Results 23,021-23,040 of 26,565 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 805 and 806 together. The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Act 1981. My Department supports the fire authorities through...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has not engaged external HR specialist firms during the timeframe specified.

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) is the statutory agency responsible for the implementation and management of the Building Energy Rating (BER) Scheme in accordance with Ireland’s obligations under the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (Recast). Building Energy Rating assessors (“BER Assessors”) and Display Energy Certificate Assessors...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Cost Rental Tenant In-Situ (CRTiS) scheme was introduced on 1 April 2023 for tenants in private rental homes who are at risk of homelessness because a landlord has served a valid Notice of Termination due to an intention to sell the property. The Local Authority conducts the initial assessment for eligibility of the tenant for this scheme and refers potential cases to the Housing Agency,...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 810 to 812, inclusive, together. My Department is currently undertaking a focused review of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines. The review is addressing a number of key aspects including noise, setback distance, shadow flicker, community obligation, community dividend and grid connections. As part of the review of the Guidelines, my Department has...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 813 to 819, inclusive, together. The Local Authority Home Loan (LAHL) is a Government-backed mortgage for creditworthy for first-time buyers and fresh start applicants who cannot get sufficient funding from commercial lenders to purchase or build a home. It has been available nationwide from local authorities since 4 January 2022. The loan can be used both for...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department, in close collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and with the Nitrates Expert Group have undertaken an interim review of the Fifth Nitrates Action Programme and have developed a suite of proposed additional measures that also fulfil the requirements of the Commission’s Implementing Decision on the Nitrates Derogation. All proposed measures...

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

Darragh O'Brien: An Bord Pleanála (ABP) is a quasi-judicial body which carries out its statutory functions independently of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. ABP appointed the external reviewer, Ms. Lorna Lynch, Senior Counsel, to carry out a scoping investigation into certain matters. The Chairperson of ABP received the scoping investigation report prepared by Ms Lynch SC on 12...

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. The oversight and management of the lists of qualified households awaiting accommodation, including the...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Multi-Unit Developments (MUDs) Act 2011 is a matter for the Department of Justice. The MUDs Act was enacted with the primary purposes of reforming the law relating to the ownership and management of common areas of multi-unit developments, and facilitating the fair, efficient and effective management of Owners' Management Companies (OMCs). Well-functioning OMCs are key to maintaining and...

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

Darragh O'Brien: To date, I am yet to utilise Shannon, Knock and Cork airports owing to my Department and Constituency's close proximity to Dublin Airport. When arranging foreign travel for myself or staff within the Department, value for money is an overriding consideration in all aspects of Departmental expenditure, including our foreign travel policy.

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department issued the ‘Sustainable Residential Development and Compact Settlements Guidelines for Planning Authorities’ on 15 January 2024. These Guidelines set national planning policy and guidance in relation to the development of urban and rural settlements, with a focus on sustainable residential development and the creation of compact settlements. In relation to car...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 826 to 830, inclusive, together. The details requested on the Shared Island projects under the remit of my Department are outlined in the table. Update on Shared Island Funding PQ Reference Name of Fund Total Allocation Expenditure to Date Start date of project Projected date of completion Statement Amount that is contained with...

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

Darragh O'Brien: In January this year, I launched the Multi-annual Rural Water Programme (MARWP) 2024-2026. Local authorities were invited to submit requests for funding for priority projects in their areas. Under MARWP 2024-2026, there are a number individual measures available and each is directed at a specific activity, such as source protection, water treatment, network improvement etc. The funding...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2024 (the RTA) regulate the landlord-tenant relationship in the private residential rented sector, and set out the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants. The RTA applies to every dwelling that is the subject of a tenancy, subject to the limited number of exceptions set out in section 3(2) of that Act. A dispute in relation to whether or not a...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme provides for the purchase by eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses which are available for sale under the scheme. All applications for the Scheme must satisfy the requirements outlined in the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 and associated regulations. Changes to the Scheme took effect from 29 January 2024 with...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 834 and 835 together. Somerton Park, Ballinlough Road, Cork consists of 44 houses built circa 1950 by the Lee Public Utility Society. According to the leases, the houses were provided under the Housing of the Working Classes Acts 1890 to 1958. They were grant aided under section 20 of the Housing (Amendment) Act 1948 on condition that the houses would not be...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 836 and 837 together. Parliamentary and Secretarial Assistants are not employed by my Department but are employees of the Houses of the Oireachtas. Members of an Garda Síochána act as my drivers since the start of 2023 and are on Garda payroll but both Ministers of State in my Department have appointed Civilian Drivers. Details of Ministerial staff...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Expenses paid to Ministerial advisers in my Department for years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, are outlined in the table below. All claims are administered in accordance with Circular 11/82 and subsequent Circulars governing Travel and Subsistence regulations. Year Minister's name Minister's adviser name Amount paid 2020 Minister Eoghan Murphy O’Donnell-...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Within the Irish planning system, the city or county development plan is the principal planning strategy document for each local authority area over the 6 year lifespan of the plan. The development plan gives spatial expression to the physical, economic and social needs of the community by enabling planning authorities to plan for new development, support the provision of necessary...