Results 12,501-12,520 of 26,245 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme came into operation on 1 January 2016. The Scheme is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the Scheme. To be eligible, tenants must meet certain criteria, including having a minimum reckonable income of €15,000 per annum and having been in receipt of social housing support...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Approved Housing Bodies (15 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 221 to 223, inclusive, together. The social housing schemes referred to in the questions were funded under my Department's Capital Loan and Subsidy Scheme. This funding model involved local authorities accessing loan finance from the Housing Finance Agency to support approved housing bodies to deliver new social homes. The loans provided by the Housing Finance...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The minimum standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019. All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties comply with these Regulations. Responsibility for enforcement of the Regulations rests with the relevant local authority. The HAP scheme is underpinned by the Housing (Miscellaneous...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (15 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: While the Government’s objective is to focus strongly on local authority led build activity, long term leasing is an option available to local authorities to supplement delivery and secure high quality social housing on a long term basis. The social housing leasing programme, which began in 2009, allows local authorities and approved housing bodies to lease suitable properties from...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (15 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: To date, my Department has issued two broad-based Serviced Sites Fund (SSF) calls for proposals to local authorities. Funding of almost €200 million has been approved in principle in support of 40 infrastructure projects in 14 local authority areas across 9 counties, which will assist in the delivery of almost 4,200 affordable homes for purchase or for rent. Details of 35 SSF...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Projects (15 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government includes a commitment to deliver 50,000 new social homes with a focus on new build homes. Subject to the impact of COVID-19, the €3.3bn investment this year would fund delivery of 12,750 new social homes in 2021, including 9,500 new build homes. In December 2020, I issued delivery targets for 2021 to each local authority, with Mayo County Council set a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Projects (15 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Data on social housing leasing delivery, funded by my Department, in respect of all local authorities to end Q1 2021 is published on my Department’s website at the following link: www.housing.gov.ie/housing/social-housing/social-and-affordb le/overall-social-housing-provision. The leasing target for Mayo County Council in 2021 is 65 dwellings. Mayo County Council delivered 16...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (15 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: €750,000 was allocated in respect of the Santry River Restoration proposal under Call 1 of the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) for the initial planning and development of the project. The Santry River Greenway is one sub-project included in the overall project. While my Department works closely with the successful applicants in respect of project funding,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (15 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has not received a funding application from Fingal County Council in relation to the new Meakstown community centre, Dublin 11. My Department has no designated funding programme for the provision of such facilities. However, in a limited number of instances such as under the National Regeneration Programme or as part of a wider housing project a contribution towards community...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides funding under the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, to assist people in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. The grants include the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability, the Mobility Aids Grant and the Housing Aid for Older People, which are 80% funded by my...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Projects (15 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Shanganagh Castle is the first large scale development consisting of 100% public housing on public land. It will deliver 597 new homes and a creche on a Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council (DLRCC) owned greenfield site in south County Dublin. The development will include 200 social housing, 306 cost rental and 91 affordable purchase homes. This is also the first large-scale cost rental...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (27 Jul 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. Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Approved Housing Bodies (27 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Act 2019 provides for the establishment of the Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority (AHBRA) to oversee the effective governance, financial management and performance of all voluntary and co-operative housing bodies. The AHBRA was formally established on 1 February 2021 and will have responsibility for, inter alia, establishing and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Reports (27 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I am considering the report, entitled 'A Review Into Certain Planning Matters in Respect of Donegal County Council', by Mr. Rory Mulcahy S.C., and will bring this matter to Government for consideration in due course. In this regard, the decisions of the Commissioner for Environmental Information (CEI/18/0019) of 13 February 2019 and the Information Commissioner...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Septic Tanks (27 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Following on from the recommendations contained in the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services report in April 2017, a Working Group was established to conduct a review of the wider resources and investment needs relating to the rural water sector. As part of its work, the Working Group recommended a number of revisions to the existing grant scheme that...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (27 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at the local level. My Department publishes a detailed monthly report on homelessness, based on data provided by housing authorities. The Report outlines details of individuals utilising...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme came into operation on 1 January 2016.  The Scheme is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the Scheme. To be eligible, tenants must meet certain criteria, including having a minimum reckonable income of €15,000 per annum and having been in receipt of social housing...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies (No. 2) Act 2021 was signed into law on 9 July 2021 and all sections, apart from section 6, came into operation on that date. Following enactment, the Act was enrolled by the Supreme Court and published on the Irish Statute Book on 15 July 2021. Section 6, which relates to rent setting came into operation on 16 July 2021 on foot of the...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 601 and 602 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. If a household meets the eligibility and need...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Regulations (27 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My officials will make arrangements to contact the Deputy directly to furnish the relevant documentation in respect of the Wild Bird Declarations for the period 1 May 2021 to 30 April 2022.