Results 5,981-6,000 of 25,799 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant was launched under the Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund to support 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 properties which will be made available for rent. Where the...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department operates a number of funding programmes that assist local authorities to work in partnership with Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) to construct and purchase homes and make them available for social housing. One such programme that local authorities and AHBs progress Social Housing projects through is the Capital Advance Leasing Facility (CALF). CALF funding is capital support...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All targets the delivery of 18,000 new Cost Rental homes to 2030. A strong pipeline is in place and under continuous development by local authorities, by Approved Housing Bodies using the Cost Rental Equity Loan, and by the Land Development Agency. The core principle of Cost Rental is that the rents cover the development, management, and maintenance costs of the homes, so...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Awaiting reply from Department.

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of local authorities in addressing homelessness at a local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless accommodation and related services rests with individual local authorities. The International...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of local authorities in addressing homelessness at a local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless accommodation and related services rests with individual local authorities. To assist in ensuring...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 361 and 368 together. I established an Implementation Steering Group to work through administrative issues around the Defective Concrete Blocks (DCB) scheme as they arise and make recommendations if further changes to the regulations or guidelines on the Scheme are needed. The Group comprises the relevant local authorities, my Department, the Housing...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Awaiting reply from Department.

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department supports the objectives of the Building a Zero Carbon Ireland roadmap as published by the Irish Green Building Council through the delivery of the Government's Climate Action Plan 2024. Climate Action Plan 2024 commits to:All new dwellings designed and constructed to Nearly Zero Energy Building standard by 2025, and Zero Emission Building standard by 2030Equivalent of 120,000...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Local authority housing is provided unfurnished including appliances and therefore this is not a matter for my Department. When a person on the social housing waiting list is offered a local authority home and they do not have and cannot afford to buy furniture or appliances, they may be eligible for help under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme through the Department of Social Protection.

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

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All commits to increasing the housing options available to older people to facilitate ageing in place with dignity and independence, including the development of a policy on right-sizing. Work is being advanced in my Department to inform and progress the development of national policy on right-sizing.

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

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to the reply to Question No. 777 of 17 January 2024 which sets out the position in this matter.

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

Darragh O'Brien: Currently there are two main established forums across the local authorities, the Dublin Housing Delivery Group and Galway Social Housing Taskforce. The Dublin Housing Delivery Group (DHDG) was established in June 2021 to co-ordinate and drive delivery of social and affordable housing in the four Dublin local authorities. Membership of the DHDG includes the Chief Executive of the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I will bring the matter Deputy Durkan raised to the attention of the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, and get her to come back to him. I join Deputy Donnelly in commending the work of the gardaí in Dublin West after the horrific incident on Christmas Eve on Main Street, Blanchardstown, a place I know very well as he does. We are committed to continued increased investment in An...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: When the three parties came into government, the LDA did not have legislation underpinning it and it had no money. We have been able to make significant advances in that regard and fully capitalise the LDA. I received approval for further capitalisation before Christmas. It delivered approximately 800 homes last year. I have been in Limerick on a number of occasions with the LDA. I was...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: To correct a point made by the Deputy, we met our housing targets in 2022. We exceeded them in that year and in 2023, and substantially so. As regards student accommodation, I will be with the Minister, Deputy Harris, tomorrow at a launch in DCU. We have already invested €61 million in additional student accommodation that we want to be affordable. My Department has worked directly...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: What we are seeing in the North as well is the fact there is no Assembly or government there. The public services there are under incredible strain across every sector, from local government to health. I came into politics through my membership of a trade union and I support the right of workers to defend their rights and pay and conditions. What we have been able to do in this country for...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: This Government has supported businesses right the way through the Covid pandemic. Most businesses and sectors will respect what we have done there. We work together to protect businesses. I am aware of increased costs on businesses due to inflation in the cost of wages, materials and so on, as are we all. The Government is bringing forward and has signed off on a package of €257...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Gabhaim buíochas le Deputy Ó Cuív as ucht na ceiste. Is cinnte go bhfuil deontas folúntais Chroí Cónaithe ag obair go dian tríd an tír. People have responded to it extremely well with over 7,000 applications and 3,600 approvals. We update it per local authority and we are now building data on one-off homes. Since the scheme was extended to rural...