Results 11,261-11,280 of 25,999 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Schemes (5 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Croí Conaithe will very much focus on empty buildings and vacant homes that exist right now and such premises will be in different states of disrepair. The other very serious issue, which will very much help Croí Cónaithe, is above-shop living. That has not been cracked yet in respect of the regulations. We have a group working on that, particularly on fire regulations and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Schemes (5 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: On Deputy Ó Broin’s supplementary question, we got Cabinet approval just this week in respect of proceeding with the fund. We are working through matters with the Directorate General for Competition in respect of state aid. There is a similar scheme in Sweden that was successful. What we have to do is notify that, which we are doing. I expect that we will launch it in the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Schemes (5 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Obviously, there are two funds here. There is a fund to which the Government has committed €500 million between cities and towns. The Deputy is 100% correct. There are approximately 80,000 planning permissions that have not been activated, many of which are for high-density development or in city areas. The Croí Cónaithe cities fund will be focused at five cities, namely,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Schemes (5 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for his question. I am anxious that all counties can participate in the affordable housing fund. They can do so should relevant schemes be brought forward. I asked all local authorities, including Mayo County Council, to prepare housing delivery action plans, which they have done. Each authority was asked to assess the level of housing demand with affordability...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Schemes (5 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: In answer to the previous parliamentary question, the Minister of State, Deputy Burke, discussed the Croí Cónaithe towns and villages fund. We have to tackle the scourge of vacancy and dereliction and we are going to do so. That fund will come out very soon. As regards Mayo in particular, in June 2021 a scheme was submitted for 25 homes in Westport under the previous fund, namely,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Policy (5 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: This is a mechanism that we want to see work. The Deputy referred to the tenants in situ scheme in Dublin City Council, which it effectively ran itself. It has not been precluded from operating that scheme. We need to balance what we are doing to make sure those waiting for a long time on the list will not be waiting even longer. This is a preventive measure. I want to see it work. I...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Planning Issues (5 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I am aware of the allegations that have been made. I understand they are denied by the board members specifically. It is important that we say that. I have appointed a senior counsel, Mr. Remy Farrell, to provide a report to inform my consideration of the matter. Any allegations of this nature, be they related to individuals or the process, must be taken very seriously. We have done so...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Planning Issues (5 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I assure the Deputy that they will be. He will see that very shortly, or in a matter of days, when we publish them. The work is now being concluded. It is important that the public have confidence in the board. We all have a responsibility to ensure this is the case. The Government has made significant changes to the planning process by reinstating a two-stage process that starts in the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Planning Issues (5 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: There are a number of reviews happening. I wish to refer also to the Attorney General's review of the planning code and a revised system for board appointments. That is really important. This is the most extensive review of the planning system, and we are working through it. I see that the Chairman of the joint committee, Deputy Matthews, is present. The committee will be involved....

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Planning Issues (5 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: All of that will be considered. The OPR review will be carried out as well. The OPR review is being conducted by Mr. Niall Cussen. We must not proceed in a piecemeal fashion but in a consolidated manner.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Planning Issues (5 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I need to let the senior counsel, Mr. Remy Farrell, start and conclude his work. That has not started yet. We do not know what the outcome will be, so I will not say anything further about what will happen with the report in the future; suffice it to say that the Government takes the situation very seriously. That is why it acted proactively. I welcome the Deputy's remarks in support of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Planning Issues (5 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I will take note of what the Deputy has said. We will come back to him in due course.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Policy (5 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for his question. It is an important one. A priority for me as Minister is to continue tackling the serious problem that is homelessness. The continuing increase in the numbers, which I flagged a number of months ago and which was to be expected, is of serious concern to me as I know it is to the Deputy. The Government, local authorities and others are making every...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Policy (5 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy. To conclude my initial response, I also want to refer to mortgage to rent, which is a very important mechanism for preventing homelessness. Last year, I made some significant changes which came into effect from 14 February of this year. Last year, 678 borrowers availed of the mortgage to rent scheme. We are targeting 1,000 this year and in each year onwards and I think...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Ukraine War (5 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Russia’s illegal and immoral war on Ukraine has forced more than 5.5 million Ukrainian civilians to flee their homes and seek refuge in EU and other neighbouring States. It is anticipated 10 million may ultimately leave Ukraine, with more than 100,000 of these possibly arriving in Ireland. This will present the State with a challenge of unprecedented immediacy and magnitude, requiring...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (5 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Having regard to the manifest and grave risk to human life and public health posed by the spread of Covid-19 and in order to mitigate, where practicable, the effect of the spread of that disease, the Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Act 2020 provided for a temporary moratorium on tenancy terminations, other than in exceptional and limited cases during the emergency period...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (5 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I am very much aware of the issue that Deputy Ó Laoghaire has raised. The Ballincollig-Carrigaline Local Electoral Area (LEA) was designated a Rent Pressure Zone (RPZ) on 27 January 2017 under section 24 of the Residential Tenancies Acts (2004-2021). New Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts were signed into law on 31 January 2019 for Cork City and County (which...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (5 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Applications for social housing support are assessed by the relevant local authority, in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations. The Regulations prescribe maximum net income limits for each local authority, in different bands according to the area...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Emergency Accommodation (5 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) is responsible for meeting the immediate and short-term accommodation needs of persons arriving in Ireland from the conflict in Ukraine. Meanwhile, my Department is focusing on the medium and long-term accommodation challenges and is leading cross-government efforts through a Housing Taskforce established by...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (5 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government commits to ensuring that Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) levels are adequate to support vulnerable households, while we increase the supply of social housing. Maximum rent limits for HAP were set for each housing authority area in 2016, in conjunction with the Department of Social Protection (DSP). In reviewing the rent limits, my Department worked closely with...