Results 23,001-23,020 of 26,565 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Interim Remediation Scheme for Fire Safety Defects in Eligible Apartments and Duplexes (‘Scheme’) provides for the funding, through Owner Management Companies (OMCs), of emergency fire safety defect works in order to provide an acceptable level of fire safety in affected buildings pending completion of the full remedial works. A whole building approach is required to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Under Section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he/she is responsible. Where my Department enters into an arrangement to fund posts directly with a local authority this funding would be predominately for the provision of staff to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Programme for Government (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department’s mission is to support sustainable development and vibrant communities through strategic planning, the sustainable and efficient delivery of well-planned homes, the sustainable management of our water resources, the nurturing of Ireland’s heritage, and effective local government. Our mission is shaped by the 178 commitment items (CIs) from the Programme for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The table shows the housing agencies, AHBs and registered charities that have received funding from my Department since 1 January 2024. Housing Agencies Approved Housing Bodies Charities - - - ·Local Government Management Agency ·Residential Tenancies Board ·The Housing Agency ·ALONE ·Ark Housing Association Ltd. ·Arlington Novas Ireland...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I commenced the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 ('the 2022 Act') on 22 June 2023, which contains the enhanced grant scheme and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023. I have engaged with Insurance Ireland with regards to the insurance aspects of underwriting houses that have been subject to certified remediation works under the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Social Housing is delivered through a range of Local Authority and Approved Housing Body (AHB) delivery programmes. Capital expenditure on the delivery of new social homes is also supported by current funding provided through the Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (SHCEP). In respect of Affordable Housing delivery, Housing for All provides for a number of important affordability...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: In response to the Programme for Government commitment, my Department launched a newly revised ten year Local Authority Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme (EERP) in 2021 to retrofit 36,500 local authority homes by 2030. This new programme set a BER performance requirement of “B2” or cost optimal level. The upscaling of the works included in the programme sees a substantial...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (9 Sep 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. Since 2014, Exchequer funding has also been provided through my Department's Voids Programme...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (9 Sep 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, including offshore wind energy projects, and other developments under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and certain other Acts. Prior to making a maritime area planning application for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Applications for social housing support are assessed by the relevant local authority, in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended. If a household meets the eligibility and need criteria, it qualifies for the suite of social housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Programmes (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 791, 867 and 871 together. In January this year, I launched the Multi-annual Rural Water Programme 2024-2026 (MARWP) and invited local authorities to submit applications for funding with a closing date of 12 April 2024. Under the MARWP, all applications received by the Department undergo a two stage evaluation process. Stage one involves my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The First Home Scheme, which launched in July 2022, is a shared equity scheme designed to help bridge the gap between a purchaser’s deposit and mortgage, and the price of their new home, for eligible first-time buyers, Fresh Start applicants and those who wish to build their first home. The First Home Scheme Designated Activity Company is responsible for the operation and management of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: 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 delivered through a range of local authority and Approved Housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Programmes (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides grant funding to assist households in rural areas that are dependent on a private water supply (individual well) for their household use. The objective of the grants, which are administered by the local authorities, is to assist households dependent on private individual water supplies who are incurring capital expenditure. An applicant may be eligible for a grant if,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Bodies (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The National Building Control Management Project is managed by the National Building Control and Market Surveillance Office (NBCMSO) within Dublin City Council to provide oversight, support and direction for the development, standardisation and implementation of Building Control as an effective shared service in the 31 Building Control Authorities. The Office has also been appointed as a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies Board, (RTB), was established as a quasi-judicial independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2024 to regulate the rental sector; provide information to tenants and landlords; maintain a national register of tenancies; resolve disputes between tenants and landlords; and conduct research and provide information to inform policy. Complaints...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Funding for AHBs to deliver social housing is available through various schemes such as Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) and Capital Advance Leasing Facility (CALF). Under CAS, my Department provides up to 100% capital funding to Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) for the development of social housing for various priority tenant categories, including age-friendly housing. Thereafter, the upkeep...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 801 and 852 together. In April 2024, a Working Group was established for the purpose of reviewing the existing suite of engineering qualifications in the local government sector and to propose changes to those qualifications where necessary. To date the Working Group has undertaken an in-depth analysis and review of the engineering qualifications through...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is currently developing revised housing targets for the period from 2025 onwards. This work is being undertaken with regard to, among other things, recently published research by the ESRI on population projections and structural housing demand. I expect it to be completed and revised targets to published later in the Autumn. It is too early to confirm what the final targets will...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commercial Rates (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Tailte Éireann is the State agency formed on 1 March 2023 following the merger of Ordnance Survey Ireland, the Property Registration Authority and the Valuation Office. All the functions previously carried out by the Property Registration Authority, the Valuation Office, and Ordnance Survey Ireland are now being performed by Tailte Éireann. Tailte Éireann is independent in the...