Results 23,201-23,220 of 26,565 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (19 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 set up an Implementation Steering Group for the enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks (DCB) Grant scheme, comprising officials from the relevant local authorities, the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 179, 180, 181 and 182 together. The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme provides for the purchase by eligible 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 the Housing (Sale of Local Authority...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Supply (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I can confirm that, under my Departments’ Rural Water Programme, grant assistance is available to assist households dependent on private individual water supplies who are incurring capital expenditure. Each local authority is responsible for the administration of the grants in their area. In each local authority there is a Rural Water Liaison Officer who deals with the day to day...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Energy Infrastructure (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I received this report together with Parliamentary Question No. 876 of 9 September 2024 which was disallowed. As this report was also received in the context of ongoing litigation I am not in a position to comment further.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: In December 2023, I announced the successful projects that are approved funding under my Department's Multi-annual Rural Water Programme for the waste water collection and treatment needs for villages without access to public waste water services. I can confirm that Galway County Council applied and were approved funding under the Programme for a project in the village of Craughwell. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (19 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. My Department also provides annual funding support to local authorities in preparing vacant...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 188, 191, 195, 196 and 197 together. Housing for All is the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade. This includes the delivery of 90,000 social homes, 36,000 affordable purchase homes and 18,000 cost rental homes. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Affordability and the chance to own a home is at the heart of the Government’s housing policy. As detailed under Housing for All, the Government plans to deliver 54,000 affordable homes, including 36,000 affordable purchase and 18,000 cost rental homes, by 2030. A comprehensive implementation strategy is in place to support the various affordable housing schemes now being delivered by...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (19 Sep 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 statutory role of local authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of emergency accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with individual local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All, the most ambitious and comprehensive housing plan in the history of our State, was published in September 2021. The Plan contains a suite of actions that has and continues to increase the provision of housing through accelerating supply and increasing the affordability of homes for our citizens, including those in Kildare. My Department does not hold data on the number of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Projects (23 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government’s Shared Island Local Authority Development funding scheme, which is administered by my Department, supports a programme of feasibility assessments by local authorities, on potential cross-border projects across a range of sectors including biodiversity, sustainable tourism, circular economy, innovation, and cultural and creative industries. The scheme, which is funded...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Projects (23 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: In line with the objectives of the National Planning Framework and the National Development Plan, the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) is currently providing part-funding to applicant-led projects, enabling more compact and sustainable development within the existing built-up footprints of our cities and large towns. To date, there have been three rounds of funding provided...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (23 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Local authorities have responsibility for the administration of the Enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme. This includes the initial validation of applications, notifying homeowners of the Housing Agency's determinations on damage threshold, the appropriate remediation option and grant amount, determination of the grant payable for alternative accommodation and storage costs and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Land Development Agency (23 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: To fund its commercial activities, the Land Development Agency (LDA) currently has access to:€2.5bn of equity capital from the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF),€1.25bn of borrowings as provided for under the LDA Act, as well as;€1.25bn that can be raised by the LDA through the performance of certain functions.Of the €2.5bn available through ISIF, the LDA...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Reports (23 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I am considering the report, entitled 'A Review Into Certain Planning Matters in Respect of Donegal County Council', by Mr. Rory Mulcahy S.C., and will bring this matter to Government for consideration in due course. The review is a scoping report and as such it does not make findings as to the truth or otherwise of allegations that have been made by an individual against named persons. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (23 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Croí Cónaithe (Cities) Scheme supports the building of apartments in urban cores for sale to owner-occupiers. The Scheme aims to bridge the current "Viability Gap" between the delivery cost of building apartments and the market sale price (where the cost of building is greater). The Scheme launched on 10 May 2022 and there have been two calls for Expression of Interest...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (23 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Planning statistics are compiled by each planning authority on an annual basis for collation and publication on my Department’s website at the following link: The data collected relates to the total number of applications and decisions for all developments that require planning permission, broken down by year and planning authority. However, more granular data, such as in relation to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (23 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: An Bord Pleanála ('the Board') is independent in the performance of its functions under the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended). Arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my Department to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. This provides a speedy, efficient and cost effective system to address queries...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (23 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Through my Department's Multi-annual Developer Provided Water Services Infrastructure Resolution Programme (DPI Programme) significant funding has been provided to local authorities for housing estates that rely on water services infrastructure provided by the developer of the estate (DPI). The aim of the Programme is to provide funding that assists the local authorities to implement...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (23 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019. Responsibility for the enforcement of the Regulations in the private rental sector rests with the relevant local authority. If a property has been found to be non-compliant with the Regulations, it is a matter for the local authority to determine what action is necessary and...