Results 1,541-1,560 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

Seanad: Occupational Injuries Benefits Scheme. (28 Feb 2007)

Noel Ahern: I do not know as I am only answering on behalf of the Minister for Social and Family Affairs. I am aware that this is a burning issue, as are public representatives in the area in question. As the Senator stated, the Taoiseach met the concerned parties. I have not been briefed other than to say meetings took place. I do not know if there is any action or movement in another direction. I...

Seanad: Occupational Injuries Benefits Scheme. (28 Feb 2007)

Noel Ahern: The Senator knows that until a decision is agreed, standardised and processed, one gets a standard reply from the Department. I do not know anything other than that the Taoiseach met the miners, and other public representatives have raised the issue recently. I am not aware of what is happening behind the scenes.

National Drugs Strategy. (28 Feb 2007)

Noel Ahern: The national drugs strategy, which runs until the end of 2008, is achieving considerable success across a range of different areas. The main finding of the mid-term review of the strategy, published in 2005, was that its current aims and objectives are fundamentally sound and that progress is being made in all pillars through which it operates. It is difficult to determine if a significant...

National Drugs Strategy. (28 Feb 2007)

Noel Ahern: No one denies that there is a drugs problem.

National Drugs Strategy. (28 Feb 2007)

Noel Ahern: No, he has not.

National Drugs Strategy. (28 Feb 2007)

Noel Ahern: Deputy English referred to a "serious" problem, and I congratulate him on using a reasonably sensible word. Normally his colleagues speak of "crises". I am sure the question put to the Taoiseach was whether there was a crisis, and there is none.

National Drugs Strategy. (28 Feb 2007)

Noel Ahern: The Deputy should hold on, since I listened to him. Drugs are a serious problem for those affected, but our strategy is working. The Deputy asked regarding Europe, and one must consider the situation in the context in which our strategy and efforts are placed. The supply of drugs has risen substantially. The amount seized is now massive, and prices have fallen. That is the background...

National Drugs Strategy. (28 Feb 2007)

Noel Ahern: I am no expert on that. It is difficult to blame an Afghan farmer, since what he can get for an acre of opium is likely to be several times what he could get for any other crop. I will get the Deputy the information on that, but the question of building up the Afghan economy is much wider. We must settle that country's problems, build up trade and give people other crops that will support...

National Drugs Strategy. (28 Feb 2007)

Noel Ahern: An important element of any policy is the knowledge upon which it is based. In the context of the national drugs strategy, I strongly recognise the need for good information on the nature and extent of drug misuse in Ireland to influence the development and roll-out of the strategy. Research is one of the five pillars of the NDS. The key objective under this pillar is to have valid, timely...

National Drugs Strategy. (28 Feb 2007)

Noel Ahern: Research was one of the original four pillars of the strategy and rehabilitation is now the fifth. Research is very important and the NACD is undertaking many good projects in this respect. While such research projects are mainly national, it has also funded some local ones. The strategy ends next year and there will be a consultation phase, either late this year or early next year, on a...

National Drugs Strategy. (28 Feb 2007)

Noel Ahern: Common sense dictates that even diet and exercise affect babies, so I agree with the Deputy that as more information becomes available it should be communicated to pregnant women.

National Drugs Strategy. (28 Feb 2007)

Noel Ahern: Yes, but they are probably not the cohort on which we would spend most of our energy. I take the Deputy's point and will examine what data currently exists in that regard. Pregnant women may not be major users of cannabis but if any of them are doing so I agree that we should impart such information to them in a targeted way. It does not have to be done on television; it could be done...

Written Answers — Property Management: Property Management (27 Feb 2007)

Noel Ahern: Management companies, consisting of the owners of dwellings, are generally constituted under the Companies Acts and are required to operate in compliance with company law, which comes within the area of responsibility of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. Determination of management fees is primarily a matter for the management company. My Department does not have a role in...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (27 Feb 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 My Department's new housing policy statement Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities. The revised schemes are based on the outcome of the review of the Disabled Persons Grant scheme which was recently completed within my Department. The review also...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (27 Feb 2007)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 96, 184 and 576 together. There are a number of social housing options available to households who cannot meet their own accommodation needs. The main options are social rented accommodation provided by local authorities, by voluntary and co-operative housing bodies or under the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS). A statutory assessment of housing need is...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (27 Feb 2007)

Noel Ahern: New arrangements for the planning and delivery of social and affordable housing programmes based on housing strategies were put in place by my Department in 2004 through the introduction of five-year housing action plans. These action plans identify priority needs and provide a coherent and coordinated response to those needs across all housing sectors, including the voluntary and...

Written Answers — House Prices: House Prices (27 Feb 2007)

Noel Ahern: My Department publishes quarterly house price data compiled from returns from the mortgage lending institutions. The average new house price in the July to September quarter 1997 was €123,537 in Dublin and €104,146 nationally. In the second quarter of 2006, the most recent period for which complete returns have been received from lending financial institutions, the average new house price...

Written Answers — Radon Gas Survey: Radon Gas Survey (27 Feb 2007)

Noel Ahern: It is intended to commence an audit of the social housing stock, including an assessment of radon concentration levels, later this year. Funding will be made available to local authorities to undertake the survey. The question of future funding will be addressed when the results of the survey are available.

Written Answers — Energy Conservation: Energy Conservation (27 Feb 2007)

Noel Ahern: The European Communities (Energy Performance of Buildings) Regulations 2006 were signed on 19 December 2006. Copies of the Regulations have been placed in the Oireachtas Library.

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (27 Feb 2007)

Noel Ahern: My Department is currently compiling figures from local authorities on social housing output for 2006. Current indications are that there were in the region of 6,200 local authority and voluntary housing units completed/ acquired in 2006. Detailed figures on a local authority basis will be published in due course in my Department's Annual Housing Statistics Bulletin for 2006 and on the...