Results 1,301-1,320 of 2,386 for speaker:Michael Finneran

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (24 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: The data my Department currently collects in relation to allocations are limited to the total number of lettings made by an authority in an individual year. The Central Statistics Office, however, collects data on the number of people with a disability and the types of accommodation in which people with disabilities live, including local authority housing. The 2006 census shows that 12% of...

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (24 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 its 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 — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (24 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: The management and maintenance of their housing stock is a matter for individual local authorities under section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. Tenancy agreement provisions set out in the Housing Regulations 1980 confer responsibility for maintenance of parts of dwellings, particularly the interior, to tenants. Good Practice Guidelines for local authorities on the Repair and Maintenance of...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (24 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: The Public Accounts Committee, in its report Taxation of Rental Income Receipts published on 4 September 2008, recommended that the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 should be amended to enable the Revenue Commissioners to have full access to landlord records held by the PRTB for the purposes of enabling tax compliance checks. My Department has accepted this recommendation and, in conjunction...

Housing Grants. (24 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 27, 56 and 60 together. Over 1,400 prospective purchasers have formally registered interest on the dedicated home choice loan website and, to date, 33 applications have been made, with two approvals issued in principle. A significant number of inquiries have also been received from brokers in relation to applications that may be pending. No loan draw downs...

Housing Grants. (24 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: There are a couple of matters that are not true in what the Deputy said. First, there is no question of people borrowing seven times their income.

Housing Grants. (24 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: It is actually five. I have consistently stated that the home choice loan scheme was designed to respond to the needs of those households that wish to become home owners at present but who are unable to do so because of the credit crunch. It is there, not with any incentive or inducement. We are not yet in a position to state that the home choice loan is not being drawn down for reasons that...

Housing Grants. (24 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: I assure the Deputy that 1,400 prospective purchasers have formally registered interest, 33 formal applications have been made and two approvals have been made in principle. I have no intention of denying those people an opportunity if they want to build or buy a house for themselves. The scheme is there to facilitate them. The start-up costs are those incurred by people who are already...

Housing Grants. (24 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: As I stated, this scheme is a temporary measure. It will be kept constantly under review. A number of people have shown an interest and have gone through formal applications, and it would be inappropriate to deny them the opportunity we presented in this scheme. Deputies should remember that there are two other aspects to this. The existence of this facility may have spurred financial...

Housing Grants. (24 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: The Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008 provides for a total revamp of all loans under the shared ownership, affordable and other schemes. Specifically, I have introduced two new types of loan, namely, the incremental purchase scheme and the equity loan. These measures represent significant movement in this area. The home choice loan scheme is essentially a facility for people who...

Social and Affordable Housing. (24 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: Since the current programme for Government was finalised two years ago, significant process has been made in implementing the measures relating to housing provision. While the process and time line for the review of the programme will be a matter for the leaders of the Government parties, I am confident that the programme, as reviewed, will continue to reflect the importance attaching to the...

Social and Affordable Housing. (24 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: I expect there to be some adjustment to the figure of 56,000, and that figure will be available in the coming weeks. It is important to note that there are various ways in which people's housing needs are met other than via the social housing programme, including the voluntary housing programme, the rental accommodation scheme and the new long-term leasing scheme. The resources available...

Social and Affordable Housing. (24 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: In regard to vacant properties, we have asked for an updated audit. I recently allocated almost €20 million to local authorities throughout the State to bring housing stock back into use. It is expected that some 1,500 of those vacant houses will be turned around. We are allowing €15,000 per unit, which would be 75% of the cost, with local authorities providing the remainder from their...

Social and Affordable Housing. (24 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: The Department maintains ongoing contacts with the local authorities which also inform us about the feedback they are receiving. Some local authorities have taken a focused approach to sales, particularly in the Dublin region, and consult the Department regularly. We continue to monitor developments in this regard. The Deputy will be aware that I recently introduced an implementation plan...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (23 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 391, 393 and 402 to 405, inclusive, together. The applicable interest rate paid by local authority borrowers on fixed rates is set by reference to prevailing fixed interest rates at the time of loan draw down. The rate for 5 year fixed term loans will be reduced from 5.5% to 4.4% as of 1 July, while the variable rate charged to borrowers is currently 2.25%....

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (23 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: Houses sold to first time buyers under the various affordable housing schemes at a significant discount from market value contain a clawback provision, in order to prevent short-term profit taking on the resale of the house, to the detriment of the objectives of the schemes. As signalled by the Minister for Finance in Budget 2009, a new single streamlined scheme is to be introduced in...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (23 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: A Remedial Works Scheme application in relation to the project in question was received in late 2008 and, following an evaluation process, an approval in principle in respect of the application was issued by my Department in February 2009. This project, which is at an early stage of development, is part of an overall three-year remedial works programme. As is the case with all such remedial...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (23 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: It is essential that all State investment in housing support, including use of the new 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 there are no legislative restrictions on the number of private housing units that can be leased...

Written Answers — Homeless Persons: Homeless Persons (23 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: The National Implementation Plan for the Homeless Strategy was adopted by the Cross Departmental Team on Homelessness in March 2009. The Plan, which also took into account input from the National Homeless Consultative Committee, is available on my Department's web site at www.environ.ie. It provides a robust framework to guide the action required at national level to promote and support...

Written Answers — Fire Services: Fire Services (23 Jun 2009)

Michael Finneran: The provision of a fire service, including the provision of fire fighting and emergency equipment, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities as set out in the Fire Services Act, 1981. The Department supports fire authorities through the setting of general policy and the provision of capital funding, including the recoupment (within the overall funding available) of costs...