Results 12,321-12,340 of 17,531 for speaker:Jan O'Sullivan

Social and Affordable Housing (2 Feb 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: The proposal is to achieve value for money for the State. The capital budget has been reducing considerably in recent years and is quite low at this stage. We are obtaining good value for the State in that we are accommodating a sizeable number of people under leasing arrangements. Approximately 20,000 households are accommodated under leasing and RAS arrangements. NAMA properties will be...

Social and Affordable Housing (2 Feb 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: This is essentially about providing homes for families who need them. NAMA has been given a job by the State to get the best possible value for taxpayers' money with regard to the properties that have come under its remit. It has a social element and this is in the legislation. It is in accordance with this element that houses are being sought for those in need of them around the country....

Social and Voluntary Housing (2 Feb 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Government's housing policy statement, published in June 2011, identifies approved housing bodies, AHBs, as key partners in the delivery of social housing. This recognises both the constrained funding levels available for local authority construction programmes and the capacity and track record of the voluntary and co-operative housing sector. AHBs are uniquely placed to help drive the...

Social and Voluntary Housing (2 Feb 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: The voluntary housing sector plays a very positive role and the State wants to work with the sector. To take Britain as an example, that sector plays a strong role there as well. The Deputy will be aware that the Housing Finance Agency, HFA, can also provide finance. It is a good mechanism and provides good interest rates, which we expect will come down in the near future. We want to...

Social and Voluntary Housing (2 Feb 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I do not have an exact figure for social housing at this stage as, obviously, some units will be approved and go to tender and so on during the course of the year. I will come back to the Deputy with information that is as accurate as possible. The reality is there is not a huge level of public money and we have to ensure we get the best possible methods in place whereby we can provide homes...

Environmental Policy (2 Feb 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: Council Directive 85/337/EEC on the assessment of the effect of certain public and private projects on the environment, as amended in 1997 and 2003, specifies projects which, by virtue of their nature, size or location are likely to have significant effects on the environment and should be subject to an environmental impact assessment, EIA. Article 4(1) of the directive requires projects...

Environmental Policy (2 Feb 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: It is a matter for that Minister. He published the expert report on undergrounding which will go to the appropriate committee and there will be wide consultation on its findings. I must point out to the Deputy, however, that the report states undergrounding is three times more expensive than putting up overhead cables. It also specifies several other options. Our Department's remit covers...

Housing Grants (2 Feb 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: The housing adaptation grant schemes for older people and people with a disability, introduced in November 2007, replaced the discontinued disabled persons grant scheme, the essential repairs grant scheme and the special housing aid for the elderly scheme administered by the Health Service Executive. The suite of grants include three separate grant measures - the mobility aids grant scheme...

Homelessness Strategy (2 Feb 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 29 together. The programme for Government is committed to adopting a housing first, housing led approach to homelessness and to ensuring more effective prevention strategies. There is no single solution to increasing the level of social housing supply for the homeless and maximising delivery will require flexible and diverse approaches. The initial...

Homelessness Strategy (2 Feb 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I agree we must do all we can on homelessness. This was one of the priorities I outlined when I was appointed to my position of Minister of State with responsibility for housing. A substantial sum, €50 million, has been allocated to the issue, in addition to the funding provided by local authorities. We have to ensure it is spent in a way that provides homes, which is the best response...

Written Answers — Urban Renewal Schemes: Urban Renewal Schemes (2 Feb 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: This Government remains committed to the regeneration of the estates and communities in our most disadvantaged areas. Despite the current adverse economic conditions and consequent Exchequer constraints, we continue to prioritise funding for regeneration within the overall social housing programme. Last year alone my Department provided €118 million for regeneration, representing 25% of...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (2 Feb 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: In 2011, 6,337 households were transferred by housing authorities from rent supplement to the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) or other social housing accommodation. Of this figure, 4,234 were accommodated directly under RAS with the balance accommodated under other social housing options. Added to transfers in previous years, since RAS commenced in 2004, a total of 37,759 households have...

Written Answers — Unfinished Housing Developments: Unfinished Housing Developments (2 Feb 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 22 and 24 together. I am chairing the National Co-ordination Committee on Unfinished Housing Developments to oversee implementation of the Report of the Advisory Group on Unfinished Housing Developments, together with the Government's response to the recommendations. The Committee includes representatives from the Irish Banking Federation, local authorities,...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (2 Feb 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 23 and 51 together. In line with the significant reduction in the capital funding available to my Department the scope for construction of new social housing units in the medium term will be very constrained. This is reflected in the Government's Housing Policy Statement of June 2011 which sets out the measures which will be taken to address housing need in an...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (2 Feb 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department issued comprehensive guidance to local authorities on the treatment of mortgage arrears, including local authority mortgages for shared ownership transactions, in March 2010. That guidance was closely based on the Central Bank's first statutory Code of Conduct on Mortgage Arrears to ensure that cases of local authority mortgage arrears are handled in a manner that is sympathetic...

Written Answers — National Spatial Strategy: National Spatial Strategy (2 Feb 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: The 2002 National Spatial Strategy (NSS) is a twenty-year planning framework designed to achieve a better balance of social, economic and physical development and population growth between regions, and it provides the spatial vision and principles for statutory regional planning guidelines across eight regions and for development plans at a local level. A comprehensive review of...

Written Answers — Urban Renewal Schemes: Urban Renewal Schemes (2 Feb 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: My Department provided funding of €12.2 million to Cork City Council in 2011 for the delivery of two major regeneration projects at Knocknaheeny and the Glen. A major focus of the regeneration programme in 2011 was the completion of the review of the Knocknaheeny regeneration master plan. This revised plan, now covering a wider area including Hollyhill, recently received support from both...

Written Answers — Strategy on Homelessness: Strategy on Homelessness (2 Feb 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 37, 43 and 58 to 60, inclusive, together. The Programme for Government commits to reviewing and updating the current homeless strategy and to adopting a "housing-led" approach to homelessness. Work now under way on updating the strategy is almost complete and will involve the establishment of clear performance targets and associated timelines. Targets should...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (2 Feb 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 52 and 61 together. The units being advanced by NAMA will in general be provided through the Social Housing Leasing Initiative under the standard terms and conditions that apply. The length of lease is determined by negotiation which may vary to reflect the circumstances of a particular case and the terms of the contractual agreement. Generally leases...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (2 Feb 2012)

Jan O'Sullivan: The Government is acutely conscious of the difficulties many households are facing in terms of mortgage arrears. In October 2011 we published the Report of the Inter-Departmental Working Group on Mortgage Arrears and implementation of the report's recommendations is a key part of the Government's ongoing efforts to tackle mortgage difficulty. A Steering Group, chaired by the Department of...