Results 1,601-1,620 of 2,386 for speaker:Michael Finneran

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (10 Feb 2009)

Michael Finneran: I refer to the reply to Question No. 16 of 5 February 2009. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (10 Feb 2009)

Michael Finneran: Details of the grants and funding made available to Dublin City Council towards the operation of the schemes in question are set out in the table below. The Schemes are funded by 80% recoupment available from my Department together with 20% contribution from the resources of the local authority. The Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability, the Mobility Aids Grant Scheme and...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (10 Feb 2009)

Michael Finneran: Information on affordable housing activity, up to the end of June 2008, is available on my Department's website at www.environ.ie. Information is also published in my Department's Housing Statistics Bulletins, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library. Data for the third quarter of 2008 will be published shortly. Comprehensive information on the average cost price of affordable...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (10 Feb 2009)

Michael Finneran: My Department issued approval on 20 January 2009 for the Council to proceed to tender with this proposal.

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (10 Feb 2009)

Michael Finneran: The legislation provides that houses sold or leased under the affordable schemes will be subject to any terms and conditions that the local authority specifies including, inter alia, the occupation of the house by the purchaser. Furthermore, affordable housing sold at a discount from market value contains a clawback provision. The amount payable under the clawback is reduced by 10% in...

Written Answers — Housing Finance: Housing Finance (10 Feb 2009)

Michael Finneran: Given that sentiment in the housing market is heavily dependent on wider sentiment in the economy, the Government's approach is focused on the broader economic fundamentals and on ensuring, ultimately, that the housing market is underpinned by these. While the Government has been careful to ensure that the process of correction in the housing market is not artificially interfered with, a...

Written Answers — Local Authority Revenue: Local Authority Revenue (10 Feb 2009)

Michael Finneran: It is a matter for each individual local authority to set their rents schemes in accordance with guidance issued by my Department. The amount of rent due to any local authority from individual households is determined in accordance with its rents scheme. Data on the amount of rental income collected by Meath County Council for the years 2004 to 2007 are available in the Housing/Housing...

Written Answers — Local Authority Revenue: Local Authority Revenue (10 Feb 2009)

Michael Finneran: The information requested for the years 2004-2007 is set out in the table. Data for 2008 are not yet available. Housing Loans Year Amount Due for Collection Collected % Collected â'¬ â'¬ 2004 2,184,102 2,137,537.979 2005 2,075,247 1,958,089.944 2006 2,178,003 2,082,741.956 2007 2,088,855 1,937,654.928

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (10 Feb 2009)

Michael Finneran: Housing authorities are legally responsible for meeting the accommodation needs of homeless people. It is, accordingly, the responsibility of the individual housing authorities to determine the level of emergency accommodation to be provided, having regard to the need for such accommodation within their areas. My Department is currently working in partnership with the Homeless Agency and the...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (10 Feb 2009)

Michael Finneran: In line with my objective of prioritising the needs of the most vulnerable households, the total financial provision secured for housing in 2009 will allow for the level of funding allocated towards housing supports for older people and people with a disability to be increased by 8% over the initial estimate for 2008. In the context of an overall reduction in the Exchequer provision for...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (10 Feb 2009)

Michael Finneran: An outline proposal was received in my Department from Westmeath County Council in relation to a proposed scheme for Cluid Housing Association at Springfield, Mullingar in May, 2005. Following my Department's response and subsequent discussions on the matter, the Council sought Departmental approval for the scheme in November, 2008. My Department wrote to the Council on 21 January 2009...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (5 Feb 2009)

Michael Finneran: As signalled by the Minister for Finance in Budget 2009, a new single streamlined Government Equity Scheme is to be introduced in relation to affordable housing. Under this new arrangement the purchase transaction will be largely unchanged from the affordable purchaser's perspective. However, instead of units being sold at a discounted price, with the value of the discount being subject to...

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (5 Feb 2009)

Michael Finneran: The functions of the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) are, at present, outside the scope of the Freedom of Information Act 1997 and the Ombudsman Act 1980. The Board commenced operations in September 2004 and has made considerable progress since then. Given the importance of openness and transparency in relation to the operation of State bodies generally, it is my intention that...

Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (5 Feb 2009)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Question Nos. 21, 25, 27 and 46 together. On 30 June 2008, Councillors Dessie Larkin and Vincent P. Martin were appointed as members of the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) for the period up to 31 December 2012. Subsequently, the Board appointed both members to its Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC), consistent with its general policy of appointing all Board...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (5 Feb 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 (5 Feb 2009)

Michael Finneran: On 9 December 2008 I published preliminary results of the Housing Needs Assessment 2008 carried out in accordance with the terms of the Housing Act, 1988. The assessment took place in March 2008 and indicated that there were 56,249 households in need of social housing support, an increase of some 30% on the corresponding figure in 2005. Further information regarding the assessment is...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (5 Feb 2009)

Michael Finneran: Where a local authority, having explored all appropriate options, is satisfied that affordable homes on hands are no longer required for that purpose, they may be used for another purpose connected with the functions of the authority, including social housing. Accordingly, the question of introducing legislation in that regard does not arise.

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (5 Feb 2009)

Michael Finneran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 41 and 51 together. Minimum standards for rental accommodation are prescribed by regulations made under section 18 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992. All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties comply with these regulations. Failure to do so is an offence, subject, on summary conviction, to a fine not...

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (5 Feb 2009)

Michael Finneran: The transfer of tenants under the rental accommodation scheme commenced in September 2005 with 606 transfers in that year. The original target was to achieve 5,000 transfers from rent supplement per full year, over the period of the implementation programme to the end of 2009. The output in relation to the scheme for the years 2006, 2007 and 2008 is provided in the following table. Year...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (5 Feb 2009)

Michael Finneran: The issues raised in the question in relation to eviction procedures have been the subject of recent court decisions which are currently under appeal to the Supreme Court and the matter is in effect sub judice.