Results 1,721-1,740 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (12 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: In the context of the broad programme of measures in support of volunteering which I announced last year, cohesion funding was made available during 2005 and 2006 to promote volunteering at a local level. In common with other local authority areas, Dublin City Development Board co-ordinated and facilitated the process at local level. Eleven projects to promote volunteering for Dublin City,...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (12 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: The Community Development Programme was established in 1990 in recognition of the role of community development in tackling the causes and effects of poverty and disadvantage. The Programme is designed to reduce social exclusion by targeting support at disadvantaged and socially excluded communities in order to improve their capacity to benefit from social and economic development. My...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (12 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: As the Deputy is aware, my Department has overall responsibility for co-ordinating the implementation of the National Drugs Strategy 2001-2008. The Strategy contains 108 individual actions, under the five pillars of supply reduction, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and research. The actions outlined in the National Drugs Strategy are being progressed with the significant input of...

Written Answers — Property Purchases: Property Purchases (12 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 510 and 517 together. Property purchase transactions are subject to private contract and buyers should ensure that they have adequate legal advice and information when signing contracts. While my Department has no statutory function in relation to the content of contracts, I am anxious to promote the interests of home buyers as far as possible and with that in...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (12 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000-2006 applies to an application for permission for the development of houses on land that has been zoned for residential development or for a mix of residential and other uses. It does not, therefore, apply to unzoned land. Under the Acts, the definition of a house means a building, which is being or has been occupied as a dwelling, or is...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (12 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: The management and maintenance of their rented dwellings, including the control of vacant dwellings, is the responsibility of the housing authority concerned. The most recent figures available to my Department from Dublin City Council indicate that at 31 December 2005 there were 2,493 dwellings vacant. Of this figure 1,952 dwellings were de-tenanted for planned refurbishment purposes.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (12 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: The 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 there were 43,684 households on local authority waiting lists. More comprehensive data in relation to the assessment at an individual local...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (12 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: Data on the number of house completions by each local authority for the first 10 months of 2006 have been published on the Department's website, www.environ.ie. Details in respect of the greater Dublin area are provided in the following table: Local Authority Number of dwellings completed in period to October 2006. Dublin City 6,378 Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown 2,106 Fingal 4,697 South...

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

Noel Ahern: My Department has facilitated standardised arrangements with a number of the main financial institutions who have introduced schemes of mortgage financing for persons wishing to access affordable housing. These arrangements relate only to the first time purchase of affordable properties. The question of facilitating arrangements for persons in affordable housing also wishing to re-mortgage...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (12 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: It is a function of the Private Residential Tenancies Board, under section 151(1)(g) of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, to review the operation of the Act and to make recommendations for amendments to the Minister. Any proposals from the Board for the amendment of the Act will be fully considered.

Written Answers — Local Authority Grants: Local Authority Grants (12 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: The review of the Disabled Persons Grant scheme, which incorporates the conditions governing the Essential Repairs Grant scheme and the Special Housing Aid for the Elderly scheme and the issue of the HSE 'top-up' grant was recently finalised within my Department. Representatives of my Department, the Department of Health and Children, the Health Service Executive and Local Authorities have...

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

Noel Ahern: Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000-2006 requires, inter alia, that up to 20% of land zoned for residential developments or for a mix of residential and other uses, is to be reserved to meet social and affordable housing needs. Instead of the transfer of land there are other options available to satisfy the Part V requirement viz. the provision of new units or other lands...

Written Answers — Residential Density: Residential Density (12 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 546 and 548 together. Local housing strategies, provided for under the Planning and Development Act 2000, determine housing requirements under local development plans. In developing these strategies, local authorities must ensure that there is an appropriate mix of dwelling types and sizes to cater for a range of housing needs. My Department has been...

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

Noel Ahern: The national Building Regulations operative from 1 June 1992 apply to all new buildings and existing buildings which have been the subject of a material alteration. Responsibility for compliance with the Building Regulations is a matter for the builder and the owner of a building, while enforcement of the Regulations is the responsibility of the local building control authorities....

Social and Affordable Housing. (12 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: Budget 2007 introduced last week provides the necessary financial underpinning in my Department's capital envelope to deliver on its ambitious affordable homes target set out in Towards 2016. Specifically, the Government has acted to address issues of housing affordability. A range of targeted schemes to assist first-time buyers has been put in place directed specifically at those who cannot...

Social and Affordable Housing. (12 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: I do not accept the Deputy's suggestion that our performance in this respect is poor. The Deputy will note from the data available that the number of units has increased year by year. I explained the position about the Part 5 provision several times. It is a great idea and in time it will be a marvellous deliverer of social and affordable housing but, as we all know, it will take time for...

Social and Affordable Housing. (12 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: It happens in every generation that, to a large extent, family members cannot afford to buy homes beside their parents.

Social and Affordable Housing. (12 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: In the part of Dublin from where I come people have moved from Drumcondra to Santry, Santry to Swords, Swords to Balbriggan——

Social and Affordable Housing. (12 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: ——Cabra to Finglas and Finglas to Ballymun. That happens with every generation. All aspects of the housing market have been under pressure in recent years because of the huge increase in population. One need only check the census figures to note that the population has increased by 8%. The percentage of people in the 25 to 34 year age bracket, which is the key household formation age...

Social and Affordable Housing. (12 Dec 2006)

Noel Ahern: I realise that, but as I said to the Deputy previously, most of them are reasonable people.