Results 13,421-13,440 of 27,055 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Child Safety (19 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 housing authorities in addressing homelessness at the local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities with...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Local authorities are independent in the exercise of their functions and, as such, applications for social housing support are assessed by the relevant local authority, in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended. Lone parents are...

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

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: Rental Sector (19 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: 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. The Residential Tenancies (No. 2) Act 2021 introduced measures in July 2021 to extend the operation of Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) until the end of 2024. The Act also provides...

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

Darragh O'Brien: In respect of homeless accommodation supports, determining whether a person is homeless is a matter for the relevant local authority under the Housing Act 1988.  The Act allows local authorities to provide an immediate response to ensure households are provided with the accommodation and supports required - the ultimate aim being to work with households to exit homelessness in the...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme provides for the purchase by eligible tenants, or joint tenants, of local authority homes available for sale under the scheme. Applicants must meet certain minimum criteria, including minimum reckonable income and minimum time in receipt of social housing supports, to be eligible.   The scheme was reviewed in line with Programme for...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 604, 605 and 606 together. Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he or she is responsible. My Department oversees workforce planning for the local government sector, including the...

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

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 Act, 1981. My Department supports fire authorities through setting general policy and national standards, providing a...

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

Darragh O'Brien: To date there have been two calls for proposals under the Urban Regeneration Development Fund  (URDF), the first in July 2018 and the second in January 2020.  Galway City Council submitted five applications under Call 2 of the URDF, three of which were successful, attracting a combined total €53,239,000 in URDF support.  This Call 2 URDF funding is in addition...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I am committed to working collaboratively with my colleague the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to improve student accommodation provision through a dedicated working group set up for that purpose.  I believe that Housing for All : A New Housing Plan for Ireland will transform every aspect of our housing including the area of student...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (19 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 and safety of gas, oil and electrical supplies. All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties comply with these regulations. Responsibility for the enforcement of...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Déantar reachtú do chur i bhfeidhm leanúnach an phróisis phleanála teanga in Acht na Gaeltachta, 2012, a bhuntacaíonn leis an tiomantas do na cuspóirí a leagtar amach sa Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge 2010 go 2030 a bhaint amach.  Is é Acht 2012, a thagann faoi chuimsiú shainchúram mo chomhghleacaí, an tAire...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Responsibility for the provision of emergency medical services, including pre-hospital emergency care, rests with the Health Service Executive (HSE) which operates the National Ambulance Service (NAS) and emergency departments in hospitals in accordance with health sector legislation and national policy. Fire authorities created under section 10 of the Fire Services Act, 1981 & 2003...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (16 Dec 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Mortgage to Rent (MTR) scheme introduced in 2012 is targeted at supporting households in mortgage arrears who have had their mortgage position deemed unsustainable by their lender under the Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process (MARP); agree to the voluntary surrender of their home and are deemed eligible for social housing support. The property in question must also meet certain...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (16 Dec 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department funds Irish Water through the annual estimates and budgetary process and are published in the Revised Estimates each year. In turn, funding for Irish Water is set within the framework of the Programme for Government, the National Development Plan 2021-2030 under Project Ireland 2040, the Water Services Policy Statement 2018-2025 and funding determinations by its independent...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (16 Dec 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". These commitments are further supported by actions contained in Housing For All. In this context, I...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (16 Dec 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: 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 enchanced scheme which it is estimated will cost approximately €2.2Bn. The comprehensive changes include: - The current 90% maximum grant will be increased to a 100% grant...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (16 Dec 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I brought a Memorandum to Government on 30 November 2021, setting out proposals for improvements to the existing Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme. Included as part of these improvements, I, as Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, may, with Government approval, extend the scheme beyond the counties of Donegal and Mayo to additional counties, where the evidence supports...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Regeneration Projects (16 Dec 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (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...