Results 11,541-11,560 of 25,999 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mica Redress Scheme (5 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Deputy Mac Lochlainn for the question. I have met many of those homeowners. I was actually in Donegal last summer, as the Deputy will know, when we opened the scheme for applications. I have quite a lot of personal experience with this type of remediation scheme. I was involved with the pyrite remediation scheme, going back to 2011, with the late Minister of State, Shane McEntee,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mica Redress Scheme (5 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I am not being confrontational on this in any way, shape or form. I have engaged extensively with the group and with homeowners in the area. To put this in context regarding the cost of remediation, the Deputy referenced the pyrite remediation scheme. The average cost of remediation under this scheme was between €60,000 and €80,000 per home. The average cost in respect of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Mica Redress Scheme (5 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Deputy Calleary for his constructive engagement. Many Members have engaged in a constructive way. I would have expected them to do so because we are not trying to be confrontational. Rather, we are trying to work through these issues. If people want to set up a campaign about the situation, that is fine, but I am interested in solutions. Deputy Calleary has engaged with us in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (5 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Dublin City Council (DCC) has advised my Department that here have been a number of delays in the delivery of 58 social housing apartments at Prospect Hill since the original developer went into receivership in 2012. Earlier this year DCC signed a settlement agreement in relation to the remedial works and other issues regarding the overall development. Following delays due to property...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (5 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to my recent letter to the Deputy in this matter which issued further to a query he raised with An Taoiseach in this House regarding the protection of potential burial sites associated with mother and baby homes in the context of county development plans. It had been requested that local authorities ensure that such possible burial sites are identified and taken into account in the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (5 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Social housing construction projects, as with all publicly funded construction projects, must be competitively tendered, in accordance with the public procurement guidelines, to ensure transparency as well as value for money for the taxpayer. The Office of Government Procurement under the aegis of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is responsible for implementing national policy...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes (5 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department builds its strategic water policy and infrastructure delivery programmes around the National Planning Framework 2018-2040 and the National Development Plan 2018-2027. Investment is primarily delivered through Irish Water while my Department operates the Rural Water Programme directly. The Programme for Government supports the uptake of Irish Water's Small Towns and Villages...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rent Controls (5 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Planning and Development and Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2016 introduced the Rent Predictability Measure to moderate rent increases in those parts of the country where rents are highest and rising fastest, resulting in great difficulty for households finding affordable accommodation. In these areas, called Rent Pressure Zones (RPZ), rents can only increase by a maximum of 4% per...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (5 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 54, 69 and 79 together. Increasing the supply of public, social and affordable homes is priority for my Department. The Programme for Government includes a commitment to deliver 50,000 new social homes with a focus on new build homes. In January, the enhanced Level 5 restrictions introduced by Government involved most residential construction being...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Irish Water (5 May 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. Irish Water takes a strategic, nationwide approach to asset planning and investment, and meeting customer requirements. The prioritisation and progression of individual projects and programmes is a matter for determination by...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (5 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: This Government is absolutely committed to ensuring that affordable, quality housing solutions are available to everyone in Irish society and this is reflected in the Programme for Government "Our Shared Future". I am currently progressing two affordable purchase schemes. The first of these entails the delivery of affordable homes by local authorities. To support this, under the Serviced...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Real Estate Investment Trusts (5 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I have serious concerns of instances, recently reported, where investors are inappropriately purchasing entire completed houses estates, preventing their sale to families and first time buyers. Institutional Investors, including REITS, are regulated by the Department of Finance. The issue of sale and of purchase of land or housing are matters for the Minister for Justice. I am working...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (5 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: To support the delivery of the homes that will be made available by local authorities for purchase, €310 million was made available under the Serviced Sites Fund (SSF). This fund sub-vents the cost of facilitating infrastructure and a maximum SSF funding amount of €50,000 is available per affordable home. On this basis, at least 6,200 more affordable homes, to buy or rent, can...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (5 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The upkeep, refurbishment and regeneration of social housing, including flat complexes, is a matter, in the first instance, for the local authority. Following on from reviews of the conditions of their older flat complexes and based on the need to modernise, bring the living conditions up to acceptable levels and as part of their climate action plans, Dublin City Council (DCC) is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (5 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: In relation to new dwellings built to date in 2021, the Central Statistics Office are responsible for the quarterly publication of New Dwelling Completions. Data for the first quarter of 2021 is not due for publication until Thursday May 6. 20,676 new dwellings were delivered in 2020, and recent estimates predict that a similar number will be delivered in 2021, having regard to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (5 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: As at the 31st December, 2020 Cavan County Council had remediated 42 properties under the 2020 Voids Stimulus Programme. My Department will continue to support local authorities in their work remediating vacant social housing properties in 2021. In preparation for this year’s programme correspondence issued to all local authorities requesting they provide figures on the total...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Management (5 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The former Chief Executive of Galway County Council retired on 4 July 2014. A temporary Chief Executive was appointed at that time, pending a permanent appointment. The current temporary Chief Executive remains in place until 23 May 2021. In accordance with statutory provisions, I intend to appoint a new temporary Chief Executive to Galway County Council with effect from 24 May 2021. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (5 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 64, 66, 76 and 84 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. The 2011 Regulations prescribe maximum...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (5 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government, ‘Our Shared Future’, clearly lays out our commitment to putting affordability at the heart of the housing system. Government approved priority drafting of the Affordable Housing Bill 2020 on 22 December 2020, the General Scheme of which I published on 20 January last. The Bill includes provisions to underpin three schemes delivering on the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (5 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a flexible and immediate housing support that is available to all eligible households throughout the State. At end Q4 2020 there were nearly 60,000 households in receipt of HAP and over 33,520 separate landlords and agents providing accommodation to households supported by the scheme. Each local authority has statutory discretion to agree to a HAP...