Results 22,381-22,400 of 26,350 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Island Communities (28 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government’s housing plan to 2030, Housing for All, supports the need to fully consider the housing needs of island communities as part of the objective to drive social sustainability and foster sustainable communities. The National Planning Framework (NPF) also identifies the need to sustain vibrant rural communities on our offshore islands. It is a National Policy Objective of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (28 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 286 and 287 together. The Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme (EERP) aims to retrofit a local authority home to a BER of B2/Cost Optimal Equivalent. It is expected that 36,500 local authority owned homes will be retrofitted under this programme out to 2030. €90m is available to the programme this year and the table below indicates the increase in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (28 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The detailed administration of each affordable purchase scheme is a matter for the relevant local authority in line with Part 2 of the Affordable Housing Act 2021. My Department liaises closely with all relevant local authorities in relation to the ongoing development and delivery of their affordable housing delivery programmes. I understand that the affordable purchase scheme in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Process (28 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Under electoral law, a nomination paper must state the name, address and occupation (if any) of a candidate at a local election. A ballot paper must contain the name and description of the candidate standing nominated, as shown in the nomination paper. This requirement is intended as a means of identifying a candidate and ensuring the transparency of elections. In ruling on the validity of a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Process (28 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Following the TRIS 2022/376/IRL and 2022/184/IRL, my Department, over the course of 2023, engaged extensively on the Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the transparency and targeting of political advertising as that proposal progressed through the inter-institutional negotiations. In this context, Regulation (EU) 2024/900 of the European Parliament...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Programmes (28 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 293 to 295, inclusive, together. 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. Under section 11 of the Act, the Government can increase or decrease the overall grant scheme cap of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Conservation (28 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 299 to 302, inclusive, together. Under Housing for All, the Government will deliver 47,600 new build social homes and 3,500 social homes through long-term leasing in the period 2022-2026. Our clear focus is to increase the stock of social housing through new build projects delivered by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs). Social Housing is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (28 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Membership of the Working Group recently established to undertake a review of engineering qualifications in the local government sector is detailed in the table below: Shane Tiernan Chief Executive, Roscommon County Council (Chair) Eamonn Hunt Local Government Management Agency Lorna Maxwell South Dublin County Council ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Emergency Accommodation (29 May 2024)

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 local authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless services rests with individual local authorities. My Department does not fund any homeless service directly...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (29 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing First provides a comprehensive and holistic approach to addressing homelessness for individuals experiencing mental health, physical health, substance misuse, social, behavioural, and other challenges. The Housing First approach to addressing homelessness places direct access to housing first and foremost for vulnerable individuals using homeless services consistently or...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Budgets (29 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The capital expenditure provision for my Department in 2024, as set out in the Revised Estimates for Public Services 2024 published by the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (DPENDR) and available at www.per.gov.ie/en/rev/ is €3,888m. The breakdown of this capital allocation by Programme is set out below: PROGRAMME 2024 GROSS CAPITAL...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (29 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Tackling vacancy is a key priority for this Government and Pathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock. The Vacant Homes Action Plan Progress Report, which I recently published on my Department's website, outlines the significant progress that has been made in addressing vacancy, along with the actions that are...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (29 May 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 was legislated for following extensive consultation with all relevant stakeholders. At the time of the Scheme launch, I established an...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (29 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Schemes provide for the purchase, by eligible tenants, of local authority properties which are available for sale under the terms of the particular scheme. All applications must satisfy the requirements outlined in the relevant legislation. However, the schemes only provide for the purchase of local authority properties, and do not extend to properties owned...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Septic Tanks (29 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The policy of providing grant funding to households for work on Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems (DWWTS), including septic tanks, arises from the need to address damage being done to water quality in sensitive areas in particular. The grants are focused on the areas of greatest environmental priority and are available only in circumstances relating to risks to water quality and/or...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (29 May 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: Wastewater Treatment (29 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department recognises that continued investment in water infrastructure is required across urban and rural Ireland. With regard to our rural communities, my Department is committed to support take-up of Uisce Éireann’s Small Towns and Villages Growth Programme to provide water and wastewater growth capacity in smaller settlements and also to continued non-Uisce Éireann...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (29 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: There are a number of housing estates across the country that rely on developer provided infrastructure for their water services networks. These estates have not been taken-in-charge and their water services networks are not, currently, connected to the public (Uisce Éireann) network. The water services infrastructure, provided by the developer of such estates, is more commonly called...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (29 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department’s grant scheme for the renewal or repair of a thatched roof provides funding of up to €6,350 or up to 80% of the approved cost, whichever is the lesser, in respect of necessary works to renew or repair the thatched roofs of private houses situated on the mainland where the private owner holds a medical card. A higher level of assistance of up to €8,252 is...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (30 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Deputy Ó Broin. Affordable housing delivery for people to purchase and rent is an absolute priority of my mine and of this Government. We are making real progress there. As the Deputy knows, Housing for All sets out a range of actions necessary to increase the supply of housing output across the board but also, really importantly, sets forward a roadmap and plan to deliver...