Results 12,901-12,920 of 26,245 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (30 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 housing authorities in addressing homelessness at a local level. My Department does not fund any homeless service directly but contributes to overall expenditure incurred by housing authorities in the provision of homeless accommodation...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Economic and Social Research Institute (30 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Details of the four reports from the ESRI commissioned by, or prepared for, my Department in the past 12 months are set out in the following link, together with the publishing information. My Department operates a housing economics research programme with the Economic and Social Research Institute. Under this programme, which began in May 2017, two to three research...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Bodies (30 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing Agency works with my Department and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) in the delivery of housing and housing services. A key part of the Agency's work is to act as a centre of expert knowledge on housing and to support housing policy development through research work and collaboration with key stakeholders. In this regard the following...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (30 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to the reply to Question No. 127 of 28 September 2021 which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (30 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The regeneration of Poolbeg West is the next important step in transforming the Docklands area, given its strategic location east of Grand Canal Dock, with close proximity to important bridge connections to Dublin Port and North Lotts. The residential potential within the available lands is for a maximum of 3,500 additional residential units. The National Asset Management Agency...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (30 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 in Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs), having regard to the constitutionally protected property rights of landlords and local rental market factors. The aim was to provide rent certainty to tenants and landlords by moderating medium-term rent levels.  The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (30 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Details on social housing delivery for each local authority, across a range of delivery mechanisms, are included in social housing statistics published by my Department. This data is available to the end of Quarter 2 2021 and is available on the statistics page of my Department’s website, at the followinink: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-soc ial-housing-provision/ A...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fishing Industry (5 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: As I have previously outlined to the House, I am aware of the potential disruption to the livelihood of the Fisheries sector as a result of Off-Shore Renewal Energy (ORE) developments and the designation of Marine Protected Areas. Specifically in relation to ORE, the issue of diverse levels and standards of communications between the fisheries and ORE industries was first raised by members of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (5 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Supporting individuals and families facing homelessness is a key Government priority. Housing for All details how the Government is approaching this challenge, and includes a commitment to develop a Youth Homelessness Strategy within Quarter 1 of 2022. Preparing this strategy will involve co-operation and co-ordination between myself and my colleague the Minister for Children, Equality,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Public Private Partnerships (5 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Social Housing Public Private Partnership (PPP) Programme consists of 3 Bundles of sites that will deliver in the region of 1,500 social homes and there are robust governance arrangements in place to oversee implementation. Building on the successful model of social housing PPPs, Housing for All - a New Housing Plan for Ireland commits to increasing their use to deliver social housing....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (5 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: As part of Housing for All, I announced a reformed successor to the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan Scheme, the 'Local Authority Home Loan'. The Local Authority Home Loan will include an increase in the income ceiling for single applicants. For counties where the scheme’s house price limit is €320,000 (Cork, Dublin, Galway, Kildare, Louth, Meath and Wicklow), the income...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (5 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: As part of Housing for All, I announced a reformed successor to the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan Scheme (RIHL), the 'Local Authority Home Loan'. I also announced an interest rate reduction of 0.25% on local authority mortgage lending. As of 10 September 2021, the reduction of the mortgage interest rate for new borrowers by 0.25% has already been implemented. It currently applies to new...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (5 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 285 and 322 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. The 2011 Regulations prescribe maximum net...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (5 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Increased rent limits for the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) and the Rent Supplement Scheme were introduced in 2016. These limits were agreed in conjunction with the Department of Social Protection (DSP). In reviewing the rent limits, my Department worked closely with DSP and monitored data gathered from the Residential Tenancies Board and the HAP Shared Services Centre. The HAP rent...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (5 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 287 and 288 together. The Residential Tenancies Act 2020 was enacted and came into operation on 24 October 2020 to temporarily modify the operation of the Residential Tenancies Acts to prevent any notices of termination served by landlords, in all but limited cases, from taking effect in geographical locations and during periods specified by the Minister...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (5 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: In order to qualify for HAP, a household must first be assessed as eligible for social housing support. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Regeneration Projects (5 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department currently funds multi-year programmes of large-scale regeneration projects in Limerick, Cork and Dublin and smaller projects in Tralee, Sligo and Dundalk. These projects seek to address the causes of disadvantage in these communities through a holistic programme of physical, social and economic regeneration. The regeneration projects being funded by my Department target the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Safety (5 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 292 to 294, inclusive, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (5 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Funding of €75 million is available nationally in 2021 for the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability scheme, in respect of private houses. Local authorities fund 20% of the overall budget from their own resources with the balance of 80% funded by the exchequer. Details of the allocations and drawdowns for all local authorities up to 2021, are available...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Statutory Instruments (5 Oct 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...