Results 14,941-14,960 of 26,245 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (31 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 469 and 474 together. The Programme for Government states that the issue of the environment, including water, and its place in the constitution is to be referred to the relevant Joint Oireachtas Committee for consideration. This issue, particularly in relation to water, is also relevant to the broader water sector transformation programme. In this regard the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Legal Cases (31 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I am not aware of instances of litigation or the threat of litigation arising from the inclusion of social clauses in public procurement contracts awarded by my Department during the period in question.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (31 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: This Government is committed to bringing vacant and partially vacant properties back into use. The primary benefit of bringing vacant buildings back in to use is the increased supply of quality and sustainable housing for the individuals and families. Revitalising our main streets through well designed refurbishment of residential units, particularly above shops, could help to rejuvenate...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (31 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The regulations for the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme came in to operation on 31 January 2020. The Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks in Construction (Remediation) (Financial Assistance) Regulations 2020 provide for a grant scheme of financial assistance to support affected homeowners in the counties of Donegal and Mayo only, to carry out the necessary...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (31 Mar 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 most recent summary, conducted in November 2020, shows that 61,880 households were assessed as qualified for and being in need of social housing support. This represents a decrease of 6,813...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (31 Mar 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. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless services rests with individual housing authorities. Section 10 of the Housing Act 1988 sets out the purposes...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Land Transfers (31 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Property Registration Authority (PRA) has established a dedicated unit to investigate issues raised with them. While the required investigations can take some time to complete, the PRA expedites processing where they are notified of urgency relating to a case. The specified application has been expedited and will be processed without delay. In relation to any specific cases with the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (31 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides funding to local authorities in respect of the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, to assist eligible people in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. The suite of grants include the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability (max grant €30,000), the Mobility Aids Grant (max grant...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (31 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides funding to local authorities under the Disabled Persons Grants scheme to carry out works on social housing stock to address the needs of older people or people with a disability. The programme is 90% funded by the Department and a 10% contribution from the Local Authority. Typical works include adaptations such as stairlifts, level deck showers, ramps and grab rails,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Staff (31 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The information requested is set out in the table at the link.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Stations (31 Mar 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 Acts, 1981 and 2003. My Department supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a central...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Inland Waterways (31 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I have no function in the matter raised. Local authorities are entirely independent corporate entities having full responsibility under law for the performance of their functions and the discharge of their governance and other responsibilities. Under section 103 of the Local Government Act 2001 all budgetary decisions of local authorities are reserved functions of the elected members.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Programme for Government (31 Mar 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". In this regard, my Department has been actively engaging with key stakeholders and I have had several...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Safety (31 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the very stressful circumstances which owners and residents face when their homes are affected by construction defects. In general, building defects are matters for resolution between the contracting parties involved, the homeowner, the builder, the developer and/or their respective insurers, structural guarantee or warranty scheme. Under the Building...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (31 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Funding approvals and allocations under my Department's Multi-annual Developer Provided Water Services Infrastructure Resolution Programme 2019-2021 were announced in September 2020. The approvals included demonstration projects for four locations across three local authorities that the Expert Panel (appointed to review the bids) recommended for approval, subject to the authorities...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (31 Mar 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. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless services rests with individual housing authorities. Section 10 of the Housing Act 1988 sets out the purposes...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (31 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended, set down a standard procedure for assessing applicants for social housing support. Under this procedure, a household may apply for support to one housing authority only, which may be the authority for the area in which the household normally resides or with which it...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Irish Sign Language (31 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Irish Sign Language Act 2017 came into effect on 23 December 2020. The Act imposes certain obligations on all public bodies. In particular, section 6 of the Act provides that: - A public body shall do all that is reasonable to ensure that interpretation into Irish Sign Language is provided for a person who is competent in that language and cannot hear or understand English or Irish when...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commencement of Legislation (31 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (31 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department supports a number of local authority housing stock improvement programmes which have seen €457m of exchequer funding invested in local authority housing stock improvement works since 2014. For example: The Energy Efficiency Programme aims to improve energy performance and comfort levels in homes. Since 2014, 60,357 homes have benefited from some level of retrofitting...