Results 8,821-8,840 of 25,880 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (14 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Under Housing for All the Government plans to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 homes per year over the next decade. Over 300,000 new homes will be built by the end of 2030, including a projected 90,000 social homes, 36,000 affordable purchase homes and 18,000 cost rental homes. This includes the delivery of 47,600 new build social homes in the period 2022-2026....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (14 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to the reply to Question No. 313 of 31 January 2023 which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (14 Feb 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 was reviewed during 2021 in line with the Programme for Government and Housing for All. The Government approved a number of amendments as a result of this review and these amendments came into effect on 1 February...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (14 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: A Review of Income Eligibility for Social Housing Support was carried out by the Housing Agency on behalf of my Department in Q4 2021. A copy of the review is available on my Department's website at gov.ie - Review of Income Eligibility for Social Housing Support (www.gov.ie) On foot of the review, the baseline income eligibility thresholds for five local authorities - Carlow, Clare, Galway...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (14 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: As a signatory of the Lisbon Declaration on the European Platform on Combatting Homelessness, Ireland has committed, along with other member states, to work towards ending homelessness by 2030. This will be done through a number of actions including: - Increasing the supply of housing. 300,000 homes will be delivered between now and the end of 2030 including 90,000 social homes, 36,000...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation (14 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 261 and 278 together. Housing First recognises that a stable home provides the basis for recovery in other areas. With Housing First, the priority is to support a person who has experienced homelessness into permanent housing as quickly as possible, without any preconditions around addiction or mental health treatment. Then, intensive work continues on these...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (14 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All provides for the establishment of a National Homeless Action Committee. In line with this commitment, the National Homeless Action Committee (NHAC) was established in Q4 2021. NHAC is a cross-governmental and inter-agency oversight group with membership drawn from key Departments, agencies and stakeholders. The overarching objective of NHAC is to ensure that a renewed...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (14 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Crucial to the success of Housing First and the achievement of the targets set out in the Housing First National Implementation Plan 2022-2026 is ensuring that the most vulnerable and most entrenched homeless individuals receive the support and engagement required. Central to this is the provision of an effective and assertive outreach service that ensures that people without shelter are...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (14 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All (published in September 2021) provides a new housing plan for Ireland to 2030 with the overall objective that every citizen in the State should have access to good quality homes through a steady supply of housing in the right locations, with economic, social and environmental sustainability built into the system. The strategy commits to increasing the housing options available...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (14 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government's ‘Housing for All’ plan includes the ‘Fresh Start’ principle whereby those who have previously purchased a home, but who are divorced or separated or have undergone insolvency or bankruptcy proceedings, and no longer have any financial interest in their former home, can be eligible for these schemes just as if they were first-time buyers. This...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (14 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing Policy Objective 12.1 of Housing for All (September 2021) outlined an action to bring forward new ways for the State to share in a fairer way from the land value gains secured through zoning/designation and planning permission decisions, referring to measures previously recommended by the Kenny Report and more recently by NESC. In December 2021 the General Scheme with Heads of Bill...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (14 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government - Our Shared Future and Housing for All committed to not extending the Strategic Housing Development (SHD) arrangements beyond their legislative expiry date of end December 2021, which was subsequently extended to 25 February 2022 arising from the Covid-related extension of statutory timelines within the planning system by eight weeks in respect of the period...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Sites (14 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT), a key commitment under Housing for All, is a new tax which was established in Finance Act 2021. It is designed to activate suitably zoned and serviced land for housing and is a key pillar of the Government’s response to address the urgent need to increase housing supply in suitable locations. The Department of Finance leads on its implementation...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (14 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Croí Cónaithe (Cities) Scheme supports the building of apartments for sale to owner-occupiers. The scheme aims to bridge the current “viability gap” between the cost of building apartments and the market sale price (where the cost of building is greater). The scheme is targeted principally at activating planning permissions already in place for such homes. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (14 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Under Housing for All the Government plans to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 homes per year over the next decade. Over 300,000 new homes will be built by the end of 2030, including a projected 90,000 social homes, 36,000 affordable purchase homes and 18,000 cost rental homes. The Land Development Agency (LDA) are at the heart of this plan, advancing their remit to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (14 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Town Centre First, jointly developed by my Department and the Department of Rural and Community Development, sets out 33 actions which will provide a co-ordinated framework across established national policy objectives (in particular the National Planning Framework, Housing for All and Our Rural Future), to address the decline in the health of our towns and sets out actions to regenerate and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (14 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act), all development, unless specifically exempted under the Act or associated Regulations, requires planning permission. Exemptions from the requirement to obtain planning permission in respect of specific forms of development are provided for when they are considered to be consistent with proper planning and sustainable...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (14 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government is committed under Housing for All to developing a roadmap to implement minimum Building Energy Rating (BER) standards, or ‘Cost Optimal’ equivalent, for the private rental sector beginning in 2025. This action is a key plank of Government policy in regard to both improving the quality of housing stock available to rent and in meeting our overall national climate...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (14 Feb 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. Many areas of cities, towns and villages of all sizes face the blight of vacant properties, which, if brought back into use, could add real vibrancy and provide new accommodation in those areas. An action under Pathway 4 provides for the introduction of a programme for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (14 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The aim of the Residential Tenancies (Deferment of Termination Dates of Certain Tenancies) Act 2022 is to afford time for housing supply to increase and to reduce the burden on homelessness services and the pressure on tenants and the residential tenancies market. To assist in managing demands on housing services after the winter period and ensure that there is no cliff edge impact on 1...