Results 1,141-1,160 of 2,386 for speaker:Michael Finneran

Written Answers — Traveller Accommodation: Traveller Accommodation (30 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 384 to 386, inclusive, together. In accordance with the provisions of the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act, 1998, responsibility for the assessment of the accommodation needs of Travellers and the preparation, adoption and implementation of multi-annual Traveller Accommodation Programmes (TAPs) rests with individual housing authorities. The proposal for...

Written Answers — Housing for People with Disabilities: Housing for People with Disabilities (30 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 387 and 388 together. The Government's housing policy statement, Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities, reflects the commitment in Towards 2016 Social Partnership Agreement to develop a national housing strategy for people with a disability. Work on the strategy commenced in October 2007 under the aegis of a National Advisory Group, headed by my...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (30 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: In recent years significant efforts have been made to ensure that all new construction projects, including the delivery of local authority housing stock, are designed and built to high energy efficiency and sustainable development standards. To that end, Part L of the current Building Regulations requires that all new housing, including social housing: has 40% lower heat energy demand than...

Written Answers — Shared Ownership Scheme: Shared Ownership Scheme (30 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: The terms of individual shared ownership transactions are governed by the provisions of the lease entered into between the purchaser and the housing authority and, accordingly, I have no function in relation to issues arising in individual cases. It is, however, open to any person occupying a dwelling under the shared ownership scheme to buy out the local authority's share and acquire full...

Written Answers — Child Care Facilities: Child Care Facilities (30 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: National policy in relation to childcare is the responsibility of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. Within this context local authorities are involved in promoting childcare at local level through a range of policies and activities. County/City Childcare committees operate under the auspices of the local government-led County/City Development Boards to support a co-ordinated and...

Written Answers — Housing Aid for the Elderly: Housing Aid for the Elderly (30 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: Under my Department's Housing Aid for Older People grant scheme, which is administered by individual local authorities, grants of up to €10, 500 are payable, subject to certain conditions, in respect of works which are deemed necessary for making habitable the homes of older people. Grant eligible works include structural repairs and improvements, repairs to/replacement of windows and...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (30 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: My Department's involvement with the Housing Adaptation Grant Schemes for Older People and People with a Disability relates primarily to the recoupment of a proportion of local authority expenditure on the payment of individual grants. These schemes introduced in November 2007 are funded by 80% recoupment available from my Department, together with 20% contribution from the resources of the...

Written Answers — Housing Policy: Housing Policy (25 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: My Department has a number of initiatives in place which will facilitate the use of currently vacant houses to meet the accommodation needs of both households on local authority housing waiting lists and rent supplement recipients with a long term housing need. In the first instance, the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS), which was introduced in 2004, is designed to cater for the long term...

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (25 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Question Nos. 194 and 195 together. Section 137 of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 specifies the fee for the registration of a single tenancy with the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) within one month of the commencement of the tenancy as €70 and a fee of €140 applies where the tenancy is registered after this period. The Act also provides for a composite...

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (25 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 196 and 197 together. The Residential Tenancies Act 2004 was amended by the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2009, which was a technical piece of legislation introduced to regularise a number of appointments to the Dispute Resolution Committee of the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) about which concerns had been raised in terms of procedural and...

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (25 Jun 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. As...

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (25 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: The PRTB, an independent statutory body, is committed to delivering its services in as timely a manner as possible and it has set out a clear strategic approach in this regard. My Department supports the PRTB in this approach and, last year, in response to the large and ongoing volume of work involved, a request from the Board of the PRTB for the recruitment of an additional 14 permanent...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (25 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: There is no question of a mortgage having to be over 20 years. The Deputy is incorrect in that.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (25 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: This is an incremental purchase scheme. It will be based on and tailored to a person's capacity to pay. That will be determined by regulation once the legislation is passed.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (25 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: That is the most important part of the measure. I reiterate that.

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (25 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: I move amendment No. 110: In page 70, line 20, after "proceed" to insert "(within the meaning of section 56(7))"

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (25 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: I move amendment No. 111: In page 71, to delete lines 15 to 17 and substitute the following: "(d) such other terms and conditions relating to the sale of an apartment as may be prescribed for the purposes of an apartment assignment order.".

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (25 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: I move amendment No. 112: In page 71, lines 20 to 22, to delete all words from and including "calculated" in line 20 down to and including "refundable" in line 22 and substitute the following: "determined in accordance with such method as may be prescribed under section 77 which deposit, subject to subsection (7), shall not be refundable". The intention of section 64(6) is to provide that a...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (25 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: I move amendment No. 113: In page 72, lines 15 and 16, to delete all words from and including "good" in line 15 down to and including "complex" in line 16 and substitute "good estate management".

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2009: Report and Final Stages (25 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: I move amendment No. 114: In page 72, line 23, after "lapsed" to insert "under section 55(3)".