Results 1,781-1,800 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern
- Written Answers — Security of the Elderly: Security of the Elderly (22 Nov 2006)
Noel Ahern: I assume the Deputy is referring to the Estimates for 2007, not 2006. Provision is made for Grants for Community and Voluntary Service under subhead K1 on my Department's Vote as published in the 2007 Abridged Estimates Volume. â¬26.548 million has been provided for a number of programmes including the Scheme of Community Supports for Older People â under which funding for security devices...
- Written Answers — Refuge Accommodation: Refuge Accommodation (22 Nov 2006)
Noel Ahern: The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, through its role as chair of the National Steering Committee on Violence against Women, have overall responsibility for co-ordination of policy relating to violence against women. In relation to accommodation, capital funding is available through my Department's Capital Assistance Scheme to voluntary housing bodies providing accommodation to...
- Written Answers — Housing Strategy: Housing Strategy (22 Nov 2006)
Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 430 and 432 together. Under the social partnership agreement Towards 2016, a National Housing Strategy for People with Disabilities will be developed, as recommended in the NESC-Housing in Ireland report, in order to support the provision of tailored housing and housing support to people with disabilities. This would have particular regard to adults with...
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (22 Nov 2006)
Noel Ahern: The amount of funding provided by my Department to a local authority under the low cost site scheme varies from location to location depending on factors including the acquisition and development costs of the sites. The price at which a local authority sells such sites to housing applicants is a matter to be determined by individual local authorities. The local authority may seek recoupment...
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (22 Nov 2006)
Noel Ahern: The maximum loan a local authority may advance in respect of the share of a dwelling being purchased (minimum 40%) under the Shared Ownership Scheme is â¬185,000. The application of the maximum loan and minimum share criteria could facilitate the purchase of a home costing â¬462,500. Accordingly, certain local authorities impose a maximum house price limit for shared ownership...
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (22 Nov 2006)
Noel Ahern: The income limit for the shared ownership and affordable housing schemes was increased with effect from 1 January 2006. Persons whose income in the previous tax year satisfies the income test of â¬40,000 or under for a single income household or â¬100,000 or under for a two income household, using the formula 21â2 the main income plus once the secondary income are eligible for the...
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (22 Nov 2006)
Noel Ahern: The current variable interest rate on local authority loans is 4.25%. In addition, a mortgage protection charge of 0.598% is applied to loans taken out on or after 1 July 1986. The cost per â¬1,000 for an annuity loan over 25 years would be â¬71.18 including mortgage protection. The current 5 year fixed interest rate on local authority loans is 4.45% and the cost per â¬1,000 over 25...
- Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (22 Nov 2006)
Noel Ahern: While there is no statutory maximum level of disabled persons or essential repairs grant payable by local authorities, under the Housing (Disabled Persons and Essential Repairs Grant) Regulations 2001, my Department recoups to local authorities two-thirds of their expenditure on these grants subject to a maximum of â¬13,547 for each disabled persons grant and â¬6,353 in the case of each...
- Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (21 Nov 2006)
Noel Ahern: The loan limit for the Shared Ownership Scheme was reviewed and increased with effect from 1 January 2006. The maximum loan that may be advanced by a local authority in respect of the share of the dwelling being purchased (minimum 40%) is â¬185,000. While the cost of a dwelling may substantially exceed this amount (up to â¬462,500), the borrower's income must be sufficient to meet the...
- Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (21 Nov 2006)
Noel Ahern: Under the affordable housing schemes administered by the local authorities, an annual mortgage subsidy ranging from â¬1,050 to â¬2,550 is available to eligible persons whose household income in the preceding tax year was â¬28,000 or less. The full amount of mortgage subsidy allowed to applicants is recouped by my Department to local authorities on foot of claims received from them. Given...
- Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (21 Nov 2006)
Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 577 to 580, inclusive, together. Information to end June 2006 on activity, including under Part V, in each local authority area is 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. Social and affordable housing acquired under...
- Written Answers — Building Regulations: Building Regulations (21 Nov 2006)
Noel Ahern: A Floor Area Compliance Certificate can only issue where the standards and requirements of the Building Regulations and Part C Technical Standards of the HA1 Explanatory Memorandum have been complied with and, in particular, the required 60-year durability of the complete wall system with a normal level of maintenance. My Department will, on receipt of the documentation in relation to the...
- Written Answers — Rural Regeneration: Rural Regeneration (21 Nov 2006)
Noel Ahern: My Department is currently considering the proposals put forward by Clonmel Borough Council in relation to the proposed regeneration of Carrigeen and Wilderness Grove.
- Housing Policy: Motion (21 Nov 2006)
Noel Ahern: The review group report indicated that any Government action to outlaw or prohibit the practice would require changes to the law of contract. It concurred with a previous Law Reform Commission conclusion that the only practicable way to protect buyers would be through consumer information and it recommended that the property services regulatory authority address this as a priority. I...
- Housing Policy: Motion (21 Nov 2006)
Noel Ahern: No, they are integrated estates. They are a mixture of private, voluntary and social houses.
- Housing Policy: Motion (21 Nov 2006)
Noel Ahern: If the Deputy is complaining that our Department has been so good and quick that it has left the Department of Education and Science grasping to catch up, I accept that can be a problem.
- Housing Policy: Motion (21 Nov 2006)
Noel Ahern: The Department of Education and Science, however, would claim that historically when new estates were built there were four or five years for families to be established whereas nowadays many ready-made families are arriving from various places, including people returning to live here. That has put pressure on education in certain areas. The policy announced by the Government has been...
- Housing Policy: Motion (21 Nov 2006)
Noel Ahern: It is to hear their views and have their input. It is to move forward in partnership, which has been the hallmark of this Government for some years. The detailed statement we are working on will be announced in early 2007. When we issued the framework document last December, we thought various things might have moved forward more quickly during the year. Perhaps if we had produced our...
- Housing Policy: Motion (21 Nov 2006)
Noel Ahern: It is a framework document outlining our thinking. If one reads Towards 2016, one can get a greater flavour of that. The final document will be issued early in the new year. Legislation is required and we will introduce a housing miscellaneous provisions Bill to give legal effect to some aspects, such as the sale of flats scheme. What we are doing will complement the funding announced...
- Housing Policy: Motion (21 Nov 2006)
Noel Ahern: It is examining those submissions and I expect announcements soon. I sincerely hope Deputy Gilmore will encourage local authority members in the greater Dublin area to support these proposals so we can move forward with more provision of affordable houses over forthcoming years.