Results 9,521-9,540 of 25,999 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department publishes comprehensive statistics on a quarterly basis on all social housing delivery activity under Rebuilding Ireland, including acquisitions and leasing. This is published on the statistics page of my Department's website, at the following link: https://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/social-housing /social-and-affordble/overall-social-housing-provision. This will provide...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government commits to bringing forward a package of social housing reforms, which includes standardising the differential rents regime across the country to ensure fairness.  Work on the review of the current rent schemes has been ongoing and I have asked my Department to prepare recommendations regarding the potential for a standardised local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The new Programme for Government identifies the need to avoid over-concentration of particular housing types in areas, by requiring local authorities to complete housing need and demand assessments to inform delivery of an appropriate mix of housing typologies to cater for the needs of disparate household types and sizes.  Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I assume that the Deputy is referring to completed residential estates that are dependent on Developer Provided Water Services Infrastructure for their water services.   In July 2019, my Department launched the multi-annual Developer-Provided Water Services Infrastructure Resolution Programme 2019-2021.  Bids were sought from local authorities for funding under the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local level. In relation to the July Jobs Stimulus Package, capital funding being provided to Irish Water will allow for an acceleration of the leakage reduction programme. This will lead to activity across all 26 counties and allow for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: If a household has been deemed eligible for social housing support, it is a matter for the local authority to examine the suite of social housing supports available, including the HAP scheme, to determine the most appropriate form of social housing support for that household in the administrative area of that local authority.  The determination of entitlement to HAP, including the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payment (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: A landlord or an agent acting on behalf of a landlord is not legally obliged to enter into a tenancy agreement specifically with a HAP recipient. However, on 1 January 2016, the Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2015 introduced “housing assistance” as a new discriminatory ground. This means that discrimination in the provision of accommodation or related service and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (30 Jul 2020)

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.  Local authorities and their NGO service delivery partners work closely with households in emergency accommodation to help them identify and secure a home...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has received correspondence in relation to a number of allegations regarding certain matters in County Wicklow, which is being considered. 

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 481 and 482 together. No funding proposals have been made to my Department in respect of the sites referenced. The advancement of social housing proposals is a matter, in the first instance, for local authorities. I fully support the development of social and affordable housing on publicly-owned land and my Department will work with local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA) has been conducted on an annual basis since 2016, prior to which it was carried out once every three years. The last Summary under the triennial approach took place in  2013, and, as there was no assessment carried out in 2014 or 2015, my Department has no data available for those years. The links to the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Data Centres (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, I am specifically precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to any particular case (including data centres) with which a planning authority or An Bord Pleanála is or may be concerned, except in specific circumstances which do not apply in this case. As majority-shareholding Minister of Ervia,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Funding allocations under the Disabled Persons Grants Scheme (LA Tenants) for local authorities in 2018 and 2019 are detailed in the tables below:  Disabled Persons Grants Scheme (LA Tenants) - 2018 Allocations  Local Authority Department Contribution (90%) Local Authority Contribution (10%) Total (Department and LA Contribution) ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (30 Jul 2020)

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. Under the Housing Act 1988 it is a matter for each local authority to determine whether a person is regarded as homeless in accordance with the provisions of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commercial Rates (30 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. An initial three-month waiver of rates for businesses forced to close business due to COVID-19 was announced in early May. In order to enhance the supports available for enterprise,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Louth County Council submitted an application for funding support for this project under Call 2 of the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund. The final date for the submission of applications under Call 2 was the 29th May. A large number of proposals were received, with every local authority submitting at least one application for URDF support. Because of the nature of the URDF...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Student Accommodation (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: With effect from 27 March 2020, emergency measures were introduced into law to protect tenants during the COVID-19 emergency period. Tenants cannot be forced to leave their rental accommodation, other than in exceptional circumstances, during this period. These emergency laws initially applied for a period of 3 months from the enactment of the Emergency Measures in the Public Interest...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Register of Electors (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government - Our Shared Future commits to progressing this work including the simplification of processes and forms; a move to a system of identity verification using one's PPSN; a rolling register and a single national electoral register database. Work is ongoing in my Department on developing a new streamlined registration application form to replace the current suite...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Issues (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: All new dwellings must comply with building regulations, the aim of which is to provide for the safety and welfare of people in and about buildings. The building regulations apply to the design and construction of a new building (including a dwelling) or an extension to an existing building as well as for material alterations and certain material changes of use to existing buildings. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: It would not be appropriate for me to comment on the High Court Judgement referred to because neither I, as Minister, or the State is a party to the case concerned. In addition, it should be noted that under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, I am specifically precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to any case which a planning authority or An...