Results 8,361-8,380 of 25,880 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Deputy believes he can deliver more HAP homes with less money; simply, he cannot. All of us in this House, whether in government or opposition and whether some like it or not, have a responsibility to help resolve it, not to capitalise on it,

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

Darragh O'Brien: -----not to manipulate it, not to sow division----

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

Darragh O'Brien: -----not to delay or use any tactic to avoid supporting legislation, like they did just before Christmas-----

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

Darragh O'Brien: -----that would fast-track delivery of the social homes. That is what all of us in Government want. That is what Government is doing.

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

Darragh O'Brien: I move amendment No. 5: To delete all words after "That Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "notes that: — the Government agreed on 7th March that the 'winter emergency period' under the Residential Tenancies (Deferment of Termination Dates of Certain Tenancies) Act 2022 would come to an end on 31st March, 2023, with deferred tenancy terminations taking effect...

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

Darragh O'Brien: This Government has been honest with people. We introduced the winter moratorium to mitigate pressures people faced over the winter period. We did so in the face of a cost-of-living crisis. We said at the time that we would use the period of the moratorium to ramp up supply. For the information of the Deputies opposite, I will briefly outline the facts of what we did during the period of...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Deputy may not have heard the Taoiseach's response earlier. All local authorities have been given the full financial resources to expand their emergency accommodation provision, including in the Deputy's area. The tenant in situ scheme, which is being accelerated and expanded, applies to the Deputy's area too. We are also bringing in the cost-rental scheme for those tenants whose...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: There are a number of measures we are bringing forward. We are also increasing the housing supply right across the country. We built more social homes last year than in any year since 1975. We have affordable homes for the first time in a generation both to purchase and to rent. We will continue to improve on that this year.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. A number of people have raised the matter of phased zoning, where the zoning will take place after another development is done. We are looking at that specific issue. The residential zoned land tax, as the Deputy rightly said, is about activation and making sure people are not sitting on land that could be developed and ensuring it is developed....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Gorse Burning (21 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is currently conducting a review of wildlife legislation. This is an extensive review and is a multi-year project, taking in every facet of our wildlife laws. It will entail extensive public consultation. It will examine closely the effectiveness of our legislation in protecting wildlife and regulating activities that adversely impact on wildlife and biodiversity. I am keen...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Energy Conservation (21 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 396 and 397 together. My Department launched the Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme (EERP) in 2013 with the aim of funding retrofit of social homes requiring insulation and energy upgrade works. Since the programme commenced in 2013 to the end of 2022, over 77,500 local authority social housing dwellings have been retrofitted with a total exchequer...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (21 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Public Financial Procedures (PFP) set out the guidance and procedures for managing annual Voted provisions.  The Virement process i.e. the application of savings on one or more subheads to meet excess expenditure on another subhead in the same Vote is possible because the annual Appropriation Act specifies in the Schedule only the ambit (Part 1) of each Vote.  The Act does not give...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (21 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All commits to developing proposals for a standardised national differential rents scheme across the country. Following the publication of Housing for All Action Plan Update in November 2022, and having regard to the significant changes in the economic environment over the past year, this action is now scheduled for completion in Q3 2023. A decision to implement a revised national...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Properties (21 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to the reply to Question No. 115 of 8 March 2023 which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (21 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority area is provided in the annual Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA). The most recently published summary for all counties, conducted in November 2021, is available at: www.gov.ie/en/publication/f6119-summary-of-social-housing-as sessments-2021-key-findings/ Details in relation to those...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Service (21 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to the reply to Questions No. 159 and 166 of 9 March 2023 which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (21 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 403 and 404 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: Water Supply (21 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Departments’ Rural Water Programme, through Exchequer funding, facilitates the development of water services for areas of rural Ireland where there are no public water services. Responsibility for the day-to-day implementation of the Programme is devolved to the local authorities. My Department funds the authorities to carry out their work under the Programme. Local authorities are...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Supply (21 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 406 and 407 together. Group Water Schemes (GWS) are community-owned and community-run enterprises which manage water distribution systems in rural areas. My Department provides funding support, including through the payment of an annual subsidy, for some of the day-to-day costs of GWS. The application and approval process for this funding is administered by...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (21 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 408 and 409 together. The management of local authority housing stock and social housing waiting lists, including the allocation of tenancies, are matters solely for local authorities in accordance with the Housing Acts and associated Regulations. That said, local authorities always strive to maximise the use of housing stock and prevent under-occupancy...