Results 12,701-12,720 of 26,245 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

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

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All – a new Housing Plan for Ireland includes an action to examine the creation of a system of holding rental deposits, informed by international experience, by Q2 2023. Section 7 of the Residential Tenancies (No. 2) Act 2021 inserts a new section 19B into the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 which applies to tenancies created on or after 9 August 2021, to restrict the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Policies (16 Sep 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 local authorities in addressing homelessness at a local level.  Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless accommodation and related services rests with individual local authorities.  Under the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Hare Coursing (16 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 209 and 210 together. Since the initial discovery of Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease 2 (RHD2) in wild rabbits and hares in August 2019, National Parks & Wildlife Service staff of my Department have continued to monitor for the disease with the assistance of colleagues in the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine (DAFM). Reports of suspected cases...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (16 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Construction Products Regulation (EU) No 305/2011 (CPR) sets out rules for the marketing of construction products in the EU. Where a construction product covered by a harmonised standard is being placed on the EU market, the CPR requires the manufacturer to draw up a ‘declaration of performance’ and affix a ‘CE’ marking to the product. In order to do so,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Covid-19 Pandemic (16 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department continues to supply both medical and non-medical facemasks to staff, as required, and communicates the importance of wearing such masks while circulating in our workplaces. We have implemented strict visitor and contractor protocols also, to ensure that mask wearing practices are carried out by everyone who visits our offices. For those other staff returning to the offices this...

Residential Tenancies (Tenants' Rights) Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (22 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Deputy Bacik for introducing the Private Members' Bill. It is her first Bill since she was elected in the by-election and I congratulate her on it. I thank her for bringing it forward. It gives me an opportunity to reflect on a number of the issues that have been touched on during this morning's debate. Everyone can agree there is a need to ensure the residential sector is an...

Residential Tenancies (Tenants' Rights) Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (22 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: There are different approaches in other jurisdictions. All these elements serve to improve the sector but all of us know that increased supply is crucial because the market is constrained. We must also continue to push the cost rental model, which I know the Labour Party supports and supported when it was last in government. I thank the Deputies for the legislation. I have tried to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (21 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 248 and 249 together. Since the introduction of the Buy and Renew Scheme, approximately 700 properties have been acquired by local authorities nationally for social housing use, with the estimated cost to deliver these home being c.€135m. In respect of the four Dublin local authority areas, expenditure has been c.€31m to date in respect of 118...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (21 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Data on delivery under the repair and lease scheme in respect of all local authorities to end Q1 2021, and costs to end 2020, is published on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provis ion/#repair-and-leasing-scheme-rls The maximum cost of repairs allowable under this scheme was increased from €40,000...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (21 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Data on delivery and costs under the repair and lease scheme, in respect of all local authorities to end Q1 2021 is published on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provis ion/#repair-and-leasing-scheme-rls To end Q1 2021, 31 properties have been delivered under this scheme in the four Dublin local authorities. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (21 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 252, 307 and 308 together. The Programme for Government sets out a number of commitments in respect of the important policy area of building defects and provides for an examination of defects in housing, having regard to the recommendations of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing report, "Safe as Houses". In this context, I established a working group to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (21 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 259 and 303 together. Funding of €75 million is available nationally in 2021 for the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability Scheme. This funding has increased year on year since 2014. As part of the annual budgetary process, consideration will be given to this funding in future years in line with the Programme for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (21 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Since 2007 it has been a requirement that all new dwellings install renewable energy systems. In 2019 SEAI introduced Building Regulations requiring all new dwellings to achieve Nearly Zero Energy building performance requirements. In 2020 the Programme for Government included a commitment to retrofit approximately 500,000 homes by 2030 to a B2/cost optimal BER standard, and it is expected...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (21 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: As you will be aware, local authorities are independent in the exercise of their functions and, as such, 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....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (21 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Ethnic minorities may apply to local authorities for social housing and are assessed in like manner with other applicants 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. An assessment carried out by the local authority will take account of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (21 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The regulations for the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme came into 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: Vacant Properties (21 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 265 and 266 together. My Department does not hold the data on the amount of vacant residential units in the State, however, Housing Policy Objective 19 in the recently published Housing for All Plan provides for the collection of data on vacant residential units with a view to introducing a vacant property tax. The Local Property Tax returns in November 2021...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (21 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Data on delivery under the repair and lease scheme in respect of all local authorities to end Q1 2021 is published on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provis ion/#repair-and-leasing-scheme-rls The figures for Waterford are as follows: LA Dwellings Delivered - 2017 Dwellings Delivered -...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (21 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Buy & Renew Scheme makes capital funding available to local authorities to facilitate them in acquiring and remediating vacant properties that may be suitable for social housing. Housing for All has a strong emphasis on tackling vacancy and I have asked local authorities to increasingly target vacant and derelict properties that can be brought back to use as part of new public...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (21 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, responsive repairs and implementing planned maintenance programmes, is a matter for each individual local authority, in line with Section 28 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provision) Act 2009. Notwithstanding the legal obligations on local authorities to manage and maintain...