Results 9,761-9,780 of 27,055 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Policies (7 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is committed to serving our customers properly, fairly, impartially and with courtesy. This includes ensuring accommodating diversity and ensuring that rights to equal treatment established by equality legislation are upheld in the delivery of our services. The drafting of legislation in my Department, generally follows the approach set out in Chapters 4 and 5 of the Cabinet...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (7 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is engaging with the Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) sector, including Cena, on its capacity to deliver Traveller specific accommodation as part of the ongoing work of the Programme Board, established to oversee the implementation of the recommendations contained in the Expert Group Review report. My Department funded Cena, through a service level agreement, to employ a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Grant Payments (7 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides funding for Domestic Waste Water Treatment System, commonly known as a septic tank, through a grant scheme. The Domestic Waste Water Treatment System grant is administered by the local authorities and all matters relating to its day-to-day operation, including applications and payments are a matter for the relevant local authority. Under the scheme, an appeals process...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Meteorological Services (7 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Met Éireann, Ireland’s National Meteorological Service, is a line division of my Department, and is the leading provider of weather information and related services in the State. Its mission is to monitor, analyse and predict Ireland’s weather and climate and to provide a range of high quality meteorological and related information to the public and to specific customers...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (7 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998 provides that the role of my Department is to ensure that there are adequate structures and supports in place to assist housing authorities in providing accommodation for Travellers, including a national framework of policy, legislation and funding. The Act provides that housing authorities have statutory responsibility for the assessment of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Gorse Burning (7 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Act, 1981. My Department supports fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a central training...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Monuments (7 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: While the ringfort in question is a recorded monument in private ownership and subject to a preservation order, the owners may make an application for funding under the Community Monuments Fund grant scheme of the National Monuments Service of my Department. The Community Monuments Fund was established in 2020 to provide investment in Ireland’s archaeological heritage. This funding is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (7 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998 provides that the role of my Department is to ensure that there are adequate structures and supports in place to assist housing authorities in providing accommodation for Travellers, including a national framework of policy, legislation and funding. The Act provides that housing authorities have statutory responsibility for the assessment of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Public Procurement Contracts (7 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Work is underway to draft the required legislation to establish supports for the remediation of fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects in purpose-built apartment buildings, including duplexes, constructed between 1991 and 2013. Remediation costs already incurred or levied prior to the introduction of the scheme, above, will be covered once such costs fall within the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Grant Payments (7 Mar 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. The Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund is a key initiative which underpins...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (2 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Modern Methods of Construction has been identified as a key measure to address the different housing needs in Ireland and methods to support the development of MMC in Ireland are set out in Housing for All Pathway 5.  Modern methods of construction have the potential to help boost productivity and increase efficiency (avoid waste) in the construction sector. The coordination of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (2 Mar 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 an average of 10,000 new build social homes each year in the period to 2030.  Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4bn per annum, through an overall combination of €12bn in direct Exchequer funding,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (2 Mar 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 Provision (2 Mar 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (2 Mar 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. The Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund is a key initiative which underpins...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Regulations (2 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 211 to 214, inclusive, together. The position remains as set out in the reply to Question No. 110 of 26 January 2023.  I wish however to take this opportunity to deplore and condemn the many instances of uncontrolled burning at the end of the season and the illegal burning and destruction of nature in recent days.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (2 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The minimum standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 and specify requirements in relation to a range of matters, such as structural repair, sanitary facilities, heating, ventilation, natural light, fire safety and the safety of gas, oil and electrical supplies. These Regulations apply to all properties let or available for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (2 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 216 and 218 together. I refer to the reply to Question No. 269 of 28 February 2023 which out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (2 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The provision of allotments is addressed within the Sustainable Residential Development in Urban Areas (2009), issued as Ministerial Guidance within the meaning of Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act (as amended). Section 4.18 - Recommended Qualitative Standards – refer to the need for a focus on the quality of public open space and the activities which take place therein in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (2 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to the reply to Question No. 311 of 28 February 2023 which sets out the position in this matter.