Results 15,921-15,940 of 26,290 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The regeneration of Poolbeg West is the next important step in transforming the Docklands area, given its strategic location east of Grand Canal Dock, with close proximity to important bridge connections to Dublin Port and North Lotts. The residential potential within the available lands is for a maximum of 3,500 additional residential units. National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) is the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 109 and 124 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. The 2011 Regulations prescribe maximum net income...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Buy and Renew scheme supports local authorities in purchasing and renovating homes in need of repair which can then be made available for social housing use. The initiative particularly focuses on older, vacant homes to help tackle vacancy and dereliction. Since its introduction, local authorities have delivered some 600 additional social homes through the scheme. The scheme provides...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Under Call 1 of the Urban Regeneration and Development Kerry County Council was initially allocated €2,256,700 in respect of public realm works in Tralee Town Centre. The advancement of this URDF supported project is, in the first instance, a matter for Kerry County Council.However, my Department is in regular contact with the Council regarding this important project. The Council has...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Derelict Sites (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department can provide full funding to local authorities for sites on which they bring forward suitable new social housing construction projects, including sites acquired by compulsory purchase orders. I am keen to see our local authorities expand their ownership of suitable sites for new social housing and with the record funding levels we have secured for new social housing delivery in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Septic Tanks (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Following on from the recommendations contained in the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services report in April 2017, a Working Group was established to conduct a review of the wider investment needs relating to the rural water services. As part of its work, the Working Group recommended a number of revisions to the existing grant scheme that provided...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Constitutional Amendments (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government provides that the Government will refer the issue of the environment, including water, and its place in the Constitution, to a relevant Joint Oireachtas Committee for consideration. I and my Department will engage with the relevant Committee when work proceeds on this issue.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: As an initiative of the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) is primarily designed to fund the provision of public off-site infrastructure to relieve critical infrastructure blockages and enable housing developments to be built on key sites at scale. In 2018, 30 projects received final LIHAF approval and the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Oversight and practical 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: Social and Affordable Housing (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Galway Social Housing Taskforce is continuing its work in line with its terms of reference, with five meetings to date in 2020. The Galway Councils have a combined target of just over 2,000 social housing homes to be delivered through build, acquisitions and leasing in the period 2018 to 2021. The work of the Taskforce confirms that the Councils remain strongly committed to improving and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Irish Water (24 Nov 2020)

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 in accordance with Section 7 of the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013. This includes the connection of newly built residential developments to the water services network, including Irish Water's protocols pertaining to the use...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks in Construction (Remediation) (Financial Assistance) Regulations 2020 provide for a grant scheme of financial assistance to support affected homeowners in the counties of Donegal and Mayo, to carry out the necessary remediation works to dwellings that have been damaged due to the use of defective concrete blocks. The regulations...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government makes clear our commitments to provide measures for good-quality housing to purchase or rent at an affordable price. To this end, in providing Capital funding of €468 million, Budget 2021 made clear our intentions to deliver on these commitments and outlined our plans to cover affordability measures including: 1. €110 million which will be...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Public Procurement Contracts (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: In accordance with Circular 40/2002, issued by the Department of Finance, my Department completes an annual return in respect of contracts above a €25,000 threshold which have been awarded without a competitive process. These returns are submitted annually to the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General as part of the Appropriation Account process and include contracts awarded...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Process (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department made six applications to waive pre-legistive scrutiny of primary legislation since 1 January 2017. Details and outcomes of the applications are provided in the attached table. ">Table on Legislative Process

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Staff (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Data Protection Officer in my Department is at Assistant Principal level.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme (24 Nov 2020)

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: Residential Tenancies Board (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2020 regulates the landlord-tenant relationship in the rented residential sector and sets out the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants. The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as an independent statutory body under the Act to operate a national tenancy registration system and to resolve disputes between landlords and tenants. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government commits to increasing the social housing stock by more than 50,000, with an emphasis on new builds. In 2021, the total funding being made available for the delivery of housing programmes is €3.3bn. This includes funding to deliver 12,750 social homes through build, acquisition and leasing. A major focus of this investment is the delivery of new build,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Tribunals of Inquiry (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is not undertaking nor in the process of setting up any Tribunals or Inquiries. Following an investigation, a report is being compiled into the alleged role, if any, of Dublin City Council regarding payments made to certain individuals for the purpose of facilitating the protection of social housing developments in Ballyfermot/Cherry Orchard, Dublin 10, against anti-social...