Results 6,281-6,300 of 25,799 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Gaeltacht Policy (7 Dec 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: An Interdepartmental Group (comprising my Department; the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts Gaeltacht, Sport and Media; and Údarás na Gaeltachta) is continuing its work in developing specific planning guidance for Gaeltacht areas. There is also a separate Working Group made up of my Department, the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Údarás...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (7 Dec 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Affordability and the chance to own a home is at the heart of the Government’s housing policy. As detailed in the Housing for All strategy, the Government has introduced a number of measures to support households and individuals wishing to purchase a home, as well as increasing the overall supply of new homes, with an ambitious target of 300,000 new homes up to 2030. In relation...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Pollution (7 Dec 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Uisce Éireann has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local level, including investment in wastewater treatment plants and returning treated wastewater safely to the environment in an efficient and sustainable manner. The Environmental Protection Agency is the environmental regulator for Uisce Éireann...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (7 Dec 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Since the publication of the current Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines in 2005 (which continue to have effect in addition to subsequent clarifications and national policy changes in the NPF) there have been important changes to our planning system. Most notably, obligations under European Directives and international agreements relating to the management and protection of the environment...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commercial Rates (7 Dec 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by Tailte Éireann under the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2020. The amount of rates liable on a property is determined by multiplying the valuation of the property set by Tailte Éireann by the Annual Rate...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (7 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: Local Authorities (7 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Policies (7 Dec 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, is the foundation for my Department's main policy initiatives. My Department has commitments across 10 of the 12 Missions in the Programme. My Department's Statement of Strategy 2023-2025 was published in August of this year and sets out our strategic goals, objectives and actions for the period ahead. It is available on my Department's...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (7 Dec 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government has developed the ‘Cost Rental Tenant In-Situ’ scheme for tenants in private rental homes who are at risk of homelessness because a landlord intends to sell the property, but who are not in receipt of social housing supports. The scheme was established on a temporary administrative basis from 1 April 2023 and is managed by the Housing Agency, pending further...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (7 Dec 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: 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). Social Housing is delivered through a range of local authority and Approved Housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (7 Dec 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Cost Rental Tenant In-Situ (CRTiS) scheme was introduced on 1 April 2023, for tenants in private rental homes who are at risk of homelessness because a landlord has served a valid Notice of Termination due to an intention to sell the property. The Housing Agency may purchase the home and allow the tenant to continue residing in it, where the tenant is not in receipt of social housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (7 Dec 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department collects and publishes statistics on a quarterly basis on social housing completions rather than commencements. This includes data by local authority and is available to the end of Quarter 2 of 2023 on the statistics page of my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provis ion/. To give further information...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (7 Dec 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 226, 228, 230, 232 and 234 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 an average of 10,000 new build social homes each year in the period to 2030. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4bn per annum, through...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (7 Dec 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Under Housing for All, we will deliver a total of 47,600 new build social homes, as well as 3,500 social homes through long-term leasing and 28,500 new affordable homes in the period 2022-26. The 2024 funding provision for my Department will allow us to meet the social housing needs of almost 22,000 households, which will include 9,300 new build social homes and supporting a further...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (7 Dec 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Section 179A of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended - as inserted by section 14 of the Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Act 2022 - was commenced on 08 March 2023. It introduced a time-limited exemption, until 31 December 2024, for local authorities from the 'Part 8' local authority "own development" approval process, and from planning, for the provision of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (7 Dec 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Local authorities are responsible for the identification of the social housing need in their area and for the development of appropriate responses to the need identified. The provision of a single rural dwelling on local authority owned land or sites provided by an individual can be part of a local authority's social housing construction pipeline, where identified and prioritised by the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation (7 Dec 2023)

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. Critical to supporting...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (6 Dec 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Data on the commencement of residential dwellings, at local authority level, are published monthly on my Department's website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/a5cb1-construction-activity-starts /

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Measures (6 Dec 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Planning and Development Bill 2023 outlines significant organisational restructuring of An Bord Pleanála, notably the separation of the decision making element of the organisation (the Planning Commissioners) from those with responsibility for oversight of its governance. It is in this context that the proposed new name of An Coimisiún Pleanála arises. The Commission...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Stations (6 Dec 2023)

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...