Results 1-20 of 22,169 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (2 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Pathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock. The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant supports bringing vacant and derelict properties back into use. A grant of up to a maximum of €50,000 is available for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation as a principal private residence and for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Regeneration Projects (2 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: In 2021, as one of the successful applications under the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund's (URDF) second call for proposals, I announced a preliminary allocation of €7,140,000 towards Wicklow County Council's proposal for the regeneration of the Bray Harbour Area. This allocation represents the maximum 75% URDF support available based on the estimated costs of €9,500,000...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (2 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: A flagship element of Project Ireland 2040, the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) was one of four new funds established under the National Development Plan (NDP) 2018 – 2027. Launched in 2018 with committed Exchequer funding of €2 billion the review of the NDP in 2021 extended the URDF to 2030. To date, there have been three rounds of funding provided under the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (2 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I commenced the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (the Act) on the 22 June 2023 which contains the enhanced grant scheme and adopted the related Regulations on the 29 June 2023. Under the Scheme, temporary alternative accommodation for defective concrete block homeowners is addressed, whereby vouched accommodation costs are an allowable...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (2 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 181 and 183 together. I refer to my answer to Question No. 388 on 30 April which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (2 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the statutory role of local authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of emergency accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with individual local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (2 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Pledge a Spare Room Scheme is managed by the Irish Red Cross (IRC) on behalf of the Department of Children, Equability, Disability, Integration, and Youth (DCEDIY) which is the lead Department in the provision of accommodation and associated supports for Beneficiaries of International Protection (BoTPs) from Ukraine. Social housing is a long-term support intended to support households...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (1 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All sets out the range of actions necessary to increase the supply of housing out to 2030 comprising of 54,000 affordable homes to be delivered by local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), the Land Development Agency (LDA) and through the First Home Scheme, which is a strategic partnership between the State and retail banks. Local authorities have published 5 year...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (1 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The First Home Scheme, which launched in July 2022, is a shared equity scheme, designed to help bridge the gap for eligible first-time buyers, eligible homebuyers, and self-builders, between their deposit and mortgage, and the price of their new home (within price ceilings established across the country). Full details are available on the First Home Scheme website, www.firsthomescheme.ie. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (1 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to my answer to Question No. 413 on 16 April 2024 which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (1 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is currently, as a matter of priority, preparing legislation to put in place a statutory remediation scheme for owners of certain apartments affected by fire safety, water ingress and structural defects. This legislation will establish supports for the remediation of these defects in purpose-built apartment buildings, including duplexes, constructed between 1991 and 2013. Given...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Economic and Social Research Institute (1 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Joint Research Programme on Housing Economics and Spatial Planning was established to provide high-level oversight of a programme of research papers relating to housing economics and spatial planning and comprises of representatives from my Department and other experts in this field, including from the ESRI and the Housing Agency. My Department has provided the Oireachtas Committee on...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rights of Way (1 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act) provides that it is a matter for the relevant planning authority to consider where there is a need for a public right of way. The Act places responsibility for the maintenance of public rights of way directly with local authorities, by requiring them to preserve existing public rights of way through mapping and listing them as part...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (1 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department does not gather information on the length of time it is currently taking to complete new social housing applications by local authorities. Applications for social housing support are assessed by the relevant local authority, in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (1 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The administration of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme is a matter for the relevant local authority and HAP application processing times may vary across local authorities. Once a HAP application has been received and confirmed as valid by the relevant local authority, it is entered on the system by the local authority and then submitted for processing and payment by the HAP...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Small and Medium Enterprises (1 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Tailte Éireann is the State agency formed on 1 March 2023 following the merger of Ordnance Survey Ireland, the Property Registration Authority and the Valuation Office. All the functions previously carried out by the Property Registration Authority, the Valuation Office, and Ordnance Survey Ireland are now being performed by Tailte Éireann. Tailte Éireann is independent in the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development (Street Furniture Fees) Regulations 2024: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (30 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Gabhaim buíochas, a Chathaoirligh. I am grateful to the Cathaoirleach and to the committee members to have the opportunity to present to them today these proposed planning regulations. The regulations consist of the Planning and Development (Street Furniture Fees) Regulations 2024 which waive the section 254 street furniture licence fees for the remainder of 2024 for tables and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development (Street Furniture Fees) Regulations 2024: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (30 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: To answer the question directly, people have been charged for the first three months of the year, or coming up to the first four. Once I sign the regulations into law, there will be no charge but there is no refund of what has been paid already. It is annualised and then divided so, effectively, it would be for one quarter of the year. That is what people have been levied for the first...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development (Street Furniture Fees) Regulations 2024: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (30 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development (Street Furniture Fees) Regulations 2024: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (30 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: To directly answer the question with regard to insurance, no issues at all have been raised by local authorities with us in our engagement on this. By the way, I should have mentioned at the start that the last full year for which we have figures for the waiver is 2021 and the cost to local authorities was €589,000 across all 31 local authorities. I do not believe it will change...