Results 12,741-12,760 of 26,245 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

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

Darragh O'Brien: Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of public water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels, including in relation to the the operation of communications. Under the Drinking Water Regulations 2014, as amended, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the supervisory authority for water supplied by Irish...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Indecon Report on the Taxation of Vacant Residential Property(2018) recommended that a major programme of Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPO) should be activated by Local Authorities to purchase vacant properties, even when these dwellings are not suitable for social housing. In this regard, Housing for All: A new Housing Plan for Irelandprovides for such a programme of CPO acquisitions,...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan Scheme enables credit-worthy first-time buyers to access sustainable mortgage lending to purchase new or second-hand properties in a suitable price range, where they cannot obtain sufficient mortgage finance from a commercial lender. As with the previous local authority loan offerings, the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan is currently available to first-time...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The right of local authorities to set and collect rents on their dwellings is contained in section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. The making or amending of such schemes, subject to broad principles laid down by my Department, is an executive function and each local authority makes its own differential rent scheme. The various differential rent schemes provide for rents that are linked to...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The oversight and practical management of housing waiting lists, including the allocation and transfer of tenancies, is a matter for the relevant local authority in accordance with the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, and associated regulations. Section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 requires all local authorities, as a reserved function, to make an...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department introduced a multi-annual capital investment programme in 2019 to facilitate the progressive resolution, in a sustainable manner, of developer provided water services infrastructure in housing estates and to enable the taking in charge of these estates by local authorities. The programme is focused on housing estates which are not taken in charge by local authorities and do not...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Cybersecurity Policy (22 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department recognises fully that security of its IT infrastructure is key in ensuring the safety and integrity of its systems, files and data. This is achieved through a combination of staff training, security policies and processes and appropriate technological solutions that include security monitoring. For security reasons, my Department does not comment on specific details of its IT...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Flexible Work Practices (22 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is currently working in line with Government COVID-19 guidance, which provides for home working to continue where possible. The vast majority of staff of my Department have worked remotely since the end of March 2020. These staff are continuing to work from home; however, a staggered return to workplaces under ongoing public health restrictions has commenced from 20 September,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation (22 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 64 to 66, inclusive, together. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and associated services for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities. My Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the primary role...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (22 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The social housing project referred to in the question is being advanced by Mayo County Council with funding support from my Department under the Social Housing Capital Investment Programme. While my Department had provided post-tender (Stage 4) approval for the project to advance to construction, the Council has now advised that it needs to be re-tendered arising from difficulties with...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (22 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Responsibility for the independent economic regulation of the water sector is assigned to the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, or CRU. Water charging policy is based on actual metered consumption, consistent with the requirements of the Water Framework Directive. Under the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 Irish Water is required to collect charges, where relevant, from its customers in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Pollution (23 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Ballymore Eustace Plant provides a water supply to the areas of Dublin City Council, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown and North Kildare. In a letter to my Department last week, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) outlined two serious incidents in recent weeks that occurred in drinking water plants serving parts of Dublin City and surrounding areas (the Ballymore Eustace water treatment...

Housing for All: Statements (28 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I am thankful for the opportunity to speak to the House today about Housing for All. This Government and I are keenly aware of the housing challenges facing people right across this island. We know that the impact of the housing crisis is felt in every family right across our country. It ranges from hard-pressed tenants stuck in a rent trap and wondering if they will ever own their own...

Housing for All: Statements (28 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Deputy should have a bit of respect.

Housing for All: Statements (28 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: That is not true.

Housing for All: Statements (28 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I have been there.

Housing for All: Statements (28 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: If Sinn Féin stops objecting to housing, I will go with the Deputy.

Housing for All: Statements (28 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I was not. Deputy O'Callaghan is very sensitive.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rental Sector (28 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 introduced a targeted rent increase restriction of 4% per annum. The Deputy will recall that we brought forward some of the subsequent changes in legislation more quickly than we would have liked in order to deal with the roll-over of outstanding increases into an 8% rise. The Residential Tenancies (No. 2) Act 2021...