Results 14,021-14,040 of 26,025 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Health and Safety Authority has overall responsibility for the administration and enforcement of health and safety in the workplace. My Department has not consulted with this Agency in relation to domestic dwellings located in the counties of Donegal and Mayo which have been affected by the use of defective concrete blocks. Local authorities have powers...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: During a meeting with the MICA action group held virtually on the 4th of February the Group offered to provide to my Department information relating to dwelling sizes affected and the implementation of the scheme for those homeowners in larger sized dwellings and my Department received a submission in relation to this on 29th April. In parallel, officials from my Department are actively...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Financial Services (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Mortgage to Rent (MTR) scheme provides for an Approved Housing Body (AHB) or since 2018 a private company, Home for Life, to acquire ownership of a property with an unsustainable private mortgage from a lender, which also enables the household to remain in their home as a social housing tenant. The scheme is an established part of the overall suite of social housing options and an...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 623 and 624 together. Under my Department’s Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS), capital funding of up to 100% of project costs may be advanced by local authorities to Approved Housing Bodies to provide housing for specific categories of housing need including older people, persons/families who are homeless and people with a disability. Funding...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Grant Payments (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 625 and 626 together. My Department provides funding under the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, in respect of private houses. There are three separate grants available, including the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability, the Mobility Aids Grant and Housing Aid for Older People grant. Funding of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Property Registration (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: In relation to any specific cases with the Property Registration Authority (PRA), arrangements have been put in place to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. Further information in relation to the specific case referred to may be obtained by contacting the dedicated e-mail address in respect of the PRA at reps@prai.ie.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Insurance Industry (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The local authority mortgage protection insurance (MPI) scheme applies to all Rebuilding Ireland Home Loans and is charged at the rate of 0.555%. This is added to the overall cost of the loan. It is important to note that the local authority MPI scheme covers disability as well as death and that the disability cover is for the full period of the disability and not just 12 months as is the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Staff (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: There is one employee in my Department in receipt of a higher duty allowance for over two years. My Department does not hold the requested information in respect of the State Bodies under its aegis. These State Bodies may be contacted directly by e-mail by members of the Oireachtas, as set out in the table below. State Body Contact E-mail Address An...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Cork Event Centre was included as a commitment under Project Ireland 2040 and it underlines the Government’s objectives around urban regeneration, enhanced amenity and heritage, associated quality of life standards, balanced regional development, and the regeneration and development of Cork City Centre. It was agreed in the context of Budget 2020 that responsibility at central...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing Agency provides a central support service which 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department publishes a detailed monthly report on homelessness, based on data provided by housing authorities. The Report outlines details of individuals utilising State-funded emergency accommodation arrangements that are overseen by housing authorities. The Reports are available on my Department's website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/80ea8-homelessness-data/and are...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (SHCEP) supports the delivery of social housing by providing financial support to local authorities for the long term leasing of houses and apartments from private owners and Approved Housing Bodies. At end Q1 2021, a total of 289 leased properties were supported under SHCEP across all leasing delivery programmes in Wexford County Council. A...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (15 Jun 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: Housing Schemes (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Affordable Housing Bill 2021, which is currently before the Oireachtas, provides for three schemes delivering 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) affordable homes on local authority lands, (2) a new affordable purchase shared equity scheme, and (3) the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Seanad Reform (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Seanad plays an important role as part of our legislature under the Constitution. In a democracy, any reform of the legislature must enjoy the confidence of the public as well as legislators. In this regard The Programme for Government contains a broad range of electoral reforms including a commitment to establish an independent, statutory Electoral Commission. The Government is...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I will deal with Deputy Ó Broin's amendments. I will move amendment No. 141 and discuss that as it is purely a technical amendment. Amendments Nos. 139 and 140, as tabled by Deputies Ó Broin and Gould and as Deputy Ó Broin has explained, seek to include a reference to "public". I genuinely do not believe this is required and I do not intend to accept these amendments. ...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I move amendment No. 141: In page 34, line 14, to delete “on” and substitute “in”.