Results 16,881-16,900 of 26,293 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social and Affordable Housing (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Our job is to deliver homes for our people through various mechanisms and that is what we will do. Our focus has to be on driving down homelessness and continuing to focus on accommodation for singles. Approximately 60% of adults who are homeless are single and we do not have enough accommodation for them. That is why I put out a call this week to all local authorities - I assume the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Shared Accommodation (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My views on this matter are well known and I have initiated a review of the scheme. I am bound to do so and that is what I am doing. To put the issue in context, not one co-living development has been built. That said, I am aware of applications that have come in quite recently in the co-living space. I want to make sure, through the review, that there is no impact on or any unintended...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Shared Accommodation (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I am absolutely aware that some permissions have been granted. I looked for detailed figures on this and they show that out of 62,546 homes which were approved up to June this year, 600 were deemed to be shared accommodation. That is the proportion we are talking about. However, the Deputy makes a very fair point that there are applications coming in and permissions have been granted. As...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rental Sector (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: There will be some permanent measures in the Bill I intend to bring before the House next week. They will take effect from 2 August so there will be no gap between them and the current protections. There will be a seamless transition to the new provisions. The session of the Dáil beginning in September will also be important. We will need to work with the joint committee on further...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social and Affordable Housing (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Deputy Paul Murphy asks if someone is just sloganeering. I thank him for his question. I say that in jest and honestly do not mean any disrespect. The programme for Government commits the State to playing a greater part in the provision of affordable and social housing, with a focus on those earning low and middle incomes and the development of sustainable mixed-tenure communities. These...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Policy (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Sometimes the Deputy thinks he has all the answers on these matters but he does not. There are not only two mechanisms to deliver affordable homes. There are other mechanisms that can deliver. I have stated publicly the guide on prices that I want to see. Depending on the type of house in question and the area in which it is, that price would be between €160,000 and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Policy (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: To be fair, if we had moved on the Sinn Féin motion that the Deputy put forward, we would have had an inferior and unworkable affordable housing scheme that would have left more than 40% of those who need affordable housing out of the system on the basis of the arbitrary cap on earnings of €75,000 for a couple.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Policy (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I did not interrupt the Deputy once. The Sinn Féin scheme stated that a couple can apply if their gross earnings are less than €75,000. We are not going to do that.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Policy (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Tá brón orm, but I did not interrupt the Deputy once.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Policy (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Sometimes the Deputy does not like hearing the truth and that is fine. The truth may not suit the Deputy. Let us focus on the issue at hand.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Policy (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I am exercised about this matter. It is a priority for me and has been for a number of years. Others who are now questioning me are late converts to the affordable purchase scheme, including people who voted against affordable purchase just 18 months ago.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Policy (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: What I have said is true and on the record of the House. I would say to the Deputy that the public do not want to see him shouting at me and bickering with me. The public want to see an affordable purchase scheme that will deliver for them. That is what this Government intends to provide. When I have a plan, I will publish it and discuss it in an adult way. I hope that there will be...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rental Sector (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy and assure him that, whether he is on the housing committee or not, I intend to work with any Deputy who brings forward constructive measures on housing. I will absolutely do that. The matter of the composition of committees is for the Whips and the Business Committee. I cannot control it. To answer his specific question, the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004 to 2019...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rental Sector (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: There will be a couple of parts to the Bill that I bring forward. One relates to significant and permanent changes to tenancy protections that will endure beyond the Covid pandemic. We all want to see the pandemic conclude as soon as possible, but it will be with us for a while. I will bring forward other measures, subject to Cabinet approval, and the Bill has not been approved by Cabinet...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Reviews (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for his question. The Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 introduced what the previous Government defined as a new streamlined arrangement to enable planning applications for strategic housing developments, SHDs, of 100 units or more or student or shared accommodation developments of 200 bed spaces or more to be made directly to An Bord...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Reviews (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy. He has been very vocal and active on this issue in his constituency, as well as elsewhere. I have raised concerns publicly about this process. To wind it down now would take as long as it would take for it to expire. I can give the Deputy a firm commitment. Colleagues in my party also raised concerns about this matter on a number of occasions. In the programme for...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Reviews (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I give the Deputy a firm commitment, on my first set of Priority Questions as Minister, in public and in front of colleagues that these provisions will not be extended. We will need to work together on the joint committee on housing, local government and heritage, as it will be constituted, on how we can strengthen resources within our local authorities and planning teams so that we can...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Policy (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy. As he knows, I am committed to putting affordability back at the heart of our housing system through the expansion and acceleration of State-backed affordable housing. Long-term financial sustainability is an important guiding principle to ensure that individuals and families can be helped to secure affordable housing on an ongoing basis. Therefore, the Housing...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rental Sector (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Deputy Ó Broin for raising this important issue. It is important we understand that we deal with any issues that relate to residual debt, particularly, with renters, due to losing jobs or income because of the Covid-19 pandemic. As the Deputy will be aware, tenants are required to pay rent to their landlord during the Covid-19 emergency period and in the event of tenants having...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rental Sector (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: This is going to be an issue and we must base our response on the scientific research. The Deputy mentioned Sinn Féin has carried out research. I am carrying out research through the ESRI and the initial response from that is there has not been a massive increase. However, I take the point it is in the first three months and we have got to watch that. Measures like the PUP and...