Results 12,801-12,820 of 25,999 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Pollution (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Primary responsibility for the monitoring, management, protection and improvement of water quality is assigned to local authorities under the Local Government (Water Pollution) Acts and related legislation.  Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local level,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department builds its strategic water policy and infrastructure delivery programmes around the National Planning Framework 2018-2040 and the National Development Plan 2021-2030. Investment is primarily delivered through Irish Water, while my Department operates the Rural Water Programme directly. Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: As part of Housing for All, I announced a reformed successor to the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan Scheme (RIHL), the 'Local Authority Home Loan'. On 10 September 2021, I also announced a reduction of the mortgage interest rate for new borrowers of the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan by 0.25%. This lower rate will be retained for mortgages issued under the forthcoming Local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme came into operation on 1 January 2016. The Scheme is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the Scheme. To be eligible, tenants must meet certain criteria, including having a minimum reckonable income of €15,000 per annum and having been in receipt of social housing support...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government sets out a number of commitments in respect of the important policy area of building defects and provides for an examination of defects in housing, having regard to the recommendations of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing report, "Safe as Houses". In this context, I established a working group to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 49, 88, 92 and 102 together. Supporting individuals and families facing homelessness is a key Government priority. ‘Housing for All - a New Housing Plan for Ireland’, the Government’s strategic housing plan to 2030, sets an ambitious overarching objective of working to eradicate homelessness by 2030 and outlines details on how the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 50 and 63 together. The Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 introduced the Rent Predictability Measure to moderate rent increases in those parts of the country where rents are highest and rising fastest. A rent increase limit of 4% per annum initially applied in Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) . The introduction of the rent...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (11 Nov 2021)

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. The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as an independent statutory body under the Act to operate a national tenancy registration system and to facilitate the resolution of disputes between...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: With regard to issue of mortgage requirements and the assessment by financial institutions of mortgage applications, these requirements are governed by the Central Bank of Ireland which retains independence in the establishment of macro-prudential policy and mortgage measures.  Information in this regard, including on exemptions and other matters, is available at the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 58 and 94 together. The Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, sets out the objective that everybody should have access to sustainable, good quality housing to purchase or to rent at an affordable price, built to a high standard and located close to essential services, offering a high quality of life. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (11 Nov 2021)

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 28 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provision) Act 2009. Notwithstanding this, my Department provides annual funding...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Stations (11 Nov 2021)

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 Acts, 1981 and 2003.  My Department supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing for All Strategy delivers on the Programme for Government commitment to put affordability at the heart of the housing system. Over €4 billion in funding is provided annually, representing the highest ever level of Government investment in building social and affordable housing.   A multi-faceted approach is being implemented to deliver 54,000 affordable homes...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Addressing vacancy and maximising the use of existing housing stock is a primary concern of this Government, as demonstrated by one of the four pathways dedicated solely to this priority area in the new Housing for All strategy. The most recent figures available from Census 2016 indicate that there were 183,000 vacant homes nationwide, a 20% reduction on figures reported in Census 2011...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (11 Nov 2021)

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: Housing Provision (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing for All Strategy delivers on the Programme for Government commitment to put affordability at the heart of the housing system. Over €4 billion in funding is provided annually, representing the highest ever level of Government investment in building social and affordable housing.  A multi-faceted approach is being implemented to deliver 54,000 affordable homes...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The objective of the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) is to provide public off-site infrastructure to relieve critical infrastructure blockages. This will enable the accelerated delivery of housing on key development sites in urban areas of high demand. LIHAF was designed to specifically address the issue of housing supply, a crucial factor in terms of house...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Budget 2022 (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Regeneration/Remedial subhead A.15, within my Department’s Vote, provides funding for a range of other very important supports in addition to the National Regeneration programme and Remedial Works Programme, namely the Disabled Persons Grant Scheme (DPGs) and Improvement Works in Lieu Scheme (IWILs). In 2021 the budget available to this subhead is €73 million, of which,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Urban Development (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The URDF was launched in 2018 to support more compact and sustainable development.  The Fund is providing part-funding for projects that will enable a greater proportion of residential and mixed-use development to be delivered within the existing built-up footprints of our cities and large towns, while also ensuring that more parts of our urban areas can become attractive and vibrant...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: With regard to issue of mortgage requirements and the assessment by financial institutions of mortgage applications, these requirements are governed by the Central Bank of Ireland which retains independence in the establishment of macro-prudential policy and mortgage measures. Information in this regard, including on exemptions and other matters, is available at the following...