Results 1,401-1,420 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: The Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) is designed to cater for the accommodation needs of persons in receipt of rent supplement who have a long-term housing need. It is a collaborative project between my Department, local authorities, the Department of Social and Family Affairs and the Health Service Executive. All housing authorities are now mobilised and practically all have begun to...

Written Answers — Vacant Dwellings: Vacant Dwellings (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: The Census of Population results, which were issued by the Central Statistics Office on Thursday 29 March 2007, are the first of a series of reports that will issue over the coming year, all of which will have to be evaluated as part of policy development. The CSO report indicated that about 266,000 dwellings were vacant on the Census night in April 23 2006. These statistics are derived from...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: There are currently no proposals to introduce a specific mechanism for transferring households from social housing in Northern Ireland. The allocation of social housing in individual cases is a matter for the housing authority concerned in accordance with its scheme of letting priorities and authorities have discretion to accept housing applicants from outside their functional area.

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: Reform and development of the private rented sector is an important element of the Government's housing policy and we have undertaken a range of action to promote greater quality in various aspects of the sector, including accommodation standards. The Residential Tenancies Act 2004 provides a modern framework of landlord and tenant legislation. The Private Residential Tenancies Board was...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: Information to end September 2006 on activity under Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2006 is published in my Department's Quarterly Housing Statistics Bulletins, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library, and also on my Department's website at www.environ.ie. Provisional annual data indicate that some 2,200 social and affordable homes were delivered under Part...

Written Answers — Housing Completions: Housing Completions (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: Information to end September 2006 on the number of house completions and activity under Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2006 is published in my Department's Quarterly Housing Statistics Bulletins, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library, and also on my Department's website at www.environ.ie. Full-year data indicate that there were 93,419 new home...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: The most recent assessment of need for social housing was undertaken by local authorities in March 2005. The results of that assessment indicated that there were 43,684 households on local authority housing waiting lists. More comprehensive data in relation to the 2005 assessment at an individual local authority level were published in the Annual Bulletin of Housing Statistics 2005, a copy...

Written Answers — Housing Market: Housing Market (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: Housing affordability is influenced by a range of factors such as house prices, interest rates and income levels. House prices have stabilised since the last quarter of 2006, following generally high rates of increase since the June 2005 quarter. ECB interest rates have increased from 2% to 3.75% since December 2005. Economic commentators do not at present predict further significant...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: In accordance with the dormant accounts legislation, the Government approved a grant for the group concerned under the alcohol related harm funding measure at its meeting last Tuesday, 3rd April 2007. Pursuant to the decision, the group will be advised in relation to the grant and any specific conditions attaching.

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: I can confirm that the Government has now approved the publication of the Charities Bill 2007. The Bill itself is currently being printed and I anticipate that it will be published shortly after Easter. I have circulated an information note on the Bill to each member of the Oireachtas today.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: A statutory assessment of housing need is undertaken by local authorities on a triennial basis. The most recent assessment of need for social housing was undertaken by local authorities in March 2005. The results of that assessment indicated that the net need for local authority housing was 43,684. The corresponding figure for 2002 was 48,413. Further data from the 2005 assessment is...

Written Answers — Voluntary Sector Funding: Voluntary Sector Funding (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: My Department's decision to approve to a grant of €1,095,218 for the provision of 10 units of accommodation at Mitchel Street, Thurles, was notified to North Tipperary County Council on 23 March, 2007.

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: My Department is not aware that the lands concerned have been made available for sale. A decision in this regard is a matter for the owners of the land in the first instance. In the event of the lands being made available for sale, their possible purchase for recreational or housing purposes would normally be a matter for the relevant local authority.

Written Answers — Housing Completions: Housing Completions (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: My Department does not collect floor area data in relation to new house or apartment completions.

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: Data on the number of house completions, including social and affordable housing, for each year from 2002 to 2005, are published in the Housing Statistics Bulletins, which are available in the Oireachtas Library and on the Department's website at www.environ.ie. Data for 2006 is currently being finalised. However, provisional indications are that of the new house completions of 93,419 some...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: A range of State and local authority lands were assigned to the Affordable Housing Initiative provided for under the Sustaining Progress social partnership agreement. These lands, together with 2,500 affordable homes to be delivered under Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2006, provide the basis for reaching the 10,000 affordable home target included in the agreement. While...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: Funding is provided under my Departments Capital Assistance Scheme and Capital Loan and Subsidy Scheme to approved voluntary and co-operative housing bodies to provide accommodation to meet housing needs as well as special housing needs such as the elderly, homeless or persons with disabilities. The administration of the schemes and the certification that particular projects comply with the...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 551 and 556 together. Information to end September 2006 on activity under Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2006 in each local authority area is published in my Department's Quarterly Housing Statistics Bulletins, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library, and is also available on my Department's website at www.environ.ie....

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: Detailed figures on the number of local authority houses constructed and acquired in 2006 will be published shortly in my Department's Annual Housing Statistics Bulletin for 2006 and on the Department's website at www.environ.ie.

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (5 Apr 2007)

Noel Ahern: Details of the revised housing adaptation grant schemes for older people and people with a disability were announced recently as part of the Government's new housing policy statement Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities. My Department is currently preparing administrative guidance in relation to the operation of the revised schemes and this will be issued to local authorities in due...