Results 9,321-9,340 of 25,999 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wind Energy Guidelines (22 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is currently working in conjunction with the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, who are leading the development of the provisions specific to Offshore Renewable Energy, to further develop the Marine Planning and Development Management Bill. The finalised General Scheme for the Marine Planning and Development Management Bill was published by my...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Environmental Policy (22 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government - Our Shared Future - contains a commitment to realise Ireland's outstanding target of 10% marine protected areas (MPAs) as soon as practical and to aim for 30% MPAs by 2030. This commitment will advance the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the National Biodiversity Action Plan (2017 - 2021) while supporting the principles and ambition...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Rates (22 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The levying and collection of rates are legally matters for each individual local authority. Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes. On 2 May 2020, a waiver of commercial rates was announced to all businesses that have been forced to close due to public health requirements, from 27 March 2020, for a three-month...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (22 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 137 and 142 together. Cost Rental rents cover the cost of delivering, managing, and maintaining the homes only. Therefore the rents for Cost Rental units will be directly linked to the overall cost of each development, and will vary according to the site and design specifics. Value engineering with long-term maintenance in mind can put downward pressure on...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Home Loan Scheme (22 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing (Rebuilding Ireland Home Loans) Regulations (S.I. No 25 of 2018) provide that the loan provided cannot exceed 90% of the market value of the property. The credit assessment is the same for all Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan applicants, whether they are purchasing a home on the private market or a home under the incremental purchase scheme. The final decision on loan approval is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Land Development Agency (22 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Currently the LDA has access to an initial tranche of 9 sites across the country that have near term delivery potential for 3,600 new homes. Details of the current status of these sites are set out in the table below. Update on LDA sites Location Size Projected number of units Status Partners Shanganagh, Dublin 17.8 acres ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Members (22 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: As a result of feedback from local authority elected members and their representative associations regarding their current remuneration regime, Ms Sara Moorhead SC was commissioned in June 2018 to carry out a review of the role and remuneration of local authority elected members. During the course of the review a survey was carried out of all local authority elected members. Ms Moorhead also...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (22 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Cost Rental Working Group was convened in 2019 in order to assess methods for the consistent and sustainable delivery of Cost Rental at scale. The Group is examining potential funding models, including the use of public land and appropriate Exchequer inputs, in order to establish a sustainable financing and implementation structure to deliver Cost Rental units at the necessary scale....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rental Sector (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Deputy Ó Broin for raising this important issue. It is important we understand that we deal with any issues that relate to residual debt, particularly, with renters, due to losing jobs or income because of the Covid-19 pandemic. As the Deputy will be aware, tenants are required to pay rent to their landlord during the Covid-19 emergency period and in the event of tenants having...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rental Sector (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: This is going to be an issue and we must base our response on the scientific research. The Deputy mentioned Sinn Féin has carried out research. I am carrying out research through the ESRI and the initial response from that is there has not been a massive increase. However, I take the point it is in the first three months and we have got to watch that. Measures like the PUP and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rental Sector (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Any response will be based on fact and on the research we have done. I will be open to looking at all options once I have that information to hand. I would say to Members that we need to look at further protection of tenants' rights on a permanent basis as well. That is why in the next couple of days I intend to bring to Cabinet a new residential tenancies (amendment) Bill which I will...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Reviews (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for his question. The Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 introduced what the previous Government defined as a new streamlined arrangement to enable planning applications for strategic housing developments, SHDs, of 100 units or more or student or shared accommodation developments of 200 bed spaces or more to be made directly to An Bord...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Reviews (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy. He has been very vocal and active on this issue in his constituency, as well as elsewhere. I have raised concerns publicly about this process. To wind it down now would take as long as it would take for it to expire. I can give the Deputy a firm commitment. Colleagues in my party also raised concerns about this matter on a number of occasions. In the programme for...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Reviews (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I give the Deputy a firm commitment, on my first set of Priority Questions as Minister, in public and in front of colleagues that these provisions will not be extended. We will need to work together on the joint committee on housing, local government and heritage, as it will be constituted, on how we can strengthen resources within our local authorities and planning teams so that we can...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Policy (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy. As he knows, I am committed to putting affordability back at the heart of our housing system through the expansion and acceleration of State-backed affordable housing. Long-term financial sustainability is an important guiding principle to ensure that individuals and families can be helped to secure affordable housing on an ongoing basis. Therefore, the Housing...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Policy (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Sometimes the Deputy thinks he has all the answers on these matters but he does not. There are not only two mechanisms to deliver affordable homes. There are other mechanisms that can deliver. I have stated publicly the guide on prices that I want to see. Depending on the type of house in question and the area in which it is, that price would be between €160,000 and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Policy (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: To be fair, if we had moved on the Sinn Féin motion that the Deputy put forward, we would have had an inferior and unworkable affordable housing scheme that would have left more than 40% of those who need affordable housing out of the system on the basis of the arbitrary cap on earnings of €75,000 for a couple.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Policy (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I did not interrupt the Deputy once. The Sinn Féin scheme stated that a couple can apply if their gross earnings are less than €75,000. We are not going to do that.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Policy (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Tá brón orm, but I did not interrupt the Deputy once.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Policy (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Sometimes the Deputy does not like hearing the truth and that is fine. The truth may not suit the Deputy. Let us focus on the issue at hand.