Results 22,861-22,880 of 26,373 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (13 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: It is not really unusual. There is a reason for it. In answering Deputy Ó Broin as regards what we would spend this year, I mentioned that our pipeline is very strong and we expect to spend out. Obviously, all Departments negotiated with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform on their revised capital ceilings. We received an additional allocation, which we will...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (13 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: We have a procedure in that we go to Cabinet with expenditure reports. People can track the expenditure through the Department. We have been able to get flexibility within our Vote. As I have just explained, we have agreed extra capital this year with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, as has the Department of Education. We got a significant amount extra...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (13 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: No, I am not saying that.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (13 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I said I would be helpful but, to be fair, there is a process and there are procedures in place when Government Departments report on their capital and current expenditure, as our colleagues in the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform also do. That is brought to Cabinet, the Government. Where we can be helpful to the committee, we will be.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (13 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: We will also be helpful to committee members.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (13 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: It is.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (13 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I would take the Chairman’s point about the position if we were to take it that 50,000 was the target, although I am not saying that is the case. It came up at the last meeting and we will be having discussions based on our new targets and what that will look like with regard to capital investment, both public and private. Right now, to deliver an average of 33,000, it is about...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (13 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I understand the question. We want to be more precise than that. When we set the targets this year, we will have to see what would be the commitment of any future Government or the Exchequer to deliver those homes. When we deliver affordable, social and cost rental, it unlocks other private developments. A lot of the developments that we are seeing now, including some superb ones in the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Discussion (13 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: But I understand. Many people have not sold apartments individually in a long time.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (13 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes, we have where it goes to.

Nomination of Member of Government: Motion (26 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Where is your housing plan? Publish your housing plan.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (25 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 227 and 228 together. Since receipt of Government approval in January 2023, I have been working to progress the various programmes of work that are required to place on a statutory footing the scheme to establish supports for the remediation of fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects in purpose-built apartment buildings, including duplexes,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (25 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 229 and 241 together. Local authorities set and collect rents on their dwellings in accordance with section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. Tenants in the HAP scheme are required to pay a weekly rental contribution to the relevant local authority in line with the local authority’s differential rent scheme. The making or amending of such rent schemes is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (25 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Mortgage to Rent (MTR) scheme is targeted at those households in acute mortgage arrears who have had their mortgage position deemed unsustainable by their lender under the Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process (MARP), and who have very limited options, if any, to meet their long-term housing needs. To date, my Department is aware of 11 properties which have progressed, or are...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Heritage Schemes (25 Jun 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (25 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I can confirm that 42 new social homes were completed by Carlow County Council at the location referred to. Additionally, a further 6 new age-friendly homes were undertaken by an Approved Housing Body. My Department provided funding of €1.4m for the 6 additional age-friendly homes and I understand they were completed in Quarter 4 of 2023.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (25 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: On 5 June the Cabinet approved the expansion of the Local Authority Purchase and Renovation Loan to all Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant eligible homes. This supports the key policy objective in Housing for All in bringing vacant homes back into use. The eligibility of applicants is broadly the same as the Local Authority Home Loan with some specific amendments to accommodate...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (25 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Affordability and the chance to own a home is at the heart of the Government’s housing policy. As detailed in the Housing for All strategy, the Government has introduced a number of measures to support households and individuals wishing to purchase or build a home, as well as increasing the overall supply of new homes, with a target of 300,000 new homes up to 2030. The First Home...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (25 Jun 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, which I originally published in January 2023, built on Pathway 4 of Housing for All and set out the various actions that were being pursued to return vacant properties back into...