Results 1,681-1,700 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

Written Answers — Drug Treatment Programme: Drug Treatment Programme (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 258, 260 and 262 together. In the current year across the 14 Local Drugs Task Force areas, 361 projects, including those under the Emerging Needs Fund, are receiving interim funding totalling €20.2m from my Department. Of these, 191 projects deal with the issues of treatment and rehabilitation, with a total value of over €13m. I have also allocated €5m...

Written Answers — Dormant Accounts Fund: Dormant Accounts Fund (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: To date €120m has been allocated from the Dormant Accounts Fund in the period 2003-2006. The level of expenditure and the priorities to be supported from the Dormant Accounts Fund in 2007 are currently under consideration. In this regard, the legislation requires the Minister to consult other appropriate Ministers for the purpose of developing a proposal for submission to Government for...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: The management and maintenance of local authority rented dwellings is the responsibility of the housing authority concerned. Based on returns to my Department, it is estimated that local authorities expended €130.7 million on maintenance and repair of their dwellings in 2005. Data in respect of 2006 is not yet available.

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: Estimates for the 2007 housing programme are set out in the Abridged Estimates Volume, which was recently published. Details in relation to disabled persons, essential repairs and improvement grants will be published as part of the Revised Estimates for the Public Service early in 2007. My Department does not have detailed estimates available of the costs associated with an increase in the...

Dormant Accounts Fund. (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 42, 73 and 103 together. Decisions on the disbursement of funds from dormant accounts under the initial round of funding were a matter for the Dormant Accounts Fund Disbursements Board, an independent body established under the Dormant Accounts Acts. Under this round, the board approved 521 projects for funding totalling slightly more than €60 million. To...

Dormant Accounts Fund. (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: As for the amount being huge, initially, some major payments were made. Subsequently, the fund was extended from financial institutions to encompass insurance companies, An Post and similar bodies. Hence, there were some very significant once-off inflows. In future, the amount of money accruing to the fund may not be so dramatic. I believe more people will reclaim their moneys as the...

Dormant Accounts Fund. (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: I have no data to hand regarding geographic spread. Incidentally, however, some funding was announced last weekend regarding older people's facilities and I happened to perform a minor analysis on the allocation. When considered from the perspective of geographic spread, it was not carried out fairly. This pertains to independent assessment because if it was in my hands, or those of any...

Dormant Accounts Fund. (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: Kerry. I looked at the list with a particular Deputy and there was none from his constituency. I checked up on it and found there had been no applications from that midlands county. If a politician had his or her hands over all of this, we would be much more likely to look at how our colleagues might be influenced by it. If one looks at the funding measure for older people, one can see...

Dormant Accounts Fund. (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: Yes. There are data in the reply on the different categories to date — the number of projects and total amounts in the cases of the RAPID areas, support for vulnerable immigrants, support for the suicide prevention programme, supports for offenders and ex-offenders, and supports for older people. We listed the seven or eight headings we would address during the year. Those five have been...

National Drugs Strategy. (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 44, 51, 53 and 88 together. I have been aware for some time of the anecdotal evidence of increased cocaine prevalence and, for this reason, last year I asked the national advisory committee on drugs and the national drugs strategy team to prepare a briefing paper on cocaine. This paper was presented at the last interdepartmental group on drugs meeting in...

National Drugs Strategy. (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: I thank the Deputy for his questions and know he understands the problem. I do not disagree with anything contained in the Citywide survey — it is a reflection of attitudes on the ground. We are working in partnership with community groups and the local drugs taskforces. Approximately €70 million is being spent annually on projects that were recommended and suggested at community...

Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: There is not yet any legislation.

Seanad: Garda Vetting Unit (12 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: I speak on behalf of the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on this important topic of vetting in the pre-school sector. I trust the House will allow me to address some of the apparently erroneous assumptions made in the matter raised on the Adjournment. It is the case that the coming into operation of the Child Care (Pre-School Services) Regulations 2006 has been...

Seanad: Garda Vetting Unit (12 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: I will convey to the Minister what has been said. To be fair the reply is about——

Seanad: Garda Vetting Unit (12 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: I will not comment on that one way or the other. If I came to the House with a six or ten-page reply——

Seanad: Garda Vetting Unit (12 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: —— on the needs of children, the Senator would ask me to get to the point and give an answer relevant to the question. I will not comment on the other matter as I am not as knowledgeable on it as the Senator. Therefore, I will reserve comment on whether it is a cop-out or otherwise.

Seanad: Water and Sewerage Schemes (12 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Roche. I thank Senator Kitt for the opportunity to update the House on the progress of this important scheme. The Minister is conscious of the unsatisfactory state of affairs in Kinvara where raw sewage is being discharged directly into the bay. This arrangement is not...

Written Answers — Rental Accommodation Scheme: Rental Accommodation Scheme (12 Dec 2006)

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. Funding is provided by the Department to local authorities to meet the cost of the scheme, including accommodation costs, through the transfer of resources from the Department of Social and Family Affairs. The level of rents payable...

Written Answers — Residential Tenancies Board: Residential Tenancies Board (12 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: The functions of Private Residential Tenancy Board under the Residential Tenancy Act 2004 include research and the provision of information and policy advice in relation to the private rented sector. The PRTB is in the process of developing this role alongside its core functions of dispute resolution and tenancy registration. For this purpose, it has entered into a partnership arrangement...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (12 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 87 and 545 together. The statutory assessment of housing need is undertaken by local authorities on a triennial basis. The most recent assessment of need for social housing, undertaken by local authorities in March 2005, indicated that there were 43,684 households on local authority waiting lists compared with 48,413 in March 2002. In the context of...