Results 11,521-11,540 of 25,999 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (5 Apr 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 €2.2 billion. I aim to bring the required primary legislation to give effect to the enhanced scheme before the...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Government is committed to delivering a humanitarian response to welcome people fleeing the war in Ukraine and seeking protection in Ireland as part of the EU response. It is examining all options as part of its humanitarian response, including the accommodation issues arising in the short, medium and long-term and the appropriate responses to address these. As part of its response,...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Decisions on eligibility for social housing support are a matter solely for local authorities with reference to 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...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department launched the Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme (EERP) in 2013 with the aim of funding the retrofit of social homes requiring insulation and energy upgrade works. Since the programme commenced in 2013 up to the end of 2021 over 75,000 units of social housing stock have been retrofitted with a total exchequer spend of €183 million under the scheme. Up to 2020, the...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Since introduced in 2018, there are 52 projects delivering 150 new social homes that have availed of the single stage approval arrangement which have been completed or are currently on site. A further 35 projects to deliver 89 new social homes, are in the pipeline and progressing through planning and design before moving to tender stage and onto site.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Staff (5 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All recognises the need to strengthen the capacity of local authorities to initiate, design, plan, develop and manage housing projects. It also commits to making additional resources available to local authorities to further build housing delivery teams. During 2021, the Housing Delivery Coordination Office engaged with each local authority to identify their additional staff...

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

Darragh O'Brien: In September 2020, I convened a working group to examine the issues relating to unsold affordable properties. The working group has discussed a number of options to date and is keen to develop a long term solution which works for all parties including the tenants, the approved housing bodies who have long established relationships with the tenants, and the local authorities. Any proposals...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Measures (5 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government recognises that it is in the interest of both the tenant and the landlord to resolve any disputes as early as possible without recourse to lengthy adjudication and tribunal processes. Mediation and conciliation are proven to help resolve disputes at an early stage. My Department is working with the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) to better implement its existing...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The €70 million revolving Housing Agency Acquisitions Fund (HAA fund) was established with effect from the 1 January 2017 with the objective of acquiring vacant property portfolios from banks and financial institutions that could then be used for social housing. The target for the HAA fund was to acquire 1,600 units over a four year period to 2020 with this target subsequently extended...

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

Darragh O'Brien: A key action of Housing for All is that local authorities will develop and submit Housing Delivery Action Plans to include details of social and affordable housing delivery. The Plans set out details of both social and affordable housing delivery as appropriate over the period 2022 - 2026, in line with targets set under Housing for All. All local authorities submitted their Housing Delivery...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides funding to local authorities under the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, to assist people in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. Housing for All commits to undertaking a review of the range of housing grants available to assist with meeting specific housing needs both for our...

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

Darragh O'Brien: In 2021, my Department launched a 'deeper' retrofit programme designed around the Programme for Government commitment to 'retrofit' 500,000 homes to a B2/Cost Optimal Equivalent (BER) standard by 2030. It is expected that approximately 36,500 of the overall target will be local authority owned homes. In 2022, my Department will fund the retrofit of 2,400 local authority owned social homes at...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Supply (5 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. Under section 7 of the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013, I have no direct function in relation to this matter. However, as part of Irish Water’s commitment to support growth and development, it publishes annual...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) are making an important contribution to social housing delivery, as envisaged under current Government policy. My Department operates a number of funding programmes that assist local authorities to work in partnership with AHBs to construct, purchase and lease new homes and make them available for social housing. One such programme that AHBs progress...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department does not hold information on the allocations of the specific type requested by the Deputy. The oversight and practical management of housing waiting lists, including the allocation and transfer of tenancies, is solely a matter for the relevant local authority in accordance with the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, and associated regulations. Section 22 of the Act...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Regeneration Projects (5 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Through the voted capital funding under subhead A15, my Department supports multi-annual programmes of large-scale regeneration projects in Limerick, Cork and Dublin and smaller projects in Tralee, Sligo and Dundalk. These projects seek to address the causes of disadvantage in these communities through a holistic programme of physical, social and economic regeneration. Projects funded under...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The maximum cost of repairs allowable under this scheme was increased from €40,000 (including VAT) to €60,000 (including VAT) in November 2020. Therefore, should 120 properties be delivered in 2022 under the Repair and Leasing scheme, the maximum cost to the Exchequer of refurbishment (capital costs) would be €7,200,000. The allowable cost of the repairs is offset against...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (5 Apr 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. Measures to deliver this housing are supported by over €4 billion in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (5 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Under Housing for All, 10,000 Cost Rental homes will be delivered from 2021 to 2026. These new homes will be delivered by Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), supported by Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) funding, and Local Authorities, funded by the Affordable Housing Fund. The Land Development Agency will also deliver Cost Rental, either on its own portfolio of sites or through acquisitions under...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (5 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government’s “Housing for All, a new Housing Plan for Ireland”, launched in September 2022, sets out four pathways to a sustainable housing system. A key objective is that everyone in the State should have access to a home to purchase or rent at an affordable price, built to a high standard and in the right place, offering a high quality of life. The new Croí...