Results 15,501-15,520 of 26,245 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homelessness Strategy (27 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 357 and 358 together. 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 local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless services rests with individual housing authorities....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Covid-19 Pandemic (27 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department monitors expenditure and anticipated expenditure on an ongoing basis. In terms of any potential long-term impact of Covid-19 on programmes, policies and strategies and budgets these will be addressed in conjunction with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform as part of the annual budgetary process.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Issues (27 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department currently provides Exchequer funding for a number of grant schemes in respect of privately owned housing. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Disability Act Employment Targets (27 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the Disability Act 2005, public service bodies have a duty to promote and support the employment of people with disabilities and to ensure that at least 3% of their employees are people with disabilities. In addition the Department has a statutory requirement to maintain accurate records on the number of staff with disabilities in the Department. To meet this requirement, on an annual...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Appointments to State Boards (27 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 363 and 364 together. Since the formation of the Government, the following appointments have been made to State bodies which fall under the aegis of my Department. State Body No. of Appointments Associated Fee Docklands Oversight and Consultative Forum 22 Nil Ervia 1 Nil ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Covid-19 Pandemic (27 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 365 and 366 together. In 2020, my Department spent €192,907 on public information material as part of the Government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This related to the printing and translation, including into braille and sign language, of an information brochure on the Community Call initiative which was delivered to every home, and the design of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (21 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 124, 125 and 136 together. In December last, the Government approved the priority drafting of the Affordable Housing Bill 2020, which will provide a legislative basis for a number of new affordable housing measures, one of which is the Affordable Purchase Shared Equity Scheme. Once enacted, the Bill will deliver on key affordability commitments in the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (21 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 126 and 131 together. 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. Under the Household Means Policy (HMP),...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payment (21 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is funded through a combination of Exchequer funding and tenant differential rents collected in respect of HAP tenancies. Limerick City and County Council provides a highly effective HAP transactional shared service on behalf of all local authorities. The HAP Shared Services Centre (SSC) manages all HAP related rental transactions for the tenant, local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (21 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 128 and 129 together. The relevant details are being compiled and will be provided to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (21 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: In general terms, a person who has been discharged from bankruptcy and is eligible in all other respects for a Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan, including being a first-time buyer, may apply for a loan and will be subject to the same credit assessment process that applies to all applicants. Applicants for the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan must be of good credit standing; have a satisfactory...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme (21 Jan 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: Property Registration Authority (21 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The current number of staff employed by the Property Registration Authority (PRA) is 571, representing 528.36 full-time equivalents. On foot of the restrictions introduced by the Government on 30 December 2020, the PRA has implemented its Business Continuity Plan Level 5 response for the continued provision of essential services. The PRA is operating a high level of service at a reduced...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Issues (21 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The oversight and practical management of social housing waiting lists, including the allocation and transfer of tenancies, is a matter for the relevant local authority in accordance with the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, and associated regulations. Section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 requires all local authorities, as a reserved function, to make...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (21 Jan 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: Local Authority Housing (21 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 141, 143 and 146 together. My Department has published the Quarter 3 2020 Social Housing Construction Status Report, which provides details of all social housing developments under construction in each local authority. The report is available at the following link: . The data for Quarter 4 2020 is being compiled and the report will be published as soon as...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Home Loan Scheme (21 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 142 and 144 together. My Department publishes information on the overall number and value of (i) local authority loan approvals and (ii) local authority loan drawdowns. Local authority approval means that an official letter of offer has been sent to a borrower and therefore relates to a specific property and loan amount. Figures for 2019 and the first two...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (21 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The full range of infrastructural requirements, provision and plans within each local authority is broad and cuts across numerous Government Department's and public bodies and is dynamic. The most up to date and detailed information would be available in each local authority. Where local authorities have identified particular infrastructure shortfalls that may provide an impediment to the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (21 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is focused on ensuring that existing housing stock is utilised to its fullest extent including a targeted, effective and co-ordinated approach to identifying and tackling vacancy across Ireland. In that context, there are a range of measures to assist in meeting housing needs by ensuring that our existing housing stock is used to the greatest extent possible. The , published in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: State Bodies (20 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: On 1 January 2018, Ministerial Orders (SI 573 of 2017, SI 574 of 2017 and SI 575 of 2017) transferred responsibility for the Valuation Office, the Property Registration Authority and Ordnance Survey Ireland to my Department. These three organisations have been preparing for a merger that will provide the opportunity and scope to lead, develop and maintain national spatial information...