Results 5,961-5,980 of 25,799 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Housing and Homeless Prevention: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (23 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Deputy's party leader knows the developer.

Housing and Homeless Prevention: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (23 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I have met the residents and am happy to meet them again.

Housing and Homeless Prevention: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (23 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all the words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "notes that: — supporting individuals and families facing homelessness is a key Government priority; increasing housing supply across all tenures is critical to addressing homelessness; significant progress is being made in increasing overall supply; — a record...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (23 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Emergency Refurbishment (Ukraine) Programme is comprised of two delivery strands, one of which is focused on buildings in public ownership and the other which supports owners of private buildings to refurbish them to the appropriate standard as per guidelines from my Department. These guidelines are available on my Department's website at the following link;...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (23 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 330 and 355 together. I refer to my reply to Question No. 829 of 17 January 2024, which sets out the position on the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (23 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended, prescribe maximum net income limits for each local authority in different bands according to the area concerned, with income defined and assessed according to a standard Household Means Policy. The Policy provides for a range of income disregards and local authorities have discretion to disregard income that is temporary, short-term...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (23 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: In November 2023, I announced substantial improvements to the terms and conditions of all three Domestic Waste Water Treatment System (DWWTS) grants available to households. I approved an increase of the grant amount available to €12,000 from €5,000 and also made it is easier to qualify by removing the requirement, for the purposes of the grant, on households to have registered...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (23 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: To be eligible for the FHS a person must (1) have mortgage approval with a Participating Lender, and (2) avail of the maximum mortgage available from one of the Participating Lenders (within the 4x gross income limit set by the Central Bank's macro-prudential rules). The LAHL is targeted at those who cannot get sufficient funding from regulated financial providers to purchase or build a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (23 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 and specify requirements in relation to a range of matters, such as structural repair, sanitary facilities, heating, ventilation, natural light, fire safety and the safety of gas, oil and electrical supplies. These Regulations apply to all properties let or available for let....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Personal Public Service Numbers (23 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 338, 342 and 343 together. Local authorities, in their capacity as registration authorities, are responsible for the management and maintenance of the electoral register. Under the Electoral Act 1992 registration authorities have always had the power to seek any information they required for the purposes of maintaining the register. The Electoral Reform Act...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (23 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: There is no funding programme managed by my Department granting assistance for the removal of asbestos.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (23 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All commits to expanding the housing options available for Older Persons, building on the work done under the 2019 Joint Policy Statement, Housing Options for our Ageing Population, which has the objective of providing housing options for older people to facilitate ageing in place, in their own homes and communities, with dignity and independence, and deliver an appropriate range...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Land Issues (23 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Tailte Éireann is an independent Government agency under the aegis of my Department. Tailte Éireann provide a property registration system, property valuation service, and national mapping and surveying infrastructure for the State. Under Section 8(6) of the Tailte Éireann Act 2022, Tailte Éireann is independent in the performance of its functions. In common with many...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (23 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The 'Fresh Start' principle forms a key element in 'Housing for All' and is applied across a number of affordable and mortgage schemes run by the Department such as the Local Authority Home Loan and the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme. The ‘Fresh Start’ principle is also applied by the independently-governed First Home Scheme. ‘Fresh Start’ means...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (23 Jan 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 provides for the enhanced grant scheme, and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023. The tables under provide details in respect of the Defective Concrete Block Grant (DCB) schemes up until and including 31 December 2023. Clare ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Standards Authority of Ireland (23 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Arising from the Government Decision of 30 November 2021 in respect of the enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks (DCB) grant scheme, the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) was tasked with delivering a programme of work to address a number of technical items. An interagency DCB Technical Matters Steering Group has been established to inform and guide the NSAI review of a number of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (23 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 347, 348 and 349 together. My Department provides funding, administered through local authorities, for the grants referred to in the questions. Each local authority has appointed a Rural Water Liaison Officer who deals with the day to day implementation issues for the grant schemes. The officer can be contacted at the Rural Water Section of the relevant local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Official Travel (23 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The details requested are outlined in the following table. The full costs related to flights and hotels for each instance of my foreign travel in 2023 are also available and regularly updated on my Departments OpenData website Minister Date of travel from Date of return Destination Purpose Total costs of Flights (€) Total...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wind Energy Generation (23 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: In accordance with section 34 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000, as amended, it is a matter for the relevant planning authority to consider each application for planning permission, including an application in respect of a wind energy development, on a case-by-case basis and to decide whether to grant permission, subject to or without conditions, or to refuse permission. When...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (23 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: 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 occupation as a principal private residence and for...