Results 3,341-3,360 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 182 and 694 together. The nature of and demand for social housing varies among European countries depending on need and policy approaches also reflect this diversity of conditions. Overall national housing output provides a more straightforward point of comparison, and in this context the Government's approach to increasing overall supply has had major success...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 186 and 194 together. The Government has been making substantial progress in addressing the concerns raised in the NESC report and the report of the All-Party Committee on the Constitution with record housing output levels and increased investment in social and affordable housing measures. The recently launched affordable homes partnership provides further...

Written Answers — Local Authority Land Development: Local Authority Land Development (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: Local authorities are empowered to dispose of land in accordance with section 211 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 and Article 206 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001. In general, any land previously acquired by a local authority may be sold, leased or exchanged subject to such conditions as the local authority considers necessary in order to secure the best use of that...

Written Answers — Homeless Persons: Homeless Persons (25 Oct 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, representative of the statutory and voluntary...

Written Answers — House Prices: House Prices (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: The unprecedented demand for housing consequent of rapid economic growth and demographic changes has been the major driver of house price increases in recent years. While precise information is not available, it is clear there has been significant activity over this period by investors and owners of second properties. This is to be expected in a growing economy. Although at different times...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: An application has been received by my Department from the group 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 ongoing and I expect to be deciding on qualifying applications early in November 2005.

Written Answers — Security of the Elderly: Security of the Elderly (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 438 and 439 together. The scheme of community support for older people encourages and assists local support for older people by means of a community-based grant scheme to improve the security of its older members through the provision of security devices including pendant alarms. The scheme is administered by community and voluntary organisations throughout...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: Under my Department's voluntary housing capital assistance scheme, accommodation may be provided for persons with special needs such as the elderly, homeless or persons with disabilities. Funding of €238,642 was made available to Leitrim County Council in 2002 towards the provision of accommodation for persons with disabilities. My Department also provides a combined allocation for local...

Written Answers — Sheltered Housing: Sheltered Housing (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: Following the receipt of documentation requested from Donegal County Council, which is responsible for the detailed administration of the voluntary housing scheme in its area, further clarification has been sought from the council and is awaited. When this is to hand the application will be considered by my Department and the council will be advised of the outcome as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Housing Projects: Housing Projects (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: The Affordable Homes Partnership was established with effect from 1 August 2005 under the terms of the Affordable Homes Partnership (Establishment) Order 2005, copies of which have been placed in the Oireachtas Library. In the short period since its appointment, the board of the partnership has already met on two occasions. An interim chief executive officer has taken up duty, arrangements...

Written Answers — Housing Projects: Housing Projects (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: Under the amendment made to the terms of my Department's voluntary housing capital assistance scheme in November 2001, up to 25% of accommodation in new projects provided throughout the country by individual voluntary housing bodies with funding under the scheme may be allocated to elderly returning emigrants who satisfy eligibility criteria in relation to their present circumstances and are...

Written Answers — Housing Projects: Housing Projects (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: Preliminary documentation has been received from Mayo County Council in regard to the refurbishment of housing estates in the county including the estate in question. My Department recently wrote to the council requesting that it submit a schedule of proposed remedial works over the next three years at various locations throughout the county to enable the council and the Department examine...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: The management and control of local authority dwellings is vested in and exercised by the housing authority concerned subject to compliance with regulations and statutory provisions. The Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 1993 lay down minimum physical standards which the dwelling must meet. The development of policy and procedures for re-lets is a matter for the individual...

Written Answers — Housing Aid for the Elderly: Housing Aid for the Elderly (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: A total of €2.66 million for the operation of the scheme was allocated to the Health Service Executive south eastern area for 2005. The overall provision for the scheme in 2005 has been fully allocated by the task force, who administer the scheme under the aegis of my Department, and no additional funding is available in the current year.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: Information for 2004 and up to June 2005, on the number of loan approvals and loans paid under the shared ownership scheme, which were made by each local authority, is set out in the following table: The income eligibility and maximum loan limits applying to the shared ownership scheme were reviewed and increased substantially in July 2004 and these are kept under continuous review....

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: The first resale of houses sold under the tenant purchase scheme requires the consent of the local authority. This condition applies for a period of 20 years. This restriction does not apply to second or subsequent purchasers. Neither does the restriction apply to a lending agency, so that in the event of default on a mortgage taken out by the purchaser, the lending agency will be able to...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: Details of the number of local authority dwellings without a central heating system at 31 December 2004 have been requested from local authorities. On the basis of the returns received to date my Department estimates the number of such dwellings to be 36,000.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: A total of €1.1 million in capital funding has been provided to date to Kilkenny Borough Council for refurbishment work to houses in Ossory Park. My Department understands that work to 15 houses has been completed with work to a further four houses due for completion shortly. The next phase of the refurbishment involves the redevelopment of part of Ossory Park known as Lower Street. It is...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: It is anticipated that the results of the most recent assessment of need for social housing which was carried out in March 2005 will be published shortly. In the light of the results of the assessment my Department will be examining the extent and nature of need and how the needs of households can best be met from the range of targeted social and affordable housing measures that are...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (25 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: Investment on housing under the national development plan in the period 2000 to 2004, at €6.86 billion, was almost 8% ahead of NDP estimates. While output levels for social housing by the local authority and voluntary sector have been less than anticipated, record levels of completions have been achieved and the needs of 60,000 households have been met under a range of social and affordable...