Results 14,921-14,940 of 27,055 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (22 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: In respect of the Disabled Persons Grants Scheme for local authority tenants or persons on local authority housing waiting lists, 2021 funding allocations were issued in early May to all local authorities and are available publicly at the following link: Separately, funding allocations for 2021 under the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Referendum Campaigns (22 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to provide for the holding of a referendum on housing. The Programme for Government also commits to establishing a Commission on Housing to examine issues such as tenure, standards, sustainability, and quality-of-life issues in the provision of housing. It is intended that the Commission on Housing will review the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (22 Jun 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.  It is planned that the Commission on Housing will be formally established in September this year. The Chair designate for the Commission was announced in May, and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (22 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: The most recently published data is in respect of April...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (22 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: All new dwellings must comply with building regulations, the aim of which is to provide for the safety and welfare of people in and about buildings, and in addition achieve a 60-year durability for all key elements. The building regulations apply to the design and construction of a new building (including a dwelling) or an extension to an existing building as well as for material...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (22 Jun 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 Staff (22 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: There are 7 employees of my Department earning less than €12.30 per hour. 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 Bord...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2021: Second Stage (18 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I am grateful for the opportunity to introduce this Bill.I sincerely thank the Seanad for facilitating the urgent passage of what is very important legislation, and facilitating its passage not just here in the Seanad but starting it here for it to conclude very shortly, before the recess. For this reason I have asked the House to consider a motion to enable the President to sign the Bill...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2021: Second Stage (18 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I was listening.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2021: Second Stage (18 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I will be here.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2021: Second Stage (18 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Senator will have to make his mind up on that.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2021: Second Stage (18 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: All of the Senators who contributed, bar one, specifically referenced the value of local government members and the difficult work they have had to do right the way through this pandemic. It has been incredibly difficult. Local authorities and councillors are the tip of the spear when it comes to the State's response in the area of local democracy and its response to the pandemic in the...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2021: Second Stage (18 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: If there are any Members who have not read the Bill-----

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2021: Second Stage (18 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I advise they read it again. It is not a blanket extension. We have said that one will need to apply for it. In regard to the provisions within this Bill that I bring forward, I welcome the support and input of Members. I am open to receive any reasonable suggestions and amendments at Committee Stage. We must pass this Bill by the recess, as it is time bound. We have responded to a...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2021: Second Stage (18 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: If you like.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2021: Second Stage (18 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: There has not been a blanket use of a guillotine.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2021: Second Stage (18 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Yesterday we concluded 20 hours of Committee Stage of the Land Development Agency Bill 2021. We have done ten hours on the Affordable Housing Bill 2021. We will be doing Committee Stage on this Bill as well. I am open to any suggestions or interventions in between Stages. It is always open for people to come to me. The Senator has made suggestions with regard to the vacant site levy....

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2021: Second Stage (18 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I do not think it is a Q&A.

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (18 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: All the amendments in this grouping relate to the situation where an affordable dwelling has been acquired under agreement under Part V of the 2000 Act. I do not think the Senator is going to move amendment No. 1 but I will respond to all four amendments in detail because it is an important point and people should be very clear about where we are. As previously confirmed, Part V provisions...

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (18 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Senators for their contributions. Senator Warfield's amendment, which was accepted, was mentioned and this discussion has been useful. Amendment No. 2 adds public-public partnerships and not-for-profit arrangements to the existing arrangements, but Senator Higgins noted that I accepted a Committee Stage amendment to section 6 to include "arrangements with co-operatives,...