Results 8,321-8,340 of 25,880 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Invasive Species Policy (22 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is responsible for the implementation of the Wildlife Acts and the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011, both of which prohibit activities to introduce or spread invasive species. Regulation 49(2) of the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 (SI 477/2011) makes it an offence to disperse, allow or cause to disperse,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Invasive Species Policy (22 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Irish White-tailed Sea Eagle Reintroduction Programme is a long-term initiative to re-establish a population of this once extinct species in Ireland. Phase 1 of this programme saw 100 young eagles released over five years (2007-2011) in Killarney National Park, Co. Kerry. The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department has been the lead organiser and manager of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (22 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Strategic Action Plan for the renewal of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has its origin in the Programme for Government commitment to review the remit, status and funding of the NPWS. The review was completed in February 2022 and it made fifteen recommendations to renew the NPWS to make it a more resilient, more effective organisation fit to meet the challenges of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (22 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is the Executive Agency within my Department with primary responsibility for nature conservation, wildlife protection and the presentation and preservation of our National Parks and Nature Reserves. Our six National Parks, Killarney, Connemara, Wild Nephin, Wicklow Mountains, Glenveagh and The Burren are all managed as Category II National Parks...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Special Areas of Conservation (22 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The two new maritime sites, the Southerns Canyon cSAC 2278 and the Porcupine Shelf cSAC 2267, were publicly notified as candidate Special Areas of Conservation in November 2022 and are legally protected as European sites from that date, in accordance with the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011. These important designations greatly increase the percentage of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Special Areas of Conservation (22 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Ireland designates Special Protection Areas (SPAs) in accordance with the EU Birds Directive (2009/147/EC) for the protection of listed rare and vulnerable bird species. Our marine SPAs include productive intertidal zones in bays and estuaries that provide vital food resources for wader species; marine waters adjacent to breeding seabird colonies and other important areas for our bird...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (22 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides funding to local authorities in respect of the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, to assist eligible people in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. Housing for All commits to reviewing the full suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability. A report on the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (22 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 140 and 144 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 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,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Heritage Projects (22 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Areas of conservation interest are reviewed by staff in the NPWS of my Department, to assess the scientific value of habitats and/or species that occur. Scientific selection criteria such as the occurrence of nationally rare or vulnerable habitats and species are used to identify the most appropriate sites for designation. Sites identified as being of national importance for particular...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fisheries Protection (22 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: One of the key features of the General Scheme of the Marine Protected Area Bill approved by Government in December 2022 is participation in the co-design and co-management with all stakeholders including fishers. This participatory approach is essential for the successful delivery of Marine Protected Areas internationally and in Ireland. I am committed to working with all stakeholders...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Construction Industry (22 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála, as appropriate, may grant planning permission for a development, which involves rock breaking (drilling, blasting or splitting). When making a decision on a planning application, a planning authority or the Board, as appropriate, is required to have regard to the particular local circumstances of the proposed development and may attach...

Eviction Ban: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (21 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Which the Deputy is against.

Eviction Ban: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (21 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Deputy is against everything.

Eviction Ban: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (21 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Bring forward proposals.

Eviction Ban: Motion [Private Members] (21 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: That is a net decrease.

Eviction Ban: Motion [Private Members] (21 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I would not have missed the Deputy.

Eviction Ban: Motion [Private Members] (21 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I had to step out for a minute.

Eviction Ban: Motion [Private Members] (21 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: That is the number closed.

Eviction Ban: Motion [Private Members] (21 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Data from the RTB shows that 19,049 new tenancies were registered in January and February of this year. In the last three months of 2022 during the winter eviction moratorium, 1,896 HAP tenancies were created. On this point, I want to highlight that the State created on average 630 HAP tenancies during each month last year. That is a direct support for our most vulnerable renters. Almost...

Eviction Ban: Motion [Private Members] (21 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: What does the party say to those families and those individuals? Those who are saying we did nothing over the period of the moratorium to increase supply are not telling the truth. The facts are the facts. The Government decision of 7 March set out our next steps. The actions we are taking include the significant protections we are putting in place for renters while also ensuring...