Results 21,641-21,660 of 26,350 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: But I could then say, "Sorry you are getting two months".

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The period is discretionary.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: If the Deputy came to the planner and said he wanted two years to paint the apartment block or to paint a bike shed within the development - we will use this as an example of a non-material alteration - he would be given the permission in relation to the extension of duration for non-material completion or non-material works. The planning authority will decide on the duration. One does not...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Section 135 interacts with section 136 as well. Section 135(3) provides that: "A request under subsection (1) shall specify (a) the particulars of the alteration requested, (b) the period of the extension requested, or (c) both those particulars and that period". The duration period is a matter to be decided by the planning authority. Section 135 deals with overall "Request for alteration...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Subsection (1) details what the request is. The request is the particulars of the alteration required, the period of the extension requested and all of those things. That assessment is done by the planning authority. I get the point the Deputy is making. If someone goes in with a request for an extension of duration based on non-material works that are required, do they get a default five...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Section 136(1) refers to "where an alteration or extension requested under subsection (1) of section 135 "." So this goes back to section 135, which is the main section within it. The request under section 135(1), referred to in section 136, is assessed under section 135(3). Section 136 goes back to section 135(1) and then we can see what flows out of section 135(1) with regard to what a...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: It is not to not grant it. It is stating that for non-material works it is defaulting to grant an extension to non-material works. In response to the point the Deputy is putting, if he came to Fingal County Council and asked for an extension of permission on a non-material basis and said that he wanted two years, the planning authority would assess that. The planning authority does not...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: It states very clearly, "Where the duration of a permission is extended under this Chapter, the period of the extension shall be less than or equal to the duration of the permission being extended." It is not material.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Process (16 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Section 160 of the Planning and Development Act (the Act) provides that a planning authority or any other person can apply to the High Court for an injunction in relation to an unauthorised development. This provision of the Act also sets out what the Court can specify in its orders and other detailed procedural matters. No further legislative provisions are required to transpose the EIA...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Service (16 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Following the Government’s recent approval of an increase in the mandatory retirement age for certain members of the uniformed services, I committed to examining a similar extension to the mandatory retirement age for all fire fighters with a view to providing consistency across the uniformed services. On 12 April, I was pleased to announce that I have now secured approval for this...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Insurance Coverage (16 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is currently, as a matter of priority, preparing legislation to put in place on a statutory basis, a remediation scheme for owners of certain apartments affected by fire safety, water ingress and structural defects. This legislation will establish supports for the remediation of these defects in purpose-built apartment buildings, including duplexes, constructed between 1991 and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (16 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Local authorities will always have a level of vacancy in their housing stock. This will fluctuate over time, as tenancy surrender and re-letting of stock is an ongoing process. Therefore, ongoing data in relation to vacant local authority owned homes are not routinely collated by my Department. However, statistics in relation to social housing stock, at a point in time, are published by...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (16 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government and my Department continue to support local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies in the delivery of new public housing, with strong recent delivery and ambitious national and local targets set for local authorities to deliver further social and affordable housing. To support this delivery, Budget 2024 saw record levels of housing funding, with over €5bn capital...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (16 Apr 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. The information requested is not held by my Department as timelines on decision making is a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (16 Apr 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: Rental Sector (16 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: On 7 December 2022 the Government approved the publication of the General Scheme of the Registration of Short-Term Tourist Letting Bill (STTL Bill) and the priority drafting of the Bill which provides for the establishment of a new registration system for short-term lettings to be operated by Fáilte Ireland in line with the commitment under Housing for All - A New Housing Plan for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Flood Relief Schemes (16 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is designated as the lead Department for co-ordinating the response at national level to seven scenarios, including severe weather and flooding. The National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM) within my Department, is tasked with co-ordinating the immediate response to these emergencies, working closely with Met éireann, supporting the local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (16 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: As the Deputy is aware, 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 (Scheme) and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023. The Scheme was legislated for following extensive consultation with all relevant stakeholders. At the time of the Scheme launch, I...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (16 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Pathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock. The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant supports bringing vacant and derelict properties back into use. A grant of up to a maximum of €50,000 is available for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation as a principal private residence and for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (16 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to the reply to Questions No. 72 and 75 of 10 April 2024 which sets out the position in this matter.