Results 981-1,000 of 2,386 for speaker:Michael Finneran

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (15 Oct 2009)

Michael Finneran: The administration and processing of applications under the various affordable housing schemes is a matter for individual local authorities, and one in which my Department has no direct function. Accordingly, my Department does not have detailed information on the range of fees applied by individual authorities in providing access to prospective purchasers of affordable housing.

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (14 Oct 2009)

Michael Finneran: I wish to share time with Deputy Wallace.

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (14 Oct 2009)

Michael Finneran: I am pleased to contribute to this historically important debate on the Bill to establish the National Asset Management Agency. I add my name to those who have already commended the Minister for Finance on publishing this legislation. I cannot think of a more important item of legislation to come before the House and, given the circumstances that created the need for this Bill, I hope that...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (14 Oct 2009)

Michael Finneran: To date, my Department has issued full funding approval in respect of some 842 properties under the Social Housing Leasing Initiative. In addition to this, a further 367 units have been issued with provisional approval. This gives a total of 1,209 properties approved to date, covering 17 different housing authority areas. Furthermore, there are a number of leasing proposals currently being...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (14 Oct 2009)

Michael Finneran: The achievement of value for money is the primary focus of authorities when negotiating leasing costs and other associated terms and conditions provided for in lease agreements under the Social Housing Leasing Initiative. In normal circumstances, each lease agreement entered into will be the subject of a rent review. However, there will be some exceptions to this, including situations where,...

Written Answers — Homelessness Strategy: Homelessness Strategy (14 Oct 2009)

Michael Finneran: The National Implementation Plan for the Government's Homeless Strategy, The Way Home, was launched on 21 April 2009 and is available on my Department's website at www.environ.ie. It provides a robust framework to guide the action required at national level to promote and support effective implementation locally. The Plan sets out a sequence of strategic aims, key approaches, priority...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (14 Oct 2009)

Michael Finneran: Following a Government decision in 2004, the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) was established to meet the accommodation needs of rent supplement recipients with a long-term housing need. In the period from the commencement of transfers in September 2005 to the end of August 2009, some 22,412 households have been transferred from rent supplement. Of these, 11,987 were housed directly in RAS...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (14 Oct 2009)

Michael Finneran: A commencement order will be made shortly under the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, the first in a series bringing the various provisions of the Act into operation. However, a considerable amount of preparatory work is required before the necessary commencement order can be made for Part 4, relating to tenant purchase of apartments. This work, which is being undertaken by my...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (14 Oct 2009)

Michael Finneran: My Department does not collect details on the number of social housing applicants waiting for a housing needs assessment to be completed, or the proportion of those who are waiting for a determination on Rent Supplement. It is a matter for each housing authority under the Housing Acts 1966 to 2009 to carry out housing needs assessments and to allocate appropriate resources to undertake this...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (14 Oct 2009)

Michael Finneran: Information on housing activity, including Part V social and affordable housing, in each local authority area up to the end of March 2009, is available on my Department's website (www.environ.ie). Information is also published in my Department's Housing Statistics Bulletins, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library. Data for the second quarter of 2009 will be published shortly....

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (14 Oct 2009)

Michael Finneran: The provision of affordable housing, including setting of the sale price, is primarily a matter for individual housing authorities. The sale price of an affordable home is determined largely by its cost. Where authorities consider it appropriate, in the context of reduced open market prices and the continuing need to ensure value for money outcomes, they have the option to further reduce the...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (14 Oct 2009)

Michael Finneran: It will be a matter for each authority to negotiate the terms of the lease arrangements they enter into, subject to my Department's approval under a broad range of sustainable communities and other criteria. The lease arrangements, once entered into, will apply for the full term of the lease regardless of whether or not property prices rise or fall, unless a break clause, purchase option or...

Written Answers — Homelessness Strategy: Homelessness Strategy (14 Oct 2009)

Michael Finneran: By its nature homelessness is difficult to quantify definitively. The Counted In survey, which is a special purpose count of people using homeless services carried out in Dublin every three years since 1999 through the Homeless Agency, supported by my Department, is generally considered to provide the most robust indicator. The results of the most recent survey in March 2008 reported a...

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (14 Oct 2009)

Michael Finneran: My Department has no function in the operational matters of the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB), which is an independent statutory body established under the Residential Tenancies Act 2004. The PRTB may be contacted at their offices at O'Connell Bridge House, D'Olier Street, Dublin 2 or by telephone or email. Contact details are available on the Board's website at www.prtb.ie....

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (14 Oct 2009)

Michael Finneran: Over 1,400 prospective purchasers have formally registered interest on the dedicated Home Choice loan website and, to date, 38 applications have been made, with 3 approvals in principle issued. The scheme is operated by four local authorities acting on a regional basis, with administrative support from a Central Processing Unit in the Affordable Homes Partnership. Total costs of some...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (14 Oct 2009)

Michael Finneran: I refer to the reply to Question No.1053 of the 16 September 2009. I have requested my Department to arrange to have the relevant provisions included in the first available appropriate legislative vehicle. The position remains unchanged. It is not possible to say how many existing affordable purchasers may have been considering re-mortgaging or switching to another mortgage provider.

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (14 Oct 2009)

Michael Finneran: To date my Department has approved over 1,200 units for use under the Social Housing Leasing Initiative. Of these, 842 have been issued with funding approval and a further 367 units have been given provisional approval for leasing. Details of the housing authority areas, where funding approval has been issued, are set out in the table. Housing authority area No of approved units for...

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (14 Oct 2009)

Michael Finneran: Minimum standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2008, made under section 18 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992. All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties comply with these regulations and responsibility for enforcing the regulations rests with the relevant local authority....

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (14 Oct 2009)

Michael Finneran: It is essential that all State investment in housing support, including through leasing arrangements, complies fully with the "sustainable communities" philosophy at the heart of the Government's housing policy, as outlined in Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities. In this context, while my Department has not specified a limit on the number of housing units that can be leased for social...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (14 Oct 2009)

Michael Finneran: The Support to Live Independently Scheme (SLÍ), details of which issued to local authorities in July 2009, forms an important element of action to end long-term homelessness by providing suitable long-term accommodation in mainstream housing with appropriate supports to help people make a successful transition from homelessness to independent living. Responsibility for implementation of the...