Results 101-120 of 22,388 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government and Housing for All commit to maintaining the right of social housing tenants to purchase their own home, subject to a number of reforms. The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme was reviewed in 2021 and 2023 in line with these commitments, to ensure there is a balance between maintaining the right of tenants to purchase their homes and the replenishment of social...

Housing for All: Statements (21 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: This week.

Housing for All: Statements (21 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I welcome the opportunity to provide Teachtaí with an update on housing and the Government’s progress since the publication of Housing for All back in September 2021, just over two and a half years ago. While challenges undoubtedly remain and we continue to operate in an ever-changing environment, real progress has been made. It is important to take time to reflect on this and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (21 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Local authorities are encouraged to acquire vacant/derelict properties to be upgraded as new, value-for-money social homes via the Buy & Renew Scheme. Since it was introduced in 2016, in excess of 900 properties have been delivered under this arrangement. The table below shows the number of such units delivered as new social homes per annum since 2016 and the total cost. The costs...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (21 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Cost Rental Tenant In-Situ (CRTiS) scheme was introduced on 1 April 2023 for tenants in private rental homes who do not qualify for social housing supports and are at risk of homelessness because a landlord has served a valid Notice of Termination due to an intention to sell the property. The primary tenant eligibility condition for accessing Cost Rental housing also applies for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (21 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: 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 oversees workforce planning for the local government sector, including the monitoring of local government sector employment levels. To this end,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: State Bodies (21 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: An Bord Pleanála (the Board) 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. There are now more people working at the Board than at any time previously. Since October 2021,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (21 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act), all development, unless specifically exempted under the Act or associated Regulations, requires planning permission. Exemptions from the requirement to obtain planning permission in respect of specific forms of development are provided for when they are considered to be consistent with proper planning and sustainable...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (21 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: 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. Local authorities have responsibility for the administration of the Enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme. This includes the initial validation of applications,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (21 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: 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). For 2023 and 2024, the Government agreed that there would be increased provision...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (21 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Local Authority Home Loan is a Government-backed mortgage for those who cannot get sufficient funding from commercial banks to purchase or build a home. It has been available nationwide from local authorities since 4 January 2022 for first-time buyers and fresh start applicants. The loan can be used both for new and second-hand properties, or to self-build. It is the successor to the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Compulsory Purchase Orders (21 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Tackling vacancy is a key priority for this Government. The Vacant Homes Action Plan, which I launched in January 2023, outlines the significant progress that has been made in addressing vacancy, along with the actions that are being pursued to return vacant properties back into use as homes. Last month, I launched the Vacant Homes Action Plan, Progress Report April 2024 which sets out...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (21 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 349 and 350 together. The Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (SHCEP) supports the delivery of social housing by providing financial support to local authorities for the leasing of houses and apartments. Dwellings under the scheme come from a number of different sources including private owners, Part V and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs). Long term...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Approved Housing Bodies (21 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Section 63 of the Housing Act 1966 deals with overcrowding and inter alia establishes effective limits on the numbers of people that can occupy the same bedroom. Accordingly, a property will be considered overcrowded when the number of people normally sleeping there and the number of bedrooms are such that any two people, if they are older than 10 years old and of the opposite gender, must...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (21 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I understand the Question is referring to the Unit Cost Ceilings, now referred to as Basic Unit Costs (BUCs), which specifically relate to social housing build projects developed directly by local authorities or AHBs on LA/AHB owned lands, using Public Works forms of contract. Updated BUCs are regularly issued to local authorities with the most recent dating from April 2023. Work is nearing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (21 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: 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 Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended. The Regulations provide that households may apply for support to one local authority only. Usually,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (21 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Section 160 of the Local Government Act 2001 provides the Minister with the power to declare qualifications of such classes and descriptions as he or she thinks fit for a specified employment under a local authority or for such of the employments as belong to a specified class, description or grade. Orders made under section 160 of the Local Government Act 2001 declaring qualifications for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Process (21 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The general scheme of the Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) Bill was published in December 2022. Following the scrutiny of the Joint Oireachtas Committee, my Department has been working in close collaboration with parliamentary drafters to develop this Bill. While it was initially hoped to publish in 2023, the legal, technical and scientific complexity associated with this ground breaking...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (21 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) has policy responsibility for improving access to high quality and affordable Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare. My Department does not record the data requested, and has no function in this regard. The current Guidelines for Planning Authorities relating to Childcare Facilities were...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Circulars (21 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Part V mechanism is intended to achieve integrated development and reduce housing segregation by facilitating a mix of a tenure types, that is social, affordable and cost rental housing, in applicable developments on any land that is zoned residential (either exclusively or mixed use) or is granted planning permission for houses as a material contravention of the development plan. ...