Results 2,921-2,940 of 26,228 for speaker:Kieran O'Donnell

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Local Representation Allowance (31 Jan 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: Just directions.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Local Representation Allowance (31 Jan 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: To give clarity to the Senator, under the current directions, statutory instruments and guidance issued last September, councillors are entitled to get the full cost of an installation of a CCTV camera system in their home. They are entitled to 20% of the annual running cost thereafter. I take on board the Senator’s point. They will be issued with revised directions for expenses of...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Urban Development (31 Jan 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I thank Senator Boyhan very much for raising this matter. The urban regeneration and development fund, URDF, is a flagship element of Project Ireland 2040 and was established to support more compact and sustainable development through the regeneration and rejuvenation of Ireland's five cities and other large towns. The Senator noted that is based on populations exceeding 10,000. The fund...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Urban Development (31 Jan 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: As I said, many of these projects are now coming to fruition. The Senator will see much more of that €1.5 billion in funding being drawn down. As I outlined earlier, a key action in supporting the Government's vacant homes action plan is the third round of URDF support, which will be specifically designed to address long-term vacancy and dereliction across our URDF cities and towns...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Vacant Properties (26 Jan 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I think that covers the range of issues that were brought up. This is a great scheme. We want this scheme to work. We want to work in tandem with local authorities. The Deputies, as public representatives on the ground, are a key element of this. If there are any tweaks that are required to the scheme, funding is not an issue here. We want take-up. The town centre first policy is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Vacant Properties (26 Jan 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: No, applications.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Vacant Properties (26 Jan 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: Going through the questions in the order raised, in response to Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan, the Croí Cónaithe scheme only came in for the cities in November. Certainly, we are only looking at the period to the end of December and it is a short timescale in terms of Cork city. I refer to the vacant homes officers. Deputy Stanton raised it as well. If Cork county, Cork city...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Vacant Properties (26 Jan 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: Yes. That five Deputies contributed shows how relevant and important the Croí Cónaithe scheme is. I will take them in order. Starting with Deputy O'Sullivan, Croí Cónaithe has no income threshold, so people can-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Vacant Properties (26 Jan 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: We are keeping the Croí Cónaithe scheme under constant review. There has been a significant uptake so far, with 716 applications nationwide. In Cork county, 84 people had applied to the end of December. In Cork city, four had applied. The scheme is immensely successful. We want to get it bedded down and to encourage people to apply for it. Even if there is considerable...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (26 Jan 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I reiterate that that report is imminent. The report for 2021 should have been delivered in 2022. Both respective managers of Galway City Council and Galway County Council will give an update to their members at the next local authority meeting. More particularly, we will follow up to make sure this report is finalised with immediate effect - at the very latest by the end of the first...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Vacant Properties (26 Jan 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 87, 96, 108, 132, 157 and 159 together. Tackling vacancy is a key priority for this Government. Housing for All, the Government's housing strategy, sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock. Many areas of cities, towns and villages of all sizes face the blight of vacant properties which, if brought back...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (26 Jan 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I thank the Deputy. I have not received the report referred to in my reply to Question No. 89 of 30 November 2022. I understand it is in preparation but the public housing delivery outputs for 2022 are currently being validated for all local authorities, including for both Galway councils. This information will be important for the report's completion. I anticipate this report will cover...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (26 Jan 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: It would have been expected that we would have received the report for 2021 in 2022. That has not happened. We are where we are. I will follow up with the task force on the matter of the report being with us. We are now in the first month of 2023. The report will be received by me by the first quarter but I will certainly follow up to make certain it is expedited. We are looking to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (26 Jan 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: My Department provides exchequer funding to local authorities to support the Housing Adaptation Grants for People with a Disability which supports disabled people living in private houses to adapt their home to meet their needs. This grant is for people with a physical, sensory, mental health or intellectual disability. In general, it can be used for works such as level access showers,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Mayoral Election (26 Jan 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: My Department is engaging with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel in relation to the drafting of the Local Government (Directly Elected Mayor with Executive Functions in Limerick city and county) Bill, which is well advanced. Finalisation of this complex Bill has been identified as a priority and I am working towards the Bill being published in April. It is my hope that the Bill would...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Urban Development (26 Jan 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: In line with the objectives of the National Planning Framework and the National Development Plan (NDP), the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) provides part-funding to applicant-led projects, enabling more compact and sustainable development within the existing built-up footprints of our cities and large towns, while also ensuring that more parts of our urban areas can become...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (26 Jan 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: An estimated 16,000 additional households may be eligible as a result of recent changes to the social housing income eligibility thresholds. Under Housing for All, the Government is providing significant investment to support the delivery of some 90,000 social homes over the lifetime of the plan. This includes 47,600 new build social homes and 3,500 homes through long-term leasing...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Housing Schemes (25 Jan 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I thank the Acting Chairman for his kind comments. As a former Member of this House, I very much look forward to working with the House in my capacity as Minister of State in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. I thank the Senator for raising this important issue and some additional issues and allowing me the opportunity to provide an update on this matter. I am well...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Housing Schemes (25 Jan 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I thank the Senator for this discussion. The guidance note will issue. I will take the matter up with the Department. The statutory instrument is self-explanatory and I will ask that it be circulated to local authorities with immediate effect, with a follow-up in terms of the guidance note. As noted previously, the application of the house price limits under the local authority home loan...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Fire Service (25 Jan 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I thank Deputy Buckley for raising this important matter. I will give an overview of the fire service. The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Acts 1981...