Results 7,661-7,680 of 27,055 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (28 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Addressing vacancy and making efficient use of existing housing stock is a a key priority for Government, as set out in Pathway 4 of Housing for All. In January 2022, my Department communicated with local authorities outlining that funding, made available since 2018 to support the work of a Vacant Homes Office including a Vacant Homes Officer (VHO), would be increased from €50,000 to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (28 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Addressing vacancy and making efficient use of existing housing stock is a key priority for Government, as set out in Pathway 4 of Housing for All. As part of the Vacant Homes Action Plan, a new CPO Activation Programme was launched in April. The Programme supports a proactive, planned and systematic approach by local authorities to the activation of vacant and derelict properties which...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (28 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government commits to ensuring that the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) levels are adequate to support vulnerable households, while the supply of social housing is increased. Maximum rent limits for HAP were set for each housing authority area in 2016 in conjunction with the Department of Social Protection (DSP). In reviewing the rent limits, my Department worked...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Offshore Islands (28 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government’s housing plan to 2030, Housing for All, supports the need to fully consider the housing needs of island communities as part of the objective to drive social sustainability and foster sustainable communities. In concert, our national planning policy in the National Planning Framework (NPF) identifies the need to have vibrant rural communities on our offshore islands and...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (23 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for her amendment and for her letter which I read, and we responded to. As she outlined, it proposes to amend section 3(2) by replacing Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage with An Coimisiún Toghcháin. It is a standard provision, as she said, and that has been inserted into constituency revision Bills going right back to 1923. It does provide a...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (23 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: If the Deputy could resist the temptation.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (23 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Deputy Bacik. I note the intention of the amendment, which is a little more prescriptive than the other amendments. I will detail in my response the reasons I will not accept it. However, I suggest that there is a way forward with it. Deputy Bacik has outlined what she wants to do. Included in the amendment is a request that An Coimisiún Toghcháin undertake detailed...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (23 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Maybe I will wait. Is Deputy Bacik moving amendment No. 3?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (23 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: We have not got to amendment No. 3 yet. I have a lot of sympathy for the point Deputies O'Callaghan and Bacik raised. There are other issues. If one goes to Google Maps one will see a pin with pretty much every TD or Senator on the Internet. I have seen it. People know where we live and I get that, but some elements of society exploit this. We have seen more protests at the houses of...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (23 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes. I will be very brief on it. Obviously, Deputies Smith, Farrell and I share a constituency. I am also acutely aware I am the Minister responsible for this legislation and since boundary reports were published and brought forward as proposals, since 1980 there have been no changes to the report itself, while recognising the points the Deputies have made. There may have been amendments...