Results 15,241-15,260 of 26,245 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Home Loan Scheme (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan scheme remains open for business. All local authorities are receiving and processing applications and are incorporating increased flexibility to accommodate applicants during the COVID 19 Pandemic. The Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan scheme Approval in Principle letter is usually valid for a period of 6 months from date of issue. Approvals can exceed six months...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Regeneration Projects (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The disbursement of funding to projects under the Social Intervention Fund of the Limerick Regeneration Programme is the responsibility of Limerick City & County Council (or the Limerick Regeneration Agencies prior to 2012). Based on information provided by the Council and the Agencies, the Table below sets out details of disbursements from the Social Intervention Fund from 2009 to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Capital Assistance Scheme (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department supports local authorities to fund Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) to deliver housing under the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) for priority housing categories, including age-friendly housing. CAS operates on the basis that loans of 100% are available to AHBs where all people to be accommodated are on the social housing waiting list, or loans to cover 95% of the capital...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Agency (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The oversight of Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) is currently conducted through the Voluntary Regulation Code (the Code), "Building for the Future, A Voluntary Regulation Code for Approved Housing Bodies in Ireland" underpinned by three standards - Financial, Governance and Performance. The Code is overseen by an Interim Regulatory Committee supported by a Regulation Office based in the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Thatching Grants (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Under my Department’s renewal or repair of thatched roof grant scheme, in general a grant of up to €3,810, or two thirds of the approved cost, whichever is the lesser, may be payable in respect of necessary works to renew or repair the thatched roofs of houses. In the case of medical card holders however, a grant of up to €6,350, or up to 80% of the approved cost, may be...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homelessness Strategy (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Supporting individuals and families facing homelessness is a key Government priority. The Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, commits to reducing and preventing homelessness and provides detail on how the Government is approaching this work as a priority. Homelessness is complex and causal factors and family circumstances vary considerably as do the responses needed. Homelessness is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department builds its strategic water policy and infrastructure delivery programmes around the National Planning Framework (NPF) 2018-2040 with necessary funding identified within the National Development Plan (NDP) 2018-2027. The NPF supports proportionate growth of rural towns and a programme for ‘new homes in small towns and villages’, with local authorities and public...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Department provides funding on an annual basis under the Disabled Persons Grants (DPG) scheme to local authorities for adaptations and extensions to their existing social housing stock to meet the needs of local authority tenants. Funding in this regard has been increasing year on year to support this scheme. It was acknowledged that some local authorities had contractual commitments...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme (17 Feb 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: Social and Affordable Housing (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government, 'Our Shared Future', commits to putting affordability at the heart of the housing system. On 22 December 2020, Government approved the priority drafting of the Affordable Housing Bill 2020, the General Scheme of which I published on 20 January last. The Bill includes provisions to underpin three schemes which will prioritise the increased supply of affordable...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Foreshore Licences (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Details of current applications for a foreshore consent and consents granted and executed under the Foreshore Act 1933, as amended are available to view on my Department's website at the following link . Applications for a foreshore consent made to my Department are subject to a non-statutory pre-application process to enable applicants to engage with officials from my Department to discuss...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks in Construction (Remediation) (Financial Assistance) Regulations 2020 came in to operation on 31 January 2020 and the resulting Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme has been open for applications since the end of June 2020. The scheme was informed by the work of an Expert Panel and the current maximum grant amounts payable under...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme applies to private dwellings in Donegal and Mayo that have been damaged due to the use of defective concrete blocks. In respect of local authority housing stock, Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966 provides that management and maintenance is a matter for each individual local authority. This includes maintenance programmes and carrying out of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Land Development Agency (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The publication of Board meeting minutes is a matter for the Land Development Agency (LDA) Board. The LDA have advised my Department that Board meeting minutes are to be published on the LDA website - www.lda.ie- after a period of six months following the relevant meeting. Direct requests to the LDA for more recent board meeting minutes, in advance of their online publication, may be...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Responsibility for the development and provision of services to support victims of domestic violence rests with my colleague the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and I understand that the delivery of these services is managed by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. In terms of housing services, in 2017, my Department issued policy and procedural guidance...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Teagasc na Gaeilge (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Níl an t-eolas seo ar fáil i mo Roinn. Bheadh an t-eolas ábhartha ar fáil ó údaráis áitiúla aonair. Níl aon fheidhm ag mo Roinn mar gheall gur ceist eagraíochta é a bhfuil ar gach údarás áitiúil plé leis. Faoi alt 159 den Acht Rialtais Áitiúil, 2001, tá gach Príomhfheidhmeannach freagrach...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 292 and 293 together. The Programme for Government, 'Our Shared Future', commits to putting affordability at the heart of the housing system. On 22 December 2020, Government approved the priority drafting of the Affordable Housing Bill 2020, the General Scheme of which I published on 20 January last. The Bill includes provisions to underpin three schemes...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Home Loan Scheme (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 296 and 297 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 299 and 300 together. The management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, the implementation of a planned maintenance programme and carrying out of responsive repairs, are matters for each individual local authority under Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. Since 2014, Exchequer funding...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Ministerial Meetings (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Details of my engagements, including my meetings with the Chief Executives of each local authority are published on my Department's website at www.gov.ie/en/collection/5f6f1-ministers-diaries/#minister-d arragh-obriens-diaries.