Results 15,401-15,420 of 26,245 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Response of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to Covid-19: Statements (28 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for her contribution but our changes have not failed. They have been in place for less than six months. We have increased the eligibility limit for the single-stage approval process to €6 million. I have met the chief executives and directors of services of all the main local authorities either virtually or in person to set their housing targets for 2021, leaving...

Response of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to Covid-19: Statements (28 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Does Deputy Barry wish to contribute and I will respond to both Deputies then?

Response of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to Covid-19: Statements (28 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I will do my best to respond in the 23 seconds remaining. Under the programme for Government, the SHDs will expire at the end of the year. That is what has been agreed between the three parties. I believe in public housing on public land. I believe in real affordable housing but I also believe in delivering it. I do not know whether Deputy Barry, when he was a councillor in Cork, ever...

Response of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to Covid-19: Statements (28 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: In the Deputy's constituency, which happens to be mine, which I know very well, we will be delivering affordable homes in Lusk and Rush this year. I do not want to be too colloquial about it. She will be aware of that. There are more than 90 active sites in the area. I believe in home ownership, as does my party and the Government.

Response of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to Covid-19: Statements (28 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: That is the reason we want to help first-time buyers. I do not want to shoot schemes down before they have even been seen. We will deliver home ownership for young people.

Response of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to Covid-19: Statements (28 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: We will deliver affordable rental in the constituency too.

Response of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to Covid-19: Statements (28 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: All Deputy O'Reilly and her colleagues want to do is shoot down anything-----

Response of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to Covid-19: Statements (28 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: -----because what they really want to do is to capitalise politically. I am interested in getting people safe homes to live in-----

Response of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to Covid-19: Statements (28 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: -----public and private. We will do that.

Response of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to Covid-19: Statements (28 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I will deal with the Deputy's last question first because it is very important. I want the construction sector to fully reopen on 5 March. The reason the construction sector is closed has nothing to do with its operation. Companies in the sector have operated safely, been agile and shown an ability to take on new work practices to keep workers safe and to deliver. The sector is closed...

Response of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to Covid-19: Statements (28 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I will bring in the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke, on the rural planning guidelines. The Deputy mentioned an instance of damp and in that case, or if a site needs to be secured during the lockdown, those works could take place on an emergency basis. We ask people to use a commonsensical approach to that, as I am sure they will. That would apply in the instance the Deputy mentioned....

Response of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to Covid-19: Statements (28 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: That is okay. I thank the Ceann Comhairle. The scheme is still being worked through. We are bringing forward several affordability measures. Approximately €468 million was allocated in budget 2021 in this regard, covering the serviced sites fund, the Rebuilding Ireland home loan scheme, the help-to-buy scheme, the shared equity scheme and the affordable rental scheme. We will...

Response of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to Covid-19: Statements (28 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Sinn Féin Deputies have been trying to interrupt me all afternoon. The Government believes in home ownership and giving young people the chance to own their own homes. We will bring forward a scheme that will work and that is one element of our affordability package. Those who wish to shoot down a scheme before they have even seen it are doing so purely for political reasons.

Response of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to Covid-19: Statements (28 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: We are interested in actually------

Response of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to Covid-19: Statements (28 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: It seems to be a trait of Sinn Féin Deputies today to just try to shout people down. They have been doing so all day. Deputy Ó Broin did it. Deputy Doherty will probably leave now after doing so. Good luck to him.

Response of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to Covid-19: Statements (28 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I respect the Deputy and the fact that all Deputies wish to play their part in helping those who are homeless and getting them into emergency accommodation when they need it, but some of the charges he has made do a disservice to those who are working in the sector here in Dublin. Let us be straight about this. I gave very clear direction on 7 December and again on 9 December in writing....

Response of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to Covid-19: Statements (28 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I am trying to be helpful because this is a very serious issue. I am engaging on it every day. If there are any instances, the Deputy needs to bring them to my attention. He has not done so. I ask that he do so. I wonder whether he has picked up the phone to call the outreach teams and bring those instances to their attention. I hope that he has done so. If he has not, I urge him to do...

Response of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to Covid-19: Statements (28 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Since the correspondence was issued on 9 December, I have not received from the Deputy any specific instances where this has occurred. I was made aware of one case last weekend and it was addressed immediately. That was it. I have received nothing since then. I have received nothing from the Deputy. Let us be honest about it. If there are such instances, I am happy to engage with him...

Response of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to Covid-19: Statements (28 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: It is being applied to all providers. We have provided for additional inspectors as well as funding for those inspections to take place. I think the Deputy is aware of that. More inspections need to happen, but the national standards do apply to private hostels as well. I have raised that issue. To clarify what I stated earlier to the Deputy, I am not laying any responsibility on him....

Response of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to Covid-19: Statements (28 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: It is my intention, with colleagues, to roll out another voids programme for 2021. We brought back in more than 3,600 units in 2020 very successfully. We have allocations for this year, and with the construction shutdown, we may put more into that. The Minister of State, Deputy Burke, will answer on wind energy guidelines. I agree with Deputy O'Sullivan on active land management. The...