Results 10,361-10,380 of 25,999 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Increasing the supply of housing, particularly social and affordable is a priority for this Government. The Programme for Government commits to increasing the social housing stock by more than 50,000, with an emphasis on new builds. In Budget 2021, the total funding being made available for the delivery of housing programmes is €3.3bn. This investment will ensure that the housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homelessness Strategy (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, commits to reducing and preventing homelessness and provides detail on how the Government is approaching this work as a priority. This year, we are seeing a reduction in the numbers of people in emergency accommodation. Homelessness is complex and causal factors and family circumstances vary considerably as do the responses needed....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Covid-19 Pandemic (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 62 and 82 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 2004-2020...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Mortgage Lending (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Whilst the operations of financial institutions and their implementation of the Central Bank’s Macro Prudential rules is not a matter for my Department, I would like to outline measures I am taking to deliver more affordable housing options. In Budget 2021, funding of €110 million was ring-fenced for two new schemes including a national Affordable Purchase Shared Equity Scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 65, 92 and 129 together. In Budget 2021, €75 million was ring-fenced for the national affordable purchase shared equity scheme. I intend to target the scheme at first time buyers, who are seeking to buy a new home but who cannot quite secure the full mortgage amount to do so at the present time. Subject to the final qualifying criteria, the scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) is the largest of four funds established under the National Development Plan 2018-2027 and has an allocation of €2 billion to 2027, primarily to support the NPF’s growth enablers for the five cities and other large urban centres. The €150m URDF funding provision announced for 2021 will support continuing progress on the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Accommodation Scheme (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: This Government is committed to ensuring that affordable, quality housing solutions are available to everyone in Irish society, and this is reflected in the Programme for Government “Our Shared Future”. The Programme commits to putting affordability at the heart of the housing system through the progression of State-backed affordable housing, including the development of a Cost...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing for People with Disabilities (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Increasing the supply of housing is a priority for this Government and the Programme for Government commits to ensuring an appropriate mix of housing design types is provided, including universally designed units, accommodation for older people and people with disabilities. Significant work is ongoing both through the implementation of the Housing Options for our Ageing Population policy...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Section 96(3) of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 (as amended) sets out 6 types of Part V agreement that may be made with respect to lands that are subject to a residential development pursuant to a relevant planning permission, which include: 1. Transfer of up to 10% of the land that is the subject of the application; 2. Build and transfer of up to 10% of the proposed housing units;...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 72, 88 and 372 together. The Programme for Government provides for a package of social housing reforms, including the introduction of a social housing passport to allow households move from one local authority list to another. It should be noted that the four Dublin local authorities already co-operate in arrangements that enable social housing applicants to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I believe that everybody should have access to good-quality housing to purchase or rent at an affordable price and that home ownership should be a realistic aspiration for people. To this end, the Programme for Government confirms that the Government will prioritise the increased supply of social and affordable homes. Delivering on these commitments, Budget 2021 provided for an overall...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: In the interest of standardising the approach to good quality social housing design across the country and achieving value for money a number of initiatives have been identified. In September 2019, the Employers Requirements document was published and issued to local authorities. This document provides clarity as to the general standards for materials, finishes and fittings to be provided...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Údaráis Áitiúla (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Tá bonn reachtúil le cur i bhfeidhm leanúnach an phróisis phleanála teanga faoi Acht na Gaeltachta 2012, arb é an príomhspreagadh é chun tacú leis an dtiomantas i leith na gcuspóirí atá leagtha amach sa Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge 2010 go 2030. Aithnítear é seo sa Chreat Pleanála Náisiúnta...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing for People with Disabilities (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides funding every year for the Disabled Persons Grant (DPG) scheme and the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability scheme. While both schemes are administered directly by the local authorities they operate independently with separate funding streams, the main differences being the type of properties eligible for funding and the level of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I have been clear in my intention to review the provisions on Shared Accommodation or “Co-living” as set out in section 5.0 of Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New Apartments Guidelines for Planning Authorities, which were published by my Department in 2018. Paragraph 5.24 of the guidance committed the Department to monitor the emerging shared accommodation...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Budget 2021 provides for an unprecedented level of funding for housing, with €3.3 billion being made available for the delivery of housing programmes next year. This comprises a total of €2.031 billion in capital funding and €1.276 billion in current funding. The investment will ensure that the housing needs of over 28,500 households are met in 2021, including the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of public water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. As part of Budget 2021 the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage secured funding of over €1.4 billion to support water services. This includes €1.3 billion in respect of domestic water...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is focused on ensuring that existing housing stock is utilised to its fullest extent including a targeted, effective and co-ordinated approach to identifying and tackling vacancy across Ireland. In that context, Pillar 5 of Rebuilding Ireland set out a range of measures to assist in meeting housing needs by ensuring that our existing housing stock is used to the greatest extent...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Repair and Leasing Scheme (RLS) was developed to assist private property owners and local authorities or approved housing bodies (AHBs) to harness the accommodation potential that exists in vacant dwellings across Ireland. Subject to the suitability of the dwelling for social housing, the cost of the necessary repairs will be met upfront by the local authority or an AHB with the cost of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Gaeltacht Policy (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: As part of the broader social housing reform agenda and the ongoing work of my Department, there are various reviews underway, including a review of income eligibility for social housing support and other ongoing review and analysis of various social housing policy matters. However, there is no review of allocation schemes, nor is any change envisaged in that area at this time.