Results 1,381-1,400 of 2,386 for speaker:Michael Finneran

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (12 May 2009)

Michael Finneran: Work is continuing to address the outstanding issues relating to the tenant purchase of local authority apartments. I hope that legislative proposals for a viable apartment sales scheme can be finalised in time for consideration during the Dáil Committee Stage of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008.

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (12 May 2009)

Michael Finneran: Over 1,400 prospective purchasers have formally registered interest on the dedicated Home Choice website (www.homechoiceloan.ie) and these have been contacted to advise that applications are now being accepted. 25 full applications have been made and a significant number of enquiries have also been received from brokers in relation to applications that may be pending. Importantly, the...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (12 May 2009)

Michael Finneran: I refer to the reply to Question No. 118 of 9 April 2009 which set out the further guidance, by way of circular letter, which has issued to local authorities in relation to the stock of affordable homes. A copy of the circular letter has been provided to the Joint Committee on the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (12 May 2009)

Michael Finneran: I recently announced my intention to review the provisions of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 under which the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) operates. The purpose of this review is to consider whether the Act best supports the PRTB's key functions and whether legislative amendments would support either the achievement of additional operational efficiencies by the PRTB in the...

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (12 May 2009)

Michael Finneran: The Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB), which commenced operations in September 2004, is at present outside the scope of the Freedom of Information Act 1997. Given the importance of openness and transparency in relation to the operation of State bodies generally, it is my intention that the Board, subject to exemptions that recognise its quasi-judicial functions, should come under the...

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (12 May 2009)

Michael Finneran: The EU Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings, which was transposed into Irish law by the European Communities (Energy Performance of Buildings) Regulations 2006 - 2008, introduced a requirement for a Building Energy Rating (BER) system. In the case of buildings offered for letting, the Regulations require a landlord to produce a copy of the BER certificate and advisory report...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (12 May 2009)

Michael Finneran: I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 473, 491, 495, 467, 468 and 496 of 6 May 2009, setting out, inter alia, details of the final allocations to local authorities in 2008 under the new Housing Adaptation Grant Scheme for People with a Disability and the old Disabled Persons Grant scheme and the initial allocations for 2009 under the revised suite of grants to adapt housing for the needs of...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (12 May 2009)

Michael Finneran: The operation of the various affordable housing schemes is primarily a matter for individual housing authorities and I have no function in relation to valuations of property made by a local authority in individual transactions. Section 5 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2002 defines 'market value' in the context of affordable housing provided under the Shared Ownership Scheme and...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (12 May 2009)

Michael Finneran: I refer to the reply to Question No 481 of 10 February, 2009. The information received from Westmeath County Council on 21 April, 2009, is being examined by my Department at present.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (12 May 2009)

Michael Finneran: The power for local authorities to enter into leasing arrangements is a long-standing one, set out under section 56 of the Housing Act 1966. In general, the subsidiarity principle applies to the provision of social housing and it does not therefore fall within the competence of the European Commission unless a particular measure adopted by a Member State impacts upon other areas of Community...

Written Answers — Rented Residential Accommodation: Rented Residential Accommodation (7 May 2009)

Michael Finneran: The Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2008 came into effect generally on 1 February 2009 and are part of a package of Government measures to update and more effectively enforce the minimum standards for rented residential accommodation. As certain aspects of the new regulations could necessitate significant refurbishment works, the application of the provisions concerned to...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (7 May 2009)

Michael Finneran: The regulation and administration of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance rent supplement scheme is a matter for the Minister for Social and Family Affairs who indicated, in reply to a question on the matter on 30 April, that payments to rent supplement tenants were being reduced in the expectation that landlords would reduce their rents, given the reductions in rent levels in the private...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (7 May 2009)

Michael Finneran: Under Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000, a housing strategy prepared by a housing authority must provide that, as a general policy, not more than 20% of land zoned for residential use shall be reserved for social and affordable housing for the purposes of the Act. Where units delivered under Part V are no longer required for their original purpose, for example as affordable...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (7 May 2009)

Michael Finneran: Meeting the legitimate aspirations of many households for home ownership has traditionally been a key component of housing policy in Ireland. The Government's housing policy statement, Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities, emphasised the Government's firm commitment to respond to the needs of households who face difficulty in resourcing home purchase on the open market. The statement...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (7 May 2009)

Michael Finneran: Information in relation to activity under the range of housing programmes in 2007 and 2008 is set out in my Department's annual and quarterly Housing Statistics Bulletins, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas library and on my Department's website, www.environ.ie. I am confident that the financial provision for housing for 2009 will enable us to maintain a continued high level of...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (7 May 2009)

Michael Finneran: The number of households on a local authority's waiting list continuously fluctuates as households on the list are allocated housing and new households apply for housing support. It is up to individual housing authorities to plan the composition, management and delivery of their social housing investment programmes having regard to the specific social housing priorities in their areas and to...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (7 May 2009)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 25 and 42 together. Recent events in the area identified highlight the way in which anti-social behaviour can disrupt the lives of householders and has the potential to destabilise communities. Success in addressing issues of anti-social behaviour is critically dependent on a co-ordinated effort involving all stakeholders, including An Garda Síochána,...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (7 May 2009)

Michael Finneran: Estimates obtained from a number of local authorities and the Affordable Homes Partnership during the first quarter of 2009 indicated that the number of affordable units on hands nationally was in the region of 3,700 units. Many of these are already in process of sale or are expected to be sold in the coming months. Factors affecting the housing market generally, including availability of...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (7 May 2009)

Michael Finneran: The total numbers of repossessions carried out over the five year period 2004 to 2008 by each local authority that provides loans for house purchase, under section 11 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992, is set out in the table below. Breakdowns on an annual basis or by type of housing unit are not readily available. Council Name Repossessions Carlow County Council 3...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (7 May 2009)

Michael Finneran: New Ross Town Council's application for funding in respect of redevelopment works at Bosheen Estate is under consideration in my Department and a decision will issue to the Council as soon as possible.