Results 5,841-5,860 of 25,799 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (13 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: No, I do not think so. The Deputy has experience in South Dublin County Council. I do not think it is weaker. I put it to the Deputy that the phrase "shall include" is stronger. All local authorities will be aware that access, liability, universal design but also design for people with disabilities are at the forefront of all design brought forward and in all new developments as well....

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (13 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: To be helpful, to go back to the first line of that paragraph, it says “A planning authority shall prepare a strategy”. So it is the objectives within that strategy. We are not saying that a planning authority might have to do this or it might not. It says that the strategy be prepared as part of the development plan. That is very clear. I think it is very strong. I say...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (13 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I fully respect the Deputy’s right to do so. That is fine. To be helpful, as we go on, we will give a comparison between the existing wording, which I do not have to hand, and the new wording, which we can get to the Deputy. It would probably be appropriate to have that tomorrow. It is important that we not only speak on the strategies themselves but also that we see what is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (8 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I can confirm that in April 2022, my Department in conjunction with the local authorities completed a report on waste water needs of villages not served by public waste water collection systems. Included in the Report is a nationwide listing of all villages and similar settlements without access to public waste water infrastructure. My Department will provide a full list of these...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established a quasi-judicial independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2022, to operate a national tenancy registration system and to facilitate the resolution of disputes between landlords and tenants and as such, the dispute resolution process is an operational matter for the RTB. My Department does not hold the...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Requests for housing transfers are considered solely by the relevant local authority concerned in accordance with that authority’s allocation scheme, which is made by the elected members under section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and in compliance with Social Housing Allocation Regulations 2011, as amended. Local authorities are responsible for assessing...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 223 and 224 together. 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...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Local authorities are independent statutory bodies with their own democratically elected councils, and management and governance structures. Under Section 63 of the Local Government Act 2001, a local authority is "independent in the performance of its functions". The disposal and acquisition of land are local authority functions. Section 183 of the 2001 Act provides for the procedure to be...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Measures (8 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The priority drafting of the necessary amendments to the Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Act 2019 has been approved by Government. These amendments will shortly begin the legislative process as part of the upcoming Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill.

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is undertaking a review of the future of the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) which considers the role of RAS in the private market, taking account of the Housing Assistance Payment scheme and Approved Housing Body participation. The draft report was submitted to me on 6 October 2023 in order to note the contents and recommendations. My Department is currently in the...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Constitutional recognition of local government provides the basis for a separate local government system, distinct from national government. Local authorities are independent statutory bodies with their own democratically elected councils and management structures. Subject to law, a local authority is independent in the performance of its functions. The elected council is the primary...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (7 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All is the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade. This includes the delivery of 90,000 social homes, 36,000 affordable purchase homes and 18,000 cost rental homes. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4bn per annum, through an overall combination of €12bn in direct...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (7 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Planning statistics are compiled by each planning authority on an annual basis for collation and publication on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/service/9e4ee-get-planning-statistics/. The data collected relates to the total number of applications and decisions for all developments that require planning permission, broken down by year and planning...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (7 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 240 and 241 together. Housing for All is the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade. This includes the delivery of 90,000 social homes, 36,000 affordable purchase homes and 18,000 cost rental homes. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4bn per annum,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (7 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Cork Events Centre was included as a Government commitment under the revised National Development Plan in 2021. This underlines the Government’s support for urban regeneration, enhanced amenity and heritage, associated quality of life standards, balanced regional development, and the regeneration and development of Cork City Centre. It was agreed by Government in the context...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Regional Development (7 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The National Planning Framework (NPF) is a broad national plan for strategic planning and sustainable development of urban and rural areas, with the objectives of securing balanced regional development and a sustainable approach to the form and pattern of future development (a ‘compact growth’ approach). The necessary co-ordination of plans at regional and local level to inform...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (7 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Tenants in the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme are required to sign a rent contribution agreement to pay a weekly rental contribution to the relevant local authority, in line with the local authority’s differential rent scheme. As set out in the rent contribution agreement, this weekly rental contribution must be paid by them so that they remain eligible for the HAP scheme. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: State Properties (7 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Recommendations on all sites identified in the Report on Relevant Public Lands which was published by the LDA in 2023 are now under consideration. Sites which are being recommended for transfer to the LDA will be submitted to Government for consideration in sets, based on highest priority sites and lowest level of site constraints. Subsequent sets of sites will be considered by...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Safety (7 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: As the national standalone public water utility, Uisce Éireann has statutory responsibility for the provision and maintenance of fire hydrants in Ireland. The upkeep and maintenance of these fire hydrants is an operational matter for Uisce Éireann.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (7 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I can confirm that a review of the private wells grant schemes is ongoing. As part of this review, my Department is engaging with key stakeholders in the Rural Water Sector. I expect to receive recommendations for my consideration shortly.