Results 13,321-13,340 of 27,055 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (25 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The recently published Housing for All strategy is the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade, including an average of 10,000 social homes per annum from 2022-2030. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4bn per annum, through an overall combination of €12bn in direct...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (25 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing for All strategy is the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade. Our annual targets include the delivery of 90,000 new social homes and 54,000 new affordable homes in the period 2022-2030. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4bn per annum, through an overall combination of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (25 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Affordable Housing Act 2021, the first ever standalone affordable housing legislation, established a basis for four new affordable housing measures. These measures will deliver on the Programme for Government commitment to put affordability at the heart of the housing system and prioritise the increased supply of affordable homes through (1) delivering affordable homes on local authority...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Staff (25 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to the reply to Question 602 of 19 January 2022 and the information provided to the Deputy regarding the range of activity and application types made under the Foreshore Act 1933 that my Department is responsible for assessing. Given the nature of the assessment process, the data relating to staffing resources available within my Department to undertake this work is not generally...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (25 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 328 and 329 together. Under Housing for All, 47,600 new build social homes are to be delivered in the period 2022-26. In September 2021, I issued individual targets to each local authority for the delivery of new build social homes, with the following targets set out for Longford and Westmeath local authorities, including their targets for 2022 - ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (25 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The most effective way to assist renters in the medium to long term is to increase supply and accelerate delivery of housing for the private and social rental sectors. Housing for All – a New Housing Plan for Ireland sets out the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade. One of the ways the Government are trying...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (25 Jan 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 role of local authorities in addressing homelessness at a local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless accommodation and related services rests with individual local authorities. Section 10 of the Housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (25 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 specify requirements in relation to a range of matters, such as structural repair, sanitary facilities, heating, ventilation, natural light, fire safety and the safety of gas, oil and electrical installations. All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties comply with these regulations. Responsibility for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (25 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is currently examining waste water requirements of villages and similar settlements that do not have access to public waste water infrastructure. My Department is at an advanced stage of preparing a report for me on the issue which I will be in a position to consider shortly. I will make a further announcement once I have finalised my consideration of the report.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Ministerial Staff (25 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department currently employs six civilian drivers. At this time there are no Garda Ministerial drivers assigned to my Department. The total cost for the civilian drivers was €136,304 in 2020 and €300,028 in 2021. These figures take account of the drivers' salary costs and expenses, along with the mileage costs which are claimed by each Minister in respect of their own vehicles.

Regulation of Providers of Building Works Bill 2022: Second Stage (20 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Deputy should not feel he has to do so.

Regulation of Providers of Building Works Bill 2022: Second Stage (20 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to have this opportunity to present the Regulation of Providers of Building Works Bill 2022 to the House. Many examples of building failure as a result of non-compliance with building regulations have come to light in recent years and more may continue to emerge in the coming months and years. The Government's plan for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Communications (20 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government's priority under Housing for All 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. I am also keen that local authorities and AHBs...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Regulatory Bodies (20 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Part 4 of the Affordable Housing Act 2021 provides the basis for the establishment of the First Home Affordable Purchase Shared Equity scheme. The scheme will support first-time buyers on moderate incomes to buy a new-build home. The banking sector has confirmed it is committed to working with the State to develop and deliver this scheme. Budget 2022 allocated €44m to my Department for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Pension Provisions (20 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing Agency assumed the role of dealing with pension matters for the NBA pensioners in October 2018. The Deputy will understand that it would not be appropriate for me as Minister to comment on the circumstances of any individual. However, my understanding is that a query has been raised by the Housing Agency with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (20 Jan 2022)

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. Since 2014, Exchequer funding has also been provided through...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (20 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All – A New Housing Plan for Ireland was published in September 2021 and, as part of a broad suite of social housing reforms, committed to reviewing income eligibility for social housing. The review, which examined inter alia the efficiency of the current banding model and income limits applicable to local authorities, was completed in Q4,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (20 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 229 and 230 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (19 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: A detailed Social Housing Construction Status Report (CSR) is published each quarter by my Department, which provides scheme level detail on new build social housing activity. The CSR provides details of the individual social housing new build projects, that make up the new build programme for each local authority, including Mayo. The most recent publication covers the period up to the end of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Hare Coursing (19 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Irish hare is protected under the Irish Wildlife Acts and can only be captured under licence; hunting of hares is limited to the Open Season. The Irish hare is also listed on Annex V of EU Directive 92/43/EEC (the Habitats Directive) and this listing requires member states to manage the species’ sustainably. The Habitats Directive also requires Ireland to make a detailed report...