Results 12,961-12,980 of 27,055 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Emergency Accommodation (15 Feb 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My 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 addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (15 Feb 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Mortgage to Rent (MTR) scheme was introduced in 2012 for borrowers of commercial lending institutions and is targeted at those households in mortgage arrears who have had their mortgage position deemed unsustainable by their lender under the Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process (MARP), who agree to the voluntary surrender of their home and who have very limited options, if any, to meet...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (15 Feb 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Mortgage to Rent (MTR) scheme was introduced in 2012 for borrowers of commercial lending institutions and is targeted at those households in mortgage arrears who have had their mortgage position deemed unsustainable by their lender under the Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process (MARP), who agree to the voluntary surrender of their home and who have very limited options, if any, to meet...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (15 Feb 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Mortgage to Rent (MTR) scheme was introduced in 2012 for borrowers of commercial lending institutions and is targeted at those households in mortgage arrears who have had their mortgage position deemed unsustainable by their lender under the Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process (MARP), who agree to the voluntary surrender of their home and who have very limited options, if any, to meet...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (15 Feb 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Mortgage to Rent (MTR) scheme was introduced in 2012 for borrowers of commercial lending institutions and is targeted at those households in mortgage arrears who have had their mortgage position deemed unsustainable by their lender under the Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process (MARP), who agree to the voluntary surrender of their home and who have very limited options, if any, to meet...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (15 Feb 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Mortgage to Rent (MTR) scheme was introduced in 2012 for borrowers of commercial lending institutions and is targeted at those households in mortgage arrears who have had their mortgage position deemed unsustainable by their lender under the Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process (MARP), who agree to the voluntary surrender of their home and who have very limited options, if any, to meet...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (15 Feb 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I am making amendments to the Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks in Construction (Remediation) (Financial Assistance) Regulations 2020 which will allow for the recoupment of Engineer fees to homeowners who have applied for entry into the scheme. As part of these amended regulations, up to €5,000 will be recoupable as an allowable cost under the scheme for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Grant Payments (15 Feb 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All (published in September 2021) provides a new housing plan for Ireland to 2030 with the overall objective that every citizen in the State should have access to good quality homes through a steady supply of housing in the right locations, with economic, social and environmental sustainability built into the system. The strategy sets out, over four pathways, a broad suite of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (15 Feb 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2021 (RTA) regulate the landlord-tenant relationship in the private rented 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 Acts to operate a national tenancy registration system and to resolve disputes between landlords and tenants. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (15 Feb 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 387 and 388 together. 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. Changes included the grant calculation...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (15 Feb 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Affordable Housing Act 2021, which I commenced in August 2021, laid the provisions for the introduction of two new affordable purchase schemes: a public affordable purchase scheme delivered via Local Authorities and the Land Development Agency, and also the national First Home shared equity scheme supporting purchases in the private market. Part 4 of the Act provides the basis for the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (15 Feb 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Under 'Housing for All', the Government's priority is to deliver 47,600 new build social homes over the next five years. Substantial funding is available to local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) to deliver on this objective as the primary means through which they will increasingly meet the needs of those on their waiting lists. My Department has consistently engaged with local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Septic Tanks (10 Feb 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the Water Services Acts 2007 and 2012 (Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems) Regulations 2012, the owner of a domestic waste water treatment system is responsible for its maintenance and renewal and shall ensure that its parts and components are fit for purpose, operational where appropriate, kept in good order and repair so as to prevent a risk to human health or the environment. My...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The function of the Local Government Audit Service is to complete the audits of all local authorities annual financial statements, including that of Mayo County Council, using a structured audit methodology in accordance with the Code of Audit Practice and related guidelines. Local Government Auditors are independent in the performance of their duties and it is a matter for each auditor to...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 276 and 277 together. Responsibility for the independent economic regulation of the water sector is assigned to the Commission for Regulation of Utilities. Under the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 Irish Water is required to collect charges, where relevant, from its customers in accordance with a water charges plan, detailing tariffs and charging...

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

Darragh O'Brien: All applications for URDF support are assessed in terms of their alignment with the intended purpose of the relevant URDF call and also their viability before being considered for approval. In line with a Government Decision of May 2018, the assessment process for Call 2 of the URDF included the consideration of applications by a Project Advisory Board (PAB) consisting of relevant Government...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Public Sector Staff (10 Feb 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: There are 228 staff of my Department working in County Wexford. The following headcount breakdown by Division and Business Unit reflects the position at 31 December 2021. Division Business Unit Headcount at 31 Dec. 2021 Corporate & Business Support Assistant Secretary Corporate & Business Support Division 1 ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (10 Feb 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department’s Multi-Annual Rural Water Programme includes a measure to provide funding to enable existing Group Water Schemes, including ‘orphan’ schemes, to progressively transition to the public water sector and be taken in charge by Irish Water. In the Programme for 2019-2021, over 150 taking in charge projects, including ‘orphan’ schemes, were...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (10 Feb 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department's Multi-annual Rural Water Programme includes a measure for the development of Community Water Connections (formerly called Public Group Water Schemes). This measure enables the further expansion of the public water distribution network as extensions to the existing Irish Water network in areas where a Group Water Scheme or private wells are not viable options. The estimated...