Results 10,481-10,500 of 25,999 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Home Loan Scheme (2 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan scheme remains open for business. All local authorities are receiving and processing RIHL applications and are incorporating increased flexibility to accommodate applicants during the COVID 19 Pandemic. As is the case with any lender, local authorities must lend mortgages on a prudent basis, taking into account the most recent income and employment data...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (3 Dec 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: Social and Affordable Housing (3 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Oversight and management of housing waiting lists is a matter for the relevant local authority in accordance with the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, and associated regulations. Specifically, section 63(3) of the Local Government Act 2001 provides that, subject to law, a local authority is independent in the performance of its functions. Section 22 of the Housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Data Protection (3 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has not been the subject of any investigation by the Data Protection Commission during the period in question.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (3 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government sets out a number of commitments in respect of the important policy area of building defects and provides for an examination of defective housing, having regard to the recommendations of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing report, "Safe as Houses". In this regard, my Department is actively engaging with key stakeholders and I have had several meetings with...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (8 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government provides that the Government will refer the issue of the environment, including water, and its place in the Constitution, to a relevant Joint Oireachtas Committee for consideration.  I and my Department will engage with the relevant Committee when work proceeds on this issue. 

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payment (8 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Increased rent limits for the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) and the Rent Supplement Scheme were introduced in 2016. These limits were agreed in conjunction with the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP).  In reviewing the rent limits, my Department worked closely with DEASP and monitored data gathered from the Residential Tenancies Board...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payment (8 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Homeless HAP Place Finder Service was established in January 2018 and it was made available to each of the 31 local authorities, which are entitled to apply for approval for a dedicated resource. There are currently Place Finder positions in 26 local authorities, with recruitment taking place to fill existing vacancies.  The current number of placefinders in each of these 26...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Staff (8 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he or she is responsible. My Department is not aware of the specific grade of Anti-Social Behavioural Officer nor the establishment of such a role in any local authority. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Stations (8 Dec 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 Acts, 1981 and 2003.  My Department supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Supply (8 Dec 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 in accordance with Section 7 of the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013. The day-to-day operation of the public water system, including the arrangements for dealing with unforeseen outages, is therefore a matter for Irish Water...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (8 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Under Call 2 of the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund  (URDF), seventy six proposals were received, with every local authority submitting at least one application for URDF support, all of which require detailed assessment, including this proposal, which was one of four poposals submitted by Dublin City Council. This assessment process is in train at...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (8 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department recently confirmed approval to Mayo County Council to proceed to tender in relation to the proposed development of 22 new social homes at Lios ns Circe, Saleen, Castlebar, County Mayo.  It is now a matter for Mayo County Council to advance the project and I look forward to them doing so as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (8 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Since 2018, and the publication of the National Vacant Housing Reuse Strategy, my Department has secured funding of €50,000 per annum for each local authority to support the work of a Vacant Homes Office, including a Vacant Homes Officer for each local authority. This Strategy strives to provide a targeted, effective and co-ordinated approach to identifying and tackling vacancy across...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (8 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2015 provided for, among other things, the establishment of a tenancy deposit protection scheme to be operated by the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB). The Programme for Government commits to the examination of a system of holding rental deposits and how best to achieve this is under consideration my Department.  However, there have been...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Mortgage Resolution Processes (8 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 279 and 293 together. The Mortgage to Rent (MTR) scheme introduced in 2012 is targeted at supporting households in mortgage arrears who: have had their mortgage position deemed unsustainable by their lender under the Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process (MARP); agree to the voluntary surrender of their home and are deemed eligible for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payment (8 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a form of social housing support for people, including people with disabilities, who have a long-term housing need. The Housing Assistance Payment (Amendment) Regulations 2017 prescribe maximum rent limits for each housing authority, according to prescribed household classes, and the Regulations incorporate rent limits for a single household. If a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Issues (8 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I have indicated in a circular letter dated 23rd November 2020 to all local authorities, An Bord Pleanála and the Office of the Planning Regulator, that my preferred approach is to restrict commercial co-living development, through an update of the Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New Apartments, Guidelines for Planning Authorities 2018 document, with a Specific Planning...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Data (8 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 282, 283, 284 and 286 together. There have been a number of deaths, in recent months, of people who had been sleeping rough or accessing homeless services. Each of these deaths is a tragedy and I extend my sympathies to the families concerned. The deaths of people availing of homeless services are a concern. In order to provide a better understanding...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (8 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: There have been two calls for proposals under the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund, which was launched in 2018. The URDF is providing part-funding for applicant-led projects that will enable a greater proportion of residential and mixed-use development to be delivered within the existing built-up footprints of our cities and large towns, while also ensuring that more parts of our urban...