Results 11,221-11,240 of 25,999 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Energy Conservation (10 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: In 2020, funding of €20 million was made available as part of the Programme for Government and the Climate Action Plan for an energy efficiency retrofitting programme to fund upgrades to local authority houses in the midlands, under the 'Just Transition' programme. The Midland Retrofit Programme was established as a pilot programme to provide learnings on the move to 'deeper retrofit',...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (10 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Help to Buy tax rebate is a matter for the Department of Finance, and policy responsibilities and the power to make amendments to the scheme lie with my colleague the Minister for Finance. In terms of my own Department's work, the Affordable Housing Act 2021 lays the foundations for two affordable purchase schemes: Part 2 of the Act details the provisions for the Local Authority...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (10 May 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.  Since 2014, Exchequer funding has also been provided through my Department's Voids...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (10 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I am considering the report, entitled 'A Review Into Certain Planning Matters in Respect of Donegal County Council', by Mr. Rory Mulcahy S.C., and will bring this matter to Government for consideration in due course. With regard to the question of the publication of the Mulcahy Report, the decisions of the Commissioner for Environmental Information (CEI/18/0019) of 13 February 2019 and the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (10 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is working closely with all local authorities in relation to increasing and accelerating the delivery of a range of social housing programmes and supports, including through the use of design-build rapid delivery methodologies (including prefabricated and modular build units). Local authorities have been advised that design-build rapid delivery approaches should be adopted where...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (10 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 356, 359 and 378 together. The Programme for Government sets out a number of commitments in respect of the important policy area of addressing building defects. It commits to an examination of defects in housing, having regard to the recommendations of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing’s report "Safe as Houses?". Housing for All, the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Environmental Policy (10 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 commits Ireland to a legally-binding target of a climate neutral economy no later than 2050 and a reduction in emissions of 51% by 2030 (compared to 2018 levels). The carbon budget programme proposed by the Climate Change Advisory Council has been approved by Government, and adopted by the Oireachtas. This carbon budget...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Environmental Policy (10 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: In general, public procurement is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the Office of Government Procurement. Embodied Carbon in construction materials makes a significant contribution to the lifetime carbon emissions of new buildings. Currently these embodied carbon emissions are addressed in the Climate Action Plan 2021. The operational carbon...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (10 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 360 and 361 together. Climate Action Plan 2021 commits to working with industry stakeholders to increase the use of low carbon materials and technologies in the construction and renovation of buildings in Ireland, informed by evolving EU standards and by best practice in other jurisdictions. Embodied Carbon in construction materials makes a significant...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social Media (10 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 365, 363 and 364 together. Corporately, my Department uses five social media accounts. In addition, there are approximately a further 40 social media accounts operated locally in my Department in areas such as our six National Parks; the LIFE Programme; National Inventory of Archaeological heritage; National Monument Service; Marine Planning Ireland and Fire...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (10 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Local Government Audit Service conducts a yearly audit of the annual financial statements of each local authority. Part 12, Chapter 2 (Sections 114-126) of the Local Government Act 2001 (as amended) provides for the establishment, functions and procedures of the Local Government Audit Service, the role of which is "to carry out or assist in the carrying out of audits of the accounts of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Ukraine War (10 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has not awarded any contracts outside the standard procurement process to date in 2022.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Contracts (10 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department does not employ external persons or firms to deal with public relations. My Department’s Press Office provides public relations services and the engagement of external expertise would only be considered where the issues involved require specific expert skills that are not readily available within the Department.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (10 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Tenants in the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme are required to sign a rent contribution agreement to pay a weekly rental contribution to the relevant local authority, in line with the local authority’s differential rent scheme. As set out in the rent contribution agreement, this weekly rental contribution must be paid by them so that they remain eligible for the HAP scheme. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation (10 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the statutory role of local authorities in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons. The National Quality Standards Framework (NQSF) is in place nationally for local authority and NGO delivered...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (10 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: On Thursday, 28thof April I announced the commencement of a new funding scheme targeting the waste water collection and treatment needs of villages and settlements without access to public waste water services. Details of this announcement can be found at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/press-release/f2fa6-minister-obrien-announces-...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (10 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I brought a Memorandum to Government on an enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme on the 30 November 2021. It included an unprecedented suite of improvements to the current scheme. Government approved the enhanced scheme which it is estimated will cost approximately €2.2Bn. I aim to bring the required primary legislation to give effect to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (10 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing for All Strategy delivers on the Programme for Government commitment to step up housing supply and put affordability at the heart of the housing system, with an ambitious target of 300,000 homes over the next decade for social, affordable and cost rental, private rental and private ownership housing. 54,000 affordable home interventions will be delivered between now and 2030 to be...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (10 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 379 and 380 together. The Capital Provision for my Department’s Vote Group (inclusive of Vote 34 - Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage; Vote 16 - Valuation Office and Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority) for 2021 and 2022 is set out in the table below: CAPITAL 2021 2022 2021 vs 2022 ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (10 May 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. This includes the delivery of 90,000 social homes by 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, €3.5bn in funding through the...