Results 141-160 of 3,826 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe in 'Written Answers'

Written Answers — Anti-Social Behaviour: Anti-Social Behaviour (10 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: A number of legislative measures have been put in place to ensure that local authorities have the capacity to fulfil their responsibilities under the Housing Acts for the management and maintenance of their housing stock. These measures are kept under continuous review in my Department. The tenancy agreement, which is the legal basis of the relationship between the local authority and its...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (10 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Data in relation to local authority social housing output, including new-build homes, in each of the past five years is set out in the table below: Year 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Completions1 4,403 4,516 3,539 4,209 3,968 Acquisitions 671 456 971 918 1,153 Total Output 5,074 4,972 4,510 5,127 5,121 1Includes newly-built homes acquired under Part V agreements. Output details for...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The Government's housing policy statement Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities, and the National Development Plan 2007-2013 (NDP) reflect the strong commitment to expand social and affordable housing provision contained in the social partnership agreement Towards 2016. The NDP provides the resources — some €18 billion in total — which will support increased output from social and...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has issued several circulars to housing authorities in relation to the social housing investment programme since 1 May 2007. These are outlined below: 10 May 2007: Best Practice Guidelines — Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities — This circular draws attention to the publication of the new Department Guidelines Quality Housing for Sustainable Communities. 23 May 2007:...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (10 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Government's Policy Statement Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities provides for an expanded programme of works, including the regeneration and refurbishment of flats complexes, to improve the local authority housing stock.The development of proposals for, and the advancement of, individual projects is a matter for individual housing authorities.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (10 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: 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 housing waiting lists. More comprehensive data in relation to the 2005 assessment at an individual local authority level were published in the Annual Bulletin of Housing Statistics 2005, a copy...

Written Answers — Private Residential Tenancies Board: Private Residential Tenancies Board (10 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Details of funding provided to local authorities to date by the Private Residential Tenancies Board from the proceeds of the tenancy registration fees, are set out in the following table. This funding is specifically to assist local authorities in carrying out their functions in relation to private rented accommodation standards and rent books. Details of dwellings inspected on a...

Written Answers — Local Authority Grants: Local Authority Grants (10 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 144 and 300 together. In order to facilitate the continued independent occupancy of their own homes by older people and people with a disability, my Department has reviewed the operation of the Disabled Persons, Essential Repairs and Special Housing Aid for the Elderly Grant schemes. Details of the revised framework of grant aid to assist older people and...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: While I do not consider it appropriate to legislate for a specific right to housing, Government policy on housing has the overarching aim of enabling every household to have available an affordable dwelling of good quality, suited to its needs, in a good environment and, as far as possible, at the tenure of its choice. The Government's approach to achieving this policy aim is that those who...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The delivery of social housing on foot of agreements under Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2006 is contingent on a range of variables, including the scale and pace of completion of housing developments and the proportionate sharing of the Part V obligation between social and affordable housing in individual local authority housing strategies. While it is not possible to...

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

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

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (10 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Under the Housing Management Initiative, local authorities have been given direct control, from 1 January 2007, in relation to their internal capital receipts from the sale of local authority dwellings, which are to be used primarily for their improvement works programmes. While my Department approves the overall programmes, it is the responsibility of local authorities to prioritise and...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (10 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Government's housing policy statement — Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities — and the National Development Plan 2007-2013 reflect the strong commitment to expand social and affordable housing provision contained in the social partnership agreement, Towards 2016. The NDP provides the resources — €18 billion in total — which will support increased output from social and...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (11 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: The regulations governing the essential repairs grant scheme, which is operated by local authorities, do not specify an age qualification. The scheme is designed to enable older people whose houses cannot be made habitable in all respects at a reasonable cost to have basic repairs carried out. In determining priority between grant applicants, local authorities would have regard to relative...

Written Answers — Rural Renewal Scheme: Rural Renewal Scheme (11 Oct 2007)

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

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (11 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 167 and 168 together. Subject to compliance with the normal requirements in relation to the appraisal and management of capital projects, including public procurement and fixed price contracts, local authorities have been given direct control over their internal capital receipts to be used primarily for their improvement works programme, as set out in the...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (16 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Capital funding is available through my Department's Capital Assistance Scheme to approved voluntary housing bodies to provide accommodation to meet special housing needs, such as the elderly, homeless or persons with disabilities. My Department's involvement with the scheme relates primarily to the provision of funds for individual projects. The administration of the scheme, and the...

Written Answers — Housing Aid for the Elderly: Housing Aid for the Elderly (16 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Task Force on Special Housing Aid for the Elderly, which operates under the aegis of my Department, agreed an initial allocation of €12 million to the Health Service Executive for the operation of the scheme in 2007. The Task Force met again last week to review progress and considered the making of a further allocation to the HSE to meet the ongoing high level of demand. The HSE will be...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (16 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: I refer to the reply to Question Nos. 167 and 168 of 11 October 2007. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (16 Oct 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Data in relation to financial allocations to Kildare County Council and Athy Town Council for the construction and purchase of social housing in each of the years 2000 to 2007, and their expenditure for such purposes from 1 January 2000 to 30 September 2007, are set out in the tables. Kildare County Council Year Allocation Expenditure % 2000 12,062,512 9,653,565 80 2001 17,776,333...