Results 12,621-12,640 of 27,055 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (31 Mar 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme was reviewed in 2021 in line with Programme for Government and Housing for All commitments. The amendments, which came into effect on 1st February 2022, include a reduction in the minimum reckonable income required to be eligible under the scheme from €15,000 to €12,500. The time an applicant is required to be in receipt of social housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (31 Mar 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 248 and 249 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (31 Mar 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Part 4 of the Affordable Housing Act 2021 provides the basis for the First Home Scheme, which will be available nationwide. This scheme will support eligible first-time buyers to buy a new-build home in private developments by means of an equity share model, similar to that employed in the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme. First Home will operate for the period 2022 to 2025 and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (31 Mar 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Local Authority Home Loan is a Government backed mortgage for those on modest or low incomes who cannot get sufficient funding from commercial banks to purchase or build a home. It has been available nationwide from local authorities since 4 January 2022 for first-time buyers and fresh start applicants. The loan can be used both for new and second-hand properties, or to self-build. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (31 Mar 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to the reply to Question No. 343 of 22 March 2022 which sets out the position in the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Gender Equality (31 Mar 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department prides itself on being an equal opportunity employer. At the end of February 2022, 50.88% of the workforce was male while 49.12% were female. It is committed to equal pay and all salaries are equal regardless of gender. Action 8.5 of the Civil Service Renewal Plan makes a commitment “to improve gender balance at each level by reviewing supports and policies to ensure...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Transport Policy (31 Mar 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is committed to encouraging the use of active travel measures when travelling to and from work. These efforts were recognised recently when my Department was awarded a Gold Certificate as a cycle-friendly employer under the European Bike2Work project. We are the second Government Department to achieve this certification and it acknowledges my Department’s work in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (30 Mar 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Both the Programme for Government and Housing for All, the Government’s national plan on housing to 2030, set out a range of commitments in respect of the important policy area of building defects. This includes the commitment to ensure that the remediation fund for pyrite and mica is fully drawn down. In this context, €60m has been provided under Budget 2022 to continue to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Capital Expenditure Programme (30 Mar 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Exchequer funding available for the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) in 2022 is €96 million and the target is for AHBs to provide 400 units for the target groups, including age-friendly housing, accommodation for individuals and families who are homeless and housing for people with a disability. CAS funding also supports other important and emerging areas of housing need including the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (30 Mar 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Requests for housing transfers are considered solely by the relevant local authority concerned in accordance with that authority’s allocation scheme, which is made by the elected members under section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and in compliance with Social Housing Allocation Regulations 2011. Local authorities are responsible for assessing housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (30 Mar 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing Need and Demand Assessment (HNDA) Tool is used to estimate current and future housing needs by tenure type in local authority areas. Projections on population and structural household demand produced by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), as well as data on existing need and income, are built into the HNDA Tool and use Census data to produce the output of estimated...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (30 Mar 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 41 and 42 together. The management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, responsive repairs and implementing planned maintenance programmes, is a matter for each individual local authority, under Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. Local authorities also have a legal obligation to ensure...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (30 Mar 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2021 regulates the landlord-tenant relationship in the rented residential sector and sets out the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants. Part 3 of the Acts provides for rent and rent reviews. Section 3 of the Acts applies the Acts to every dwelling the subject of a tenancy, subject to certain exemptions which include situations where the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (30 Mar 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: A key principle of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme is that eligible households source their own accommodation in the private rented sector, which best suits their needs, in their area of choice The minimum standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019. All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that their...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (30 Mar 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 45 to 47, inclusive, together. I brought a Memorandum on an enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme to Government on the 30 November 2021 and 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. Full details in relation to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (30 Mar 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I assume that the Question is referring to legacy debt issues where group water schemes are seeking to be taken in charge by Irish Water. Group water schemes are community-owned and community-run and they remain fully the responsibility of the scheme right up until such time as they are formally taken in charge by Irish Water. Irish Water and the local authority are actively working to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (30 Mar 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 49 and 50 together. In April 2018, a Working Group was established to conduct a review of the wider investment needs relating to rural water services. The aim of the group is to recommend measures that ensure an equality of outcome between those who receive water services from Irish Water and non-Irish Water customers. The terms of reference for the review...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (29 Mar 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: A review of homeless deaths was undertaken on behalf of the Dublin Region Homeless Executive by Dr Austin O’Carroll. The review analysed the available data concerning deaths in homeless services for 2020 to identify learning for homeless and health services that could help tailor the provision of care to homeless people. This ‘Interim Report on Mortality in Single Homeless...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Ukraine War (29 Mar 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 309 and 337 together. 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. As part of its response, Government is providing accommodation through the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) and is working closely with Local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (29 Mar 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Local Authority Home Loan is a Government backed mortgage for those on modest or low incomes who cannot get sufficient funding from commercial banks to purchase or build a home. It has been available nationwide from local authorities since 4 January 2022. The loan can be used both for new and second-hand properties, or to self-build. It is the successor to the Rebuilding Ireland Home...