Results 3,521-3,540 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

Voluntarism Support. (29 Jun 2005)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 18 and 34 together. The progress on the new volunteering package, which I announced in March 2005, is as follows. Core funding will be provided to six volunteer bureaux, totalling €900,000 over the next three years. The Department has recently provided funding to the Ballyfermot volunteer bureau and, subject to completion of contracts, funding for 2005...

Voluntarism Support. (29 Jun 2005)

Noel Ahern: I do not think so. The package announced was for €2 million per annum, which is all we can do at present. It includes the aspect on second level and third level. The young social innovators annual showcase awards were held in Dublin six weeks ago. About 2,000 students were at it and the project is done in transition year. That group existed before we got this funding, but the funding, at...

Written Answers — Housing Policy: Housing Policy (28 Jun 2005)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 37 and 136 together. The NESC housing report endorses the Government's general approach to housing policy while highlighting important policy challenges ahead. These include ensuring a high quality sustainable development in both urban and rural areas, assisting the market to maintain a high level of supply and providing an effective range of supports to those...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (28 Jun 2005)

Noel Ahern: I refer to the reply to Question No. 25 of 28 June 2005. I am satisfied that Part V is contributing significantly to the provision of social and affordable housing. Its operation has been kept under continuous review and this will be monitored.

Written Answers — Housing Policy: Housing Policy (28 Jun 2005)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 64 and 135 together. Taxation policy is a matter for the Minister for Finance. However, there is ongoing liaison between my Department and the Department of Finance regarding the impact of taxation measures on the housing market. The Department of Finance and the Office of the Revenue Commissioners have initiated a detailed review of certain tax incentive...

Written Answers — Homeless Persons: Homeless Persons (28 Jun 2005)

Noel Ahern: It is recognised that a comprehensive data system is essential to monitor progress in addressing homelessness. In response to this, the Homeless Agency, in conjunction with homeless service providers in Dublin, developed the LINK system in 2001 with funding provided by my Department. The purpose of the system is to improve and develop services and service delivery to homeless persons to...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (28 Jun 2005)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 70 and 139 together. I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 137 and 170 of 18 May 2005 in which I indicated that the Department of Social and Family Affairs had been asked to look into this matter and to take such actions as it considered appropriate.

Written Answers — Disabled Person's Grant Scheme: Disabled Person's Grant Scheme (28 Jun 2005)

Noel Ahern: The administration of the disabled person's grants scheme is delegated to local authorities within the framework laid down in statutory regulations; as far as practicable, this is designed to give an appropriate degree of flexibility at local level. The majority of authorities have reviewed their schemes in recent years to streamline their operation and have introduced a variety of mechanisms...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (28 Jun 2005)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 74 and 110 together. Since the beginning of the national development plan, spending by local authorities on social housing has been ahead of target. My Department, in its overall responsibility for managing housing capital budgets, seeks to ensure that these are allocated in accordance with individual needs to ensure that these resources are spent as...

Written Answers — Rental Accommodation Scheme: Rental Accommodation Scheme (28 Jun 2005)

Noel Ahern: I refer to the reply to Question No. 1078 of 12 April 2005 on general progress on the rental accommodation scheme. To date no households have transferred to the scheme. The lead authorities, Dublin, Limerick and Galway City Councils, South Dublin, Offaly, Westmeath and Donegal County Councils and Drogheda Borough Council, are scheduled to commence the transfer of households from July. All...

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

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 105 and 779 together. The most recent triennial statutory assessment of need took place in March 2005. This assessment is intended to be the most rigorous to date as it requires local authorities to collect detailed data on all households on the waiting lists. For the first time, an IT framework has been developed which will enable my Department to analyse...

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

Noel Ahern: Details of expenditure incurred on the main local authority housing construction-acquisition programme in the years 2000 to 2004, which is funded by a combination of Exchequer capital grants and local authority internal capital receipts, are set out in the following table. Local authority housing construction-acquisition programme: Expenditure 2000-2004. 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004...

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

Noel Ahern: The housing management initiatives grant scheme was established in 1995 to fund innovative and practical pilot projects designed to improve the performance by local authorities — and latterly, other bodies with housing functions — of their housing management functions. The grants cover 90% of staff costs and 50% of administrative costs, with the balance being met by the recipient. Some...

Written Answers — Security of the Elderly: Security of the Elderly (28 Jun 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. The scheme is administered by local community and voluntary groups with the support of the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs on an annual basis. To apply...

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

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 478 to 483, inclusive, together. The programme of grants for locally-based community and voluntary organisations supports the activities of local voluntary and community groups addressing disadvantage by way of once-off grants. The programme for 2005 consists of two schemes: one makes funds available for the purchase of essential equipment and for small-scale...

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

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 485 and 486 together. The consultant's report to which the Deputy refers was commissioned by the Health Service Executive northern area. I refer the Deputy to the contribution of Deputy Brian Lenihan, Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, to the Adjournment debate of 22 June 2005 on this matter.

Written Answers — Security of the Elderly: Security of the Elderly (28 Jun 2005)

Noel Ahern: A figure of €2.8 million has been allocated to the scheme of community supports for older people in 2005. These resources are directed to providing equipment to those members of the community aged 65 and over who have a genuine need for assistance under the scheme including those who require replacement of socially-monitored alarms. The limit referred to in my reply to Question No. 508 of...

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (28 Jun 2005)

Noel Ahern: The national assessment committee of the young peoples facilities and services fund, which is chaired by my Department, is finalising its assessment of capital applications received in respect of the third round of funding. I hope, therefore, to be in a position to make an announcement on these applications in the very near future.

Written Answers — Dormant Accounts Fund: Dormant Accounts Fund (28 Jun 2005)

Noel Ahern: The Deputy will be aware that decisions on the disbursement of unclaimed moneys from the dormant accounts fund are a matter for the Dormant Accounts Fund Disbursements Board. This is an independent statutory body, under the aegis of my Department, established under the dormant accounts acts. The board engaged Area Development Management Limited, ADM, to administer the initial round of funding...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (28 Jun 2005)

Noel Ahern: The NESC housing report endorses the Government's general approach to housing policy while highlighting important policy challenges ahead. These include ensuring a high quality sustainable development in both urban and rural areas, assisting the market to maintain a high level of supply and providing an effective range of supports to those households who fall below the affordability...