Results 11,801-11,820 of 25,999 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (25 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The delivery of housing supports is a key priority of Government and this is reflected in the Programme for Government commitment to increase the social housing stock nationally by more than 50,000, with a key emphasis on delivering new build homes. We are ambitious to ramp up the delivery at local authority level and we are committed to developing housing on public land. The Government...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (26 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: There have been a number of deaths, in recent months, of people who had been sleeping rough or accessing homeless services. Each of these deaths is a tragedy and I extend my sympathies to the families concerned. The deaths of people availing of homeless services are a concern and are being taken very seriously. It is important that we establish the facts concerning the circumstances...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (26 May 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 only been open for applications since the end of June last year. The scheme design was informed by the comprehensive work of an Expert Panel and the current...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Insurance Industry (26 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The local authority mortgage protection insurance (MPI) scheme has applied to all house purchase loans approved by local authorities after 1 July 1986, including the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan introduced on 1 February 2018. One of the conditions of the MPI scheme, which is a group policy, is that it is obligatory for all local authority borrowers who meet the eligibility criteria to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (26 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for staffing and organization arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible. In this regard, the assignment of local authority staff to a particular function, such as planning, is a matter for the Chief Executive. My Department is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Issues (26 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: To date my Department has not been made aware of voluntary housing bodies, also known as an Approved Housing Bodies (AHB), selling units to their former tenants once all statutory obligations have been completed. My Department cannot unilaterally make provision for the sale of AHB homes to their tenants as the ownership of these properties remains with the AHB. If an AHB is in receipt of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Cybersecurity Policy (26 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department recognises that maintaining an up to date and secure IT system is of central importance in ensuring the safety and integrity of its business systems, files and data. This is achieved through a combination of Business Continuity Planning, Disaster Recovery planning, cyber security measures and ensuring that suitable infrastructure and systems are in place across multiple sites....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Cybersecurity Policy (26 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department acknowledges that IT security is of critical importance in protecting against unauthorised access of its IT system. In recognition of this, cyber security is applied at all times in line with best practice standards and guidelines in conjunction with advisories issued by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer and the National Cyber Security Centre of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Supply (27 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: In October 2019, allocations of funding were announced under the Multi-annual Rural Water Programme 2019-2021. Details of the funding is available on my Department's website at the link under: www.housing.gov.ie/water/water-services/rural-water-programm e/circular-l219-approval-schemesprojects-under-multi-annual The day to day implementation of the Rural Water Programme is devolved to the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Energy Conservation (27 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The European Union (Energy Performance Of Buildings) Regulations 2019 set higher building energy performance standards for dwellings, in accordance with the Nearly Zero Energy Building requirements (NZEB) contained in the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. These Regulations apply to works in connection with the design and construction of a new dwelling, where the relevant works...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (27 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government includes a commitment that the Government will develop a scheme between local authorities and Irish Water to provide drinking water fountains nationwide to reduce plastic bottle litter. In addition, EU Directive 2020/2184 (the Drinking Water Recast Directive) as adopted on 16 December 2020 updates the obligations on Member States in relation to the quality of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (27 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The regulations for the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme came in to operation on 31 January 2020. The Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks in Construction (Remediation) (Financial Assistance) Regulations 2020 provide for a grant scheme of financial assistance to support affected homeowners in the counties of Donegal and Mayo only, to carry out the necessary...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (27 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My office has received five emails from the office of the Lord Mayor in relation to Report No. 70/2020 - Housing Strategic Policy Committee Report on the Development of Lands at Oscar Traynor Roadincluding one acknowledgement of receipt of my office’s reply. The initial correspondence from the office of the Lord Mayor requesting a meeting was received on 29 January 2021. A reply was...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (27 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Affordable Housing Bill 2021 provides for three schemes delivering on the Programme for Government commitment to put affordability at the heart of the housing system and prioritise the increased supply of affordable homes through (1) affordable homes on local authority lands, (2) the introduction of a new form of tenure in Cost Rental, and (3) a new affordable purchase shared equity...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Issues (27 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland has recently published two reports on residential delivery costs. The Real Cost of New Housing Delivery,published in 2020, and The Real Costs of New Apartment Delivery, publishedin 2021 respectively provide an analysis based on real market data, on the typical overall cost of development for houses and apartments in the Dublin area. Each report...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (27 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is committed to ensuring that existing housing stock is utilised to its fullest extent including providing a targeted, effective and co-ordinated approach to identifying and tackling vacancy across Ireland.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. My Department published...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (27 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: There have been a number of deaths, in recent months, of people who had been sleeping rough or accessing homeless services. Each of these deaths is a tragedy and I extend my sympathies to the families concerned. The deaths of people availing of homeless services are a concern and are being taken very seriously. It is important that we establish the facts concerning the circumstances...