Results 14,101-14,120 of 27,055 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (6 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I am not talking about nightclubs. I am talking about hospitals and maternity hospitals.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (6 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I have been very clear in what I have said today. The Government has issued guidance on it. The HSE is committed to keeping any restrictions that are in place under review. Let us be straight with people as well. Covid-19 is still in the community. People are still being hospitalised with Covid. We have to manage those who are vaccinated, and, perhaps, also those who have symptoms and...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (6 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: In this instance, though, I have been very clear on what I have said on maternity hospitals. Where hospitals can allow unfettered access, they should. The Minister for Health has also been very clear on that.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (6 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: In any measures the Government takes to tackle climate change, and where carbon taxes are required, we need to ensure and have ensured that we also tackle fuel poverty in that space. This has been debated last night and today and will be voted on by the Dáil later this evening. The Government has outlined its position, which is a realistic one.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy. I will deal specifically with the Land Development Agency and former Defence Forces lands. Following on from my last reply, we have set a target of completing 10,000 new social housing builds per annum on average over the term of the plan. This in itself will make significant inroads into the social housing waiting list, which includes many former and, in some cases,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Deputy O'Donoghue for his questions. As I have said previously, those who are responsible should contribute towards remediation. I have engaged intensively with the Attorney General on this matter and he is working on mechanisms to ensure wrongdoing and liability on the part of quarries and other parties are fully penalised. I recognise the report from 2012 because I was heavily...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: On targets, I will assess what Focus Ireland is looking for. We have made a very significant step forward in committing to eradicating homelessness by 2030. That is significant and, in fairness to the Deputy, I think he recognises that. In relation to private emergency accommodation, I am bringing forward new standards in coming weeks. These providers have operated under a type of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I reiterate that, like the Deputy, I believe in home ownership and having it as an option for our young people and not-so-young people who are working and feel they have been forgotten about in recent years. That is why Housing for All is very important. It is the first time a Government has brought forward a multi-annual housing plan that is fully funded to the tune of over €20...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Tuigim an fadhb. I intend to bring a memorandum to Government in the coming weeks. That memorandum will be underpinned by three core principles, namely, that the enhancements and changes we make are timely, reasonable and consistent. As a republican, I believe in equality and there is absolutely no question of that. I have had experience in my constituency of defective work involving...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Deputy O'Callaghan for his questions. Recent controversies involving a particular homelessness charity in Dublin have highlighted the importance of protecting vulnerable homeless people. We must keep that to the forefront of everything we do. I have previously raised concerns about the number of ad hocgroups of people who feel they may be doing good but who are not properly trained...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for raising this really important issue, which I am acutely aware of and in respect of which I have been heavily engaged. Last year, one of the first trips I took as Minister was to County Donegal. The Deputy was in attendance and we met residents in Buncrana. I went visit to homeowners at the time. I have been to visit homeowners in County Clare. This is a scheme I...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Defective Building Materials (6 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Senator Blaney for raising this important issue. First, I commend the residents and their representatives on the input they had into the working group. I inherited the original scheme. The scheme was agreed and launched in 2020. One of the first visits I made when I was appointed Minister in summer 2020 was to Donegal, where I visited homeowners. I met residents in Buncrana,...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Defective Building Materials (6 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: On the timeline, I do not want to delay the process at all. We have a great deal of work to do on foot of receiving the working group report. I have sought submissions and views from the Opposition parties, which I believe is important. I did that with the Housing for All plan, and many other parties sent in submissions. It is important to know that we have a consensus on this and how we...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (6 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The regeneration of Poolbeg West is the next important step in transforming the Docklands area, given its strategic location east of Grand Canal Dock, with close proximity to important bridge connections to Dublin Port and North Lotts. The residential potential within the available lands is for a maximum of 3,500 additional residential units. The National Asset Management Agency (NAMA)...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (6 Oct 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: Departmental Data (6 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority administrative area are provided in the annual statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA). The SSHA has been conducted on an annual basis since 2016, prior to which it was carried out once every three years, with the last Summary under this approach having taken place in 2013. The most...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Reports (6 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 41 and 42 together. I am considering the report, entitled 'A Review Into Certain Planning Matters in Respect of Donegal County Council', by Mr. Rory Mulcahy S.C., and will bring this matter to Government for consideration in due course. In this regard, the decisions of the Commissioner for Environmental Information (CEI/18/0019) of 13 February 2019 and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (6 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Mortgage to Rent (MTR) scheme introduced in 2012 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. In order for a borrower to qualify for the MTR scheme, the mortgage, property and household must meet detailed eligibility criteria. In addition, the MTR process has...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Service (6 Oct 2021)

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: Emergency Accommodation (6 Oct 2021)

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 a local level. My Department does not provide homeless service directly but contributes to overall expenditure incurred by housing authorities in the provision of homeless accommodation...