Results 16,801-16,820 of 26,293 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Development Management Guidelines: Guidelines for Planning Authorities, which issued in June 2007, are currently being reviewed by my Department.  This review is aimed at further enhancing best practice for all parties involved in the development management process i.e. planning authorities, applicants, agents and the wider public who interact with the planning process. It further...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The information requested by the Deputy is currently being compiled and will be forwarded to him in accordance with Standing Orders. 

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

Darragh O'Brien: Both the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, hold responsibilities in relation to the regulation of developments in the foreshore. The appropriate Minister may grant a lease or a licence in respect state-owned foreshore, where it is in the public interest to do so. Regulation of boats does not come within my remit as...

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

Darragh O'Brien: There is a strong and clear commitment in the Programme for Government to increase our social housing stock by over 50,000 over the next five years with an increasing emphasis on homes being built by local authorities, approved housing bodies and State agencies. The Programme for Government also commits us to progressing a State-backed affordable home purchase scheme....

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

Darragh O'Brien: To support the costs associated with its intended construction of a Naas Inner Relief Road, in October 2017 Kildare County Council was approved for exchequer grant funding of up to €4,500,000 under the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF).  LIHAF funding supports the provision of infrastructure to facilitate residential land banks and allow for the delivery of...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department currently has no funding allocated or project agreement in place with Kildare County Council to facilitate an inner and outer relief road or a second bypass bridge in Celbridge. Overall responsibility for roads policy and funding is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Service (29 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: As previously advised in response to Parliamentary Question No. 1193 of 3 June 2020, I have no objection, in principle, to the recommendation of the Workplace Relations Commission to increase the retirement age of retained firefighters from 58 to 60 years of age.  However, such an increase would require, inter alia, the amendment of primary legislation, namely, the Public Service...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Horticulture Sector (29 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I am aware of the recent Supreme Court judgment to which the Question refers, concerning the leave to apply for substitute consent system under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and its compatibility with the EU Environmental Impact Assessment Directive. The judgment and its implications for the planning system are currently being examined by my Department, in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Issues (29 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 143 and 144 together. The Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, commits to improving security and affordability for renters. To achieve that, we will develop a Cost Rental model for delivery of housing that creates affordability for tenants and a sustainable model for construction and management of homes. Cost Rental is housing where the rents charged...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Freedom of Information (29 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Thirteen freedom of information requests are currently being processed in my Department. Two of these have had the deadline for reply extended; one formally, in accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act due to the volume of records involved and one informally, by agreement with the requester. No requests are therefore overdue.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Service (29 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 146 and 147 together. Over the course of 2014/ 2015, an External Validation Group (EVG) commissioned by the Management Board of the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM), visited each of the 27 fire services in the country. External validation was a new feedback/ review process, introduced by the “Keeping Communities...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (29 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Following engagement at sectoral level with local authorities regarding the nationwide voids programme under the July stimulus the call for detailed proposals will issue imminently to individual local authorities.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Irish Water (29 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 levels. In relation to the July Jobs Stimulus Package, the additional capital funding is to be provided to Irish Water to will allow for an acceleration of the leakage reduction programme. Funding for the leakage reduction...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant (29 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Details of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, up to 2018, are available on my Department's website at the following link: . The following table contains details of the exchequer funding drawn down by local authorities for the grants up to 31 December 2019, and up to 30 June 2020. Each local authority provides an additional 20% own contribution. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant (29 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability currently provides up to 95% grant funding under the Scheme. The Scheme facilitates older people and people with a disability to remain living independently in their own homes. Funding of €73.75 million is available nationally in 2020 and has been increasing year on year since 2014. As part of the annual...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (29 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 152, 156, 160 and 164 together. In terms of measures taken by my Department to assist local authorities with the financial challenges they are experiencing since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, as a short term measure €136 million was made available to local authorities as cash flow support in early April, in order to ensure that vital...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (29 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the Serviced Sites Fund (SSF), €310 million has been allocated to provide 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 facilitated. To date, Serviced Sites Funding of €127 million has been approved in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (29 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 154 and 162 together. Details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority area is provided in the annual statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA). The purpose of the SSHA is to capture the total number of households qualified for social housing support across the country whose social housing need has...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Home Loan Scheme (29 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: 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 and it is a matter for the committee to make the decision on applications for loans, in accordance with...