Results 3,621-3,640 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

Seanad: Nuclear Plants: Motion. (25 May 2005)

Noel Ahern: On behalf of the Minister, Deputy Roche, and the Department, I am pleased to strongly support this motion on the Sellafield nuclear plant. While this plant lies in the jurisdiction of our near neighbour, the United Kingdom, at its closest point it is located less than 120 miles off our coast. The Irish Sea has been subject to continuing radioactive discharges for over 50 years. Due to the...

Seanad: Nuclear Plants: Motion. (25 May 2005)

Noel Ahern: A review group established by the Department of Health and Children, chaired by Dr. Barry McSweeney, chief science adviser to the Government, is currently examining the continued use of iodine tablets as a countermeasure under the national emergency plan for nuclear accidents. The International Atomic Energy Agency is the principal organisation dealing with nuclear matters at the...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (24 May 2005)

Noel Ahern: It has recently been represented to my Department that the issue of first charge on the property can in some circumstances create problems for the operation of the sale of sites scheme. The matter is currently being examined in my Department with a view to resolving any possible difficulty involved.

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (24 May 2005)

Noel Ahern: I refer to the reply to Question No. 308 of 18 May 2005. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (24 May 2005)

Noel Ahern: The capital allocations made to Athy Town Council for it's housing construction and acquisition programme, which is funded by a combination of Exchequer grants and local authority internal capital receipts, in the years 1997 to 2004 are set out in the following table: Athy Town Council — Housing construction and acquisition programme. Allocations 1997-2004. 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (24 May 2005)

Noel Ahern: Persons who have purchased an affordable house by way of shared ownership are entitled to purchase their house outright at any stage. This can normally be done by means of a further loan from the local authority in respect of the outstanding share of the house. It is understood that Dublin City Council are in discussion with the person referred to over arrangements appropriate to the case...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (19 May 2005)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 52 together. As the Deputies are aware, my Department has overall responsibility for co-ordinating the implementation of the National Drugs Strategy 2001-2008. The strategy contains 100 individual actions, under the four pillars of supply reduction, prevention, treatment and research, to be implemented by a range of Departments and agencies. In relation...

Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (19 May 2005)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 26 and 118 together. I refer the Deputy to my previous answer to Question No. 212 of 1 February 2005 in relation to funding and supports for community schemes throughout the country in 2005. Regarding the scope and scale of grant aid through my Department for community, rural and Gaeltacht ventures in the future, the provision in the Estimates for 2005 for the...

Written Answers — Voluntary Sector: Voluntary Sector (19 May 2005)

Noel Ahern: In relation to progress in implementation of the White Paper the following is the position: under the funding scheme to support the role of federations, networks and umbrella bodies, 32 groups are currently being funded totalling €5.48 million over three years. Under the funding scheme for training and supports, 20 projects are currently being funded totalling €1.83 million over three...

Written Answers — Community and Voluntary Sector: Community and Voluntary Sector (19 May 2005)

Noel Ahern: My Department gives a variety of grants to community and voluntary organisations. Details of the funding scheme to support the role of federations, networks and umbrella bodies in the community and voluntary sector are available on my Department's website, www.pobail.ie. I am arranging to have the necessary information on other grants compiled by my Department and provided as a priority to...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (19 May 2005)

Noel Ahern: I am pleased to tell the Deputy that a sum of €5 million per annum is available to the regional drugs task forces to assist them in implementing their action plans. To date, seven of the ten regional drugs task forces have submitted their plans to the National Drugs Strategy Team, NDST, for assessment and I understand that the remaining three are expected shortly. On receipt of these...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (19 May 2005)

Noel Ahern: As the Deputy is aware, as part of my brief, I have responsibility for the national drugs strategy in the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, D-CRGA, and for the homeless strategy in the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, D-EHLG. In addition, the D-EHLG is represented on the National Drugs Strategy Team and the Inter-Departmental Group on Drugs,...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (19 May 2005)

Noel Ahern: As I previously informed the House, preparation of the draft legislation to put in place a modern statutory framework for charities is a priority and work is proceeding accordingly. To update the Deputy on developments since I replied to similar questions last month, I should add that public consultation undertaken for my Department by the Law Reform Commission in relation to charitable trust...

Written Answers — Sport and Recreational Development: Sport and Recreational Development (19 May 2005)

Noel Ahern: As the Deputy is aware, the young people's facilities and services fund, YPFSF, was established in 1998 to assist in the development of facilities, including sport and recreational facilities, and services in disadvantaged areas where a significant drug problem exists or has the potential to develop. To date, just over €85 million has been allocated or spent to support in the region of 450...

Written Answers — Dormant Accounts Fund: Dormant Accounts Fund (19 May 2005)

Noel Ahern: The Deputy will be aware that decisions on the disbursement of unclaimed moneys from the dormant accounts fund are currently 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...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (19 May 2005)

Noel Ahern: While I have not met formally with my colleague the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell, to discuss the issue of mandatory sentencing for drug offences, this matter was considered as part of the mid-term review of the national drugs strategy. It was also raised by a number of organisations in their submissions to the review, including some of the local drugs task...

Written Answers — Dormant Accounts Fund: Dormant Accounts Fund (19 May 2005)

Noel Ahern: The Deputy will be aware that decisions on the disbursement of unclaimed moneys from the dormant accounts fund are currently 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...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (19 May 2005)

Noel Ahern: As the Deputy is aware, my Department has overall responsibility for coordinating the implementation of the National Drugs Strategy 2001-2008. It also has responsibility for the work of the local and regional drugs task forces as well as the young peoples facilities and services fund. In this context, it should be noted that to date approximately €95 million has been allocated or spent to...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (19 May 2005)

Noel Ahern: Local authorities are responsible, under the Housing Act 1988, for assessing housing needs in accordance with their scheme of letting priorities. There is no general income threshold set by my Department for local authority housing. In making the assessment of housing need, local authorities have regard, inter alia, to the income and family circumstances of the applicant. Persons who are, in...

Security of the Elderly. (19 May 2005)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 8 together. The community support for older people scheme provides grants to assist communities in improving the security of their older members. The scheme is administered by local community and voluntary groups with the support of my Department. It provides for maximum individual grants as follows: €300 for the once-off installation of socially...