Results 7,821-7,840 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe
- Social and Affordable Housing. (27 Feb 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: We achieved 2007's social housing target.
- Social and Affordable Housing. (27 Feb 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: We have.
- Planning Regulations. (27 Feb 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The vast bulk of the delivery to date under Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000-2006 has been in the form of completed homes, land and individual sites. Financial settlements account for only a small share of the delivery and any such moneys received by a planning authority must be used as capital for its functions under Part V or for its functions with regard to the provision...
- Planning Regulations. (27 Feb 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: At present, local authorities have â¬78 million in Part V funds, plus â¬11.4 million in withering levies, which allow an additional five years on planning applications. This is a once-off payment. Thus, the total is about â¬90 million, of which about â¬11.2 million had been spent up to the end of 2006. My understanding is that a fair amount of money was spent in 2007. Unfortunately I...
- Private Rented Accommodation. (27 Feb 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: Standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 1993, made under section 18 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992. The regulations specify requirements for matters such as structural repair, absence of damp and rot, sanitary facilities, heating, ventilation, natural light and safety of electrical and gas supply. All...
- Private Rented Accommodation. (27 Feb 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: Obviously the situation was less than greatââ
- Private Rented Accommodation. (27 Feb 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: ââuntil the Private Residential Tenancies Board, PRTB, was set up. In 2006 the number of inspections increased by 44%ââ
- Private Rented Accommodation. (27 Feb 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: ââand stood at 2,000. Last year it improved to 9,825 and, while the final figures are not available for 2008, I expect at least an increase of 33% â I can say that with confidence. Local authorities were not acting as they might in this sector. As part of Towards 2016, it was agreed to upgrade the standards in private rented accommodation. Since the PRTB was set up, â¬7 million has...
- Private Rented Accommodation. (27 Feb 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I am not sure Deputy Lynch was listening to me. I am giving the local authorities â¬1.5 million to ensure they carry out inspections.
- Private Rented Accommodation. (27 Feb 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: There has been a significant increase in the number of inspections. Some 80% of the inspections have found that houses are up to regulation standard. I will introduce new standards at the end of March. I will publish the standards so that people can make submissions on that and other ideas and suggestions they may have. Some 700,000 new units have been built in the past ten years so much...
- Private Rented Accommodation. (27 Feb 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: Where the standard is up to scratch there is no problem. Where a property is not up to scratch, it must be reported to the PRTB, which will make sure that the landlord is registered and that the accommodation is brought up to standard. The fines are clearly set out, up to â¬3,000 or six months in prison, and â¬250 per day after that.
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (26 Feb 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 479 and 480 together. The making and amending of rent schemes is the responsibility of local authorities as an integral part of their housing management functions, subject to the broad principles laid down by my Department in Circular letter HRT 3/2002 of 6 March 2002. I have no plans to change these principles at present. Decisions on whether or not to...
- Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (26 Feb 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 482 and 483 together. Comprehensive data on the number of social and affordable housing units constructed are only collected on a quarterly basis. My Department is currently compiling data which reflect activity in the fourth quarter of 2007, completing the picture of activity during the year as a whole. The latest information available, for the period ended...
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (26 Feb 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The following table sets out the funding provided to the housing authorities concerned under the local authority capital programme for housing construction and acquisitions in the 2005-2007 period: 2005 2006 2007 â¬m â¬m â¬m Exchequer Allocation 12.000 17.000 25.000 Expenditure Recouped 13.569 21.815 25.441 My Department recently advised city and county councils of indicative...
- Written Answers — Housing Aid for the Elderly: Housing Aid for the Elderly (26 Feb 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 490 and 491 together. My Department has asked local authorities to indicate their capital requirements in 2008 for the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability Scheme, the Mobility Aids Grant Scheme, and the Housing Aid for Older People Scheme. On receipt of this information, my Department will notify individual local authorities of their 2008...
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (26 Feb 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: Bray Town Council submitted a copy of its consultants report to my Department on 29 November 2007. It is a matter for the housing authority to develop proposals to address the issues raised in the report and submit them to the Department, as appropriate.
- Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (26 Feb 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: Legislative provision to facilitate arrangements under which a local authority could agree to its clawback charge ranking in second place behind a new or topped-up mortgage charge, thereby facilitating persons in affordable housing wishing to re-mortgage with a private lender, is being considered in the Social Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill which is currently being drafted. I expect...
- Seanad: State Property (26 Feb 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I thank Senator Coghlan for giving me an opportunity to discuss this important matter on behalf of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley. Killarney House and the greater part of the accompanying estate was sold to the State in 1978 by the then owner, Mr. John McShain, for a sum below market value on the assurance that the house and the estate would be...
- Seanad: State Property (26 Feb 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The Senator knows of my abiding interest in Killarney and the national park.
- Seanad: State Property (26 Feb 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The difficulty for me is that this is not my area of responsibility. Any deputation that might seek a meeting on this matter should contact the Minister, Deputy Gormley. I will make him aware of Senator Coghlan's thoughts on this issue. The Minister visited Killarney recently. He has given a commitment in this regard. I thought we made great progress tonight when it was clearly indicated...