Results 3,841-3,860 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (12 Apr 2005)

Noel Ahern: The detenanting of dwellings that are to be subject to refurbishment works is a matter for local authorities and my Department has no function in the matter. My Department, in design guidelines issued to local authorities in 1999 on refurbishment works undertaken under the remedial works scheme, states that the issue of whether tenants should remain in occupation of their dwellings during...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (12 Apr 2005)

Noel Ahern: The clawback provisions provide that if a house purchased under the affordable housing schemes at a discount from market value is resold before the expiration of 20 years from the date of the purchase, the person selling the property shall pay to the local authority a percentage of the proceeds of the sale. This percentage is equal to the percentage discount allowed by the local authority on...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (12 Apr 2005)

Noel Ahern: The information sought is not available in my Department.

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (12 Apr 2005)

Noel Ahern: Information on the number of housing units provided under the various affordable housing schemes in each local authority area is published in my Department's housing statistics bulletins, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library. The annual housing statistics bulletins provide information on the income categories of purchasers under the shared ownership and the 1999 affordable...

Written Answers — House Prices: House Prices (12 Apr 2005)

Noel Ahern: The information requested on the percentage increase in house prices is available on a quarterly basis and is set out in the following table. New and Second hand house prices % change, quarter over previous quarter New House prices Second-hand house prices % % Q1 '02 4.8 5.8 Q2 '02 3.7 6.4 Q3 '02 1.2 1.0 Q4 '02 3.8 5.1 Q1...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (12 Apr 2005)

Noel Ahern: The maximum loan which may be advanced by local authorities for the acquisition of a house under the affordable housing and shared ownership schemes is €165,000. This is 26.9% higher than the maximum in 2002.

Written Answers — Homeless Persons: Homeless Persons (12 Apr 2005)

Noel Ahern: The Government is continuing to work towards ensuring that housing needs, and in particular social housing needs, are adequately addressed. The Government's strategy on housing has the overarching aim of enabling every household to have available an affordable dwelling of good quality, suited to its needs, in a good environment and, as far as possible, at the tenure of its choice. The general...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (12 Apr 2005)

Noel Ahern: I refer to the reply to Question No. 217 of 3 March 2005. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Dormant Accounts Fund: Dormant Accounts Fund (24 Mar 2005)

Noel Ahern: Decisions on the disbursement of funds from dormant accounts moneys are currently a matter for the Dormant Accounts Fund Disbursements Board, an independent body established under the Dormant Accounts Acts. The Deputy will be aware that allocations made by the board from the fund must be in accordance with its disbursement plan which was approved by me in September 2003. Under the plan, the...

Written Answers — Anti-Poverty Strategy: Anti-Poverty Strategy (24 Mar 2005)

Noel Ahern: My Department provides capital funding under the voluntary housing capital assistance scheme to approved housing bodies who provide sheltered housing accommodation under the scheme. Responsibility for normal management and maintenance of accommodation provided under the scheme is a matter for the relevant approved housing body and the costs incurred by the body in this regard are met from the...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (24 Mar 2005)

Noel Ahern: The shared ownership scheme offers home ownership in a number of steps to purchasers who cannot afford full ownership in the traditional way. Initially, ownership is shared between the purchaser who buys at least 40% of the value of the house and the local authority from whom the purchaser rents the remaining share. In July of this year I increased the maximum loan that can be advanced for a...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (23 Mar 2005)

Noel Ahern: As the Deputy is aware, my Department has overall responsibility for co-ordinating the implementation of the National Drugs Strategy 2001-2008. The strategy contains 100 individual actions to be implemented by a range of Departments and agencies and since it was launched in May 2001, considerable progress has been made in implementing the various actions. In this regard, the Deputy should...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (23 Mar 2005)

Noel Ahern: The drug prevalence survey conducted by the National Advisory Committee on Drugs, which published in October 2003, estimated the prevalence of drug use on a national basis. Although estimates were also produced in April 2004 for health board regions, estimates for the local drugs task force, LDTF, areas were not possible due to the small size of the samples in those areas. The Deputy should...

Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (22 Mar 2005)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 360 and 367 together. I have dealt with this issue comprehensively already in the House. I refer the Deputies, in particular, to my reply to Questions Nos. 4 and 5 of 22 February and related questions on 9 March 2005.

Written Answers — Local Authority Schemes: Local Authority Schemes (22 Mar 2005)

Noel Ahern: A review of the disabled persons grant scheme is currently being finalised in my Department. On its completion, it will be possible to determine the changes, if any, required to the regulations governing the scheme to ensure that the funding available is directed at those persons in greatest need of such assistance. The outcome of the review will be made available when completed.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (22 Mar 2005)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 643 and 662 together. I was pleased to announce that 2004 was the tenth consecutive year of record housing output with 76,954 units completed, an 11.8% increase over 2003 levels. Of these, 71,808 were built by the private sector, 3,539 by the local authorities and 1,607 by voluntary bodies and co-operatives. Local authorities also acquired 971 units in 2004. A...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (22 Mar 2005)

Noel Ahern: As set out in reply to Question No. 414 of 1 March 2005, the guidelines for local authorities regarding the administration of rent schemes for the letting of their dwellings were issued by my Department in 1986. These guidelines were restated and updated in a circular letter of March 2002, without changing the broad principles applying to the schemes. In the circular of 2002 a request was...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (22 Mar 2005)

Noel Ahern: A grant has recently been approved in this case.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (22 Mar 2005)

Noel Ahern: My Department has notified Cork County Council that €1,879,426 has been approved under the voluntary housing capital assistance scheme in respect of this project.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (22 Mar 2005)

Noel Ahern: The number of houses completed or acquired by local authorities was 3,207 in 2000, 5,022 in 2001, 5,074 in 2002 and 4,972 in 2003. Detailed information is available in the annual housing statistics bulletins, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library. Information on the numbers of local authority housing units completed or acquired in 2004 is being finalised and will be...