Results 15,061-15,080 of 26,245 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (24 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The primary focus of Call 2 of the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) is on supporting projects that will contribute to compact growth and that will improve the liveability of our cities and towns.  In total, my Department received 76 project proposals (with a total URDF ask in excess of €2bn) with every local authority submitting at least one proposal. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (24 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I understand that following direct correspondence to my Department a meeting is taking place between Departmental officials and the company on 25 March.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (24 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the HAP scheme, tenants source their own accommodation in the private rented market. The accommodation sourced by tenants should be within the prescribed maximum HAP rent limits, which are based on household size and the rental market within the area concerned. Each local authority has statutory discretion to agree to a HAP payment up to 20% above the prescribed maximum rent limit...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (24 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government - 'Our Shared Future', commits to improve the security of tenure for tenants, through legislating for tenancies of indefinite duration, increasing Residential Tenancies Board enforcement and examining incentives for long-term leasing.  Proposals for further amendments to the Residential Tenancies Acts are currently being developed, for inclusion in the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payment (24 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Tenants in the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme are required to sign a rent contribution agreement to pay a weekly rental contribution to the relevant local authority, in line with the local authority’s differential rent scheme. As set out in the rent contribution agreement, this weekly rental contribution must be paid by them so that they remain eligible for the HAP...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (24 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (24 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: It is open to anyone to apply for social housing support, applications for which 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. If a household meets the eligibility and need criteria, it...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (24 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department supports a wide range of programmes and schemes, delivered by a number of stakeholders including the 31 local authorities. The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic required a whole of Government approach that was flexible, adaptive and responsive to the changing situation.  For the most part, my Department utilised its existing Voted budget and ensured that the correct...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Administrative Arrangements (24 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department operates a very limited range of services for which charges are levied directly on members of the public or businesses.  Some examples include Met Éireann services, Foreshore and other licences, and land rents in the National Parks.   My Department accepts the full range of standard payment options for these charges...

Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Referral to Select Committee (11 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage pursuant to Standing Orders 95(3)(a) and 181(1).

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payment (11 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Tenants in the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme are required to sign a rent contribution agreement to pay a weekly rental contribution to the relevant local authority, in line with the local authority’s differential rent scheme. As set out in the rent contribution agreement, this weekly rental contribution must be paid by them so that they remain eligible for the HAP scheme. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Home Loan Scheme (11 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The local authority mortgage protection insurance (MPI) scheme applies to all house purchase loans approved by local authorities since 1 July 1986, including the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan introduced on 1 February 2018. It is an important safeguard for both applicants and lenders. One of the conditions of the MPI scheme, which is a group policy, is that it is obligatory for all local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (11 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 75 and 80 together. In general, the regulation of professions is in the first instance a matter for industry representatives working in consultation with relevant industry stakeholders. My Department has been engaging with the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT) in relation to the registration of Architectural Technologists. In this...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (11 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) are making an important contribution to social housing delivery, as envisaged under current Government policy. My Department operates a number of funding programmes that assist local authorities to work in partnership with AHBs to construct, purchase and lease new homes and make them available for social housing. One such programme that AHBs progress...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Road Projects (11 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Both I and my Department are supportive of Dublin City Council’s (DCC) efforts to advance proposals for the Oscar Traynor Road site including funding the social homes and supporting the affordable purchase homes on the site through the Serviced Sites Fund (SSF). Officials in my Department are in ongoing engagement with the officials in the Council in this regard. However, as the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Student Accommodation (11 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as an independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 to operate a national tenancy registration system and to resolve disputes between landlords and tenants. The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2019 extended the remit of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 and of the RTB to cover student licences in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (11 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 defective housing, having regard to the recommendations of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing report, "Safe as Houses". In this regard, my Department is actively engaging with key stakeholders and I have had several meetings with...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Shared Ownership Scheme (11 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The "Shared Ownership Scheme" was a national scheme introduced by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government in 1992. Local authorities administer the Scheme in each of their administrative areas. The Shared Ownership Scheme was closed to new entrants in June 2011 by the then Government. The Shared Ownership Scheme facilitated access to full home ownership in two...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commissioner of Valuation (11 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Commissioner of Valuation is independent in the exercise of his functions under the Valuation Acts 2001-2020 and members of the Oireachtas can submit queries on valuation matters to the Valuation Office’s e-mail account at Oireachtas.Enquiries@valoff.ie . The Land Development Agency (LDA) was established on an interim basis in September 2018, by way of an Establishment Order...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Urban Renewal Schemes (11 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 87 to 89, inclusive, together. The Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) was launched in 2018 to support more compact and sustainable development. The URDF is one of four funds established under the National Development Plan 2018-2027 and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has responsibility for its implementation. The...