Results 20,601-20,620 of 26,350 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (5 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I understand the Question refers to housing estates relying on Developer Provided Infrastructure (DPI) for their water services. Using funding provided under the National Development Plan, my Departments’ Multi-annual Developer Provided Water Services Infrastructure Resolution Programme (DPI Programme) provides funding to assist in progressively resolving issues with DPI across the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (5 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Awaiting reply from Department.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (5 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: In the local government sector, acting up arrangements may only be considered where all options around re-organisation and re-allocation of work have been fully exhausted. Each local authority must also ensure that an acting up arrangement is used only where absolutely necessary. The matters raised have already been the subject of a Labour Court hearing which recommended that the parties...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (5 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 400, 401 and 402 together. The Local Authority Home Loan (LAHL) is a Government-backed mortgage for creditworthy applicants who cannot get sufficient funding from commercial banks to purchase or build a home. It has been available nationwide from local authorities since 4 January 2022 for first-time buyers and fresh start applicants. The loan can be used both...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (5 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Under Housing for All, the Government will deliver 47,600 new build social homes; 3,500 social homes through long-term leasing and 28,500 new affordable homes in the period 2022-2026. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4bn per annum, through an overall combination of €12bn in direct Exchequer funding, €3.5bn in funding through the Land...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (5 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All sets out the range of actions necessary to increase the supply of housing out to 2030 comprising of 54,000 affordable homes to be delivered by local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), the Land Development Agency (LDA) and through First Home, which is a strategic partnership between the State and retail banks. Local authorities have published 5 year Housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (5 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has not had engagement with, or received reports or briefings from Uisce Éireann regarding the inclusion of the project, for the location mentioned in the details supplied, in the Multi-annual Rural Water Programme.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Quality (5 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Question does not make reference to a specific Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report. I am assuming that the report referred to is Antimicrobial Resistance and the Environment – Sources, Persistence, Transmission and Risk Management (AREST). If this is the case, the report was published in February 2024. The findings and recommendations of the research study will be...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (5 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I commenced the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (the Act) on 22 June 2023 which contains the enhanced grant scheme and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023 The Enhanced Grant Scheme provided for the extension of the scheme to include dwellings damaged due to the use of defective concrete blocks in its construction, in the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (5 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is currently working on a number of measures to increase staffing levels in the local government planning sector. The Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) in 2022 identified a shortfall of over 500 staff in local authority planning services. My Department is working in conjunction with the LGMA on a programme of support to provide planning authorities, on a phased basis,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Emergency Accommodation (5 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) is the lead Department for the provision of accommodation for Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection. The role of my Department in this area is a supporting role which forms part of the whole of Government response. My Department was tasked with supporting the refurbishment programme. The Emergency...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Properties (5 Mar 2024)

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

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Tourist Accommodation (5 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The proposed Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Short-Term Tourist Letting (STTL) Bill will, when enacted, provide the statutory basis for the establishment of a register for all Short-Term Tourist Lettings and will enable the required implementation of the new Short Term Rental Regulation (STR). This Bill remains the subject of ongoing engagement with the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (5 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All commits to increasing the housing options available to older people to facilitate ageing in place with dignity and independence, including the development of a policy on rightsizing. The Housing for All policy objective to make more efficient use of existing housing stock includes the development of a national policy on rightsizing and to explore options to support and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (5 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (SHCEP) supports the delivery of social housing by providing financial support to local authorities for the leasing of houses and apartments. Local authorities may enter into lease agreements and subsequently house a social housing tenant into properties secured under various leasing schemes, including Long Term Leasing, Enhanced Leasing, NARPS...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (5 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as quasi-judicial, independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2022 (RTA) to operate a national tenancy registration system and to resolve disputes between landlords and tenants. Tenants and registered landlords may refer a matter for dispute resolution under Part 6 of the RTA, where the RTB may award up to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (5 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, the implementation of a planned maintenance programme and carrying out of responsive repairs, are matters for each individual local authority under Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. Local authorities also have a legal obligation to ensure that all of their tenanted...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (5 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Staffing numbers for the local authority sector for the period 2008 to 2023 broken down by local authority area are available on the Public Service Numbers databank, which is hosted and maintained by the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (DPENDR). Staffing numbers are published quarterly and the databank is currently updated to Q3 2023. Staffing numbers for the end...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: State Bodies (5 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: An Bord Pleanála (the Board) is the national independent statutory body with responsibility for the determination of planning appeals and direct applications for strategic infrastructure and other developments under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and certain other Acts. There are now more people working at the Board than at any time previously. Since October 2021,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Reports (5 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government approved an initial General Scheme in December 2021 to set out proposals to introduce Land Value Sharing. The proposals set out in the revised General Scheme (www.gov.ie/en/publication/0ad37-general-scheme-planning-and -development-land-value-sharing-and-urban-development-zones- bill-2022/) published on 14 April 2023 are the result of significant analysis and engagement...