Results 1-20 of 10,412 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien in 'Written Answers'

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (8 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 breakdown of such units delivered on an annual basis since 2016. Alongside the acquisition and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (8 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: 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 lease arrangements can be entered into by either local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (8 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 265 and 268 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation (8 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department publishes quarterly progress reports which are based on quarterly performance reports submitted by the nine regional lead authorities responsible for the administration of homeless services at local level. The quarterly performance reports include details of the numbers of individuals prevented from entering emergency accommodation, and those exiting emergency accommodation,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (8 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: In recent years, the main source of funding to Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) for social housing delivery, is through borrowings and support from local authorities through the Capital Advance Leasing Facility (CALF) and Payment and Availability (P&A) programme. The P&A-CALF model has shown itself to be an integral part of social housing delivery and has contributed...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (8 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. Terms of Reference are being developed in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General to progress the appointment of a Senior Counsel to review the role of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (8 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019. Responsibility for the enforcement of the Regulations in the private rental sector rests with the relevant local authority. If a property has been found to be non-compliant with the Regulations, it is a matter for the local authority to determine what action is necessary and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rights of Way (8 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: It is a matter for the relevant planning authority to consider where there is a need for a public right of way. In this connection, the relevant planning authority may enter into discussions with the relevant landowners under section 206 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act) in order to achieve the creation of a public right of way by agreement. If an agreement cannot...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: European Union (8 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Details on all EU funding made available to my Department each year under the multiannual financial framework are set out in The Revised Estimates for Public Services, which are published annually by the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (DPENDR) and are available at The Revised Estimates Volumes for the Public Service (www.gov.ie)). Information on relevant programmes...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (8 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I was pleased to announce on 12 April that I secured approval for an increase in the mandatory retirement age for both full-time and retained firefighters up to the age of 62, details of which can be accessed on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/press-release/eea5a-mandatory-retirement-age-f or-full-time-and-retained-firefighters-to-rise-to-62/. This...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (8 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: Planning Issues (8 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: On 25 April 2023, the Government approved additional measures under the Housing for All Action Plan to incentivise the activation of increased housing supply and help reduce housing construction costs, including the introduction of temporary time-limited arrangements for the waiving of local authority “section 48” development contributions and the refunding of Uisce Éireann...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (8 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 of June 2023 which contains the enhanced grant scheme and adopted the related Regulations on the 29 of June 2023. The detailed operation of the Scheme is a matter for the designated local authorities and the Housing Agency in the first instance. Their respective roles are...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (8 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: 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 lease arrangements can be entered into by either local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Communications (8 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The purpose of the review, currently underway, of qualifications for engineering posts in the local government sector is to determine if changes are required in order that the qualifications are appropriate and relevant to the role of an engineer at the various engineering levels in a local authority. An examination of the educational and experience requirements at each engineering level...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (8 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, the implementation of a planned maintenance programme and carrying out of responsive repairs, are matters for each individual local authority under Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. Local authorities and elected members have a very important role to play in this regard by...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Energy Policy (8 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: There is no direct funding from carbon taxes associated with the retrofitting budget for social housing which relies on voted expenditure as part of the annual budgetary process. In 2021 a new holistic approach was applied to the Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme (EERP), designed around the Programme for Government's commitment led by the Department for the Environment, Climate and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: State Bodies (8 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: An Bord Pleanála (ABP) is a quasi-judicial body which carries out its statutory functions independently of me as Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. ABP appointed an external reviewer, Ms. Lorna Lynch, Senior Counsel, to carry out a scoping investigation into certain matters. An Bord Pleanála has advised that, in conducting this scoping investigation, Ms....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (8 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: On 14 November 2023, the Cabinet agreed a proposal to broaden the Local Authority Home Loan, to make finance available to purchase and/or renovate derelict or non-habitable properties. A Working Group of key local authority stakeholders has been established and continues to meet to develop the supports and structures required to successfully implement the extension across the Sector. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (8 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. The Scheme provides very considerable enhancements for eligible homeowners, over the earlier 2020 Scheme including 100% of the costs of the remediation works approved...