Results 81-100 of 10,594 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien in 'Written Answers'

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Island Communities (28 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government’s housing plan to 2030, Housing for All, supports the need to fully consider the housing needs of island communities as part of the objective to drive social sustainability and foster sustainable communities. The National Planning Framework (NPF) also identifies the need to sustain vibrant rural communities on our offshore islands. It is a National Policy Objective of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (28 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 286 and 287 together. The Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme (EERP) aims to retrofit a local authority home to a BER of B2/Cost Optimal Equivalent. It is expected that 36,500 local authority owned homes will be retrofitted under this programme out to 2030. €90m is available to the programme this year and the table below indicates the increase in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (28 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The detailed administration of each affordable purchase scheme is a matter for the relevant local authority in line with Part 2 of the Affordable Housing Act 2021. My Department liaises closely with all relevant local authorities in relation to the ongoing development and delivery of their affordable housing delivery programmes. I understand that the affordable purchase scheme in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Process (28 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Under electoral law, a nomination paper must state the name, address and occupation (if any) of a candidate at a local election. A ballot paper must contain the name and description of the candidate standing nominated, as shown in the nomination paper. This requirement is intended as a means of identifying a candidate and ensuring the transparency of elections. In ruling on the validity of a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Process (28 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Following the TRIS 2022/376/IRL and 2022/184/IRL, my Department, over the course of 2023, engaged extensively on the Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the transparency and targeting of political advertising as that proposal progressed through the inter-institutional negotiations. In this context, Regulation (EU) 2024/900 of the European Parliament...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Programmes (28 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 293 to 295, inclusive, together. I commenced the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (the Act) on 22 June 2023 which contains the enhanced grant scheme and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023. Under section 11 of the Act, the Government can increase or decrease the overall grant scheme cap of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Conservation (28 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 299 to 302, inclusive, together. Under Housing for All, the Government will deliver 47,600 new build social homes and 3,500 social homes through long-term leasing in the period 2022-2026. Our clear focus is to increase the stock of social housing through new build projects delivered by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs). Social Housing is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (28 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Membership of the Working Group recently established to undertake a review of engineering qualifications in the local government sector is detailed in the table below: Shane Tiernan Chief Executive, Roscommon County Council (Chair) Eamonn Hunt Local Government Management Agency Lorna Maxwell South Dublin County Council ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (23 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 205 and 206 together. Under Section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he/she is responsible. My Department does not have any responsibility in relation to dog wardens. Responsibility in relation...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (23 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The management and maintenance of Dublin City Council’s (DCC’s) housing stock is strictly a matter for the Local Authority. DCC have advised that the Council has been undertaking works to improve the living conditions of the residents as well as the structure of the complex. On an ongoing basis there are four caretakers assigned to the complex. Their duties include maintaining...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wind Energy Guidelines (23 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is currently undertaking a focused review of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines, which only apply to onshore wind energy development. The review is addressing a number of key aspects of the Guidelines including setback distance, noise, shadow flicker, community obligation, community dividend and grid connections. My Department, in conjunction with the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Advertising (23 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department frequently uses digital media platforms as part of information campaigns to bring important information to the public’s attention. Increasingly, my Department has chosen online advertising to create an effective awareness of schemes, initiatives or important public information across many areas of work. For example, online and digital media platforms are used to raise...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: State Bodies (23 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: An Bord Pleanála is the national independent statutory body with responsibility for the determination of planning appeals and direct applications for strategic infrastructure and other developments under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and certain other Acts. An Bord Pleanála is required to adopt a Code of Conduct for its members under section 150 of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (23 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: On the 7 December 2023, I announced the successful applications that are approved funding under the Waste Water Collection and Treatment needs for villages without access to Public Waste Water Services of the Multi-annual Rural Water Programme (MARWP). My Department has written to each of the local authorities that submitted applications advising of the decisions made including to the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (23 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Part 8 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 sets out the procedure for a local authority when carrying out development, including social and affordable housing, on its own land. Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 ensures that a local authority gains a portion of the increase in the land value resulting from the local authority granting planning permission for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Energy Rating (22 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 97 to 99, inclusive, together. The Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme (EERP) aims to retrofit a local authority home to a BER of B2/Cost Optimal Equivalent. It is expected that 36,500 local authority owned homes will be retrofitted under this programme out to 2030. A breakdown of the funding provided and the output per local authority since 2013 to the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Budgets (22 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Performance budgeting aims to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of public expenditure by linking funding allocations of public sector organisations and the results they deliver, making systematic use of performance information. As part of this process, key high-level Performance Metrics for each Department are published in the Revised Estimates for Public Service prior to each year....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (22 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has not received any correspondence in relation to this matter or the property referred to, at this time. My Department continues to support local authorities in administering the various Social Housing programmes. As is standard practice, any queries or correspondence received from local authorities will be responded to, in a timely manner.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Approved Housing Bodies (22 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing for All strategy commits to delivering 18,000 Cost Rental homes over the period to 2030, and significant funding is being made available to support provision by Approved Housing Bodies, Local Authorities, the Land Development Agency, and now also private providers under the new Secure Tenancy Affordable Rental (STAR) investment scheme. Last year the Government approved...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Reports (22 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I published the Final Report of the Housing Commission today, 22 May. The report sets out the Commission's conclusions and recommendations on measures and reforms to build on Housing for All and support long-term housing policy post-2030. The report may be viewed on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/f3551-report-of-the-housing-commis sion/.