Results 17,121-17,140 of 26,293 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Functions (7 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 283, 305 and 306 together. I can confirm that my Department is retaining all of its current functions, including its planning functions. The Heritage functions currently under the remit of the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht will be transferred to my Department. This will include the National Parks and Wildlife Service. The statutory...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (7 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 284, 285 and 286 together. Cost information on local authority and approved housing body direct construction and turnkeys, is collated by my Department at development level rather than at granular individual housing unit level. Disaggregating such development level information into individual unit costs, across all of the various types of units, would require...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Programme for Government (7 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The commitments in relation to Constitutional reform in the Programme for Government provide for the holding of a referendum on housing. I intend to consult with my colleagues in Government as to the proposal that should be put to the electorate and the appropriate timeframes that should apply to the process.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (7 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government provides that the Government will retain Irish Water in public ownership as a national, stand-alone, regulated utility. In this context, in September 2018, the Director General of the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) reported on a process of engagement, undertaken with the parties involved in the water sector transformation programme, including ICTU and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Issues (7 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Irish Government submitted updates in respect of a number of collective complaints in its “Report on the Implementation of the Revised Social Charter of the Council of Europe” on 23 December 2019. My Department fed into this report and presented an update in relation to Collective Complaints 100/2013 and 110/2014. The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission submission...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Rates (7 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: Social and Affordable Housing (7 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government commits to delivering 50,000 new social homes over the coming five-year period. There will be a very strong and increasing emphasis on new build supply. Since taking up office I am working within my Department and with key stakeholders and delivery partners to fully understand the most up to date position regarding delivery across social housing programmes and in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: House Purchase Schemes (7 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan was introduced on 1 February 2018. The loan can be used both for new and second-hand properties, or to build your own home. In terms of self-builds, where a loan applicant is building their own home on a pre-owned site with planning permission, the loan available under the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan may not exceed 90% of the build cost. Where an...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (7 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the Housing (Private Water Supply Financial Assistance) Regulations 2020, a number of revisions have been made to the grant scheme to support improvement works to a private water supply where, in the opinion of the housing authority, the water supply is not wholesome and clean, or the quantity of water supplied is insufficient to meet the domestic needs of the household. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Heritage Sites (7 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The elected members of local authorities are responsible for budgetary matters and the adoption of the annual budget is a reserved function. In this context, it is a matter for each local authority to determine spending priorities, having regard to available resources. The use of funds in the manner outlined by the Deputy is, therefore, a matter for the local authority concerned.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Architects Register (7 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Part 3 of the Building Control Act 2007 introduced a system of statutory registration for architects and restricted use of the title of "architect" to persons who are registered architects. Section 22 of the Act makes specific provision for registration based on technical assessment of persons who had been independently performing duties commensurate with those of an architect for a period...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Circulars (7 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: All local authorities are receiving and processing Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan (RIHL) applications, and are incorporating increased flexibility to accommodate applicants during the COVID 19 Pandemic. As is the case with any lender, local authorities must lend mortgages on prudent basis, taking into account the most recent income and employment data available. This is both for the protection...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Residential Tenancies Board (7 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as an independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2019 to operate a national tenancy registration system and to facilitate the resolution of disputes between landlords and tenants. The service provided by the RTB is quasi-judicial and all of their mediators, adjudicators and tribunal members have independent...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (7 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The oversight and management of the lists of qualified households awaiting accommodation, including the allocation and transfer of tenancies, is a matter for the relevant local authority in accordance with Sections 20 and 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and associated Social Housing Assessment and Allocation Regulations, respectively. Under Regulation 28 of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Property Registration Authority (7 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Property Registration Authority (PRA) are currently experiencing an increased backlog due to the impact of COVID-19. The PRA registered over 13,000 transactions for the month of June, by comparison to 16,010 transactions registered in June 2019. The PRA's Customer Charter provides that “75% of cases, not requiring mapping, that are in order for registration, to be completed...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commercial Rates (7 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Valuation Office is currently engaged in a national programme to revalue all commercial and industrial properties in Ireland. Prior to the commencement of the Valuation (Amendment) Act 2015, ratepayers could appeal a final valuation firstly to the Commissioner of Valuation and subsequently to the Valuation Tribunal. Since the passing of this Act, appeals are now made solely to the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (7 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 and haphazard development, particularly in those areas near cities and towns that...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homelessness Strategy (7 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Helping individuals and families facing homelessness is a top priority for this Government and for myself as Minister. While there are many challenges facing people, in terms of accessing quality affordable housing, none compare to the dire situation facing people that find themselves without a home for whatever reason. For that reason, the Programme for Government "Our Shared Future" commits...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Safety (7 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 308 and 309 together. The provision of a fire service in its functional area is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Acts, 1981 and 2003. My Department supports fire authorities through setting national policy, issuing guidance on operational and other related matters, providing capital funding for priority...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (7 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 310 and 311 together. Cost information on local authority and approved housing body direct construction and turnkeys, is collated by my Department at development level rather than at granular individual housing unit level. Disaggregating such development level information into individual unit costs, across all of the various types of units, would require...