Results 9,601-9,620 of 25,880 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: -----that provides a roadmap for people to get their homes fixed. We are going to provide that assistance. If there are short-term measures that can be taken - I am considering some myself, given that I have been personally involved in this issue from day 1 - I intend to take them.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I will bring a memo to the Cabinet this coming week. Subject to a Government decision, we will publish the details.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: It will certainly be this side of Christmas. Should I get Government approval for them, the changes will take effect from 1 January. As we all know, there has been no proper review of social housing limits nearly since 2011 bar the interim changes I made a number of weeks ago in respect of five counties. It is imminent.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: That will depend. They might not be short.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: As to when I will table the amendment to allow for emergency planning, particularly in respect of social housing, I intend to do that in the An Bord Pleanála Bill that I will be introducing on restructuring the board and the appointment of new board members.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: No.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: There is broad agreement on some of the changes we are making to An Bord Pleanála. The committee has done PLS on the Bill. I will work with the committee to try to get the Bill through as quickly as possible, although I will not rush it. With the committee's agreement, I intend to address emergency planning for social housing by way of a Committee Stage amendment. As soon as we have...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: It is nearly concluded. I have not received the submission yet.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I am sorry about that, but I have committed to speak at a Safe Ireland event on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My purpose in being here today is to explain what we will do with that money. We have discussed the legacy debt and the land acquisition fund, and what is happening in those respects is generally seen as positive. We asked each local authority what level of additional staff it required or wanted in respect of social housing specifically, not affordable. Two hundred and fifty new posts have...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: We will consider all aspects in trying to deliver more homes. Local authority-led delivery is good delivery, as are AHB-led delivery and LDA-led delivery. We need homes. However, if the Deputy is asking me whether I will establish a building unit in local authorities to build their own homes, how long will it take to scale that up? Each local authority would have to employ builders to...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: We dealt with this in some detail in response to Deputy Duffy. We are working on doing that exact thing, that is, working a procurement framework for local authorities in the delivery of rapid build timber frame and other modular homes. We are doing that right now. I mentioned to Deputy Duffy that I thought approximately 48% of the homes being build are timber frame. They are not all...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (24 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank all the members for their input and questions. We will respond in writing with any answers which have not been given today.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (23 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme supports the delivery of social housing by providing financial support to local authorities for the leasing of houses and apartments. Long term lease arrangements can be entered into by either local authorities or approved housing bodies for periods of between 10 and 25 years. Local authorities lease dwellings taking account of local need,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (23 Nov 2022)

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. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4bn per annum, through an overall combination of €12bn in direct Exchequer funding, €3.5bn in funding through the Land Development Agency and €5bn funding through the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (23 Nov 2022)

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 properties...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (23 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 86, 88 and 89 together. My Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on social housing delivery activity in all local authorities, including information on social housing build, acquisition and lease units broken down by local authority. This data is available until the end of Quarter 2 2022 and is published on the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (23 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department does not collate data of the type referred to in the Question.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (23 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 92 and 93 together. My Department provides funding to local authorities under the Disabled Persons Grants scheme to carry out works on social housing stock to address the needs of older people, people with a disability or overcrowded situations. The detailed administration of this scheme including assessment, approval and prioritisation of applications is the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Emergency Accommodation (23 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is continuing to work closely with local authorities and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) to identify, refurbish, and bring into use, multi-unit vacant properties that may be suitable and available for accommodation purposes for beneficiaries of temporary protection from Ukraine. In cases where buildings identified as vacant...