Results 16,221-16,240 of 26,293 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Accommodation Scheme (21 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the terms of the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS), local authorities retain the responsibility to source alternative accommodation for a household accommodated under the RAS scheme, should the dwelling that the household is living in become unavailable.  In such circumstances, it is a matter for the local authority to secure suitable alternative accommodation for the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (21 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The report referred to by the Deputy was published in 2019.  Since then, the monthly homeless reports published by my Department have confirmed a reduction of 15% in the overall number of individuals, and a reduction of 35% in the overall number of families, experiencing homelessness. Supporting individuals and families experiencing homelessness is a priority for this...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (21 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I have established a Homelessness Task Force, to inter alia, provide a forum for engagement with key organisations working to address homelessness priorities and to provide input on the implementation of the commitments on homelessness in the Programme for Government. The membership of the taskforce consists of the Chief Executives of the Dublin Region Homeless Executive, Crosscare,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (21 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I have established a  High Level Housing Delivery Group, to inter alia, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (21 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: In accordance with the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, housing authorities have statutory responsibility for the assessment of the accommodation needs of Travellers and the preparation, adoption and implementation of multi-annual Traveller Accommodation Programmes in their areas.  My Department’s role is to ensure that there are adequate structures and supports in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Home Loan Scheme (21 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 111 and 112 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). My Department has issued data...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Public Consultation Process (21 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: In order to comply with Ireland’s obligations under the Water Framework Directive, and as signalled in the River Basin Management Plan published in April 2018, the Government recently approved a General Scheme of a Water Environment (Abstractions) Bill, which will introduce risk-based controls over the abstraction of water.  A six-week public consultation on a draft General Scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (21 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department's role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the statutory role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level.    In the context of the current response to COVID-19, my Department is working closely with Dublin Regional Homelessness Executive (DRHE),...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (21 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The regulations for the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme came in to operation on 31 January 2020.  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 only, to carry...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Leases (21 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: In accordance with section 55 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014, a local authority can request the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to provide such information in her possession as the authority may reasonably require for the purpose of performing its functions under the Housing Acts.   This includes provision of information on social...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (20 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I understand that the Deputy is referring in his question to applications for planning permission for rural housing and in particular to applications by members of farming families who do not farm the landholding in which the site of the proposed house is located. Under the Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable Rural Housing 2005, planning authorities are required to frame...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Office of Public Works (20 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Under Call 2 of the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund, which was launched earlier this year, Kildare County Council submitted an application seeking support for the project in question. There were a large number of proposals received under Call 2, with every local authority submitting at least one application. Because of the nature of the URDF programme the proposals are very...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Monuments (20 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I am anxious to have the works to the national monument at Nos. 14 -17 Moore Street completed as soon as possible so that the buildings can be opened to the public to both resonate the mercantile, social and political heritage of the area as a 1916 commemorative quarter and to contribute to the overall rejuvenation of this part of the north inner city. Officials from my Department and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Land Ownership (20 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 263 and 264 together. 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 cases referred to may be obtained by contacting the dedicated e-mail address in respect of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (20 Oct 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 and I have no function in relation to this matter, under section 7 of the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 and therefore the issue of a formal report being sent to my Department does not arise. However, my officials did...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (20 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The remedial options provided for under the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme constitute a material alteration to an existing building. Any works that are beyond the requirements of the current building regulations for existing dwellings, or any works that are not required for or ancillary to the remediation of damage to the dwelling arising out of, or in connection with, the use of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Process (20 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government – Our Shared Future – includes a number of commitments in relation to the modernisation of our electoral registration process including the use of PPSNs to verify identity. The use of the PPSN in the context of the register will contribute to the ability of registration authorities to maintain accurate and complete electoral registers by ensuring...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Commission (20 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The establishment of an Electoral Commission is a key commitment in the Programme for Government - Our Shared Future, with the aim of a Commission being in place by the end of 2021. An Electoral Commission will bring together several electoral functions in an independent, dedicated public body. The Electoral Commission’s establishment is guided by a number of recent reports and public...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commercial Rates (20 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 269 and 290 together. An initial three-month waiver of rates for businesses forced to close business due to COVID-19, was announced in May. In recognition of the fact that not only were many ratepayers forced to close business due to the public health requirements, but also many that remained open suffered significant reductions in turnover, the waiver...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Land Development Agency (20 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: In September 2018, the Land Development Agency was established on an interim basis by statutory instrument under the Local Government Services (Corporate Bodies) Act 1971, as amended, pending the enactment of primary legislation. On enactment, the LDA will be a commercial state body. The LDA has been subject to FOI since March 2019 and deals with all such requests in line with the...