Results 11,341-11,360 of 25,999 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Accommodation Standards (1 Apr 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 supply. All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties comply. Responsibility for enforcement of the regulations rests with...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on the Programme for Government: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I am joined by my colleagues, the Minister of State with responsibility for planning and local government, Deputy Peter Burke, and Minister of State with responsibility for heritage and electoral reform, Deputy Noonan. I will ask them to make brief statements on their areas of responsibility.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on the Programme for Government: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: We will do that. I am conscious that this is the first opportunity we have had to go through elements and commitments in the programme for Government, but it will not be our last. I will cover my headline items first. Implementation of the Department's commitments in the Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, is well under way across all functional areas. While it will not be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on the Programme for Government: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: If the Chairman wishes, I will leave the water element open to questions, if that is okay. The Minister of State, Deputy Noonan's area is heritage and electoral reform, and the Minister of State, Deputy Burke's area is local government, Traveller accommodation and planning. I ask that they would make a few brief remarks. We can then take some questions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on the Programme for Government: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: On Deputy McAuliffe's last question-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on the Programme for Government: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Deputy Ó Broin. Details are still being worked through by the way, so I am not at liberty to give the Deputy the specifics right now. I will be bringing the Bill to Cabinet the week after next along with the regulations. What I can say is the scheme itself is different from the UK scheme. Some have been very-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on the Programme for Government: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: No, hold on. I can answer the questions. The rates will be substantially lower than a scheme the Deputy has regularly quoted. It is not a debt-based scheme; it is equity-based-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on the Programme for Government: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I can tell the Deputy that the regulation and the rates will be published probably within the next two to three weeks. Everything will be there for everyone to go through. Even the Deputy may be pleasantly surprised.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on the Programme for Government: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: As I have said, the details are still being worked out. While the Deputy feels he may know the details, the agreement has not been finalised yet and still requires the approval of the Central Bank of Ireland, CBI.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on the Programme for Government: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: It is not the committee that would be the one to accept the scheme. It would be-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on the Programme for Government: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: With respect to Deputy Ó Broin, he was able to come out and criticise the scheme before he had even seen it, so I do not know whether the detail of the scheme really mattered to him, in real terms. The reality-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on the Programme for Government: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I am trying to answer the question. If you will not let me answer it, that is fine.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on the Programme for Government: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: While it might not suit Deputy Ó Broin's narrative, the reality is that the details are being finalised right now. It is the first affordable scheme in decades. It is the first affordable build since the mid-2000s. There are excellent elements in it because the Government believes in affordable housing and we are going to bring it about. The regulations and the details of the Bill...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on the Programme for Government: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Deputy will appreciate we have been dealing with a pandemic and, as a Department, we have been responding to that and the urgent work that is required. I have engaged on a regular basis-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on the Programme for Government: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Deputy wants to keep interrupting me and I know it is his modus operandi. To be fair, I will be coming to the committee with significant legislation that will make a difference to people, namely, the Land Development Agency Bill and the affordable housing Bill. I hope Deputy Ó Broin will be able to support some of those real solutions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on the Programme for Government: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I agree.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on the Programme for Government: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I will let the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, respond to the last point raised.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on the Programme for Government: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: On the SHDs-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on the Programme for Government: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I will comment on the SHDs because a number of colleagues have expressed interest in them. I will respond to Deputy Higgins on the other points she raised. I thank her for her support.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on the Programme for Government: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (20 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The programme for Government is clear. SHDs will not be extended past their expiry date. We need to look at elements of the provision of affordable social housing and educational facilities in the context of how we can make sure that they are dealt with efficiently through the planning system. SHDs will, however, cease post the expiry date and we will not be extending them further. In...