Results 481-500 of 2,386 for speaker:Michael Finneran

Written Answers — Housing Aid for the Elderly: Housing Aid for the Elderly (29 Apr 2010)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 224 and 225 together. On foot of a Government Decision, taken in February 2006, to transfer the administration of the Special Housing Aid for the Elderly Scheme (SHAE) from the Health Service Executive (HSE) to the local authority sector, a revised suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability was implemented on 1 November,...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (28 Apr 2010)

Michael Finneran: Two types of house purchase loan are available from local authorities: standard annuity loans targeted at lower income first time buyers and those under the Home Choice Loan scheme which are available to qualifying middle income first time buyers affected by the credit crunch. The terms and conditions governing the operation, including eligibility terms, of annuity mortgages and the Home...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (27 Apr 2010)

Michael Finneran: A reply has issued to the correspondent.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (27 Apr 2010)

Michael Finneran: I refer to the reply to Question No. 9 of 22 April 2010. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (22 Apr 2010)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 20 and 63 together. It is our intention to meet the accommodation needs of as many households as possible within the resources at our disposal. Oversupply of housing is a key factor in that regard, and there is potential to make economic necessity and the response to social need work in tandem by utilising unsold housing stock to accommodate families in need...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (22 Apr 2010)

Michael Finneran: The number of households on a local authority's waiting list continuously fluctuates as households on the list are allocated housing and new households apply for housing support. My Department does not hold information in relation to the numbers currently on waiting lists in local authorities. A statutory assessment of housing need is carried out every three years by all housing authorities...

Written Answers — Urban Renewal Schemes: Urban Renewal Schemes (22 Apr 2010)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 29 and 55 together. My Department is committed to a multi-annual regeneration programme in Dublin City to help to improve the lives and conditions of the communities involved. The programme is reviewed on a regular basis with Dublin City Council, including through the biannual Housing Action Plan meetings, with new projects added and additional elements of...

Written Answers — House Price Database: House Price Database (22 Apr 2010)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 30 and 158 together. The need for a more comprehensive house price index to inform national economic and social policy by providing a more meaningful indicator of housing market and wider macro-economic conditions, while also serving to form the basis of key decisions made by home buyers, home sellers and mortgage providers, has been recognised by the...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (22 Apr 2010)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 32 and 60 together. The leasing cost of a dwelling provided under a long term lease or availability agreement to a local authority or an approved housing body is determined by a variety of factors, including type and size, location and the market rent of comparable properties in the area. These costs can also be subject to rent reviews, which my Department...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (22 Apr 2010)

Michael Finneran: The table below gives recoupment details by local authority for the housing subheads for the years 2007 – 2009; details of allocations for 2010 have also been included. The information has been broken down into: B.1. – Social Housing Provision and Support B.2. – Local Authority Estate Regeneration and Remedial Works B.3. – Private Housing Adaptation – Grants and other Supports ...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (22 Apr 2010)

Michael Finneran: Very considerable progress has been made on both the sale of affordable housing and the deployment of unsold affordable homes for other purposes, including temporary use under the social leasing or RAS schemes. While the sale of the affordable units on hands remains the preferred option, the local authorities have available to them a range of options to bring these units into use. Local...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (22 Apr 2010)

Michael Finneran: Over 1,400 prospective purchasers have formally registered interest on the dedicated Home Choice loan website and, to date, 58 applications have been made. Of these, four have been approved and three loans have been drawn down.

Written Answers — Homeless Persons: Homeless Persons (22 Apr 2010)

Michael Finneran: Housing authorities are responsible for meeting the accommodation needs of households assessed as having a housing need, including homeless persons. Details of specific categories of households, such as homeless, housed each year are not held in my Department for each housing authority. Annual targets and outputs for the number of homeless households housed in the major urban centres are...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (22 Apr 2010)

Michael Finneran: The allocation of a dwelling under the Social Housing Leasing Initiative should be carried out in accordance with a local authority's scheme of letting priorities. The general guidance issued by my Department is that, unless exceptional circumstances obtain, the allocation of a leased property should be treated in the same manner as the allocation of any other social housing unit by that...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (22 Apr 2010)

Michael Finneran: The Social Housing Leasing Initiative encompasses a number of different strands, one of which gives local authorities the option to lease vacant and unsold affordable units to approved housing bodies. The reason for using unsold affordable units to accommodate social housing tenants in the short to medium term is to match existing vacant housing stock available to housing authorities with...

Written Answers — Warmer Homes Schemes: Warmer Homes Schemes (22 Apr 2010)

Michael Finneran: As part of the Government's National Retrofitting Programme, my Department launched a new scheme for the retrofitting of energy efficiency measures in existing local authority dwellings in May 2009. This scheme provides grant funding up to €15,000 per unit for the upgrading of vacant units and occupied apartment complexes across the country, and sets local authorities the objective of...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (22 Apr 2010)

Michael Finneran: Under the general agreement by which a property is provided under the Social Housing Leasing Initiative, the property should be returned at the end of the lease period in the same condition as at the commencement of the lease subject to normal wear and tear. Where costs arise in re-instating a property at the end of the lease period the Department will fund up to 50% of these costs. The...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (22 Apr 2010)

Michael Finneran: Circular SHIP 2010.07 was issued to housing authorities in March 2009. The purpose of the circular was to extend the leasing arrangements to facilitate housing authorities who wished to lease single or small numbers of properties from individual property owners and to provide clarity to authorities on the financial arrangements underpinning the leasing initiative. With regard to the leasing...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (22 Apr 2010)

Michael Finneran: â'¬25 million has been provided to cover the costs of the Social Housing Leasing Initiative in 2010. This will support the cost of commitments entered into last year and also the cost of acquiring at least an additional 2,000 units under the initiative this year. It is anticipated that of the new units provided for leasing this year, that approximately 1,500 units will be sourced in the...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (22 Apr 2010)

Michael Finneran: The leasing initiative encompasses a number of different strands. Dwellings are acquired by housing authorities on long term (up to 20 year) leases from private owners, dwellings are provided by approved housing bodies under long-term availability agreements and vacant and unsold affordable units are leased to approved housing bodies (in the latter case, the lease period is for 5 years...