Results 521-540 of 2,386 for speaker:Michael Finneran

Written Answers — Housing Policy: Housing Policy (25 Mar 2010)

Michael Finneran: I refer to the reply to Question No. 240 of 3 March 2010. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (25 Mar 2010)

Michael Finneran: The level of contributions paid by tenants under the Rental Accommodation Scheme is based on the differential rents scheme for local authority dwellings as set by housing authorities. My Department does not hold information on the contribution levels in each authority. Variations in rent contributions, upwards and downwards, will normally be a consequence of changes in individual household...

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (25 Mar 2010)

Michael Finneran: NAMA itself has an entitlement to contribute to the planning process.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (24 Mar 2010)

Michael Finneran: A circular letter (SHIP 2010.07 Leasing Clarification) has recently issued from my Department clarifying arrangements to facilitate housing authorities who wish to lease single or small numbers of properties from individual owners, including previously occupied housing. This circular letter is subject to the conditions of the original leasing initiative circular letter (N3-09 Leasing...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (24 Mar 2010)

Michael Finneran: On 22 March 2010, my Department notified Cork County Council that a supplementary grant of €77,340 had been approved in respect of this project.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (24 Mar 2010)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 185 to 187, inclusive, together. My Department does not collate age specific information on housing allocations to specific household categories. However, more general information in relation to activity under the range of housing programmes is set out in my Department's annual and quarterly Housing Statistics Bulletin, copies of which are available in the...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (23 Mar 2010)

Michael Finneran: Under the terms of the Housing Aid for Older People Scheme, grants of up to €10,500 are available for the carrying out of necessary repairs or improvements to a house. The types of works allowable under the scheme can be varied and may include re-wiring or any other repair or improvement works which, in the opinion of the local authority, are considered necessary to make the house habitable...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (23 Mar 2010)

Michael Finneran: My Department's Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) provides funding to approved housing bodies of up to 100% of the approved costs of accommodation for older people, the homeless, persons with special needs, returning emigrants and victims of domestic violence. My Department's involvement with the scheme relates primarily to the provision of funds for individual projects. The detailed...

Written Answers — National Asset Management Agency: National Asset Management Agency (23 Mar 2010)

Michael Finneran: My Department has provided the National Asset Management Agency with: · Extracts from the draft Regional Planning Guidelines 2010-2022 for the regions. These draft guidelines outline the population targets for the regions, disaggregated into county and gateway city and town figures, and include estimates of the expected housing land requirements on the basis of these population targets; ·...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (23 Mar 2010)

Michael Finneran: A statutory assessment of housing need is carried out every three years by all housing authorities in accordance with the terms of the Housing Act 1988. The last assessment took place in 2008 and indicated that there were 56,249 households in need of social housing support. Further information regarding the assessment, including a breakdown of housing need figures by housing authority, is...

Written Answers — Building Regulations: Building Regulations (11 Mar 2010)

Michael Finneran: My Department is aware of the concerns of consumers of housing services in current market conditions, including in regard to unfinished or partially completed residential developments. The Department is working with other stakeholders to develop a fuller picture of the scale of these difficulties in terms of mapping such developments on a county by county basis, setting out the range of...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (10 Mar 2010)

Michael Finneran: From a social housing perspective, I see clear potential for real and meaningful synergies between the work of the National Asset Management Agency in ensuring the stability of the financial system and the role of my Department in responding to social housing need. For some time now the social housing investment programme has been undergoing a significant restructuring to shift the focus...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (9 Mar 2010)

Michael Finneran: The making and amending of rent schemes is the responsibility of local authorities as an integral part of their housing management functions, subject to broad principles laid down by my Department in Circular letter HRT 3/2002. It is a matter for local authorities, when assessing individual households, to consider whether rents payable are in accordance with the authority's rent scheme....

Written Answers — Rental Accommodation Standards: Rental Accommodation Standards (9 Mar 2010)

Michael Finneran: Minimum standards for rental accommodation are prescribed by regulations made under section 18 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992. In the Partnership Agreement Towards 2016, the Government committed to updating and more effectively enforcing the minimum standards regulations for rented houses and, in November 2008, delivered on this commitment by approving a package of...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (9 Mar 2010)

Michael Finneran: Detailed information on the number of sales through tenant purchase by local authority area is available on my Department's website at www.environ.ie and in my Department's Housing Statistics Bulletins, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library. My Department does not collect data on the numbers of units subsequently sold on.

Written Answers — Homeless Persons: Homeless Persons (9 Mar 2010)

Michael Finneran: I refer to the reply to Question No. 14 of 25 February 2010 which sets out the position regarding the implementation of the Government's Homeless Strategy and the Implementation Plan for the Strategy.

Seanad: Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Mar 2010)

Michael Finneran: ): The Minister in his earlier contribution to the debate stated that he did not propose to accept the Senators' amendments to sections 14 and 15. The amendments taken together would have the effect of having two separate regulatory regimes for dog breeding establishments, one for the greyhounds and one for all other dogs. This would create an unfortunate precedent in the legislation by...

Seanad: Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Mar 2010)

Michael Finneran: The working group did include a member of the Irish Greyhound Board.

Seanad: Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Mar 2010)

Michael Finneran: The regulations cited apply to the kennels of trainers, not to those of breeding establishments.

Seanad: Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (9 Mar 2010)

Michael Finneran: The 1958 Act and the subsequent regulations of 1961 apply to the kennels of trainers, not to those of breeding establishments.