Results 15,541-15,560 of 26,245 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government - Our Shared Future contains a commitment to realise our outstanding target of 10% marine protected area (MPA) coverage in Ireland's waters as soon as is practicable, aiming for 30% by 2030. In this regard the Government has also committed in the Programme for Government to deliver comprehensive legislation for the identification, designation and management of...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 230 and 233 together. Increasing the supply of housing, particularly new build social and affordable is a priority for my Department. The Programme for Government commits to increasing the social housing stock by more than 50,000, with an emphasis on new builds. In Budget 2021, we backed this objective with funding of €3.3 billion for the delivery...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (20 Jan 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Home Loan Scheme (20 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The costs my Department incurred in relation to the communication related costs arising from the Rebuilding Ireland plan, including the website, social media account, events, publications and other related matters are set out in the following table. Year € 2016 €38,900.00 Rebuilding Ireland. The photography costs...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Public Private Partnerships (20 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: As the Deputy will be aware, the Public Sector Benchmark (PSB) is an essential part of any PPP project. It contains commercially sensitive information in relation to the methodology used for costing public sector projects and for the pricing of risks by public sector bodies. In accordance with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform guidelines (Guidelines for the use of Public Private...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I have established a Homelessness Task Force, to provide a forum for engagement with key organisations working together to address homelessness and to provide input on the implementation of the commitments on homelessness in the Programme for Government. The Group has met on eight occasions to date, on the 13th, 20th and 27th of July, on the 14th and 21st of September, and on October...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I have established a High Level Housing Delivery Group to provide a forum for engagement with key housing delivery partners and to provide input on the implementation of the commitments on housing delivery in the Programme for Government. The membership of the Group consists of representatives from the City and County Management Association, the Housing Agency, the Housing Delivery...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Housing First enables homeless individuals with high levels of complex needs to obtain permanent secure accommodation with the provision of intensive housing and health supports to help the individuals concerned maintain their tenancies. The National Implementation Plan for Housing First was published in September 2018. The Plan includes an overall target of 663 tenancies in the period...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Home Loan Scheme (20 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan, is targeted at first time buyers who wish to own their own home, have access to an adequate deposit and have the capacity to repay a mortgage, but who are unable to access a mortgage sufficient for them to purchase their first home. The Housing Agency provides a central support service which assesses applications for the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan on...

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

Darragh O'Brien: It is important to note that, rather than directly funding the construction costs of affordable homes, Serviced Site grant funding is provided to support the cost of infrastructure that will facilitate affordable housing provision on local authority lands. The timeframe for the delivery of such projects entails the detailed design, consultation, planning, procurement and construction...

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

Darragh O'Brien: To date, my Department has issued two Serviced Sites Fund (SSF) calls for proposals to local authorities. Funding of almost €170 million has been approved in principle in support of 37 infrastructure projects in 14 local authority areas, which will assist in the delivery of almost 3,600 more affordable homes. Details of 35 SSF projects which received approval in principle under the two...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has provided funding support to local authorities under the Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme since 2013 and this will continue in 2021. Budget 2021 has provided significantly increased funding support of €65 million for a newly revised Energy Efficiency Programme. The new programme has been designed to ensure delivery on the Programme for Government commitment...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Reviews of Dáil and European Parliament constituencies are linked to the publication of Census of Population data. In effect, the publication of preliminary census results triggers the establishment of a Constituency Commission under section 5(1) of the Electoral Act 1997 with the Commission required to present its report on Dáil and European Parliament constituencies to the...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department understands from the Irish Coursing Club (ICC) that all hares which had been held in captivity by clubs affiliated to the ICC were released back into the wild in November 2020 on foot of a request to the ICC to do so. I understand that some hares netted in late December may remain in captivity. The National Parks and Wildlife Service are currently monitoring that situation,...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. Issues in relation to the costs of the project referred to in the question and the allocation of funding towards the project are matter for Irish Water. As part of Budget 2021, I secured funding of over €1.4...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (20 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The number of staff recruited for the National Parks and Wildlife Service in the grades requested for the years 2018 to 2020 are set out in the table below. 2018 1 Head of Ecological Assessment 2 Wildlife Inspectors Grade 2 8 Ecologists/Wildlife Inspectors Grade 3 2 District Conservation Officers 2019 1 Ecological Data Manager 1 Wildlife...

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

Darragh O'Brien: In 2021, a total of €75 million is available for the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability Scheme, in respect of private houses. This is made up of €60 million Exchequer funding, with the balance of €15 million in local authority contributions. The suite of grants include the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability, the...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the very stressful circumstances which the owners and residents of buildings face when defects occur in their homes. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Pyrite Remediation Programme (14 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The table below shows the annual expenditure of the Pyrite Remediation Scheme and the associated number of dwellings remediated since 2014.  In addition, it contains the budget allocation and estimates for 2021. Year Annual Expenditure €m Number of dwellings remediated under the Pyrite Remediation Scheme ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (14 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The refurbishment of Priory Hall is being undertaken in a number of phases with 188 residential units and 4 Retail units in total being refurbished. The overall work scope relates to the extensive remediation of the residential and retail units, and extensive basement remediation including pyrite works. While the full costs of the remediation have yet to be finalised Dublin City...