Results 16,761-16,780 of 26,293 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 439, 446, 455, 463, 485, 492, 502, 520, 538, 545 and 554 together. Under the Serviced Sites Fund (SSF), €310 million has been provided to fund infrastructure to support the delivery of more affordable homes on local authority lands. With a maximum of €50,000 funding available per home, at least 6,200 more affordable homes, to buy or rent, can be...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Home Loan Scheme (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 441, 448, 457, 465, 487, 494, 504, 522, 533, 540, 547 and 556 together. The Housing Agency provides a central support service which assesses applications for the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan on behalf of local authorities and makes recommendations to the authorities to approve or refuse applications. Each local authority must have in place a credit committee...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 443, 450, 459, 466, 489, 496, 506, 524, 535, 542, 549 and 558 together. An initial call for proposals for COVID-19 related voids funding issued to local authorities earlier this year. It was targeted at supporting authorities bring social housing homes back into use quickly to help them deal with Covid-19 restrictions and requirements. I understand that the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The levying and collection of rates are legally matters for each individual local authority. Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes.  An initial three-month waiver of rates for businesses forced to close business due to COVID-19 was announced in early May. In order to enhance the supports available for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commercial Rates (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by the independent Commissioner of Valuation pursuant to the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015. The levying and collection of rates are matters for each individual local authority.  My Department does not hold any...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (30 Jul 2020)

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 Service Acts 1981 and 2003.  My Department supports fire authorities through general policy setting and preparing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department publishes comprehensive statistics on a quarterly basis on all social housing delivery activity under Rebuilding Ireland. This is published on the statistics page of my Department's website, at the following link: . This will provide the Deputy with detailed breakdown of activity across multiple years up to end Q4 2019. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Q1 2020 returns have...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The allocation of homes to households on waiting lists by either Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) or local authorities is a matter for individual local authorities in line with their scheme of housing allocations. My Department supports local authorities to engage with AHBs in the delivery of housing through a wide range of schemes. AHB Delivery under build and acquisitions in the Dublin Region...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department publishes comprehensive statistics on a quarterly basis on all social housing delivery activity under Rebuilding Ireland, including acquisitions. This is published on the statistics page of my Department's website, at the following link: . This will provide the Deputy with detailed breakdown of activity across multiple years up to end Q4 2019.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Data (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department does not hold the specific details requested by the Deputy.  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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department publishes comprehensive statistics on a quarterly basis on all social housing delivery activity under Rebuilding Ireland, including acquisitions and leasing. This is published on the statistics page of my Department's website, at the following link: https://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/social-housing /social-and-affordble/overall-social-housing-provision. This will provide...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government commits to bringing forward a package of social housing reforms, which includes standardising the differential rents regime across the country to ensure fairness.  Work on the review of the current rent schemes has been ongoing and I have asked my Department to prepare recommendations regarding the potential for a standardised local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The new Programme for Government identifies the need to avoid over-concentration of particular housing types in areas, by requiring local authorities to complete housing need and demand assessments to inform delivery of an appropriate mix of housing typologies to cater for the needs of disparate household types and sizes.  Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I assume that the Deputy is referring to completed residential estates that are dependent on Developer Provided Water Services Infrastructure for their water services.   In July 2019, my Department launched the multi-annual Developer-Provided Water Services Infrastructure Resolution Programme 2019-2021.  Bids were sought from local authorities for funding under the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (30 Jul 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 level. In relation to the July Jobs Stimulus Package, capital funding being provided to Irish Water will allow for an acceleration of the leakage reduction programme. This will lead to activity across all 26 counties and allow for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: If a household has been deemed eligible for social housing support, it is a matter for the local authority to examine the suite of social housing supports available, including the HAP scheme, to determine the most appropriate form of social housing support for that household in the administrative area of that local authority.  The determination of entitlement to HAP, including the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payment (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: A landlord or an agent acting on behalf of a landlord is not legally obliged to enter into a tenancy agreement specifically with a HAP recipient. However, on 1 January 2016, the Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2015 introduced “housing assistance” as a new discriminatory ground. This means that discrimination in the provision of accommodation or related service and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (30 Jul 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 local authorities in addressing homelessness at local level.  Local authorities and their NGO service delivery partners work closely with households in emergency accommodation to help them identify and secure a home...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has received correspondence in relation to a number of allegations regarding certain matters in County Wicklow, which is being considered. 

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 481 and 482 together. No funding proposals have been made to my Department in respect of the sites referenced. The advancement of social housing proposals is a matter, in the first instance, for local authorities. I fully support the development of social and affordable housing on publicly-owned land and my Department will work with local...