Results 3,521-3,540 of 25,732 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (9 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 requires all local authorities, as a reserved function, to make an allocation scheme determining the order of priority to be accorded in the allocation of dwellings to households qualified for social housing support and to households approved for a transfer, the allocation of which would, in the opinion of the authority, meet the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (9 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the HAP scheme, tenants source their own accommodation in the private rented market. The accommodation sourced by tenants should be within the prescribed maximum HAP rent limits, which are based on household size and the rental market within the area concerned. My Department is aware that some HAP recipients are making payments directly to their landlords beyond the amount of HAP...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (9 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: All development proposals require planning permission unless they are specifically exempted under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act) or the supplementary Planning and Development Regulations, 2001, as amended (the Regulations). In addition, national planning policy, guidelines and legislation do not dictate the types of materials that must be used for housing, and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (9 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. Section 36 of the Act provides that the Government may make a further Defective Concrete Blocks (DCB) scheme for the purposes of enabling a designated local authority or an...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (9 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Since I received Government approval in January 2023 to draft legislation to establish supports for the remediation of fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects in apartments and duplexes, constructed between 1991 and 2013, my Department has been advancing the steps to put the remediation scheme on a statutory footing as a matter of priority. Given the complexity of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wind Energy Generation (9 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: It is assumed that the judgment that the Question is referring to is the first module of a case that has been divided into two modules. As no judgment has been delivered in the second module, the matter remains before the Courts and it would not be appropriate, therefore, to comment on the case. The assessment of wind energy developments is covered by the 2006 Wind Energy Development...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Bodies (9 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 212, 213 and 214 together. The Housing Finance Agency (HFA) plc is a non-commercial semi-State company under the aegis of my Department, limited by shares under the terms of the Housing Finance Agency Act 1981. My Department does not hold the information sought in the questions. However, the Housing Finance Agency has a dedicated email address to assist...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Land Development Agency (9 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Under Housing for All the Government will deliver 54,000 affordable homes between now and 2030, targeting an average of 6,000 affordable homes to be made available every year for purchase or for rent by Local Authorities, AHBs, the Land Development Agency (LDA) and via the First Home Scheme. The LDA represents a crucial lever in the Government’s delivery of affordable and social...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (9 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.

Affordable Housing: Motion [Private Members] (8 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: -----that people would not even be able to mortgage.

Affordable Housing: Motion [Private Members] (8 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: It behoves Deputy Ó Broin to publish his housing plan once and for all and to back it up with real statistics. We will continue to build real homes.

Affordable Housing: Motion [Private Members] (8 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Is Sinn Féin not going to publish its own?

Affordable Housing: Motion [Private Members] (8 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: If Deputy Ó Broin has put forward the motion as a plan, he should put some detail behind it. Will he provide clarity on whether these homes would be eligible for mortgages due to the first-charge and leasehold concerns? What restrictions would be placed on the property? We know that people would not be able to freely sell their home in a leasehold position, but would Sinn Féin...

Affordable Housing: Motion [Private Members] (8 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: -----even in respect of a very simple question as to where Sinn Féin's housing plan is. In 2022, the first full year of delivery under Housing for All, we delivered close to 30,000 homes, 5,000 more than our target. We saw continued progress in 2023 and we are seeing it again this year, as the plan and its many reforms have gained a firm footing. In 2023, we delivered more than...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: He should go back and watch the video he made.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: He was in the video standing outside on the plinth.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Was it AI generated?

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...