Results 8,101-8,120 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (17 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: The correspondence concerned has not been received in my Department. In the event of it being submitted in the normal way, I will arrange for a response to be issued in respect of those matters falling within my Department's remit.

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (17 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: The correspondence concerned has not been received in my Department. In the event of it being submitted in the normal way, I will arrange for a response to be issued in respect of those matters falling within my Department's remit.

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (17 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department's involvement in the disabled persons and essential repair grant schemes relates primarily to the recoupment of a proportion of local authority expenditure on the payment of individual grants. The administration of the schemes and decisions on individual applications are the responsibility of the appropriate local authority. The combined capital allocation to local authorities...

Local Authority Housing. (16 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: I apologise to Deputy Durkan for any unintended confusion caused last week. Disallowance was sought based on my Department's understanding that this was a contractual issue between the voluntary body and builder concerned. The Department was not aware at the time of the mixed-tenure nature of the development. I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I take the opportunity to acknowledge...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (16 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Capital funding is available through my Department's Capital Assistance Scheme to approved voluntary housing bodies to provide accommodation to meet special housing needs, such as the elderly, homeless or persons with disabilities. My Department's involvement with the scheme relates primarily to the provision of funds for individual projects. The administration of the scheme, and the...

Written Answers — Housing Aid for the Elderly: Housing Aid for the Elderly (16 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Task Force on Special Housing Aid for the Elderly, which operates under the aegis of my Department, agreed an initial allocation of €12 million to the Health Service Executive for the operation of the scheme in 2007. The Task Force met again last week to review progress and considered the making of a further allocation to the HSE to meet the ongoing high level of demand. The HSE will be...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (16 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: I refer to the reply to Question Nos. 167 and 168 of 11 October 2007. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (16 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Data in relation to financial allocations to Kildare County Council and Athy Town Council for the construction and purchase of social housing in each of the years 2000 to 2007, and their expenditure for such purposes from 1 January 2000 to 30 September 2007, are set out in the tables. Kildare County Council Year Allocation Expenditure % 2000 12,062,512 9,653,565 80 2001 17,776,333...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (16 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 577 and 589 together. Details of the revised housing adaptation grant schemes for older people and people with a disability were announced earlier this year as part of the Government's new housing policy statement Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities. Three new schemes are to be introduced, a Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability, a...

Written Answers — Homeless Persons: Homeless Persons (16 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department recoups to local authorities 90% of their approved current expenditure on the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons in accordance with the provisions of Section 10 of the Housing Act 1988. Much of this expenditure is operationalised through projects managed by voluntary bodies. My Department has received a proposal from Donegal County Council for...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (16 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Eligibility generally for the affordable housing schemes is determined on the basis that applicants are in need of housing and cannot afford to purchase a house on the open market. In the case of the shared ownership and 1999 affordable housing schemes, single applicants are eligible where their income in the previous tax year was €40,000 or under. In the case of a two income household,...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (16 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Affordable housing is made available at below market prices through a range of delivery mechanisms which have been put in place. These include the provision of direct subsidies by my Department to local authorities in respect of individual schemes, the provision of land by the State and local authorities at below market value, and the capacity, through Part V of the Planning and Development...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (16 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has recently received proposals in relation to this project. Given the scale of the development proposed, further discussions between my Department and the Council will be necessary before any decision can be made in this matter.

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (16 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: There are a number of schemes operated by my Department which provide assistance to older people in carrying out essential repairs and improvements. The Essential Repairs Grant Scheme is designed to enable people whose houses cannot be made habitable in all respects at a reasonable cost to have basic repairs carried out. The types of work allowable under the scheme, which is administered by...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (11 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: The regulations governing the essential repairs grant scheme, which is operated by local authorities, do not specify an age qualification. The scheme is designed to enable older people whose houses cannot be made habitable in all respects at a reasonable cost to have basic repairs carried out. In determining priority between grant applicants, local authorities would have regard to relative...

Written Answers — Rural Renewal Scheme: Rural Renewal Scheme (11 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: A further inspection with a view to issuing a Certificate of Reasonable Cost, if in order, will be carried out as soon as possible.

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

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 167 and 168 together. Subject to compliance with the normal requirements in relation to the appraisal and management of capital projects, including public procurement and fixed price contracts, local authorities have been given direct control over their internal capital receipts to be used primarily for their improvement works programme, as set out in the...

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (10 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Residential Tenancies Act, 2004 provides that rents in the private rented sector cannot be set at greater than the open market rate and that rent reviews cannot, in the normal course, occur more frequently than once a year. Any tenant who considers that the rent sought exceeds the market rate can refer the issue to the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) for resolution. It is a...

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (10 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: All landlords have a legal obligation 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. In September 2006 a comprehensive Action Programme to promote improvement in standards of private rented accommodation was announced, involving a range of...

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (10 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Residential Tenancies Act 2004 provides for significantly improved security of tenure in the private rented sector while respecting the rights of accommodation providers to regain possession where there are valid grounds for this. In particular, the Act provides for 4-year tenancy cycles, and, once a tenancy has lasted 6 months, it can only be terminated during the remaining three and a...