Results 15,801-15,820 of 26,290 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: An Bord Pleanála (8 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: An Bord Pleanála was established in 1977 under the Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1976 and is an independent statutory body with responsibility for the determination of planning appeals and direct applications for proposed strategic infrastructure including strategic housing development and other matters under the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (8 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The regulations governing the minimum standards in rented accommodation - The Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 - specify requirements in relation to a range of matters, such as structural condition, sanitary facilities, food preparation, storage and laundry, the availability of adequate heating, lighting and ventilation, the safety of oil, electricity and gas...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (8 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The ‘15 minute city’ has gained prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic.  The idea of the 15 minute city has been championed by the Paris mayor, Anne Hidalgo, to promote communities in which people can live and access most of their daily needs within 15 minutes of active transport, i.e. walking or cycling.  This approach has been interpreted within the Regional Spatial...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Staff (8 Dec 2020)

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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Covid-19 Pandemic (8 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department will ensure that all the requirements of the Work Safely Protocol issued 20 November 2020, are implemented, as appropriate, with particular reference to the contents of section D3 of that Protocol. My Department has introduced a COVID-19 Response Plan which was formulated after extensive consultation with all staff, including Lead Worker Representatives. This plan...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (3 Dec 2020)

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: Social and Affordable Housing (3 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Oversight and management of housing waiting lists is a matter for the relevant local authority in accordance with the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, and associated regulations. Specifically, section 63(3) of the Local Government Act 2001 provides that, subject to law, a local authority is independent in the performance of its functions. Section 22 of the Housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Data Protection (3 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has not been the subject of any investigation by the Data Protection Commission during the period in question.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (3 Dec 2020)

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 with...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Environmental Regulations (2 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The European Union (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations, SI No. 605 of 2017, as amended, sets out the requirements for farmers in the current Nitrates Action Programme (NAP). This includes measures that must be undertaken by farmers at various grassland stocking rates. In partnership with the Minister For Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Home Loan Scheme (2 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan scheme remains open for business. All local authorities are receiving and processing RIHL applications and are incorporating increased flexibility to accommodate applicants during the COVID 19 Pandemic. As is the case with any lender, local authorities must lend mortgages on a prudent basis, taking into account the most recent income and employment data...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (1 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 268, 280, 290 and 299 together. I have indicated in a circular letter dated 23rdNovember 2020 to all local authorities, An Bord Pleanála and the Office of the Planning Regulator, that my preferred approach is to restrict commercial co-living development, through an update of the Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New Apartments, Guidelines...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Referendum Campaigns (1 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 270 to 272, inclusive, together. As I outlined to the House on the 6thOctober last, the commitments in relation to Constitutional reform in the Programme for Government provide for the holding of a referendum on housing. My Department has begun the initial work on scoping the complex issues involved and will in due course make recommendations on how we might...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Approved Housing Bodies (1 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) are making and continue to make important contribution to social housing delivery. My Department and local authorities administer a number of funding programmes to assist AHBs with the cost of building, buying and leasing new social houses, including turnkeys. All funding is conditional on the properties being made available to households on local authority...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (1 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The 1,400 affordable units referred to in the Question relate to the 10 projects that were granted approval in principle under the first Serviced Sites Fund (SSF) call. There have been two SSF Calls for Applications to date and details of all SSF projects that received approval in principle under these calls, and the number of more affordable homes whose delivery will be supported by SSF...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Data (1 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department publishes a detailed monthly report on homelessness, based on data provided by housing authorities. The Report outlines details of individuals utilising State-funded emergency accommodation arrangements that are overseen by housing authorities. The Reports are available on my Department's website at the following link: . Under the Housing Act 1988 it is a matter for each local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Disabilities Data (1 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 276 and 277 together. People with disabilities may apply to local authorities for any of the housing supports available, including Housing Assistance Payment (HAP). The information sought in relation to the number of persons with disabilities that are in receipt of HAP, and the number of HAP units that have been assessed for accessibility is not held by my...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Approved Housing Bodies (1 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government 'Our Shared Future' commits the Government to the development of a new Cost Rental housing sector in Ireland, in which the rents charged will only cover the costs of delivering, managing, and maintaining the homes. Work is underway to deliver Cost Rental housing, with State support, through a number of delivery pathways, utilising the expertise of Local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Public Procurement Contracts (1 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Oscar Traynor Road residential project had reached a very advanced stage with the selection of a preferred bidder. The projected encompassed 853 homes with a mix of tenures. A key part of the Public Procurement process was the transfer of the City Council land to the preferred bidder to allow it to progress to finance the project, obtain planning permission and construct the development....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (1 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the very stressful circumstances which owners and residents face when their homes are affected by construction defects. In general, building defects are matters for resolution between the contracting parties involved, the homeowner, the builder, the developer and/or their respective insurers, structural guarantee or warranty scheme. Under the...