Results 10,981-11,000 of 25,999 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Budget 2021 allocated €35m for a new Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) scheme, under which the Government will make loans on favourable terms to Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) for up to 30% of the cost of new homes for Cost Rental. A Call for Proposals from AHBs opened on 14 December 2020 and closed on 5 January 2021. Applications were then competitively assessed by my Department and the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Land Development Agency (LDA) was established on an interim basis in September 2018, by way of an Establishment Order made under the Local Government Services (Corporate Bodies) Act 1971, pending the enactment of primary legislation when it will be established as a commercial State agency. The LDA has informed my Department that the Shanganagh development is scheduled to commence in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 256, 257, 294, 295, 305 and 306 together. Details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority administrative area are provided in the annual statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA). The most recently published SSHA carried out in 2019, details the number of households on all local authority waiting...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The two estates mentioned in the details supplied were allocated funding last year under my Department’s Multi-annual Developer Provided Water Services Infrastructure Resolution Programme 2019-2021. It is now a matter for Galway County Council to plan the advancement of the most appropriate and sustainable solution to enable the estates to be taken in charge. My Department will...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 262 to 264, inclusive, together. Firstly, I wish to acknowledge the very stressful circumstances which the owners and residents of buildings face when defects occur in their homes. Unfortunately, building defects have emerged in some houses and apartments built during the 2000s. In general building defects are matters for resolution between the contracting...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Home Loan Scheme (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan scheme remains open for business. All local authorities are receiving and processing applications and are incorporating increased flexibility to accommodate applicants during the COVID 19 Pandemic. The Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan scheme Approval in Principle letter is usually valid for a period of 6 months from date of issue. Approvals can exceed six months...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Regeneration Projects (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The disbursement of funding to projects under the Social Intervention Fund of the Limerick Regeneration Programme is the responsibility of Limerick City & County Council (or the Limerick Regeneration Agencies prior to 2012). Based on information provided by the Council and the Agencies, the Table below sets out details of disbursements from the Social Intervention Fund from 2009 to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Capital Assistance Scheme (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department supports local authorities to fund Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) to deliver housing under the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) for priority housing categories, including age-friendly housing. CAS operates on the basis that loans of 100% are available to AHBs where all people to be accommodated are on the social housing waiting list, or loans to cover 95% of the capital...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Agency (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The oversight of Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) is currently conducted through the Voluntary Regulation Code (the Code), "Building for the Future, A Voluntary Regulation Code for Approved Housing Bodies in Ireland" underpinned by three standards - Financial, Governance and Performance. The Code is overseen by an Interim Regulatory Committee supported by a Regulation Office based in the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Thatching Grants (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Under my Department’s renewal or repair of thatched roof grant scheme, in general a grant of up to €3,810, or two thirds of the approved cost, whichever is the lesser, may be payable in respect of necessary works to renew or repair the thatched roofs of houses. In the case of medical card holders however, a grant of up to €6,350, or up to 80% of the approved cost, may be...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homelessness Strategy (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Supporting individuals and families facing homelessness is a key Government priority. 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. Homelessness is complex and causal factors and family circumstances vary considerably as do the responses needed. Homelessness is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department builds its strategic water policy and infrastructure delivery programmes around the National Planning Framework (NPF) 2018-2040 with necessary funding identified within the National Development Plan (NDP) 2018-2027. The NPF supports proportionate growth of rural towns and a programme for ‘new homes in small towns and villages’, with local authorities and public...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Department provides funding on an annual basis under the Disabled Persons Grants (DPG) scheme to local authorities for adaptations and extensions to their existing social housing stock to meet the needs of local authority tenants. Funding in this regard has been increasing year on year to support this scheme. It was acknowledged that some local authorities had contractual commitments...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme (17 Feb 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: Social and Affordable Housing (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government, 'Our Shared Future', commits to putting affordability at the heart of the housing system. On 22 December 2020, Government approved the priority drafting of the Affordable Housing Bill 2020, the General Scheme of which I published on 20 January last. The Bill includes provisions to underpin three schemes which will prioritise the increased supply of affordable...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Foreshore Licences (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Details of current applications for a foreshore consent and consents granted and executed under the Foreshore Act 1933, as amended are available to view on my Department's website at the following link . Applications for a foreshore consent made to my Department are subject to a non-statutory pre-application process to enable applicants to engage with officials from my Department to discuss...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks in Construction (Remediation) (Financial Assistance) Regulations 2020 came in to operation on 31 January 2020 and the resulting Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme has been open for applications since the end of June 2020. The scheme was informed by the work of an Expert Panel and the current maximum grant amounts payable under...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme applies to private dwellings in Donegal and Mayo that have been damaged due to the use of defective concrete blocks. In respect of local authority housing stock, Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966 provides that management and maintenance is a matter for each individual local authority. This includes maintenance programmes and carrying out of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Land Development Agency (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The publication of Board meeting minutes is a matter for the Land Development Agency (LDA) Board. The LDA have advised my Department that Board meeting minutes are to be published on the LDA website - www.lda.ie- after a period of six months following the relevant meeting. Direct requests to the LDA for more recent board meeting minutes, in advance of their online publication, may be...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (17 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Responsibility for the development and provision of services to support victims of domestic violence rests with my colleague the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and I understand that the delivery of these services is managed by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. In terms of housing services, in 2017, my Department issued policy and procedural guidance...