Results 20,021-20,040 of 26,350 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (15 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Look.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (15 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Every cost-rental scheme has been substantially oversubscribed. We have increased the net income limits. The Deputy quoted gross income limits. The net income limits for Dublin are €66,000 and €59,000 in the rest of the country. It is an extremely popular form of tenure that is actually working. I know that disappoints the Deputy.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Vacant Properties (15 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: That is very kind.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Vacant Properties (15 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: They can.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Vacant Properties (15 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Minister of State gave the Cork city figure. The Deputy was late coming in to get that-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Vacant Properties (15 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: -----but we might give that to him again.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (15 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta O'Callaghan for his question. Increased supply is key to meeting our housing needs and addressing the challenges in the housing market. That is why we brought forward, as a Government, Housing for All, which is the single biggest intervention in housing any Government has made in the history of the State, and rightly so. That needed to happen....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (15 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy. Undoubtedly, the first-time buyer supports are helping. I meet people across the country and in my constituency who say they are working. This Government is committed to retaining them when others want to abolish them. Importantly, with regard to the outlook for this year, we have seen an increase in construction costs. We had to address that. The plan had to be...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (15 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Deputy is correct. There are many people renting who do not want to rent, although some at different stages of their lives will. That is why we took a measure to increase the renter's tax credit to €750. Between 2022 and 2023, that is €1,750 per renter back in their pocket. The private rental market is not functioning as it should. That is why we must ensure that we...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defective Building Materials (15 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 69 and 89 together. I thank Deputies Ó Broin and O'Callaghan for their questions on this matter and also their ongoing interest and input. I fully acknowledge the difficulties of homeowners and residents of many apartments and duplexes and the stress they are facing as a result of building defects. The Government is committed to helping those whose...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defective Building Materials (15 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: To answer Deputy Ó Broin's question, duplexes within multi-unit developments are included. The onus is on the purchaser when purchasing a property to ensure the property is surveyed properly. With regard to properties that are sold on, survey work should obviously be done before someone purchases a home. This happened in the pyrite and infill schemes where people genuinely did not...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defective Building Materials (15 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: It was last night.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defective Building Materials (15 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: With regard to the defective concrete block, DCB, scheme, I specifically structured the legislation to ensure we can add additional counties. Homeowners need to know that where they have defective concrete blocks and they meet the criteria set out in the primary legislation, the State is there to help them because of a market failure. To answer Deputy Harkin, I await the final submission. I...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defective Building Materials (15 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I will conclude on this really quickly because it is important. The pyrite and infill scheme did set aside the "should have known" clause, if someone can actually prove they genuinely did not and made every effort to. I expect that to be the same with the apartment defects scheme.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Referendum Campaigns (14 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: In accordance with standing procedure, the Department of the Taoiseach issues guidance to all Ministers and Government Departments in respect of the application of the principles of the various Court judgments relevant to the Government’s role in referendum campaigns (these are generally referred to as the ‘McKenna/McCrystal principles’). This guidance was issued by the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (14 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Since the publication of the current Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines in 2005 (which continue to have effect in addition to subsequent clarifications and national policy changes in the NPF) there have been important changes to our planning system. Most notably, obligations under European Directives and international agreements relating to the management and protection of the environment...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (14 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Recognising the need for increased capacity in the public sector planning services and related expertise in addition to the staffing needs of agencies, organisations and the private sector, analysis is being undertaken in relation to the availability of relevant skills and expertise and a set of actions is being developed in a Ministerial Action Plan to respond to the capacity challenges. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: State Bodies (14 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Governance of the Land Development Agency (LDA) is overseen by its Board, which sets the strategic objectives of the Agency and also informs strategic decisions on all key business issues. All Board members are appointed by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform. It is my intention to appoint...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (14 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Under Housing for All, the Government has targeted the delivery of 28,500 new affordable homes from 2022 to 2026, to be facilitated by local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), the Land Development Agency (LDA) and through a strategic partnership between the State and retail banks. Each local authority has prepared and published its own 5-year Housing Delivery Action Plan setting...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (14 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government has implemented several measures to ensure a balanced housing market across all tenures, including home ownership, social housing, and private rental. Under Housing for All, the Government committed to an 'owner-occupier' guarantee, allowing local authorities to designate a percentage of houses and duplexes in a development for owner-occupiers. In May 2021, measures...