Results 13,741-13,760 of 27,055 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Charges (23 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: 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 arrangements, as approved by the Commission. Questions or...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Safety (23 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Building Regulations 1997-2021 set out the legal requirements in Ireland for the construction of new buildings (including houses), extensions to existing buildings as well as for material alterations and certain material changes of use to existing buildings. Their aim is to provide for the safety and welfare of people in and about buildings. The Building Regulations are set out in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (23 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the Housing for All strategy, the Government’s plans to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade. The strategy is backed by historic levels of investment with in excess of €20bn through the Exchequer, the Land Development Agency and the Housing Finance Agency over the next 5 years. The unprecedented levels of funding to support...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (23 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing Agency provides a central support service that assesses applications for the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan on behalf of local authorities and makes recommendations to the authorities to approve or refuse applications. Each local authority must have in place a credit committee and it is a matter for the committee to make the decision on applications for loans, in accordance with the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (23 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government committed to establishing a Commission on Housing to examine issues such as tenure, standards, sustainability, and quality-of-life issues in the provision of housing. The Programme for Government also contains a commitment to hold a referendum on housing. Housing for All, which was published in September 2021, further commits to the establishment of a Commission...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (23 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: 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. The 2011 Regulations prescribe maximum net income limits for each local authority, in different bands...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Domestic Violence (23 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: In 2017, my Department issued policy and procedural guidance to all housing authorities relating to the role they can play to assist victims of domestic violence. A copy of the guidance has been issued to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (23 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Details on social housing delivery for each local authority, across a range of delivery mechanisms, are included in the social housing statistics published by my Department. This data is available to the end of Quarter 2 2021 and is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website. Details on the Repair and Leasing Scheme delivery are available at:...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (23 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: Vacant Properties (23 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Local authorities will always have a level of vacancy in their housing stock. This will fluctuate over time, as tenancy surrender and re-letting of stock is an ongoing process. Statistics in relation to the social housing stock are published by the National Oversight and Audit Commission (NOAC) in their Annual Reports on Performance Indicators in Local Authorities. These reports provide...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (23 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides capital funding to Local Authorities for both the Disabled Person Grants (DPGs) and Improvement Works in Lieu of local authority housing (IWIL’s). The DPG scheme is available to local authorities which allows them to undertake housing adaptations and extensions to their housing stock in order to meet the needs of tenants who are elderly or disabled or to address...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (23 Nov 2021)

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. With very limited exemptions, these apply to all private rented accommodation. All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (23 Nov 2021)

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. With very limited exemptions, these apply to all private rented accommodation. All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (23 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 305 and 306 together. At the end of Q2 2021, Westmeath County Council had secured 7 properties, with Longford County Council having secured none, under long term leasing agreements in 2021. A breakdown of total leasing delivery for social housing by location and leasing delivery streams such as long term leasing, the Mortgage to Rent Scheme (MTR), the Repair...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (18 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The oversight and practical management of housing waiting lists, including the allocation and transfer of tenancies, is a matter for the relevant local authority in accordance with the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, and associated regulations. Section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, requires all local authorities, as a reserved function, to make an...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (18 Nov 2021)

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. With very limited exemptions, these apply to all private rented accommodation. All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (18 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: To date in 2021, 130 leasing projects have been approved by my Department for delivery under the Long Term Leasing and Enhanced Leasing Schemes over the period 2021 to 2023. A breakdown of these approvals by local authority, detailing the term of the agreement and number of units is set out in Table 1 attached. The average cost of all long term leases approved in 2021 is €16,500. My...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (18 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department reports to Government on a quarterly basis on Capital expenditure. To the end of September the Capital Expenditure for Vote 34, Housing, Local Government and Heritage is €1,029m which is €334m or 25% behind the published profile of €1,363m. Capital expenditure in 2021 progressed slower than profiled as a result of a restricted operating environment under...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Nitrates Usage (18 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Ireland notified the European Commission of its intention to apply for a renewal of its derogation under the Nitrates Directive at the Nitrates Management Committee meeting on 25th September 2020. Ireland formally wrote to the European Commission on 13th October 2021 requesting a renewal of the derogation. The purpose of the derogation is to provide for higher stocking densities on certain...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Quality (18 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. The prioritisation and progression of individual projects is a matter for determination by Irish Water. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for enforcing compliance with EU Directives and national...