Results 10,041-10,060 of 25,999 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Land Ownership (20 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 263 and 264 together. In relation to any specific cases with the Property Registration Authority (PRA), arrangements have been put in place to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. Further information in relation to the specific cases referred to may be obtained by contacting the dedicated e-mail address in respect of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (20 Oct 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 levels and I have no function in relation to this matter, under section 7 of the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 and therefore the issue of a formal report being sent to my Department does not arise. However, my officials did...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (20 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The remedial options provided for under the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme constitute a material alteration to an existing building. Any works that are beyond the requirements of the current building regulations for existing dwellings, or any works that are not required for or ancillary to the remediation of damage to the dwelling arising out of, or in connection with, the use of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Process (20 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government – Our Shared Future – includes a number of commitments in relation to the modernisation of our electoral registration process including the use of PPSNs to verify identity. The use of the PPSN in the context of the register will contribute to the ability of registration authorities to maintain accurate and complete electoral registers by ensuring...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Commission (20 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The establishment of an Electoral Commission is a key commitment in the Programme for Government - Our Shared Future, with the aim of a Commission being in place by the end of 2021. An Electoral Commission will bring together several electoral functions in an independent, dedicated public body. The Electoral Commission’s establishment is guided by a number of recent reports and public...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commercial Rates (20 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 269 and 290 together. An initial three-month waiver of rates for businesses forced to close business due to COVID-19, was announced in May. In recognition of the fact that not only were many ratepayers forced to close business due to the public health requirements, but also many that remained open suffered significant reductions in turnover, the waiver...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Land Development Agency (20 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: In September 2018, the Land Development Agency was established on an interim basis by statutory instrument under the Local Government Services (Corporate Bodies) Act 1971, as amended, pending the enactment of primary legislation. On enactment, the LDA will be a commercial state body. The LDA has been subject to FOI since March 2019 and deals with all such requests in line with the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Valuation Office (20 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I am taking the reference in the question to be to the Valuation Tribunal rather than the Valuation Office, as the Tribunal is the independent appeal body established and operating under the Valuation Acts of 1988 and 2001 to deal with, inter aliaappeals against decisions of the Commissioner of Valuation on the valuation of commercial properties for rating purposes. The judgments made by the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (20 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Longford County Council has not recouped any capital funding from my Department for Traveller Accommodation in the past four years. In accordance with the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, housing authorities have statutory responsibility for the assessment of the accommodation needs of Travellers and the preparation, adoption and implementation of multi-annual Traveller...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Pyrite Remediation Programme (20 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Budget 2020 provided an overall €40m to fund the Pyrite Remediation and Defective Concrete Blocks Grants Schemes broken down as follows: €20 million to fund the operation of the Pyrite Remediation scheme; and €20 million to fund the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme for the participating counties of Donegal and Mayo. Budget 2021 includes the same financial commitment...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Budget 2021 (20 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Budget 2021 provides for an unprecedented level of funding to deliver housing programmes next year through an overall investment of €3.3 billion, an increase of €641m or 24% on 2020. This investment will ensure that the housing needs of over 28,500 households are met in 2021 and this will include the delivery of new social homes for people with a disability, older people and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (20 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Irish hare [Lepus timidus hibernicus] is listed on Annex V of the E.U. Habitats Directive [92/43/EEC] and is also protected under the Wildlife Acts [1976 and 2000]. The species is considered to be in favourable conservation status. Hare coursing in Ireland is administered by the Irish Coursing Club (ICC) which is a body set up under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958. Statutory...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (20 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: In order to be eligible for Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) support and the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS), a household must first qualify for social housing support and be placed on a housing list. Applications for social housing support are assessed by the relevant local authority, in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Irish Water (20 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Established in 2013, Irish Water is a subsidiary of Ervia. In the period 2013 and 2014, the Board of Irish Water included non-executive Directors as well as executive Directors; these are senior executive employees of Ervia or Irish Water. Expenses and travel claims only arise in relation to the non-executive Directors and amounted to €6,007.04 in this period and details are set out...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Members (20 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government - Our Shared Future has a commitment to "implement the Moorhead Report on the Role and Remuneration of Elected Members within 12 months". Meeting this commitment is a priority within my Department with the aim of ensuring that councillors are properly supported to carry out their important functions and effectively represent local communities. In the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme (20 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme came into operation on 1 January 2016. The Scheme is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the Scheme. To be eligible, tenants must meet certain criteria, including having a minimum reckonable income of €15,000 per annum and having been in receipt of social housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (20 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Applications for social housing support are assessed by the relevant local authority, in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended. The 2011 Regulations prescribe maximum net income limits for each local authority, in different bands...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (20 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 281 and 282 together. Under the Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable Rural Housing 2005, planning authorities are required to frame the planning policies in their development plans in a balanced and measured way that ensures the housing needs of rural communities are met, while avoiding excessive urban-generated housing. A working group...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Budget 2021 (20 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Cork Event Centre is included as a commitment under Project Ireland 2040 and it underlines the Government’s objectives around urban regeneration, enhanced amenity and heritage, associated quality of life standards, balanced regional development, and the regeneration and development of Cork City Centre. It was agreed in the context of Budget 2020 that responsibility at central...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Functions (20 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Cork Social Housing Delivery Group was established in June 2015. The Group is chaired by Ms Geraldine Tallon, former Secretary General of the Department of the Environment and Local Government. Its membership includes the Chief Executives of Cork City and County Councils and their senior housing officials and the CEOs of the Housing Agency, Irish Council for Social Housing and...