Results 7,881-7,900 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Finance Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (6 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As a total of 100,000 new houses have been built in the past ten years, there has been no increase in——

Finance Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (6 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Irrespective of what might be said, the Deputy should go with the facts.

Finance Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (6 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: That is not true.

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (5 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 681 and 682 together. Since its establishment in 2005, the Affordable Homes Partnership has played a key role in progressing a range of affordable housing issues, particularly in the Greater Dublin Area. Its areas of activity have included measures to promote common approaches to the implementation of Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000 – 2006,...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (5 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has recently written to the local authority indicating that it is favourably disposed to the advancement of this project as a mixed development, to include the construction of a primary school. To advance the project, my Department has indicated that it would be prepared to consider the early development of part of the site for sheltered and affordable housing. The local...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (5 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 695, 696 and 699 together. The Government's Housing Policy Statement, Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities, published in 2007, reflects the commitment in Towards 2016 to develop a national housing strategy for people with a disability which will give a broad framework to inform the future development of local authority Housing Action Plans. Work has...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (5 Feb 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The most recent assessment of need for social housing was undertaken by local authorities in March 2005. The results of that assessment indicated that there were 43,684 households on local authority housing waiting lists. Data in relation to these assessments for each housing authority are available on my Department's website at www.environ.ie. The next statutory assessment of housing need...

Written Answers — Rental Accommodation Scheme: Rental Accommodation Scheme (31 Jan 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Under the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) households pay a contribution towards their rents to the local authority. The level of contribution is determined by the local authority by reference to each authority's Differential Rent Scheme, and will vary from authority to authority. Over time this contribution will vary to take into account changes in the income and family circumstances of...

Written Answers — Housing Aid for the Elderly: Housing Aid for the Elderly (31 Jan 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Department of Finance Circular 44 of 2006 (Tax Clearance Procedures Grants, Subsidies and Similar Type Payments) sets down revised procedures to be followed in the operation of the tax clearance scheme for applicants for all grants from State and public sector bodies, which apply to all applications received after 1 January 2007. As regards the Housing Aid for Older People Scheme, in the case...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (31 Jan 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 268 and 269 together. The Housing Adaptation Grant Scheme for People with a Disability, which replaced the Disabled Persons Grant Scheme with effect from 1 November 2007, is intended to assist with works which provide additional or adapted accommodation in private houses. The scheme is not designed to cover the full cost of works for all applicants. Under...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (31 Jan 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 270 and 271 together. The management, maintenance and improvement of their rented dwellings, including the installation of attic insulation is primarily the responsibility of local authorities to be financed from their own resources. In addition, where capital funding is provided under remedial or regeneration schemes operated by my Department for upgrading...

Written Answers — Housing Aid for the Elderly: Housing Aid for the Elderly (30 Jan 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The special housing aid for the elderly scheme is currently administered by a Task Force under the aegis of my Department and operated at a local level by the Health Service Executive. A total of €22.012 million in 2006 and €19.132 million in 2007 was allocated to the Health Service Executive for the operation of this scheme nationally. Of this €4.8 million in 2006 and €3.498 million...

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (30 Jan 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1304 and 1384 together. Minimum standards for private rented accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 1993, which specify requirements in relation to matters such as the structural condition of dwellings and their sanitary facilities, heating and ventilation. All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Jan 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: 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 following broad principles laid down by my Department: the rent payable should be related to income and a smaller proportion of income should be required from low income households; allowances should be made for dependent children...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (30 Jan 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: In 2004 my Department introduced a central heating programme which provides funding for the installation of central heating in existing local authority dwellings. Under the programme a grant of €6,000 or up to 80% of the cost, whichever is the lesser, is available. From 1 January 2007, the central heating programme has been included as part of a local authority's improvement works...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (30 Jan 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Capital funding is available through my Department's Capital Loan and Subsidy Scheme to approved voluntary and co-operative housing bodies to provide accommodation to meet the housing needs of low income families and other groups with special housing needs. My Department's involvement with the scheme relates primarily to the provision of funds and ensuring that the requirements of the Capital...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (30 Jan 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1349 and 1350 together. I refer to the reply to Question No. 232 of 18 October 2007. The position is unchanged. My Department is in regular communications with the Kildare housing authorities in relation to their social housing programmes and has formal meetings on a biannual basis as part of the Housing Action Plan process. The Department is scheduled to...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (30 Jan 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Specific state support for the accommodation needs of older people or people with special housing needs ranges from grant schemes which allow people to remain in their homes to the provision of specific sheltered housing options. Both the local authorities and the voluntary and co-operative housing sectors are providing an expanded range of social housing options and a wide range of...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (30 Jan 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The local authority mortgage protection insurance scheme has applied to all house purchase loans approved by authorities on or after 1 July 1986. One of the conditions of the scheme, which is a group policy, is that it is obligatory for all local authority borrowers who meet the eligibility criteria to join. Altering this condition would have a negative impact on the scheme and increase the...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (30 Jan 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1378, 1380, 1381 and 1388 together. Since the introduction of Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000, my Department has issued a range of implementation guidelines for local authorities. In addition, the Affordable Homes Partnership (AHP), working in conjunction with my Department, published a Resource Pack on concluding Part V agreements in 2006....