Results 741-760 of 2,386 for speaker:Michael Finneran

Seanad: Climate Change: Statements (10 Dec 2009)

Michael Finneran: I will conclude as I do not wish to upset the clár of the House. I have taken note of all Members' contributions, for which I thank them. At the Department's offices in the Customs House, the Minister, Deputy Gormley, and I, as well as our officials, will be highly conscious of the points made in this House. I again thank Members for the opportunity to address at least some of the issues...

Dublin Docklands Development Authority (Amendment) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (9 Dec 2009)

Michael Finneran: As the Minister, Deputy Gormley, indicated last night, the Government is firmly committed to ensuring that the Dublin Docklands Development Authority, like all State bodies, should be subject to highest standards of corporate governance and review. Since the authority's chair assumed her role in March of this year, she has undertaken a fundamental review of procedures and processes within...

Written Answers — Private Residential Tenancies Board: Private Residential Tenancies Board (8 Dec 2009)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 348 and 349 together. My Department's involvement with the voluntary and co-operative housing schemes relates primarily to the provision of funds for individual projects. The detailed administration of the schemes, and the certification that projects comply with the terms and conditions of the funding schemes, are the responsibility of the local authority....

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (8 Dec 2009)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 351 and 353 together. Houses sold to first time buyers under the various affordable housing schemes at a significant discount from market value contain a clawback provision, in order to prevent short-term profit taking on the resale of the house, to the detriment of the objectives of the schemes. There are no plans to abolish the claw-back arrangements for...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (8 Dec 2009)

Michael Finneran: To date, some 1,660 units, across 23 housing authority areas, have been approved by my Department under the Social Housing Leasing Initiative. This comprises 1,309 properties in respect of which full funding approval has issued and a further 351 units in respect of which provisional approval has issued. A further 23 proposals are also under consideration by my Department. A breakdown by...

Written Answers — Fire Stations: Fire Stations (8 Dec 2009)

Michael Finneran: The number and locations of fire stations in each county are set out in the following tables below. The number of fire personnel in each fire station is not available in the Department. This is a matter for each fire authority. 6153TABLE A FIRE STATIONS Number of Stations Carlow 4 Cavan 12 Clare 7 Cork * 23 Donegal 16 Dublin * 14 Galway * 10 Kerry 10 Kildare 6 Kilkenny 7 Laois...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (2 Dec 2009)

Michael Finneran: Enquiries have been made with the local authority in this case and it is understood that the application is under active consideration by Arklow Town Council. The sanctioning of the application is entirely a matter for the local authority concerned.

Written Answers — Housing Policy: Housing Policy (2 Dec 2009)

Michael Finneran: Under section 58 of the Housing Act 1966, the management and maintenance of the local authority housing stock is a matter for individual authorities. Minimum standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2008, as amended by the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) (Amendment) Regulations 2009, made under section 18 of the Housing...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (2 Dec 2009)

Michael Finneran: A total of 3,652 affordable homes have been delivered under the Affordable Housing Initiative (AHI) in the period from 2003 to end June 2009, the bulk of which were delivered under Part V of the Planning and Development Acts, through land exchanges or through development on local authority owned lands. 62 units were developed directly on State lands, on a site in Athenry, County Galway, which...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (2 Dec 2009)

Michael Finneran: A mortgage subsidy or, as appropriate, a rental subsidy under the Shared Ownership Scheme, is available to support home ownership for low income households with income below €28,000 in the previous tax year. This subsidy is intended to reduce the monthly outgoings of the purchaser. Alternatively, a mortgage allowance of €11,450 spread over 5 years is available to assist tenants or tenant...

Written Answers — Fire Stations: Fire Stations (2 Dec 2009)

Michael Finneran: Approval for the extension of Tallaght fire station was granted under the 2006 Fire Services Capital Programme. To date funding of €252,279 (€216,269 in 2006; €4,235 in 2007; €31,775 in 2008 and nil in 2009) has been provided to Dublin City Council in respect of this project. The Council has submitted a revised proposal for the development of Tallaght Fire station to the Department...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (1 Dec 2009)

Michael Finneran: The inspector will be appointed by the Minister of the day. Question, "That the words proposed to be deleted stand," put and declared carried.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (1 Dec 2009)

Michael Finneran: While the new section does not provide for a specific timeframe within which a final direction must be put on public display, I am considering a generic wording which would allow planning authorities to display directions in as timely a fashion as possible. I will introduce any such amended wording on Committee Stage in the Dáil.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (1 Dec 2009)

Michael Finneran: This issue has been raised and debated in the Seanad and I am responding in that context. If there is a need to amend the wording, it will be done on Committee Stage in the Dáil. Senators will appreciate that we are obliged to engage with the Parliamentary Counsel and the Office of the Attorney General on matters of this nature. It is not always possible to have matters adjudicated upon...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (1 Dec 2009)

Michael Finneran: As regards amendment No. 15, the current position allows a planning authority to take account of any information concerning a development carried out by a person to whom the section applies pursuant to the granting of planning permission when deciding whether to refuse permission to a developer on the basis of past performance. To insert the word "connected" would mean that the planning...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (1 Dec 2009)

Michael Finneran: I reject totally the suggestion that I am treating this House with contempt as Senator Coffey indicates. I have given the view of Parliamentary Counsel on three of the four amendments with which we are dealing. That is a fair achievement since last Wednesday. Any changes or amendments made in the Dáil will have to come back to this House because the Bill originated here. In response to...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (1 Dec 2009)

Michael Finneran: Section 21 amends section 37H(2)(c) of the principal Act providing for the extension of cost recovery to pre-application scoping requests for environmental impact assessment for strategic infrastructure development cases under the Seventh Schedule of the principal Act. This is in addition to cost recovery which is already in place for the strategic infrastructure cases that proceed to a full...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (1 Dec 2009)

Michael Finneran: Section 23 replaces section 42 of the principal Act. The section provides for the extension of permission for a period not exceeding five years in circumstances where substantial works have not been carried out but where there were commercial, economic or technical reasons beyond the control of the applicant which substantially mitigate against either the commencement or the development of...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (1 Dec 2009)

Michael Finneran: The recent decision by Sligo Borough Council not to include any specific objective for a critical new access link to the east of Sligo in their draft development plan, in line with current and previous development plans, will impact on the potential to provide a new compact and sustainable model of development for Sligo, including the future regeneration of the Cranmore area. My Department is...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (1 Dec 2009)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 276 and 277 together. My Department's involvement with the new Housing Adaptation Grant Schemes for Older People and People with a Disability relates primarily to the recoupment of a proportion of local authority expenditure on the payment of individual grants. These schemes, introduced in November 2007, are funded by 80% recoupments available from my...