Results 15,601-15,620 of 26,245 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (13 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Increasing the supply of housing 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 build homes.  Budget 2021 provided €3.3 billion for the delivery of housing.  The available funding will deliver 12,750 new social homes through build, acquisition and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Stations (13 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Acts, 1981 and 2003. My Department supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a central...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Home Loan Scheme (13 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Rebuilding Ireland Home Loans (RIHL) are provided in accordance with the Housing (Rebuilding Ireland Home Loans) Regulations 2018 and the statutory credit policy issued in accordance with the Regulations. The RIHL is available for self-builds and therefore persons in the very early stages of construction are not precluded from accessing the RIHL. However, given the greater complexity of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Covid-19 Pandemic (13 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department engaged consultancy services to support the carrying out of COVID-19 risk assessments, revision of the Department's Safety Statement and standard operating procedures for field-based staff. My Department engaged external service providers (not consultants) to support COVID-related work across a number of areas, including COVID-19 specific training; co-development of the...

Seanad: Planning and Development, and Residential Tenancies, Bill 2020: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (17 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Gabhaim buíochas leis na Seanadóirí. Táim lán-sásta a bheith ar ais sa Seanad inniu. This is an important Bill, which I initiated in the Seanad. I was grateful for the co-operation of colleagues in allowing this Bill to pass the Dáil without dissent yesterday evening, following protracted discussions and debate. This legislation is about strengthening...

Seanad: Planning and Development, and Residential Tenancies, Bill 2020: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (17 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: We are dealing with group 1, amendments Nos. 1 to 9, inclusive, and amendment No. 18. These amendments have been passed by the Dáil. We are not dealing with Senators' amendments yet.

Seanad: Planning and Development, and Residential Tenancies, Bill 2020: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (17 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I will explain. This Bill was introduced in the Seanad and has been amended in the Dáil. I have to report to the Seanad on the Dáil amendments. Group 1 includes amendments Nos. 1 to 9, inclusive, and amendment No. 18. These are not the Senators' amendments, but those passed by the Dáil. They are all pretty technical and concern matters such as changes to the Title. The...

Seanad: Planning and Development, and Residential Tenancies, Bill 2020: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (17 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: This grouping, group 2, deals with three Government amendments passed by the Dáil, which I must read into the record here. There is an Opposition amendment within the grouping from Senator Warfield, namely, amendment No. 1. The Planning and Development Act 2000 and regulations were amended following a 2008 decision by the Court of Justice for the European Union, CJEU, in the case...

Seanad: Planning and Development, and Residential Tenancies, Bill 2020: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (17 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: When will Senators vote on the amendments?

Seanad: Planning and Development, and Residential Tenancies, Bill 2020: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (17 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I will abide by the Leas-Chathaoirleach's ruling. The amendments are not being moved as we go along.

Seanad: Planning and Development, and Residential Tenancies, Bill 2020: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (17 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: They will all be moved later. That is fine.

Seanad: Planning and Development, and Residential Tenancies, Bill 2020: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (17 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I will do so but I wish to respond to Senator Warfield briefly first. I will not be accepting his amendment for the reasons outlined already. I know that Senator Warfield agrees that it is imperative that we deal with the issue of substitute consent. As Minister, I have used the first opportunity presented to me, which is this Bill, to try to deal with the issue as expeditiously as...

Seanad: Planning and Development, and Residential Tenancies, Bill 2020: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (17 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Senators for their responses. Senator Seery Kearny is 100% correct that this requires two pieces of paper to be downloaded. We sent out 450,000 letters and engaged in radio communications on the new tenancy rights and protections. Threshold is part of the homelessness task force, which I chair, and has met the RTB on this issue. The new system is working well. I will quickly...

Seanad: Planning and Development, and Residential Tenancies, Bill 2020: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (17 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I will address these amendments as quickly as I can. As Senator Warfield mentioned previously, the legislation we are amending is of quite a technical nature. It is important that Senators are clear on what we are doing. Amendment No. 15 inserts section 11 into the Bill to provide for circumstances in which Part 3 shall not apply, including where a landlord makes a counter-declaration to...

Seanad: Planning and Development, and Residential Tenancies, Bill 2020: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (17 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: No. I will move to the next section if the Acting Chairman wishes.

Seanad: Planning and Development, and Residential Tenancies, Bill 2020: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (17 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Amendments Nos. 16 and 17 are Government amendments from the Dáil. Amendment No. 16 inserts sections 10 and 11 in the Bill. Section 10 provides that a notice of termination grounded on rent arrears and served during the emergency period shall not specify a termination date earlier than 13 April 2021 and shall give 90 days’ notice, rather than the usual 28 days. The position for...

Seanad: Planning and Development, and Residential Tenancies, Bill 2020: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (17 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I appreciate what Senator Warfield has said. Have we one more group?

Seanad: Planning and Development, and Residential Tenancies, Bill 2020: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (17 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Amendment No. 19 inserts section 16 into the Bill to provide that the RTB tenancy tribunals are not required to be held in public in the period to 12 April 2021. We have covered most of this, to be fair. Section 16 of the Bill amends section 106 of the Residential Tenancies Act in this regard. The amendment is modelled on similar provisions: section 7 of the Emergency Measures in the...

Seanad: Planning and Development, and Residential Tenancies, Bill 2020: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (17 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank all the Senators on all sides for their engagement. I am aware of their genuine interest in tenants' rights, housing and the importance of protecting those most at risk during Covid-19. I thank the Senators for their engagement at an early stage on this Bill. I initiated this legislation in the Seanad. We had to add to it substantially, which we did not necessarily envisage at...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Property Registration (17 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: In relation to any specific cases with the Property Registration Authority (PRA), arrangements have been put in place to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. Further information in relation to the specific case referred to may be obtained by contacting the dedicated e-mail address in respect of the PRA at reps@prai.ie.