Results 7,921-7,940 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Homeless Persons. (18 Dec 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Significant progress has been made in recent years in tackling homelessness. In the Housing Needs Assessment 2005, local authorities recorded a 46% fall in the numbers of homeless persons nationally, from 5,581 persons in 2002 to 3,031 persons in 2005. A recent survey carried out by the Homeless Agency found that the numbers of rough sleepers in Dublin city had declined from 185 in 2005 to...

Homeless Persons. (18 Dec 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Liaising with, and in partnership with, the various voluntary groups, our spending on homelessness increased from €15.84 million in 2000 to €52 million in 2006. In the coming year, the Government will spend €1.7 billion on housing, €114 million of which will be invested in homelessness. Under Towards 2016 and the housing agency's strategy, we aim to move people on from emergency and...

Social and Affordable Housing. (18 Dec 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department, in conjunction with the housing forum and related groups, has been active in progressing the social housing reform programme outlined in Towards 2016 and elaborated upon in the Government's housing policy statement, Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities, published in February 2007. Work is well under way on the drafting of a new housing Bill to underpin the reform...

Social and Affordable Housing. (18 Dec 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: This is a good news story. We set out to deliver 27,000 units between 2007 and 2009. This year we will deliver 9,000 units, which is on target. Record funding of €1.7 billion will be provided in 2008, which is a 16% increase on last year. Local authorities will deliver 6,500 social housing units and in the first nine months of the year, they delivered almost 4,500. The voluntary and...

Private Rented Accommodation. (18 Dec 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: All landlords have a legal responsibility to ensure that their rented properties comply with the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 1993. Responsibility for enforcing the regulations rests with the relevant local authority. I have no function in the day-to-day operation of the inspection function in local authorities. Good progress is being made with the action programme...

Private Rented Accommodation. (18 Dec 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: I thought I already answered that question when I said we are meeting the targets for social housing. With regard to the standards for private accommodation, there were 30,000 rented accommodation properties registered in 2003. The figure for 2007 is 200,000. There has been a dramatic improvement in this area. With regard to standards, a total of 700,000 new units have been built in the...

Private Rented Accommodation. (18 Dec 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: There are two issues and Deputy Lynch is now confusing regulation and licensing. I indicated that we intend to produce new, improved regulations early in the new year. The regulations will pertain to the outward appearance of private rented accommodation — the paths, driveways and so forth — and, in particular, to the type of heating and insulation levels in the house. These issues...

Private Rented Accommodation. (18 Dec 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy was mixed up at the time, not me.

Private Rented Accommodation. (18 Dec 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: With regard to licensing, a report issued by the Centre for Housing Research suggested a pilot system for certification of compliance with private rented accommodation standards. We are examining the centre's proposals at present. I do not anticipate them being introduced immediately because a great deal of research is required in this area. I will report to the Dáil as soon as we make a...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (12 Dec 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department's involvement in the disabled persons grant scheme relates primarily to the recoupment of a portion of local authority expenditure on the payment of individual grants. Details of the recoupments to local authorities so far in 2007 are set out in the table. Information on local authority activity under this scheme for the years 2002 to 2006 is published in my Department's Annual...

Road Safety: Motion (Resumed). (12 Dec 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: On behalf of the Minister for Transport, I thank Deputies for their constructive contributions to an interesting debate concerning the important subject of road safety and, in particular, the operation of the penalty points and fixed charge systems. The Minister for Transport, Deputy Dempsey, has asked that I take this opportunity to respond briefly on his behalf to some of those issues. It...

Road Safety: Motion (Resumed). (12 Dec 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: So we are responsible for that too.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (11 Dec 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has not received a proposal from South Dublin County Council on this matter.

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (6 Dec 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: The revised Housing Adaptation Grant Schemes for Older People and People with a Disability were implemented on 1 November 2007. In relation to funding for the schemes, monies allocated to local authorities for the administration of the Disabled Persons and Essential Repairs Grant Schemes in 2007 have been re-directed to fund the new Adaptation Grant Schemes from 1 November to the end of...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (6 Dec 2007)

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, including waiting times, are available on my Department's website at www.environ.ie. The next statutory...

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed) (6 Dec 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: I welcome the record financial provision for housing in 2008. It is worth reflecting on the extent of the resources being made available — over €1.7 billion in Exchequer capital and current finance. This figure is up 16% on the 2007 Estimate and more than double the Exchequer resources made available only six years ago in 2001 at the same juncture in the last national development plan...

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed) (6 Dec 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: I understood it was to be circulated. I will check that. We will also pilot a new approach — incremental purchase — through which social housing applicants can commence purchase of new social housing on an incremental basis over 30 years. These initiatives form part of a package of measures reflecting the Government's commitment to broaden people's housing choices and offer increasing...

Written Answers — Housing Aid for the Elderly: Housing Aid for the Elderly (5 Dec 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Housing Aid for Older People Scheme, which was introduced on 1 November 2007, amalgamates the provisions of the old Essential Repairs Grant Scheme and the existing Special Housing Aid for the Elderly Scheme, with the aim of assisting older people in carrying out necessary repairs and improvements to their homes. The Essential Repairs Grant Scheme ceased on 31 October 2007 and the relevant...

Written Answers — Rental Accommodation Scheme: Rental Accommodation Scheme (4 Dec 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 568 and 604 together. The Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) is designed to cater for the accommodation needs of persons in receipt of rent supplement who have a long-term housing need. It is a collaborative project between my Department, local authorities, the Department of Social and Family Affairs and the Health Service Executive. Good progress is being...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (4 Dec 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 570 and 571 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 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;...