Results 11,021-11,040 of 25,999 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Issues (18 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 specify requirements in relation to a range of matters, such as structural repair, sanitary facilities, heating, ventilation, natural light and the safety of gas, oil and electrical supplies. With very limited exemptions, these apply to all private rented residential accommodation. All landlords have a legal obligation to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (18 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Details of the grant schemes for which individuals or community organisations can apply directly to the Department, are set out in the attached table. In addition to those schemes, my Department provides funding for a number of schemes that are administered by local authorities such as the Housing Adaptation Grants and Defective Concrete Block Schemes. Local authorities provide details of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Issues (18 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I understand that the site referred to is adjacent to the Regeneration area and does not form part of the Regeneration programme. The questions are therefore a matter for Limerick City and County Council. My Department has not received a submission from the Council in relation to any proposed social housing element on the site.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Home Loan Scheme (18 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan scheme is administered by the local authorities, in accordance with the Housing (Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan) Regulations 2018. The Regulations broadly set out the amount that can be lent under the scheme, the eligibility criteria for loans, the duties of borrowers and housing authorities and other administrative matters relating to the scheme. Under the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Home Loan Scheme (18 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Cost Rental developments announced on 8 February 2021 have been given approval in principle under the new Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) scheme. This scheme was allocated €35m in funding in Budget 2021, and will see the Government issue loans on favourable terms to Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) for up to 30% of the cost of new homes for Cost Rental. Following an assessment process...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes (18 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 309 of 17 February 2021. 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. The prioritisation and progression of individual projects is a matter for determination by Irish Water. Under section 16 of the Water...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Animal Welfare (18 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I trust the Deputy will appreciate that given my obligations under Section 16 of the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 to protect the identity of a person who has made a disclosure, as well as the rights of individuals named in a protected disclosure, I am unable to provide details of any particular protected disclosure. Any communication by my Department regarding a protected disclosure is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Land Development Agency (18 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. As part of its existing remit, the LDA is currently developing a register of all relevant public...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Covid-19 Pandemic (18 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Local Authorities continue to deliver key essential services including housing, water and waste water services, essential roads maintenance and planning. The delivery of those services requires the attendance of staff in the workplace as such services cannot be delivered on a remote basis. The safety of all staff remains the key priority for the sector and this is reflected in the detailed...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (24 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Energy Efficiency Programme for 2021 will be the first year of a newly revised ten year programme designed to help deliver on the Programme for Government commitment to retrofitting 500,000 homes by 2030 to a B2/cost optimal BER standard. It is expected that approximately 36,500 of those will be local authority owned homes. The budget of €65 million in 2021 for the energy...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (24 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water is responsible for the operation of water services infrastructure and for the provision of drinking water in accordance with the European Communities (Drinking Water) (No.2) Regulations 2007, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas library. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as the water quality regulator, is the supervisory authority for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Offices (24 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides breastfeeding employees with access to flexible spaces across all of the office locations for which we have responsibility. These spaces include wellbeing rooms and rest rooms. Each one is shielded from view and is free from intrusion by co-workers or the public and is provided with appropriate furniture. Although currently demand does not exist for these spaces to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Animal Welfare (24 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 284 and 318 together. I trust the Deputies will appreciate that given my obligations under Section 16 of the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 to protect the identity of a person who has made a disclosure, as well as the rights of individuals named in a protected disclosure, I am unable to provide details of any particular protected disclosure. Any...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Home Loan Scheme (24 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 286 and 322 together. The Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan scheme is administered by the local authorities, in accordance with the Housing (Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan) Regulations 2018. Under the Housing (Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan) Regulations 2018 a loan cannot be issued where the house has a gross internal floor area of 175 square metres or more. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Home Loan Scheme (24 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan scheme the final decision on loan approval is a matter for each local authority and its Credit Committee on a case-by-case basis. Decisions on all housing loan applications must be made in accordance with the statutory credit policy that underpins the scheme, in order to ensure consistency of treatment for all applicants. Loan applicants who are...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Referendum Campaigns (24 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government provides that the Government will retain Irish Water in public ownership as a national, standalone, regulated utility. The realisation of this commitment will complete the broad policy and legislative reforms which have seen the public water system embark on a journey of transformation, from a structure based on locally-organised water services authorities,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Data (24 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department publishes a detailed monthly report on homelessness, based on data provided by housing authorities. The Report outlines details of individuals utilising State-funded emergency accommodation arrangements that are overseen by housing authorities. Data relating to homeless families and their dependants are presented at a regional level. The Reports are available to access on my...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Covid-19 Pandemic (24 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 292 and 329 together. The Government announced that additional public health restrictions would apply under Level 5 of the Plan for Living with COVID-19 on 6 January 2021. The additional restrictions required all construction activity to cease from 6pm on Friday 8 January, with a number of exceptions. These measures are set out in The Health Act 1947...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Ministerial Advisers (24 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The information requested is set out in the table below. All special advisers are based in Custom House, Dublin 1. Minister Adviser Contact details Darragh O’Brien, TD, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Ciara Shaughnessy Tel - 01 8882000 Email - ciara.shaughnessy@housing.gov.ie Darragh...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Staff (24 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The minimum age of retirement in a local authority or other public service employment is dependent upon a range of factors, including but not limited to the commencement date of employment and the specific contract of employment. Without the full information, it is not possible to comment on individual cases. In any event, the aggrieved party should, in the first instance, raise his...