Results 16,961-16,980 of 26,293 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable Rural Housing2005, 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, particularly in those areas near cities and towns that are under pressure from...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Emergency Accommodation (23 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 role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at the local level. My Department does not provide funding for services directly but provides funding to housing authorities towards the operational costs of providing emergency...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Rates (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 141 and 142 together. 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. In order to support the local government sector, my Department continues to keep local authority income, expenditure and cash...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: This Government is absolutely committed to ensuring that affordable, quality housing solutions are available to everyone in Irish society, and this is reflected in the Programme for Government, Our Shared Future. We will put affordability at the heart of the housing system through the progression of State-backed affordable housing. Affordable Purchase and Cost Rental homes will be delivered...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing First enables individuals who have been rough sleeping or have been long term users of emergency accommodation, with high levels of complex needs, to obtain permanent secure accommodation with the provision of intensive housing and health supports to assist them to maintain their tenancies. The National Implementation Plan for Housing First was published in September 2018. The Plan...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (22 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: With effect from 27 March 2020, under new emergency measures introduced into law to protect tenants during the COVID-19 emergency period, tenants cannot be forced to leave their rental accommodation, other than in exceptional circumstances. The measures also prohibit any increase to rent for the duration of the emergency period. These emergency laws initially applied for a period of 3 months...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (22 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act), all development, unless specifically exempted under the Act or associated Regulations, requires planning permission. Section 4 of the Act and Schedule 2 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended, set out various exemptions from the requirement to obtain planning permission. Any such exemptions are subject...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (22 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act), all development, unless specifically exempted under the Act or associated Regulations, requires planning permission. Section 4 of the Act and Article 6 and Schedule 2 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended (the Regulations) set out in more detail the various exemptions from the requirement to obtain...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (22 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The projects currently planned or underway by Irish Water to ensure compliance with the Directive referred to by the Deputy are Shannon Town, Cobh, Mallow, Ringsend, Fermoy, Enfield, Middleton, Cork City, Roscommon Town, Arklow, Athlone and Enniscorthy. As Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: River Basin Management Plans (22 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is currently preparing the third River Basin Management Plan (RBMP) for Ireland to cover the period 2021-2027. Building on work during the second cycle, this plan will describe the main pressures and activities affecting water status, set out the environmental objectives to be achieved up to 2027 and identify the measures needed to achieve these objectives. My Department is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wind Energy Guidelines (22 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is currently working in conjunction with the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, who are leading the development of the provisions specific to Offshore Renewable Energy, to further develop the Marine Planning and Development Management Bill. The finalised General Scheme for the Marine Planning and Development Management Bill was published by my...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Environmental Policy (22 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government - Our Shared Future - contains a commitment to realise Ireland's outstanding target of 10% marine protected areas (MPAs) as soon as practical and to aim for 30% MPAs by 2030. This commitment will advance the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the National Biodiversity Action Plan (2017 - 2021) while supporting the principles and ambition...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Rates (22 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. On 2 May 2020, a waiver of commercial rates was announced to all businesses that have been forced to close due to public health requirements, from 27 March 2020, for a three-month...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (22 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 137 and 142 together. Cost Rental rents cover the cost of delivering, managing, and maintaining the homes only. Therefore the rents for Cost Rental units will be directly linked to the overall cost of each development, and will vary according to the site and design specifics. Value engineering with long-term maintenance in mind can put downward pressure on...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Home Loan Scheme (22 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing (Rebuilding Ireland Home Loans) Regulations (S.I. No 25 of 2018) provide that the loan provided cannot exceed 90% of the market value of the property. The credit assessment is the same for all Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan applicants, whether they are purchasing a home on the private market or a home under the incremental purchase scheme. The final decision on loan approval is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Land Development Agency (22 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Currently the LDA has access to an initial tranche of 9 sites across the country that have near term delivery potential for 3,600 new homes. Details of the current status of these sites are set out in the table below. Update on LDA sites Location Size Projected number of units Status Partners Shanganagh, Dublin 17.8 acres ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Members (22 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: As a result of feedback from local authority elected members and their representative associations regarding their current remuneration regime, Ms Sara Moorhead SC was commissioned in June 2018 to carry out a review of the role and remuneration of local authority elected members. During the course of the review a survey was carried out of all local authority elected members. Ms Moorhead also...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (22 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Cost Rental Working Group was convened in 2019 in order to assess methods for the consistent and sustainable delivery of Cost Rental at scale. The Group is examining potential funding models, including the use of public land and appropriate Exchequer inputs, in order to establish a sustainable financing and implementation structure to deliver Cost Rental units at the necessary scale....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant (21 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Regulations S.I. 670 of 2007 and S.I. 104 of 2014 provide the statutory basis for the operation of the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability. Article 8 of the Regulations provides that the applicant must occupy the house as his or her normal place of residence on completion of the works. The administration of the grants scheme, including the assessment,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Planning Framework (21 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Project Ireland 2040 comprises two principal elements, both of which were published by Government in 2018. The National Planning Framework (NPF) is Ireland’s long-term national spatial planning strategy to accommodate projected future population and economic growth over a 20-year period to 2040. The other principal element of Project Ireland is the current National Development...