Results 1,621-1,640 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (6 Feb 2007)

Noel Ahern: Details of the number of social and affordable housing units completed in each local authority for each year 2000 to 2005 and for the 9 months to end September 2006, have been published in my Department's Housing Statistics Bulletins, which are available in the Oireachtas Library, or on the Department's website at www.environ.ie. It is anticipated that the accommodation needs of some 60,000...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (6 Feb 2007)

Noel Ahern: The income criteria used to determine eligibility for affordable housing do not distinguish between different categories of employment from which income may be derived. Accordingly my Department has not been made aware of the existence of an anomaly as referred to in the Question.

Written Answers — Local Authority Schemes: Local Authority Schemes (6 Feb 2007)

Noel Ahern: A review of the Disabled Persons Grant scheme, which incorporated the conditions governing the Essential Repairs Grant scheme and the Special Housing Aid for the Elderly scheme, has been completed within my Department. Proposals for the future operation of the schemes will be announced shortly in the context of a new Housing Policy Statement.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (1 Feb 2007)

Noel Ahern: An application from this group has been received by my Department under the 2006 Programme of Grants for Locally-Based Community and Voluntary Organisations. I recently announced the first tranche of funding under this Programme and assessments are continuing in respect of the remaining applications, including that of the group referred to by the Deputy. A decision will be notified to this...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (1 Feb 2007)

Noel Ahern: I approved a grant of €1,281,914 in respect of this project on 16 November 2006. My Department's involvement with the funding schemes for voluntary and co-operative housing projects relates primarily to the provision of funds for individual projects. The administration of the schemes, and the certification that particular projects comply with the terms of the scheme, are the responsibility...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (1 Feb 2007)

Noel Ahern: It is not proposed to amend article 13 of the Housing (Sale of Houses) Regulations 1995 to enable a housing authority to sell Old Persons Dwellings. I consider that this course would not be in the best interests of good estate management and could, over time, reduce the number of dwellings available for occupation by elderly persons. However, where a tenant who is residing in such a...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (1 Feb 2007)

Noel Ahern: Under my Department's Remedial Works Scheme, Westmeath County Council submitted a programme of refurbishment works for local authority houses at Ennell Court. My Department gave approval in May 2005 for a pilot project in Ennell Court which consists of refurbishment works to 10 houses. It is now a matter for the Council to advance these works and thereafter to submit a proposal in respect...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (31 Jan 2007)

Noel Ahern: As I advised the Deputy in a previous reply, the recommendations arising from the Blanchardstown Dial To Stop Drug Dealing Campaign are being considered by the National Drugs Strategy Team (NDST). Such consideration would cover possible time defined campaigns targeted at specific areas in both Local and Regional Drugs Task Force areas. The NDST have recently been in contact with all Drug...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (31 Jan 2007)

Noel Ahern: An application in respect of the Community Centre in question under the Young Peoples Facilities and Services Fund (YPFSF) was received in November 2006 from Blanchardstown Local Development Group. However, the Development Group subsequently contacted the Department to advise of their intention to withdraw their current application and to submit a revised one, focusing more particularly on...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (31 Jan 2007)

Noel Ahern: In line with the strategy of focusing funding to the Community Development Projects themselves, with a consequent reduction in core funding to training and support agencies, my Department's contract with the group in question ceased on 31 December 2006. The decision not to renew the contract was communicated to the group in September 2005.

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (31 Jan 2007)

Noel Ahern: The Programme of Grants for Locally-Based Community and Voluntary Organisations, which is operated by my Department, includes a scheme under which funding towards the purchase of equipment is provided to eligible groups who are addressing disadvantage in their communities. This is an annual Programme of Grants and the closing date for applications in respect of the purchase of equipment...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (31 Jan 2007)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1785, 1803, 1837 and 1839 together. The Government has approved the drafting of the Social Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2006, which provides, inter alia, for the sale of local authority apartments to tenants under certain conditions. The drafting of the Bill is being advanced as quickly as possible.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (31 Jan 2007)

Noel Ahern: Data on the number of house completions in County Meath from 2002 to 2005 are available in the Housing Statistics Bulletins which are available in the Oireachtas Library and on the Department's website at www.environ.ie. I have very recently announced completions data for 2006 and these included 3,746 housing completions in County Meath in 2006. The county data are based on the information...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (31 Jan 2007)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1800 and 1801 together. The number of social housing dwellings completed and acquired by local authorities in 2006 to the end of September, including Meath and Westmeath County Councils, are available on the Department's website at www.environ.ie. The figures for the full year 2006 are currently been complied by my Department and will be published in due...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (31 Jan 2007)

Noel Ahern: Information on activity under Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2006 up to end September 2006, including payments in lieu of land transfers, is available on my Department's website at www.environ.ie. A breakdown of the number of houses provided under the various affordable schemes in each local authority area up to end September 2006 is also available on this website....

Written Answers — Housing Management Companies: Housing Management Companies (31 Jan 2007)

Noel Ahern: Property management companies are generally constituted under the Companies Acts and are required to comply with the provisions of company law. Their membership consists of apartment owners themselves and in some cases nominees of the developer. Rights and obligations of property owners in relation to management companies, arise from company law provisions and also from private contracts...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (31 Jan 2007)

Noel Ahern: I have no proposals to introduce a scheme requiring local authorities to purchase privately owned houses which were purchased under the discounted terms of the tenant purchase scheme or otherwise. The issue of the purchase of a private house, including one which had previously been in the ownership of a local authority, and which the local authority may intend to add to their housing stock,...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (31 Jan 2007)

Noel Ahern: The requirement for a clawback is necessary to ensure that there is no short-term profit taking on the resale of houses provided under the various affordable housing schemes at a discount from market value. There are no plans at present to alter the clawback arrangements under the existing schemes. The clawback arrangements that might apply in relation to any additional initiatives for the...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (31 Jan 2007)

Noel Ahern: My Department recoups to local authorities 90% of their approved current expenditure on the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons in accordance with the provisions of Section 10 of the Housing Act 1988. Much of this expenditure is operationalised through projects managed by voluntary bodies. My Department has not to date received specific proposals from any of...

Written Answers — Housing Management Companies: Housing Management Companies (31 Jan 2007)

Noel Ahern: The recent papers by the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement and the Law Reform Commission are welcome and contain valuable information and recommendations in relation to property management companies and multi-unit developments. Both papers are currently subject to a public consultation process and the need for measures to be taken in this area, including any legislative...