Results 11,941-11,960 of 28,455 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I will deal with these three amendments together. In the previous Oireachtas, we went through very detailed pre-legislative scrutiny on the general scheme of the previous LDA Bill. We have made sure in this Bill that there is full oversight on the part of the Comptroller and Auditor General as well as oversight from and a report to the Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I have nothing further to say. I have been very clear. Why would this agency be treated differently from any other? We have taken on board many of the concerns raised during pre-legislative scrutiny in the previous Oireachtas. It should not be forgotten that annual reports and regulations will be laid before the Oireachtas. The Minister has recourse to the Oireachtas committees. There...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The late convert.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I move amendment No. 55: In page 11, line 17, after “Agency” to insert “or a subsidiary DAC”. Amendments Nos. 55, 56 and 125 to 131, inclusive, are technical in nature. They are a response to concerns raised on Second Stage about subsidiary designated activity companies, DACs. The amendments provide for the inclusion of "or a subsidiary DAC" in a number of...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes, I am pressing it.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I move amendment No. 56: In page 11, line 23, after “Agency” to insert “and a subsidiary DAC”.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I see Deputy Boyd Barrett has his hand up.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I was wondering whether Deputy Boyd Barrett might come in one of these days and welcome something. That would be a new hand.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I will be really quick. I am not accepting the amendment as ministerial directions will always have due regard to the planning code. They have to. The Land Development Agency, LDA, will seek planning permission for its proposed developments through the appropriate procedures under the Planning and Development Acts in the same manner as any other developer. In making decisions in respect...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I do not mean to cut across Deputy Ó Broin but, to be helpful, I will have a further look at amendment No. 58 to see how to incorporate the approach I mentioned in the phrase I used to which the Deputy made reference. In no way, shape or form do we want to allow the LDA to circumvent the planning process. Its applications will go through the normal planning process. If there is...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: We do want the maximum level of transparency and oversight but we also want to make sure the agency can operate. The amendment refers to any direction at all. It is a blanket provision for any ministerial direction. There may be commercially sensitive issues discussed in such directions or it may be necessary not to publish them to protect the State's interests. We are not in a position...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Tá.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Forestry Sector (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 549 and 550 together. Changes in relation to building material costs are monitored and recorded by the Central Statistics Office (Wholesale Price Index for Building & Construction Materials). Issues relating to increases in construction costs generally and measures to address such issues, are matters for the Minister for Public Expenditure and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: State Properties (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: While the State Property Act 1954 is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I understand that the Minister has approved the granting of a State Property Lease pursuant to that Act to this club for a term of 35 years. The Chief State Solicitors Office and legal representatives acting on behalf of the club are currently finalising the conveyancing and legal...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Both the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan website and call centre are managed by the Housing Agency. Due to remote working, phone contact through the call centre is currently suspended. However the website chat function is available. The Housing Agency has advised that under GDPR the user must activate the Zendesk permissions offered in order to initiate this chat function. Visitors to the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as an independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2021 to operate a national tenancy registration system and to facilitate the resolution of disputes between landlords and tenants. Since 2004, the RTB has replaced the courts in dealing with the majority of disputes between landlords and tenants through its Dispute...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Despite the challenges faced throughout 2020 due to the Covid emergency measures, local authorities and the Housing Assistance Payment Shared Service Centre (HAP SSC) have continued to provide a critical service to all HAP customers. This is evident in the high number of HAP tenancies that have continued to be set-up. Measures that were required to be taken in the context of Covid-19 did,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 558 and 559 together. The local authority has responsibility for the detailed administration of the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme. This includes the assessment of applications for eligibility and payment of grants to successful applicants under the specific remediation option approved. While an engineer's report informs a local authority's...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 560 and 619 together. The cracking of external walls of dwellings in Donegal and Mayo, due to the crumbling of concrete blockwork, came to light in 2013. An Expert Panel was established in 2016 to investigate the matter. It was chaired by Mr Denis McCarthy (former Chief Executive of Waterford Co Co) and it included representatives nominated by the National...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Donegal County Council is an independent legal entity whose leasing activities are outside the remit of my Department. It is a matter for Donegal County Council to satisfy themselves that leased properties are structurally sound and fit for purpose. Local authorities have powers available to them under various legislative provisions to enable them to deal with the saferty of structures and...