Results 101-120 of 429 for going forward speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (14 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am very pleased to bring the Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill to Second Stage in the Dáil. I will go through this much-needed legislation in a minute. However, I first wish to deal with some confusion that may exist. The Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill is entirely separate from the...

Confidence in Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Motion (13 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The public knows that too. Let us show some respect to voters. That respect should extend to the fact that when Members bring forward alternatives, they should stack up and be implementable. If you support social housing across this country, do not object to it. Do not let your councillors object time after time or find any reason to object. Do not vote against legislation that will...

Dublin Bay Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (8 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: ...the feasibility of real-time monitoring. That is what I would really like to get to. People could make up their own minds then. If people have the information, they will know where they may go in the winter or may not go, and obviously there will be certain risks from time to time with regard to public health. The research will inform public future policy on out-of-season open water...

Seanad: Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (6 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: ...recess. I have made my officials available for briefings, as required, on any aspect of the Bill to ensure every Member is fully informed. I want to emphasise two points on which we need to move forward quickly that require this urgent approach. The first concerns the immediate need to put in place a new chairperson for An Bord Pleanála to help unlock the planning delays affecting...

Seanad: Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (6 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: ...is about urgent interim measures regarding An Bord Pleanála. Senator Moynihan and other Senators raised issues about the need for a consolidated planning Bill; we are doing that. We are bringing forward consolidated planning legislation, which I intend to bring to Cabinet on 13 December. It is the culmination of about 15 months of work looking at the various issues regarding...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Policy (1 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I have been in all of the 31 local authority areas throughout the country. Let us not catastrophise this with regard to supply. The Deputy cannot just take one figure and say everything is going in a downward trajectory. It is not. We are aware of the challenges which, by the way, are not unique to Ireland. There are the rising cost of funding and inflationary pressures. We saw positive...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Lands (1 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: ...Road site. There are sites there we can develop. The register will deal with State lands. The Deputy mentioned the example of lands owned by religious orders. We are seeing some of that come forward in local areas. I want to see that happen. I have written to both of the main churches and engaged with them regarding how we can get this land for use for the development of housing....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Service (22 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: .... I believe this is the best course of action, and the opportunity must now be given for engagement with all sides to ensure we have a fire service model that works for the public it serves and all Retained Firefighters going forward.

Residential Tenancies (Deferment of Termination Dates of Certain Tenancies Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Oct 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: ...to a further flight. There were a number of comments on a general basis and I will keep my remarks short, because I appreciate that people want to get to other amendments. We actually had a good debate this morning on housing policy, on the provision of social homes at a scale that we have not seen in decades, as well as on the need to increase supply. The debate was also on the need to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (11 Oct 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: .... Furthermore, a number of local authorities are currently working on submitting advance purchase proposals to my Department and I anticipate that activity in this area will increase further going forward. The Land Development Agency (LDA) has an immediate focus on managing the State’s own lands to develop new homes, and regenerate under-utilised sites. In the longer-term, it will...

Housing for All Update: Statements (4 Oct 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: ...the Attorney General, we have initiated the most comprehensive review of the planning system in a quarter of a century. I expect a consolidated planning Bill to come before the House in the coming weeks and look forward to engagement with Deputies both in government and opposition to pass that important legislation. We are setting out new guidelines to facilitate rural one-off homes. I...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (4 Oct 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: ...authorities. A number of local authorities are currently working on submitting advance purchase proposals to my Department and it is anticipated that activity in this area will increase further going forward. Of those projects that have been approved to date, the majority will deliver affordable purchase homes in 2022 and 2023. In implementing Housing for All, each local authority...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Policy (28 Sep 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: ...a house and the local authority says it has been vacant for two years or more, that is all that is needed. There and then they will get the €30,000 grant. If the prospective homeowner comes forward and says the home is derelict and that is agreed with by the local authority, the €20,000 top-up grant applies. It is not "up to". It is €30,000 for vacant properties...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Policy (28 Sep 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: ...made significant changes in the five counties I could address straight away. To Deputy Naughten's point, I am looking at what we can do with regard to discretion. I have received a number of good examples of cases where people were marginally over the limit because of a change in circumstances in the previous year and have since fallen back under the limit. Some local authorities are...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Policy (28 Sep 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: ...with elements of the report submitted to me, to be very frank, as I said during the previous oral question session that we had. I do not believe that some of the recommendations within the report go far enough. We need to change the income eligibility limits. As Deputy Naughten rightly stated, it is over ten years since they were changed. To Deputy Ó Broin, I say that we do need...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (20 Sep 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: ...Home Scheme Ireland Designated Activity Company (DAC) holds responsibility for operating the scheme. My understanding is that First Home DAC will be publishing quarterly reports, which will be used going forward to monitor activity.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (14 Sep 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: ...on from its publication, the Housing for All plan is delivering through increased housing supply; a range of affordable purchase and rental measures; new initiatives to tackle homelessness; and ongoing, long-term reforms of the housing and planning systems. Increasing housing supply and delivering sustainable, affordable homes for people is the Government’s top priority. Housing...

Seanad: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (13 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Senators for their contributions and for the amendment. All present recognise the massive leap forward being made with this scheme. That has been acknowledged by homeowners, as well as by all parties and Independents. It is a scheme that is vastly different from the one in place from January 2020 - unrecognisably so. Fundamentally, it gives 100% redress based on independent...

Raise the Roof: Motion [Private Members] (12 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Through the Chair, absolutely. What I have attempted to do this evening is to put forward some of the policies that are taking hold and are working. I will try again to restate the facts. The first home scheme is going to help thousands of people who are in a rental trap and who have saved and are working hard to be able to own their own home at an affordable rate that is not a second...

Raise the Roof: Motion [Private Members] (12 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: ...will publish a new youth homelessness strategy in Q3 of this year; — is supporting local authorities to acquire homes for social housing for priority purposes, including acquisitions which support a household to exit or to prevent homelessness; — has approved the bringing forward of new arrangements in relation to short-term letting, aimed at strengthening the pre-existing...