Results 7,801-7,820 of 25,858 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government’s vision for water services – whether publicly supplied by Uisce Éireann or otherwise delivered under the Rural Water Programme - is set out in the Water Services Policy Statement 2018 to 2025 and is based on the delivery and development of water services in line with the needs and expectations of citizens and users; in compliance with legal obligations; in a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Since the receipt of Government approval in January to draft legislation to establish supports for the remediation of fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects in purpose-built apartment buildings, including duplexes, constructed between 1991 and 2013, I have been working to progress the various programmes of work that are required to place the remediation scheme on a statutory...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (18 May 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. To support local authorities in addressing vacancy, my Department increased funding made available since 2018 to support the work of a Vacant Homes Office including a Vacant Homes Officer (VHO), from €50,000 to €60,000 per annum,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (18 May 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 by 2030. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4bn per annum, through an overall combination of €12bn in direct Exchequer funding, €3.5bn in funding through the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Road Projects (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to my recent response in this matter. Staff of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department have been working with Galway County Council in relation to this project. It is a condition of the planning permission given by An Bord Pleanala that NPWS must agree to method statements relating to the Construction Stage prepared by Galway County Council. Two method...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2022 (RTA) regulate the landlord-tenant relationship in the private rented sector and set out the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants. The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as an independent statutory body under the Acts to operate a national tenancy registration system and to facilitate the resolution of tenancy disputes between...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I can confirm that my Department is in the final stages of drafting the Framework for the upcoming Multi-annual Rural Water Programme. I expect to receive a submission in the coming weeks for my consideration with, subject to approval, the bids process for the Programme to take place in the coming months. The purpose of the Programme is to continue to fund delivery of improvements to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: All development, unless specifically exempted under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act) or the associated Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended (the Regulations), requires planning permission. Planning exemptions are provided for when they are considered to be balanced, reasonable and proportionate and in accordance with proper planning and sustainable...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All was published 2 September 2021. The first annual update of the plan's actions was published on 2 November 2022. Under Housing for All, the supply of new homes is increasing. In 2022, almost 30,000 homes were built, the most since 2008. A record 6,716 new homes were added to the national housing stock in the first quarter of 2023. This represents the highest number of new homes...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (18 May 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 and 54,000 affordable homes by 2030. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4bn per annum, through an overall combination of €12bn in direct Exchequer funding,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Oversight of financial institutions is outside the scope and remit of my Department but I confirm that I have engaged with my colleague, the Minister for Finance on these matters. The Minister for Finance advised that neither he nor his Department have any role in relation to the commercial decisions of individual regulated entities, such as decisions they may make on applications for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: An Interdepartmental Group (comprising officials from my Department; the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts Gaeltacht, Sport and Media; and Údarás na Gaeltachta) is in place to support and accelerate the ongoing work in relation to planning in Gaeltacht areas. One of the key aims of this group is to ensure that procedures and systems will be tailored, as appropriate to facilitate...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Waterways Ireland (17 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Waterways Ireland is a North South Body responsible for the management and maintenance of more than 1000km of Ireland's inland waterways including the river Shannon. It is funded by my Department and the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland. The information requested is not held in my Department, however arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (17 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I announced on the 28 April 2022 a new funding measure, as an advance stage of the Multi-Annual Rural Water Programme 2022-2025, for the waste water collection and treatment needs of villages and settlements that do not have access to public waste water services.  To fund this measure, an allocation of €50 million has been committed under the National Development Plan up to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (17 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department issued Stage 3 Pre-tender Approval for this project on 22 December 2022.   Kerry County Council have advised that it is being advanced under the Social Housing Investment Programme (SHIP) and that they expect that a Stage 4 Approval to Proceed (to contract award) submission will be issued to the Department in June 2023. Should the project proceed to receive Stage 4...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Development Plan (17 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has a wide and diverse business agenda, covering a broad range of functions that are delivered primarily by local authorities and bodies under the aegis of my Department. Details in relation to specific projects (which are being advanced primarily by local authorities and Uisce Éireann) under my Department's range of capital programmes as part of Project...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Contracts (17 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 122 and 123 together. The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Tax Code (17 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Local Property Tax (LPT) was introduced to provide a stable and sustainable funding base for the local authority sector. LPT is administered and collected by the Revenue Commissioners and subsequently transferred into the Local Government Fund. The funds are ultimately redistributed to local authorities in accordance with the Government’s allocation policies. Approximately €500m...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (17 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (16 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the Scheme. The scheme is governed by the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 and the Housing (Sale of Local Authority Houses) Regulations 2015, as amended. The regulations provide for specified classes of houses to be excluded...