Results 12,721-12,740 of 26,245 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

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

Darragh O'Brien: The latest data available reflects the position at end of March 2021, at which point there were 17,608 active tenancies supported under the Rental Accommodation Scheme.

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

Darragh O'Brien: Primary responsibility for the monitoring, management, protection and improvement of water quality is assigned to local authorities under the Local Government (Water Pollution) Acts and related legislation. The Environmental Protection Agency, through its Office of Environmental Enforcement, exercises general supervision in relation to the performance of these functions by local authorities....

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

Darragh O'Brien: €476,000was allocated to Louth County Council in respect of the Westgate Vision Project under Call 1 of the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF). This project will provide technical assistance including project management, concept development, feasibility and detailed design and planning associated with “Westgate Vision”. While my Department works closely with...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department operates the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan, which is targeted at first time buyers who wish to own their own home, have access to an adequate deposit and have the capacity to repay a mortgage, but who are unable to access a mortgage sufficient for them to purchase their first home. The loan enables credit worthy first time buyers to access sustainable mortgage lending to purchase...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department launched the Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme in 2013 with the aim of funding retrofit of social homes requiring insulation and energy upgrade works. Since the programme commenced in 2013 over 73,500 units of social housing stock have been retrofitted with a total exchequer spend of €161 million under the scheme. The Energy Efficiency Programme has been revised in...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has not placed a general prohibition on local authorities purchasing second hand homes other than derelict homes or one-bed or four-bed vacant properties. Given the impact of the COVID-19 restrictions on many of the social housing construction sites, I announced additional measures to support the delivery of social housing in April 2021 including a programme of targeted...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The development of the "First Home" scheme itself has been approved by Government and involved legislative change as part of the Affordable Housing Bill 2021, which was enacted before the summer recess. It will be a short-term, finance-limited measure to get first-time buyers into new homes by bridging an affordability gap faced by many. It will boost housing supply and instill confidence...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Amendments to Part V of the Planning & Development Act 2000 were introduced via the Affordable Housing Act 2021, which was passed by the Oireachtas in July 2021. These amendments were made on foot of the commitment in the Programme for Government to explore expanding Part V to encompass affordable purchase and cost rental units. In the course of determining what amendments should be...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Following two broad-based Serviced Sites Fund (SSF) calls for proposals to local authorities, funding of almost €200 million was approved in principle in support of 40 infrastructure projects in 14 local authority areas across 9 counties to assist in the delivery of almost 4,200 affordable homes for purchase or for rent. Since then and arising from the Programme for Government...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on social housing delivery activity. This data is available to the end of Quarter 1 2021, and is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/6d316-local-authority-housing-sche me-statistics/ Data for Quarter 2 will be published shortly....

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

Darragh O'Brien: The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Acts, 1981 and 2003. My Department supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a central...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (21 Sep 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. My Department provides funding, through the Rural Water Programme, to deliver improvements to...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Department’s main offices are at the following locations; Dublin - Head Office, Custom House, Dublin, D01 W6X0; Met Éireann - Met Éireann headquarters, 65/67 Glasnevin Hill, Dublin, D09 Y921; King Street North - 90 King Street North, Smithfield, Dublin 7, D07 N7CV Wexford - Newtown Road, Wexford, Y35 AP90 Ballina - Government Offices, Ballina, Co. Mayo, F26 E8N6 The...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department supports local authorities to provide capital funding towards the development of new refuges, while operational policy in relation to the refuges is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. Provision of capital funding towards the development of new refuges, via the Capital Assistance Scheme, is demand-led so it is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation (21 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 statutory role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless accommodation rests with individual housing authorities. The purposes for which housing authorities...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The table at the link outlines responses to the recommendations included in the Oireachtas Committee pre-legislative scrutiny report on the Maritime Area Planning Bill. A copy of this table was also provided to the the Clerk of the Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage on the 10th of September 2021. MAP

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Affordable Housing Act 2021 was signed into law by the President on 21 July 2021. On 18 August, I signed the Affordable Housing Act 2021 (Commencement) (Parts 1 and 3) Order 2021, which commenced Parts 1 and 3 of the Act from 19 August. This brought into operation the Cost Rental element of the Act. On 19 August 2021, I made the Affordable Housing Act 2021 (Cost Rental Designation)...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All – A New Housing Plan for Irelandwas launched earlier this month. The plan will increase new housing supply to an average of at least 33,000 new units per year over the next decade. This will include over 10,000 social homes each year over the next five years, with 9,500 of these being new-builds, and an average of 6,000 affordable homes for purchase or rent. This Plan...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has recently engaged with the local authority - Westmeath County Council - in relation to the Killare Group Water Scheme. The matter is now in the hands of Westmeath County Council.

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

Darragh O'Brien: I do not use text for Government business. As I have stated publicly, any text message which I receive in relation to Government business, or my role as a Minister, I redirect to my email so that a record is created. Emails in relation to Government business or my role as a Minister are not deleted by me or by my officials.