Results 2,841-2,860 of 25,732 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Greenways Provision (26 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Met Éireann has received the proposal regarding a walking trail which would pass through Met Éireann property on Valentia Island. In advance of making a final decision on the matter Met Éireann has sought additional details, in particular survey arrangements in relation to the archaeology present and the heritage status of the area. Once this additional information is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fuel Poverty (26 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Renewable electricity plays a crucial role in Ireland’s efforts to combat climate change. Under the Government has set an ambitious target of having an 80% share of electricity generation capacity coming from renewable sources by 2030 to create a more sustainable and resilient energy system for the future. My colleague, the Minister for Energy, Climate and Communications, has...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (25 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 227 and 228 together. Since receipt of Government approval in January 2023, I have been working to progress the various programmes of work that are required to place on a statutory footing the scheme to establish supports for the remediation of fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects in purpose-built apartment buildings, including duplexes,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (25 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 229 and 241 together. Local authorities set and collect rents on their dwellings in accordance with section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. Tenants in the HAP scheme are required to pay a weekly rental contribution to the relevant local authority in line with the local authority’s differential rent scheme. The making or amending of such rent schemes is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (25 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Mortgage to Rent (MTR) scheme is targeted at those households in acute mortgage arrears who have had their mortgage position deemed unsustainable by their lender under the Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process (MARP), and who have very limited options, if any, to meet their long-term housing needs. To date, my Department is aware of 11 properties which have progressed, or are...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Heritage Schemes (25 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department’s grant scheme for the renewal or repair of a thatched roof provides funding of up to €6,350 or up to 80% of the approved cost, whichever is the lesser, in respect of necessary works to renew or repair the thatched roofs of private houses situated on the mainland where the private owner holds a medical card. A higher level of assistance of up to €8,252 is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (25 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I can confirm that 42 new social homes were completed by Carlow County Council at the location referred to. Additionally, a further 6 new age-friendly homes were undertaken by an Approved Housing Body. My Department provided funding of €1.4m for the 6 additional age-friendly homes and I understand they were completed in Quarter 4 of 2023.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (25 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: On 5 June the Cabinet approved the expansion of the Local Authority Purchase and Renovation Loan to all Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant eligible homes. This supports the key policy objective in Housing for All in bringing vacant homes back into use. The eligibility of applicants is broadly the same as the Local Authority Home Loan with some specific amendments to accommodate...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (25 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Affordability and the chance to own a home is at the heart of the Government’s housing policy. As detailed in the Housing for All strategy, the Government has introduced a number of measures to support households and individuals wishing to purchase or build a home, as well as increasing the overall supply of new homes, with a target of 300,000 new homes up to 2030. The First Home...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (25 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Tackling vacancy is a key priority for this Government and Pathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock. The Vacant Homes Action Plan, which I originally published in January 2023, built on Pathway 4 of Housing for All and set out the various actions that were being pursued to return vacant properties back into...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Laboratory Facilities (25 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Construction Products Regulation (EU) No 305/2011 (CPR) sets out rules for the marketing of construction products in the EU. Where a construction product covered by a harmonised standard is being placed on the EU market, the CPR requires the manufacturer to draw up a ‘declaration of performance’ and affix a ‘CE’ marking to the product. In order to do so,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (25 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 240 and 245 together. The Planning and Development Bill 2023, which shortly commences Seanad Second Stage is the culmination of a three year process of policy and legal review, led by the Office of the Attorney General; engagement with a diverse range of stakeholders and one of the most extensive pre-legislative and Select Committee scrutiny undertaken in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (25 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I commenced the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 ('the 2022 Act') on 22 June 2023, which contains the enhanced grant scheme and adopted the related Regulations on 29 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Financial Irregularities (25 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I can advise that I have not had any contact in person, or in writing, within the past six months with the secretary of the named organisation.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Urban Development (25 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Through the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) public bodies are receiving targeted support for innovative and holistic solutions to the issues that have hindered the regeneration and rejuvenation of our large towns and cities. To date, there have been three Calls for proposals under the URDF with in excess of €1.9 billion allocated to almost 400 projects, located right...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (25 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department currently gathers and publishes data on a monthly basis on the number of homeless persons accommodated in emergency accommodation funded and overseen by local authorities. These reports are based on data provided by local authorities, produced through the Pathway Accommodation & Support System (PASS). The monthly homelessness report includes details of individuals,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (25 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Electoral Reform Act 2022 amended Part V of the Local Government Act 1991 (as amended) in respect of the review of local electoral areas. Under Chapter 8 of Part 2 of the Electoral Reform Act 2022, future reviews of local electoral areas are now a function of An Coimisiún Toghcháin which was established on 9 February 2023. Section 23 of the Local Government Act 2001 (as...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (25 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The legislation governing the clawback on previous affordable housing schemes is Section 99 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, or Section 9 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2002, depending on the home in question. Both pieces of legislation set the same clawback rule: where the property is resold within 20 years, the homeowner must pay a clawback amount equal to a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Freedom of Information (25 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Secretary General, with support from the Assistant Secretary of the Corporate and Business Support Division, oversees my Department's obligations under the Freedom of Information Act 2014. Details of the number of staff employed by my Department who are assigned to the day to day processing Freedom of Information requests, and the number of such requests received by my Department in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (25 Jun 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. A review mechanism is provided within the Defective Concrete Blocks (DCB) Act 2022, which allows me, as Minister, to increase the overall grant scheme cap of €420,000...