Results 641-660 of 2,386 for speaker:Michael Finneran

Seanad: Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009: Committee Stage (10 Feb 2010)

Michael Finneran: He made a long contribution on the matter and he explained the difficulties that would arise in implementing the regulations if there was an exemption. That was done following advice and due consideration. The Bill is about the welfare of dogs and the amendment deals with hunt clubs. Many issues have been raised that are not related to the amendment. Registers and the use of names and...

Seanad: Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Feb 2010)

Michael Finneran: I do not propose to accept the amendment. Section 8(17) provides that, if a dog breeding establishment does not prominently display its registration certificate, it shall be guilty of an offence. The proposed amendment would expand the number of offences included in section 8(17) to include offences already listed elsewhere in the Bill. These include offences provided for in section 8(16)...

Seanad: Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Feb 2010)

Michael Finneran: I do not propose to accept the Senator's amendment to this section. The proposed amendment would extend the period in which dog breeding establishments have to register from three months to 12 months. It could be argued that the five years that have elapsed since the report on the working group should be considered an ample lead-in time for the new regulatory regime. However, I am seeking...

Seanad: Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Feb 2010)

Michael Finneran: The working group's deliberations are available to the public and are on the website. It might be helpful if I were to explain to the House that once the legislation is enacted, there will be a public consultation period which will be announced by the Minister. Not until after that public consultation period will the regulations be written, with the three months kicking in from that stage....

Seanad: Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009: Committee Stage (10 Feb 2010)

Michael Finneran: I do not propose to accept the Senator's amendment to the section. The proposed amendment would have the effect of exempting hunt clubs from the regulations and possible inspections. Following consideration of the practical difficulties such an exemption would create for the implementation of the regulations, it is not considered that the exemption would be feasible or justifiable. I...

Regeneration Projects (9 Feb 2010)

Michael Finneran: I thank the Deputies for raising this item and their ongoing interest in this important issue. Limerick regeneration is an issue with which I am intimately acquainted, not just because of my office, but because of the extent to which my colleagues, the Minister for Defence, Deputy Willie O'Dea, and the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Power, have acted as powerful advocates for the programme...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (9 Feb 2010)

Michael Finneran: The intention of the Social Housing Leasing Initiative is to widen the range of supply options available to authorities to meet housing need and to maximise the level of social housing that can be delivered from within available public resources. Under the initiative housing authorities and approved housing bodies can procure properties on long term leases of 10 to 20 years in order to meet...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (9 Feb 2010)

Michael Finneran: Under the terms of the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability, which is administered by the local authorities, grants of up to €30,000 may be available for the provision or adaptation of accommodation to meet the needs of people with a disability. It is a matter for individual authorities to determine what works are eligible and to prioritise them in line with their systems...

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

Michael Finneran: My Department has recently granted approval for this project and the council may now proceed to advanced planning and tender stage. A provisional allocation of €1.5 million for 2010 has been advised to the local authority to assist in undertaking remedial works at this location.

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (9 Feb 2010)

Michael Finneran: I recently announced funding of €157 million, under my Department's capital funding schemes for voluntary and co-operative housing, for some 75 individual projects at various locations around the country, including the project being advanced by Rural Resettlement Ireland at Tullycrine and Knockadereen. Clare County Council will advise the housing body with regard to the procedures for...

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

Michael Finneran: Housing allocations are made by a local authority in accordance with an allocation scheme, the making of which is a reserved function of the authority. The legislation governing local authority allocations precludes ministerial involvement in the allocation of housing in individual cases. I understand from Dublin City Council that the matter in question is subject to ongoing examination....

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (9 Feb 2010)

Michael Finneran: I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 339 to 341, inclusive, of 3 February 2010. The position remains unchanged.

Written Answers — Home Choice Loan Scheme: Home Choice Loan Scheme (9 Feb 2010)

Michael Finneran: More than 1,400 prospective purchasers formally registered interest on the dedicated home choice loan website with 44 applications being made over the course of 2009. Of these, four loan applications were approved with a combined value in excess of €800,000. In terms of available budget for the scheme, it is important to note the scheme is demand led. As such, no budget has been set and...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (9 Feb 2010)

Michael Finneran: I refer to the reply to Question Nos. 285 and 286 of 27 January, 2010.

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (9 Feb 2010)

Michael Finneran: I recently announced the approval of funding for some 75 voluntary and co-operative housing projects at various locations around the country, including a project being advanced by Rathangan Senior Citizens Housing Association at Rathangan, Co. Wexford. Wexford County Council will advise the housing body with regard to the procedures for drawing down the funding in accordance with the terms...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (9 Feb 2010)

Michael Finneran: No payments have been made by my Department in relation to this project. Applications for funding under my Department's Capital Assistance Scheme are considered in the light of, inter alia, the available funding for 2010 and the relative priority afforded to the project by Laois County Council.

Written Answers — Local Authority Grants: Local Authority Grants (4 Feb 2010)

Michael Finneran: The Government's housing policy statement, Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities, reflects the commitment to develop a national housing strategy for people with a disability. Work on the strategy is well advanced under the aegis of a National Advisory Group, headed by my Department and involving the Department of Health and Children, the Health Service Executive, social partners and other...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (4 Feb 2010)

Michael Finneran: It should be recognised that there will always be a certain level of stock of unsold affordable units on hands at any given time, whatever the prevailing housing market conditions. The slowdown in sales of affordable housing has moved in step with the process of correction in the wider housing market. Since late 2008, my Department and the Affordable Homes Partnership have been working...

Written Answers — Sheltered Housing: Sheltered Housing (4 Feb 2010)

Michael Finneran: It is a matter for individual housing authorities to plan the composition and management of their social housing investment programmes having regard to the specific social housing needs and priorities in their areas and to the Exchequer funding allocations available to them. My Department will shortly meet with Kildare County Council as part of the Annual Housing Action Plan process at which...

Written Answers — Social Housing Leasing Initiative: Social Housing Leasing Initiative (3 Feb 2010)

Michael Finneran: I refer to the reply to Question No. 2 of Thursday, 21 January 2010. In relation to the rationale for the scheme, the Social Housing Leasing Initiative is designed further to widen the sources of social housing supply and thereby help create a flexible range of delivery mechanisms for local authorities to meet demand. The use of leasing arrangements will also allow for a substantial increase...