Results 121-140 of 3,826 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe in 'Written Answers'

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (2 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Decisions in relation to the eligibility of individual applicants for local authority housing and in relation to the allocation of such housing are matters for the local authority concerned and ones in which my Department has no direct function.

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (2 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: It is a matter for each local authority to administer house purchase loans having regard to housing needs, local market conditions and individual circumstances. In approving a shared ownership transaction, local authorities must consider, inter alia, the ability of applicants to make the necessary mortgage and rent payments and satisfy themselves that the borrower's income is sufficient to...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (2 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Details of the interest rates payable under the shared ownership scheme, including mortgage protection insurance, since 1 January 2007 to the present are set out in the table below: Rate of Interest % Period Applicable 5.098 1 January 2007 to 31 March 2007 5.348 1 April 2007 to 30 June 2007 5.598 1 July 2007 to present Under the scheme, the rate of interest is variable for the...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (2 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 499 to 506, inclusive, together. A 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. In that context data in relation the number of applicants on individual authority waiting lists in 2006 are not available in...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (2 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Wicklow Town Council undertook a feasibility study in respect of a proposed remedial works project at the estate in question. While the feasibility study indicated issues in respect of the existing water and sewage infrastructure and road network, it also included proposals to address these matters. Infill houses are proposed in areas to minimise or avoid any unsupervised open space which...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (2 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: The estate in question has been designated for funding under my Department's Remedial Works Scheme. The pilot phase of the project has been completed. The overall proposals for the remaining dwellings are now being examined in my Department in relation to their scope and suitability as well as indicative costings and implementation, and a response will be made to the Town Council as soon as...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (3 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Applicants for affordable housing under Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2006 or the Affordable Housing Initiative satisfy the income eligibility requirement if the mortgage repayments for suitable accommodation available in the market would exceed 35% of their net income. There are no plans to change this approach, which provides a mechanism for taking into account up to...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (4 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department is aware of an issue which has arisen whereby some applicants who have bought sites under the low cost sites scheme have experienced difficulties in obtaining mortgages from certain financial institutions. This arises where a financial institution objects to a local authority having the first charge on the property for clawback purposes. My Department has advised authorities...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (9 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Expenditure under the social housing and traveller accommodation programmes by Kildare County Council and Athy Town Council is set out in the table below: Kildare County Council 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 to date1 â'¬ â'¬ â'¬ â'¬ â'¬ â'¬ Social Housing2 23,998,000 10,761,200 14,048,792 29,755,708 32,532,432 33,745,741 Traveller Accommodation 730,904 101,408 176,249...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (9 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information requested is not available in my Department. However, the Local Authority Housing Needs Assessment 2005 shows that there were a total of 6,624 Non Irish Households on the waiting list. A breakdown of these by local authority was published in my Department's Annual Housing Bulletin for 2005, which is available in the Oireachtas Library and on my Department's website at...

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (9 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Following on a commitment in the partnership agreement Towards 2016, a comprehensive Action Programme to promote improvement in standards of private rented accommodation is being undertaken. An important element of this Programme is the updating of the existing standards regulations, in consultation with local authorities and other relevant interests. This work is progressing and I envisage...

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (9 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Funding provided to local authorities, through the Private Residential Tenancies Board, from the proceeds of tenancy registration fees in respect of functions relating to private rented accommodation standards and rent books, increased from €1.582m in 2005 to €2.026m in 2006, an increase of some 28%. Returns in relation to enforcement of the regulations have been received in respect of...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (9 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has received no specific proposals on this matter.

Written Answers — Rural Renewal Scheme: Rural Renewal Scheme (9 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: An inspection with a view to issuing a Certificate of Reasonable Cost, if in order, will be carried out as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (10 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Residential Tenancies Act, 2004 provides that rents in the private rented sector cannot be set at greater than the open market rate and that rent reviews cannot, in the normal course, occur more frequently than once a year. Any tenant who considers that the rent sought exceeds the market rate can refer the issue to the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) for resolution. It is a...

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (10 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties comply with the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 1993. Responsibility for enforcing the regulations rests with the relevant local authority. In September 2006 a comprehensive Action Programme to promote improvement in standards of private rented accommodation was announced, involving a range of...

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (10 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Residential Tenancies Act 2004 provides for significantly improved security of tenure in the private rented sector while respecting the rights of accommodation providers to regain possession where there are valid grounds for this. In particular, the Act provides for 4-year tenancy cycles, and, once a tenancy has lasted 6 months, it can only be terminated during the remaining three and a...

Written Answers — Homeless Persons: Homeless Persons (10 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: The stated aim of the Make Room campaign by Focus Ireland, the Simon Communities of Ireland, the Society of St Vincent de Paul and Threshold is to end homelessness by 2010. The Campaign has indicated that by this it means that "nobody will sleep rough; nobody will stay in emergency accommodation for longer than is absolutely necessary and nobody will become homeless because of a lack of...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (10 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Predictions of future delivery of homes under Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2006 are necessarily subject to a number of variables. These include the volume of housing development for which planning permission is granted, the finalisation of individual agreements between local authorities and developers, the timing of commencement and phasing of individual developments...

Written Answers — Housing Policy: Housing Policy (10 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: In line with the Government's housing policy statement Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities, my Department, in fulfilling its lead role in developing and implementing Government housing policy, works in partnership with other stakeholders, housing authorities and other supporting agencies. At Government level, integrated approaches are advanced through the Cabinet Committees on Social...