified oilseed rape. The House is already aware from replies to recent parliamentary questions that Ireland was among a number of member states that abstained in the vote at the Environment Council on 20 December 2004 on the...
- Genetically Modified Organisms. (3 Nov 2005)
Noel Ahern: Another suggestion â this is reflected in the Adjournment motion â is that there will be inevitable and widespread contamination arising from the import of GT73 for animal feed. My understanding is that oilseed rape imported into this country is processed prior to its importation by crushing and its oil extracted. This minimises the possibility of live seed entering the environment. The...
- Written Answers — Charities Sector: Charities Sector (3 Nov 2005)
Noel Ahern: As the Deputy will be aware, there is a clear commitment in An Agreed Programme for Government to regulation of the charities sector through the enactment of a comprehensive reform of charity law in order to ensure accountability and to protect against abuse of charitable status and fraud. The new legislation will introduce an integrated system of mandatory registration, proportionate...
- Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (3 Nov 2005)
Noel Ahern: Kildare County Council was advised of a combined capital allocation for disabled persons' and essential repairs grants of â¬1,050,000 in 2004 and â¬1,500,000 in 2005. Kildare County Council's expenditure in respect of those two grant schemes in 2004 was â¬1,092,053. Expenditure in 2005 in respect of those two schemes stood at â¬964,036 at the end of September 2005, according to a return...
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (3 Nov 2005)
Noel Ahern: Kildare County Council published proposed changes to the draft Magee Barracks local area plan and invited written submissions or observations with respect to the proposed amendments to the draft plan to be made within the period from 29 August 2005 to 10 October 2005. It is understood that the council will consider those submissions or observations at its next meeting on 28 November 2005....
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (3 Nov 2005)
Noel Ahern: The construction of all new local authority flat complexes and the material alteration of existing complexes are governed by Parts A to M, inclusive, of the national building regulations and the related technical guidance documents published by my Department. Part B and the associated technical guidance documents relate to fire safety.
- Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (3 Nov 2005)
Noel Ahern: I refer to the reply to Question No. 210 of 21 October 2004. The position is unchanged.
- Written Answers — Women's Refuges: Women's Refuges (3 Nov 2005)
Noel Ahern: 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. Details of the number and location of women's refuges in existence or planned is not available in my Department. As regards the provision of accommodation, capital funding is...
- Written Answers — Women's Refuges: Women's Refuges (3 Nov 2005)
Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 321 and 322 together. Capital funding is available through my Department's capital assistance scheme to approved voluntary housing bodies to provide accommodation to meet special housing needs, such as elderly, homeless or persons with disabilities and may include accommodation for victims of domestic violence. The Department's involvement with the scheme...
- Anti-Social Behaviour. (3 Nov 2005)
Noel Ahern: I am speaking on behalf of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform who is unfortunately unable to be present. The Minister and I share the Deputy's concerns about anti-social and unlawful behaviour by gangs of youths at Hallowe'en and at other times of the year. Strong provisions are already in place to combat anti-social and unlawful behaviour. The primary basis for the law...
- Written Answers — Security of the Elderly: Security of the Elderly (2 Nov 2005)
Noel Ahern: The experience of the operation of the scheme of community support for older people in 2005 will be borne in mind when finalising the operational details of the scheme for 2006. However, it is worth pointing out that I have recently approved the first tranche of funding to some 100 applicant groups, which has enabled earlier payments than in previous years. Assessment of the remaining...
- Seanad: Social and Affordable Housing. (2 Nov 2005)
Noel Ahern: I thank the Senator for raising this matter. Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2004 is fully operational and all relevant residential planning applications are now subject to a Part V agreement. Apart from the provision of housing units to the local authority on-site or off-site, an agreement under Part V may provide for a range of other options. Notwithstanding the...
- Written Answers — Security of the Elderly: Security of the Elderly (27 Oct 2005)
Noel Ahern: The purpose of the scheme of community support for older people is to encourage and assist the community's support for older people by means of a community based grant scheme to improve the security of its older members. Funding under the scheme can be provided for door locks, door chains and window locks; security lighting; smoke alarms and the once-off cost of installing socially monitored...
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (27 Oct 2005)
Noel Ahern: The most recent three yearly assessment of need for social housing was carried out by local authorities in March 2005. Returns were received in my Department over the summer period and the overall data are being finalised and will be published very shortly. Information as to extent of Leitrim's housing waiting list and the length of time households have been on the waiting list along with...
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (27 Oct 2005)
Noel Ahern: I assume that the question refers to voluntary bodies approved by my Department, of which there are currently over 600, for the purpose of providing housing under the capital assistance and capital loan and subsidy schemes, although these bodies are not required to register with local authorities. A list of the approved bodies is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as...
- Seanad: Water and Sewerage Schemes. (27 Oct 2005)
Noel Ahern: I thank the Senator for raising this issue. The provision of modern environmental infrastructure to support social and economic objectives has been a major focus of Government spending over the past number of years. Towards this end there has been unprecedented investment by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government under the national development plan on water and...
- Seanad: Waste Management. (27 Oct 2005)
Noel Ahern: I thank Senator Cummins for raising this issue. The Waste Management (Farm Plastics) Regulations 2001 require manufacturers and importers of farm plastics to take steps to recover farm plastic waste they have placed on the market or contribute to and participate in compliance schemes to recover the waste in question. A farm plastics recovery scheme has been operated by the IFFPG since 1997,...
- Written Answers — Voluntary Sector: Voluntary Sector (26 Oct 2005)
Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 101 and 133 together. I refer the Deputy to my response to Questions Nos. 305 and 308 on 8 March 2005, in which I outlined a package of measures to provide support for volunteering. The measures were redesigned to deepen and strengthen the existing volunteering infrastructure, to develop and expand volunteering infrastructure at local and community level, to...
- Written Answers — Drug Use: Drug Use (26 Oct 2005)
Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 103 and 134 together. As Deputies are aware, my Department has overall responsibility for co-ordinating the implementation of the national drugs strategy 2001-08. The strategy contains 108 individual actions to be implemented by a range of Departments and agencies. As I have outlined to this House on a number of occasions, I am confident that, through the...
- Written Answers — Drug Treatment Programme: Drug Treatment Programme (26 Oct 2005)
Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 110 and 114 together. As the Deputies may be aware, rehabilitation emerged as a key issue during the mid-term review of the national drugs strategy. The conclusion of the steering group overseeing the review, with which I agree, was that the strategy's rehabilitation provisions needed to be strengthened and expanded, particularly in light of the significant...