Results 6,121-6,140 of 25,799 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (17 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 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (17 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 832 and 833 together. Applications for social housing support are assessed by the relevant local authority, in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended. The regulations prescribe maximum net income...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Process (17 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Under electoral law, a nomination paper must state the name, address and occupation (if any) of a candidate at an election. A ballot paper must contain the name and description of the candidate standing nominated, as shown in the nomination paper. This requirement is intended as a means of identifying a candidate and ensuring the transparency of elections. In ruling on the validity of a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Stations (17 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: 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 and 2003. My Department supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (17 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Climate Action Plan 2023 commits to installing heat pumps in 45,000 existing dwellings and in 170,000 new dwellings by 2025, increasing to 400,000 and 280,000 respectively by 2030 This rapid transition to low-carbon heating systems has effectively phased out fossil fuel boilers in new homes. It will significantly improve air quality in the areas where these new homes are built relative to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation (17 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The increase in the numbers accessing emergency accommodation is a serious concern for me and for the Government. Supporting individuals and families facing homelessness is a key Government priority. Increasing the supply of housing is critical to address homelessness and record levels of investment are being provided under Housing for All to support the delivery of housing. In 2024, over...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (17 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Under Housing for All, the Government has targeted the delivery of 28,500 new affordable homes from 2022 to 2026, to be facilitated by local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), the Land Development Agency (LDA) and through a strategic partnership between the State and retail banks. Each local authority has prepared and published its own 5-year Housing Delivery Action Plan setting...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation (17 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: Housing Schemes (17 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme provides for the purchase by eligible tenants of local authority houses which are available for sale under the scheme. All applications for the Scheme must satisfy the requirements outlined in the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 and the associated regulations. The clawback, otherwise known as the incremental purchase charge, is an...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (17 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Statistics in relation to the social housing stock are published by the National Oversight and Audit Commission (NOAC) in the Local Authority Performance Indicator Report. These reports provide a range of information in relation to social housing stock, including the number of dwellings in local authority ownership at a given time. The most recent report, relating to 2022, is available on the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (17 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 848 and 849 together. Under Housing for All, the Government will deliver 47,600 new build social homes and 3,500 social homes through long-term leasing in the period 2022-2026. Our clear focus is to increase the stock of social housing through new build projects delivered by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs). For 2023 and 2024, the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (17 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I have no function in this matter. My Department has not allocated specific funding for the St. Brigid 1500 celebrations in County Kildare. Furthermore, my Department does not collate specific information on the funding of local festivals or commemorative events as outlined in the question. Details in respect of the funding provided for this event may, in this case, be available from Kildare...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (17 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, the implementation of a planned maintenance programme and carrying out of responsive repairs, are matters for each individual local authority under Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. Local authorities also have a legal obligation to ensure that all of their tenanted...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Appointments to State Boards (14 Dec 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The information requested is not held by my Department. In making appointments to State boards under my remit, my Department operates in accordance with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards, published in November 2014. The Public Appointments Service has responsibility for managing an open, accessible and transparent system...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Correspondence (14 Dec 2023)

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. In July 2022 the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant was launched to support bringing vacant and derelict properties back into use. From 1 May 2023, a grant of up to a maximum of €50,000 is available for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation as...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (14 Dec 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All sets out the range of actions necessary to increase the supply of housing to the required 33,000 homes, on average, per year over the next decade. 54,000 affordable homes will be delivered between now and 2030 to be facilitated by local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), the Land Development Agency (LDA) and through First Home, which is a strategic partnership...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (14 Dec 2023)

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. In respect of the Land Development Agency's (LDA) work...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (14 Dec 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Local authorities are designated as lead agencies for coordinating the response to flooding emergencies and severe weather as per the Government decision relating to the “Framework for Major Emergency Management” (2006). The arrangements for emergency management are seen as having worked very well, in particular the responses led by local authorities to flooding and other...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (14 Dec 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Both the Programme for Government and Housing for All commit to strengthening the Mortgage to Rent scheme and ensuring that it can help those who need it. The 2021 Review of the Mortgage to Rent Scheme was published on 24 January 2022. Building on the significant changes already made to the scheme in 2017, the 2021 Review examined the impact of these changes and what further changes would...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (14 Dec 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2015 provided for the development of a deposit protection scheme to be operated by the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB). However, significant changes have taken place in the rental market since this Act and in order to inform decisions on the commencement of this measure, work is underway in my Department to complete Action 2.10 of the Housing for...