Results 16,401-16,420 of 26,293 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Act 2020 provided for a temporary moratorium on tenancy terminations, other than in exceptional and limited cases, and on all increases in rent during the emergency period from 27 March to 1 August 2020. The emergency measures aimed to urgently assist in restricting the movement of people to suppress the spread of Covid-19 and applied...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Postal Voting (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Postal voting is provided for in electoral law in respect of a number of categories of electors, including: - - Irish diplomats serving abroad and their spouses/civil partners, - whole-time members of the Defence Forces, - members of An Garda Síochána, - electors living at home who are unable to vote because of a physical illness or a physical disability, - certain election staff...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Regeneration Projects (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The detailed advancement of housing and other works under the Limerick Regeneration programme is a matter in the first instance for Limerick City and County Council. The Limerick Regeneration Framework Implementation Plan (LRFIP) published in 2013, heralded a move away from demolitions and towards a prioritisation of the refurbishment option along with the delivery of some targeted, high...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Protection (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 320, 322, 329, 330 and 361 together. Neither I nor my Department has any plans to undertake a cull of seals, nor would I agree to it. Both species of seal in Irish waters - the Harbour or Common Seal and the more numerous Grey Seal - are protected under the EU Habitats Directive. Ireland is obliged to maintain their populations at favourable conservation...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable Rural Housing 2005, planning authorities are required to frame the planning policies in their development plans in a balanced and measured way that ensures the housing needs of rural communities are met, while avoiding excessive urban-generated housing. The National Planning Framework (the NPF) provides an important strategic...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: River Basin Management Plans (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department recognises the positive role that farming can play in managing and restoring biodiversity. The National Parks and Wildlife Service Farm Plan Scheme operates nationally, targeting various habitats and species by working proactively with farmers. While there is no specific ‘Shannon Callows Farm Plan Scheme’, a number of farmers in the Shannon Callows have...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Land Issues (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I am advised that with regard to the description of registered land on the current Property Registration Authority map and also for all registrations mapped on historical 25” Ordnance Survey maps predating the digitisation of the map record, Section 85 of the Registration of Title Act 1964, as amended by Section 62 of the Registration of Deeds and Title Act 2006, provides as follows: ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Under Call 2 of the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF), seventy six proposals were received, with every local authority submitting at least one application for URDF support. Dublin City Council submitted four applications, including the proposal for Clongriffin/Belmayne. Because of the nature of the URDF programme the proposals are very complex, and each will require detailed...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Emergency Accommodation (6 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. My Department does not fund any homeless service directly but provides funding to housing authorities towards these costs. Under the funding arrangements, housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: EU Directives (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: No fines have been issued to the State in relation to conservation of the Irish hare or under the Habitats Directive, in that respect.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Data (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: 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 requests for the first two quarters of 2020 and figures for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: In light of the temporary ‘stay at home’ measures introduced earlier this year in response to the Covid-19 emergency, the Government, on 29 March 2020, made an Order under section 251A of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the 2000 Act) which resulted in the extension of time for a range of specified or appropriate periods and timelines in the Planning Acts and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Officials of the National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department are actively continuing with their criminal investigations into this concerning and very serious incident. There are no further updates since the matter was last raised in the House.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: To date in 2020, two of the six National Parks were affected by significant illegal fires. These were Killarney National Parkand Wicklow Mountains National Park. Significant environmental damage is caused by wildfires and the setting of such fires is particularly irresponsible during 2020 as it creates an unnecessary draw on our emergency services. While the primary responsibility in terms of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (6 Oct 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: Local Authority Housing (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 gives legislative recognition to rental accommodation availability agreements, which underpin the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS), as a form of social housing support. Consequently, since 1 April 2011, RAS tenants are now considered to be in receipt of social housing support and should not generally remain on main housing waiting lists for new...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rent Pressure Zones (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Section 24A(6) of the Residential Tenancies Acts provides that ‘Where a local electoral area is prescribed by order as an RPZ and, subsequently, any local electoral areas are duly amended in a manner that affects the area of the local electoral area so prescribed, then the order shall continue to have effect as if the local electoral area concerned had not been so amended.’...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has operated an Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme for local authority social housing since 2013. The programme improves the insulation standards and overall energy performance of local authority housing stock, which can benefit those at risk of fuel poverty and also improve the health and comfort of the occupants of local authority homes. The programme is open to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Gaeltacht Policy (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 338 and 339 together. Under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 as amended, a planning authority must notify the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (currently the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts , Gaeltacht, Sports and Media) and Údarás na Gaeltachta, to invite their views in relation to planning...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: EU Directives (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Fines have arisen in relation to two cases that involved transposition issues and the details of these cases are set out in the following table: Year Case Ref. Directive Details of Fine Amount Payment Details 2013 C-374/11 Council Directive 75/442/EEC of 15 July 1975, as amended €2...