Results 23,801-23,820 of 26,181 for speaker:Kieran O'Donnell

Housing: Motion [Private Members] (7 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: Sinn Féin opposes it for the ordinary person purchasing a house.

Housing: Motion [Private Members] (7 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: Sinn Féin is espousing a different policy.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (8 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: It is very difficult for those residents. If the Deputy sends on the details to me, and the specifics of what is happening there, the Department will take it up with Uisce Éireann specifically. We will look to resolve it for the residents.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (7 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: A review of geographic boundaries is undertaken by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) after each Census. The exact methodology applied to defining towns has evolved over the years and different definitions have applied at different times. As part of the most recent review it was decided to broaden the examination of urban boundaries to include key stakeholders and a working group was formed...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Budget 2024 (7 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: My Department provides Exchequer funding to local authorities for the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability Scheme. This scheme assists eligible applicants living in privately owned homes to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. The Exchequer funding provision for the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (7 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: My Department provides Exchequer funding to local authorities to support the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, which support older and disabled people living in private houses to adapt their home to meet their needs. The grants include the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability, the Mobility Aids Grant and the Housing Aid for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wind Energy Guidelines (7 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 650 and 651 together. My Department is currently undertaking a focused review of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines. In line with the “preferred draft approach”, the review is addressing a number of key aspects of the Guidelines including noise, setback distance, shadow flicker, community obligation, community dividend and grid...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (7 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: My Department jointly published the National Housing Strategy for Disabled People (NHSDP) 2022-2027 with the Department of Health (DoH) and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) in January 2022 and the Implementation Plan for the Strategy on 22 June 2023. The Strategy and Implementation Plan may be accessed on my Department’s website at the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Natura 2000 (7 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: Substitute consent only applies where development is unauthorised and a planning authority has determined that Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) or Appropriate Assessment (AA) was or is required.The process involved is as follows. A person can seek to regularise an unauthorised development by applying to the appropriate planning authority for retention planning permission. Following...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (7 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: The Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998 provides that the role of my Department is to ensure that there are adequate structures and supports in place to assist housing authorities in providing accommodation for Travellers, including a national framework of policy, legislation and funding. The Act provides that housing authorities have statutory responsibility for the assessment of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Grant Payments (7 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 688 and 689 together. My Department provides Exchequer funding to local authorities to support the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, which support older and disabled people living in private houses to adapt their home to meet their needs. The grants include the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Schemes (9 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: Housing for All sets out the range of actions necessary to increase the supply of housing to the required 33,000 homes on average per year over the next decade. Some 54,000 affordable homes will be delivered between now and 2030, to be facilitated by local authorities, approved housing bodies, AHBs and the Land Development Agency and through the first-home scheme, which is a strategic...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Schemes (9 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: The target for the period up to 2030 is to complete 54,000 units. Our target for this year is to deliver 5,500 units. Last year, we delivered 1,750 units and from looking at the various aspects, the momentum is good. The local authorities have affordable homes projects for 4,300 units in total across 72 projects in 20 local authorities. As the Deputy is aware, they have already advertised...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Schemes (9 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: As the Deputy is aware, the local authority affordable housing fund scheme is equity based. We have made changes to that scheme in the current year. It ensures people will get a discount of at least 22% when they qualify for the help to buy scheme, which Sinn Féin opposed. Our system of people being able to purchase their own homes is not binary. Sinn Féin's system is binary....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (9 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 88 and 154 together. In July 2022 we launched the vacant property refurbishment grant under the Croí Cónaithe towns fund. This supports bringing vacant and derelict properties back into use as homes. In May 2023 we announced a revised grant rate of up to a maximum of €50,000 available for the refurbishment of vacant properties for...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (9 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I thank the Deputies. Yes, we have given directions and guidelines to the local authorities. However, in the interests of absolute clarity, we will write to the local authorities again on this specific area of discretion. On a couple of points, if an application was approved prior to 1 May 2022, the Deputy will probably be aware that applicants have 18 months. We have now extended the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (9 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: We in government would very much welcome any change of mind on Sinn Féin's part on particular policy dimensions.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (9 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I think that Deputy Ó Broin, in his interpretation of Croí Cónaithe, is trying to do a twist of faith. He is basically changing the scheme. Our scheme works.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (9 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: Sinn Féin has a different scheme. Nevertheless, if Deputy Ó Broin wants to adopt our policies, we would be delighted.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (9 Nov 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: Maybe he has seen the light. In the interests of clarity, Deputy Tully asked about people being able to build in rural areas. I very much support that. We increased the grant from €30,000 to €50,000 and from €50,000 to €70,000 in terms of the costs involved. We extended it to rental properties. We brought the period of time back two years from pre-1993. We...