Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 530: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if a product which has a CE marking is in principle technically acceptable for social housing construction funded by his Department without an additional requirement of an agreement certificate. [19599/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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CE marking provides, in principle, a right to place a product on the market. However, for use in particular building works, such as social housing, the technical information and certified values accompanying the CE marking must be assessed for compliance with requirements pertaining to those works. CE marking does not, of itself, confer any guarantee of acceptability of a product for a particular use.

In the case of products bearing CE marking, the need for Agreement certification of such a product should not generally arise. However, CE marking applies to products and not to building works or building systems. It may arise that a product bearing CE marking may be incorporated in building works or a building system that, itself, because of its novel or unconventional nature, may require Agreement certification, or equivalent.

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 531: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when the proposed social housing design guidelines, which have been in preparation since 2004 in his Department, will be published for public consultation. [19600/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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The revision of the current Social Housing Design Guidelines, which will update best practice in housing design reflecting changes in the Building Regulations and Planning Guidelines, is being finalised. I expect that the draft revised guidelines will be issued shortly for consultation with a view to publication by the end of 2006.

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 532: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the length of time on average it has taken for his Department to make a decision on social housing schemes submitted by housing associations for approval and funding under the capital assistance scheme in each of the past three years. [19601/06]

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 534: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the performance indicators his Department has for the length of time it takes to make a decision on social housing schemes submitted by housing associations for approval and funding under the capital assistance scheme, in view of the fact that local authorities are required to give their decision within eight weeks. [19603/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 532 and 534 together.

The time taken from the receipt of an application until approval of funding under voluntary housing schemes is influenced by a range of factors, and can vary appreciably. However, it is the policy of my Department to process fully documented proposals from local authorities for these schemes within an eight week period; in many instances decisions will be made in a shorter period. Due to the complexity and size of some schemes, these may take longer to consider as further consultations may be required with the local authority or the voluntary body concerned.

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 533: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the length of time on average it has taken for his Department to make a decision on social housing schemes submitted by local authorities for approval and funding in each of the past three years. [19602/06]

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 535: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the performance indicators his Department has for the length of time it takes to make a decision on social housing schemes submitted by local authorities for approval and funding. [19604/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 533 and 535 together.

It is the policy of my Department to consider fully documented proposals from local authorities for social housing schemes within a six week period. However, in many instances decisions are made on schemes in a shorter period. It is also the case that some schemes, due to their complexity and size, would take longer to consider as consultations may be required with the local authority concerned.

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 536: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his Department has approved social housing schemes with electric heating in areas on the gas network; and if so, the housing schemes involved. [19605/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department's Social Housing Design Guidelines indicates that natural gas central heating is the preferred option in social housing schemes, where it is available. However, there are situations where electric heating has been provided in social housing schemes for the elderly for reasons of practical preference and convenience.

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 537: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his Department has required a housing association to drop plans for gas-fired heating in social housing schemes in favour of electric heating; and if so, the schemes involved. [19606/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department's Social Housing Design Guidelines indicates that natural gas central heating is the preferred option in voluntary housing capital assistance schemes where it is available. However, there are situations were electric heating has been provided in voluntary housing schemes for the elderly for reasons of practical preference and convenience.