Results 9,021-9,040 of 25,880 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 125 and 172 together. The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme plays a vital role in housing eligible families and individuals. At the end of Q3 2022, over 106,700 HAP tenancies had been set-up since the scheme commenced, of which there were more than 59,600 households actively in receipt of HAP support. Under Housing for All, my Department was tasked with...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (26 Jan 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, 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, through an overall combination of €12bn in direct...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: In the July 2022 report, Defects in Apartments: Report of the Working Group to Examine Defects in Housing,the Working Group, which I established, concluded that there is no single cause of the defects in apartments. The Working Group found that they tend to arise due to a variety of design, product, supervision, inspection and workmanship issues, occurring either in isolation or in various...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: There are no proposals to bring further legislative proposals forward at the moment in relation to the operation of the rental market while it should be noted that the operation of the rental market and the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2022 are kept under constant review. In this regard, my Department has commenced work on an overall review of the private rented sector as committed to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government recently agreed to increase the baseline social housing income eligibility thresholds by €5,000 for all local authorities with effect from 1 January 2023, with the thresholds increasing to €40,000, €35,000 and €30,000 for Bands 1, 2 and 3 respectively. Households deemed not to qualify upon assessment under the previous thresholds, but which...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (26 Jan 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 Croí Cónaithe (Cities) Scheme, as set out in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (26 Jan 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/ While the average waiting time...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Urban Development (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Following on from reviews of the conditions of its older flat complexes and based on the need to modernise and bring the living conditions up to acceptable levels and as part of its climate action plans, Dublin City Council (DCC) has advised my Department that they are developing a long term strategy for the redevelopment and/or refurbishment of many of these complexes. This is a matter for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Heritage Sites (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Minister for Transport, and his Department, as the parent Department of the Shannon Group, have the lead role in the transfer of heritage sites from Shannon Group to relevant local authorities. In order to secure the future of the heritage assets and employees, Shannon Group has had extensive engagement with the relevant local authorities since early 2021. Shannon Heritage ended their...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme plays a vital role in housing eligible families and individuals. At the end of Q3 2022, over 106,700 HAP tenancies had been set-up since the scheme commenced, of which there were more than 59,700 households actively in receipt of HAP support. Under Housing for All, my Department was tasked with undertaking an analytical exercise to examine...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: State Bodies (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All – A New Housing Plan for Irelandsets out a number of objectives with the aim of improving the functioning of the planning system including the comprehensive review and consolidation of planning legislation. This review, which was led by the Attorney General, contained a number of key proposals in relation to An Bord Pleanála.In this regard, the new Draft Planning...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, the implementation of a planned maintenance programme and carrying out of responsive repairs, are matters for each individual local authority under Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. Local authorities also have a legal obligation to ensure that all of their tenanted...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant was launched as part of the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund. The grant benefits those who wish to turn a formerly vacant house or building into their principal private residence. The grant was initially launched in respect of vacant properties in towns and villages and as of the 15 November 2022, the grant was expanded to include eligible vacant...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Urban Development (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to the reply to Question No. 534 of 18 January 2023 which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (26 Jan 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, 36,000 affordable purchase homes and 18,000 cost rental homes. The delivery of the affordable purchase and cost rental homes will be facilitated by local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), the Land...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: State Bodies (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: An Bord Pleanála is the national independent statutory body with responsibility for the determination of planning appeals and direct applications for strategic infrastructure and other developments under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and certain other Acts. Section 126 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, provides that it shall be the duty and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 143 and 173 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: Housing Provision (26 Jan 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, 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, through an overall combination of €12bn in direct...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I assume that the Question refers to housing estates that are dependent on developer provided water services infrastructure for the provision of their water services. I can confirm that funding of €68.5 million has been allocated, under the National Development Plan, for the period 2021-2025, to address legacy water services issues including the Developer Provided Water Services...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government acknowledges rents are very high in many areas as a result of pent-up pressures and supply constraints. The Rent Predictability Measure was introduced in December 2016 under the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 to moderate rent increases in those parts of the country where rents are highest and rising fastest. In an attempt to limit the rate...