Results 10,121-10,140 of 25,999 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Control (3 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 567 and 569 together. Ireland continues to remain a stronghold for the European otter. Four national surveys have been conducted to date. The first in 1980/81 found signs of otters throughout the country, at 88% of sites surveyed. There was some suggestion of declines in the survey results of 1990/91 and 2004/05 but the most recent survey (2010/11) indicated...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (3 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The draft National Marine Planning Framework (NMPF) was launched by my Department on 12 November 2019. The draft NMPF is Ireland’s first comprehensive marine spatial plan document and outlines the clear structure and direction proposed for the development, conservation and enjoyment of our maritime area. This important new text will, when finalised, stand as the marine equivalent of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes (3 Nov 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 and my Department does not maintain a register of the sort that might contain the information which the Deputy seeks. It may be helpful to note that Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes (3 Nov 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 including issues around the capacity of existing infrastructure. It may be helpful to note that Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives. The team can...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Private Rented Accommodation (3 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies and Valuation Act 2020 came into effect from 1 August 2020 to temporarily provide enhanced protections for those tenants who are facing rent arrears due to Covid-19 and, as a result, are at risk of losing their tenancy. The Act also provides for permanently enhanced protections which were designed to ensure that tenants and landlords engage to address any rent...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (3 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I understand that the Deputy is referring to the Multi-annual Rural Water Programme. The allocations under the current multi-annual rural water programme were announced on 15 October, 2019. All local authorities that submitted bids were informed of the outcome of their bids in a circular which included an overall and a breakdown of the allocations per county. The Deputy will find that the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Coastal Erosion (3 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 575 and 576 together. The position is as set out in to Parliamentary Questions No. 333 of 15 September 2020 and No. 143 of 13 October 2020 referenced by Deputy O’Callaghan. Given that this is a strategic scoping exercise and having regard to the early stage of the work of the Steering and Working Groups, I am not in a position to comment on, nor do...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rent Increases (3 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 577 and 619 together. The Residential Tenancies Act 2020 was enacted and came into operation on 24 October 2020 to help mitigate the impact of Covid-19 on tenants and to support the efforts of Government in restricting the movement of people in order to suppress the spread of Covid 19. The Act modifies the operation of the Residential Tenancies Acts...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (3 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 578, 592 and 593 together. Under Section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act) I am specifically precluded from exercising power or control in relation to any particular planning case with which a planning authority or An Bord Pleanála is or may be concerned. Consequently, I may not seek to influence the outcome of, or...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (3 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The response provided under Parliamentary Question No. 152 of 13 October 2020 specifically related to the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme, and did not include the Pyrite Remediation scheme. The regulations underpinning the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme came in to operation on 31 January 2020. The Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks in Construction...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (3 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme provides financial assistance to support affected homeowners to carry out the necessary remediation works to dwellings that have been damaged due to the use of defective concrete blocks. The Scheme outlines five remedial options ranging from rebuilding on existing foundations to replacing of external walls. The maximum approved costs per dwelling...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (3 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Budget 2021 provides funding of €20 million to fund the operation of the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme for the counties of Donegal and Mayo. My Department is satisfied that the budget which has been made available should be adequate to meet anticipated demand in 2021.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (3 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: 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 Accommodation Programmes in their areas. My Department’s role is to ensure that there are adequate structures and supports in place to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Derelict Sites (3 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides financial support for the protection of heritage buildings and historic structures through two grant schemes which are, in the main, administered by the local authorities. These are the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) and the Historic Structures Fund (HSF). The BHIS is a scheme for the repair and conservation of structures on the local authority Record of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Inland Waterways (3 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Phase 1 of the Restoration of the Ulster Canal was completed in 2019 comprising the opening of circa 2.5km of new navigation from Upper Lough Erne near Quivvy Lough along the River Finn to Castle Saunderson. This consisted of dredging of the River Finn, construction of a short length of new lateral canal together with a new navigation arch beside Derrykerrib Bridge on the River Finn and the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Service (3 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Act, 1981. My Department supports fire authorities through setting general policy and progressing legislation,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Process (3 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Government Decision of 20 January 2015 approved the drafting of the Tailte Éireann Bill proposing the merger of the offices of the Commissioner of Valuation, the Property Registration Authority and Ordnance Survey Ireland into a new body to be known as Tailte Éireann. Work on this project was commenced by the Department of Justice and Equality, following Government approval to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Process (3 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I see a strong voter turnout at electoral events as being of key importance in our society and there are a number of initiatives already in place to support this. In the first instance, my Department promotes greater awareness of the register of electors and encourages people to register to vote through an annual public awareness campaign. This entails the use of promotional posters, social...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Control (3 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 588 and 603 together. It is my understanding that hunting, including deer hunting, is not an exempted activity under the regulations made by the Minister for Health in the context of COVID – 19 Level 5 Phase. While my Department does issue licenses for various activities under the Wildlife Acts, this does not in any way grant an exemption to any...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Control (3 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 589 and 604 together. Senior Officials of my Department would be open to a meeting along the lines proposed, in the first instance. I would suggest that to facilitate a useful meeting, the organisation in question should submit any proposals it has in relation to a review of the legislation and administrative arrangements on deer licensing to my Department in...