Results 23,501-23,520 of 26,666 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (10 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I know there have been difficulties. Senators Mullen and Byrne and others commended the NUI on the work done. As the central registration authority, they are the right people to do that. We have an opportunity to get the Seanad register up-to-date and in a modern format once and for all, but it will require reregistrations. All those on the existing NUI and University of Dublin registers...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (10 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I did not interrupt the Senator once. I sat here and listened to her full contribution, as I have done on many occasions on many different pieces of legislation and on many different issues. I never interrupt the Senator. All that I am saying to the Senators who right now, on Second Stage, feel they should oppose this legislation is that if they oppose it, they are effectively opposing...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (10 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I am pleased to bring the Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024 before the House today.There are three main components in the Bill. First, it proposes a significant extension of the franchise for electing the six university members of Seanad Éireann to graduates of designated institutions of higher education in Ireland who are Irish citizens, have received a degree...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (10 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Coolly.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Data (9 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Local Property Tax (LPT) funding allocations are decided in advance of collection, based on estimates of the LPT yield in individual local authority areas for the following liability year. Every local authority is entitled to receive a minimum amount of funding under the LPT allocation process, known as the baseline. Cavan County Council’s baseline for each of the year’s 2020 to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Energy Conservation (9 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: In 2021 a new holistic approach was applied to the Local Authority Energy Efficient Retrofit Programme (EERP), designed around the Programme for Government's commitment led by the Department for the Environment, Climate and Communications that calls for the 'retrofit' of 500,000 homes to a B2/Cost Optimal Equivalent (BER) standard by 2030, together with a target of 400,000 heat pumps. Of...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 105 and 110 together. I refer to the reply to Question No 379 of 18 September 2024 which sets out the position in this matter.

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

Darragh O'Brien: Local Property Tax (LPT) funding allocations are decided in advance of collection, based on estimates of the LPT yield in individual local authority areas for the following liability year. Every local authority is entitled to receive a minimum amount of funding under the LPT allocation process, known as the baseline. Cavan County Council’s baseline for each of the year’s 2020 to...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Local authorities set and collect rents on their dwellings in accordance with section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. The making or amending of such rent schemes is generally a matter for local authorities within broad principles set out by my Department, including that rent levels should be based on income and reflect tenants’ ability to pay. Local discretion and flexibility are...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The focus for the information developed during Stage 1 of the establishment of the National Flood Forecasting and Warning Service (NFFWS), overseen by the OPW, was to provide information support to emergency management decision-makers. Further development of the NFFWS, including Ireland’s network of hydrometric observation systems, is required to support a public flood warning service....

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme 2016 is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the scheme. The scheme is governed by the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 and Housing (Sale of Local Authority Houses) Regulations 2015, as amended. While the regulations provide for specified classes of houses to be...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Architectural Heritage (9 Oct 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. My Department oversees workforce planning for the local government sector, including the monitoring of local government sector employment levels. To this end,...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Many traditional town centres have suffered from a decline in retail activity due to the loss of their immediate population base and shifting retail patterns, including an increase in on-line sales. This has led to increased rates of vacancy and can have a major impact on the vibrancy and vitality of a town centre. Retailing is shifting away from being solely reliant on the purchasing of...