Results 8,961-8,980 of 25,880 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (31 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Under Housing for All, my Department was tasked with undertaking an analytical exercise to examine whether an increase in the level of discretion available to Local Authorities under HAP was required. The Housing Agency carried out this analytical exercise, on behalf of my Department, to better understand what level of discretion should be made available to Local Authorities under HAP to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (31 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 336 and 337 together. As part of their day-to-day management of the social housing system, local authorities are responsible for taking appropriate measures to counter anti-social behaviour. Local authorities are empowered under the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 to apply to apply to the District Court to terminate a tenancy and recover possession...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Rangers (31 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Based on the current pay levels for Conservation Rangers, the estimated cost of recruiting an additional 30 Conservation Rangers for the National Parks and Wildlife Service is €892,000. My Department is currently engaged with the Public Appointments Service in recruiting additional Conservation Rangers.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Official Travel (31 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The information requested is set out in the table below.   Year C02 emissions (tonnes) Kilometres  travelled Payment submitted to the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications 2020 10.88 58,342 €220.31 2021 8.23 75,364 €241.20 ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Regulatory Bodies (31 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: As provided for in the Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Act 2019 (the Act), the Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority (AHBRA) was formally established on 1 February 2021.  AHBRA is an independent body tasked with the regulation of Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) for the purposes of protecting housing assets provided or managed by such bodies. The powers and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Official Engagements (31 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I have no proposals to visit the site at this time.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (31 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The setting and collecting of rents, and the management of rents arrears, are matters for individual local authorities in accordance with section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. My Department has no role in this regard.  That said, the Housing for All Action Plan Update (November 2022) commits to developing proposals for a standardised national differential rents scheme in 2023 and this...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (31 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: A new Mixed Tenure Unit was established in my Department in April 2022. This Unit acts as a single point of contact for Local Authorities for mixed tenure developments. The Unit co-ordinates funding applications and responses for projects seeking a combination of funding for social housing, affordable purchase and/or cost rental. The Unit is led by an Assistant Principal Officer, reporting to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (31 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: In accordance with section 58 of the Housing Act, 1966 local authorities are legally responsible for the management and maintenance of their housing stock. Local authorities also have a legal obligation to ensure that all of their tenanted properties are compliant with the provisions of the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019. Minimum standards for rental accommodation...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (31 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Regulations entitled the Planning and Development Act 2000 (Exempted Development) (Number 5) Regulations 2022 were signed on 13 December 2022 by Mr. Peter Burke, T.D., Minister of State at my Department at that time, and came into effect on 14 December 2022.   These Regulations were made under Section 4(4a) of the Planning and Development Act and provide for the insertion of a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (31 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The First Home Scheme, which is managed by First Home Scheme Ireland Designated Activity Company (First Home DAC) on behalf of scheme founders (the State, Bank of Ireland, Allied Irish Bank and PTSB), launched on 7 July 2022. It supports first-time buyers in purchasing new houses and apartments in the private market through the use of an equity share model. Full details of the First Home...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Waterways Issues (31 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Barrow Blueway Project is a significant initiative which will support communities and create exciting opportunities for recreation and ways to experience interesting places from new perspectives. Waterways Ireland obtained planning permission for the entire Barrow Blueway Project including the canal side works and the roadside works from Lowtown to Athy, a distance of approximately 46km....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Urban Development (31 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Limited preliminary  engagement  on a possible scheme to compensate Moore Street traders for business disruption during construction works by various parties, initiated by Dublin City Council and involving Hammerson and my Department started  in mid April 2021.  Once Hammerson's planning applications were lodged my Department considered that it would not be appropriate to...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Like Sinn Féin's guys.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Deputy Gould would probably object to it.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defective Building Materials (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputies for their questions which I will go through starting with Deputy Conway-Walsh, if the other Deputies do not mind. As I mentioned earlier, and as I discussed with both the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, and the Minister of State, Deputy Calleary, a very small number of properties under the defective concrete block scheme may have had work done already. What I said about...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defective Building Materials (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 88, 101, 103, 114, 138, 158, 161 and 220 together. I thank all the Deputies for their questions and the number of Deputies asking shows how important this matter is in relation to legacy defects. I know Deputies of all parties and none have been working hard on this. We know there are significant legacy defects in a large number of apartments and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I will refer to a couple of the examples used by the Deputy. He mentioned the paying down of local authority debt. Does he know why they are doing that? There are encumbered sites throughout this country that have not been able to be developed for the social housing the Deputy says he wants because the local authorities have been carrying a very significant debt, some of them for up to two...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: On the delivery of our affordable housing programme, I remind the Deputy that he and his party voted against the Affordable Housing Act. For the very people who are living with their folks-----

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: -----later than they would like to, we have now provided avenues for them to get into home ownership. That is why 16,700 first-time buyers were able to buy their own homes in the past 12 months, many of them through the first home scheme, which had more than 800 approvals. Again, the Deputy's party opposed that scheme. Many of them used the help-to-buy grant that gives them €30,000...