Results 10,721-10,740 of 25,999 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Constituency Commission (20 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Reviews of Dáil and European Parliament constituencies are linked to the publication of Census of Population data. In effect, the publication of preliminary census results triggers the establishment of a Constituency Commission under section 5(1) of the Electoral Act 1997 with the Commission required to present its report on Dáil and European Parliament constituencies to the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Hare Coursing (20 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department understands from the Irish Coursing Club (ICC) that all hares which had been held in captivity by clubs affiliated to the ICC were released back into the wild in November 2020 on foot of a request to the ICC to do so. I understand that some hares netted in late December may remain in captivity. The National Parks and Wildlife Service are currently monitoring that situation,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (20 Jan 2021)

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. Issues in relation to the costs of the project referred to in the question and the allocation of funding towards the project are matter for Irish Water. As part of Budget 2021, I secured funding of over €1.4...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (20 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The number of staff recruited for the National Parks and Wildlife Service in the grades requested for the years 2018 to 2020 are set out in the table below. 2018 1 Head of Ecological Assessment 2 Wildlife Inspectors Grade 2 8 Ecologists/Wildlife Inspectors Grade 3 2 District Conservation Officers 2019 1 Ecological Data Manager 1 Wildlife...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant (20 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: In 2021, a total of €75 million is available for the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability Scheme, in respect of private houses. This is made up of €60 million Exchequer funding, with the balance of €15 million in local authority contributions. The suite of grants include the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability, the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Issues (20 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the very stressful circumstances which the owners and residents of buildings face when defects occur in their homes. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (21 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 124, 125 and 136 together. In December last, the Government approved the priority drafting of the Affordable Housing Bill 2020, which will provide a legislative basis for a number of new affordable housing measures, one of which is the Affordable Purchase Shared Equity Scheme. Once enacted, the Bill will deliver on key affordability commitments in the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (21 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 126 and 131 together. 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. Under the Household Means Policy (HMP),...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payment (21 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is funded through a combination of Exchequer funding and tenant differential rents collected in respect of HAP tenancies. Limerick City and County Council provides a highly effective HAP transactional shared service on behalf of all local authorities. The HAP Shared Services Centre (SSC) manages all HAP related rental transactions for the tenant, local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (21 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 128 and 129 together. The relevant details are being compiled and will be provided to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (21 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: In general terms, a person who has been discharged from bankruptcy and is eligible in all other respects for a Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan, including being a first-time buyer, may apply for a loan and will be subject to the same credit assessment process that applies to all applicants. Applicants for the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan must be of good credit standing; have a satisfactory...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme (21 Jan 2021)

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 support...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Property Registration Authority (21 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The current number of staff employed by the Property Registration Authority (PRA) is 571, representing 528.36 full-time equivalents. On foot of the restrictions introduced by the Government on 30 December 2020, the PRA has implemented its Business Continuity Plan Level 5 response for the continued provision of essential services. The PRA is operating a high level of service at a reduced...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Issues (21 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The oversight and practical management of social housing waiting lists, including the allocation and transfer of tenancies, is a matter for the relevant local authority in accordance with the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, and associated regulations. Section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 requires all local authorities, as a reserved function, to make...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (21 Jan 2021)

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: Local Authority Housing (21 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 141, 143 and 146 together. My Department has published the Quarter 3 2020 Social Housing Construction Status Report, which provides details of all social housing developments under construction in each local authority. The report is available at the following link: . The data for Quarter 4 2020 is being compiled and the report will be published as soon as...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Home Loan Scheme (21 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 142 and 144 together. My Department publishes information on the overall number and value of (i) local authority loan approvals and (ii) local authority loan drawdowns. Local authority approval means that an official letter of offer has been sent to a borrower and therefore relates to a specific property and loan amount. Figures for 2019 and the first two...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (21 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The full range of infrastructural requirements, provision and plans within each local authority is broad and cuts across numerous Government Department's and public bodies and is dynamic. The most up to date and detailed information would be available in each local authority. Where local authorities have identified particular infrastructure shortfalls that may provide an impediment to the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (21 Jan 2021)

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, there are a range of measures to assist in meeting housing needs by ensuring that our existing housing stock is used to the greatest extent possible. The , published in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (27 Jan 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The relevant details are being compiled and will be provided to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.