Results 3,441-3,460 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (4 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: The Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 1993 specify the minimum standards applying to rented accommodation, both private and social. While the regulations specify minimum standards, I do not accept that they provide insufficient protection for tenants. Accommodation that fully complies with the existing regulations will be of an acceptable standard. As the regulations are now...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (4 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: A preliminary report has been submitted to my Department by Dublin City Council setting out an outline of the scope of regeneration proposals for the Charlemont Street flats, including the Tom Kelly flats complex. As this is a preliminary report, the matter will require detailed consideration by the Department, in consultation with Dublin City Council, of the nature and extent of the proposed...

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (4 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 536 and 557 together. Under the rental accommodation scheme, RAS, announced by the Government in July 2004, local authorities will, over a four-year period, progressively assume responsibility for accommodating supplementary welfare allowance, SWA, rent supplement recipients of 18 months or more continuous duration with a long-term housing need. The RAS is a...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (4 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: My Department approved a grant of €185,500 to Sligo County Council in May 2005 for the installation of central heating and related energy improvement works in 36 local authority houses. Arrangements for the commencement of the works are a matter for the council.

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (4 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: An inspection, with a view to the issuing of a certificate of reasonable cost, is being arranged and will take place as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (4 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: I refer to my reply to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 1389 and 1326 of 28 September 2005. Dublin City Council has sought to develop a set of proposals for the sale of flats to tenants, the latest version of which was received in my Department on 29 June 2005. These proposals, which are still at a developmental stage, are being considered in the context of the examination of the range of social...

Written Answers — Violence Against Women: Violence Against Women (4 Oct 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. In relation to accommodation, capital funding is available through my Department's capital assistance scheme to voluntary housing bodies to provide accommodation to meet special...

Planning Issues. (29 Sep 2005)

Noel Ahern: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. A new provision was included in the Planning and Development Act 2000 — section 34(4) — enabling local authorities to add a condition to a planning permission relating to maintenance or management of a proposed development, including the appointment of a person or body to carry implement it. The primary objective of this measure was to give a...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (29 Sep 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 decide on qualifying applications early in November 2005.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (29 Sep 2005)

Noel Ahern: Detailed proposals were received in my Department from Mayo County Council in July 2005 for a range of remedial works to be carried out to a significant number of local authority houses in a number of areas across the functional area of the council. My Department has recently issued approval to the council to accept tenders for the refurbishment of rural houses in the Belmullet area. In order...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (29 Sep 2005)

Noel Ahern: Under the rental accommodation scheme, RAS, announced by the Government in July 2004, local authorities will, over a four-year period, progressively assume responsibility for accommodating supplementary welfare allowance or SWA rent supplement recipients of 18 months or more continuous duration with a long-term housing need. The RAS is a collaborative project between my Department, local...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (29 Sep 2005)

Noel Ahern: Detailed information on the number of local authority house starts and completions for the last five years is available in the annual housing statistics bulletins published by my Department, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library. Figures for 2004 are also available on my Department's website at www.environ.ie. New multi-annual action plans have been prepared by local...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (29 Sep 2005)

Noel Ahern: As indicated in reply to Parliamentary Question No. 1058 of 12 April 2005, the provision of appropriate heating systems is eligible for funding under both the disabled persons and essential repairs grant schemes. Decisions on the type and extent of work which may be grant aided in individual cases are matters for the local authority administering these schemes in their functional areas. My...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (29 Sep 2005)

Noel Ahern: The level of low cost site subsidy provided by my Department to a local authority under the low cost site scheme varies from location to location depending on factors including the acquisition and development costs of the sites. The price at which the local authority intends to sell such sites to housing applicants is a matter to be determined by individual local authorities and the amount...

Written Answers — Dormant Accounts: Dormant Accounts (28 Sep 2005)

Noel Ahern: The Deputy will be aware that decisions on the disbursement of funds from dormant accounts moneys under the initial round of funding were a matter for the Dormant Accounts Fund Disbursements Board. My reply to Question No. 440 of 30 June 2005 refers. The board is an independent body established under the Dormant Accounts Acts. The board engaged Area Development Management Limited, ADM, to...

Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (28 Sep 2005)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 837 to 839, inclusive, together. An application has been received by my Department from the groups 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...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (28 Sep 2005)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1326 and 1389 together. Tenant purchase schemes have been an important feature of housing policy for many years and have made a significant contribution to improving the social mix within housing estates as well as meeting the aspirations of many tenants to own their own homes. The sale of local authority flats, however, raises difficult legal, contractual and...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (28 Sep 2005)

Noel Ahern: Total Exchequer spending on housing programmes amounted to just over €1 billion or 0.7% of GDP in 2004. The Exchequer provision was increased to €1.3 billion in 2005, and when non-voted expenditure is taken into account the gross spending on housing programmes is expected to reach some €2 billion or 1.3% of GDP. Other areas of public investment such as servicing of land, provision of...

Written Answers — Housing Aid for the Elderly: Housing Aid for the Elderly (28 Sep 2005)

Noel Ahern: The allocation to the Health Service Executive southern area for housing aid for the elderly scheme for the last five years is set out in the following table. Year Allocation â'¬ 2005 2,200,000 2004 1,620,000 2003 1,055,000 2002 1,349,579 2001 1,269,738 It is a matter for the Health Service Executive southern area to apportion funding to each community care area.

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (28 Sep 2005)

Noel Ahern: Kerry County Council was notified of a combined capital allocation of €1.76 million for the payment of disabled person's and essential repairs grants for 2005. Allocations to Kerry County Council over the previous three years are contained in the following table. Year Allocation â'¬ 2004 1,760,000 2003 1,378,000 2002 1,300,000 The 2002 allocation represented a combined...