Results 12,981-13,000 of 26,245 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Service (6 Oct 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 Act, 1981. My Department supports fire authorities through setting general policy and national standards, providing a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Emergency Accommodation (6 Oct 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 provide 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: Rental Sector (6 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 47 and 48 together. The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as an independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2021, to operate a national tenancy registration system and to facilitate the resolution of disputes between landlords and tenants. My Department does not collect the data sought, however the Clerk of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (6 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2021 regulates the landlord-tenant relationship in the rented residential sector and sets out the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants. The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as an independent statutory body under the Act to operate a national tenancy registration system and to facilitate the resolution of disputes between...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (6 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies Board's (RTB’s) funding is derived primarily from a proportion of the fee income accruing from tenancy registrations, as set down by Ministerial Order. This allowed the RTB to move to an entirely self-financing position in 2010. However, due to a deterioration in the RTB’s finances as a result of reduced registrations, a growing demand for RTB services...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Service (6 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 52, 53 and 54 together. 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 Act, 1981. My Department supports fire authorities through...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (7 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: ‘Housing for All’ delivers on the Programme for Government commitment to step up housing supply, and put affordability at the heart of the housing system. €4 billion in funding annually, representing the highest ever level of Government investment in building social and affordable housing, will, inter alia, support 54,000 new affordable homes between now and 2030, to be...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (7 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Local authority mortgage protection insurance (MPI) scheme has applied to all house purchase loans approved by local authorities after 1 July 1986, including the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan introduced on 1 February 2018. Local authority MPI will also apply to the Local Authority Home Loan when it is intoduced. One of the conditions of the MPI scheme, which is a group policy, is that it...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Investigations (7 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to reply to Questions No. 389 and 390 of 9 September 2021. The position remains the same.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Nitrates Usage (7 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Ireland’s Nitrates Action Programme is a key instrument in achieving good water quality. It is designed to prevent pollution of surface waters and groundwater from agricultural sources and to protect and improve water quality. It is given effect by the Good Agricultural Practice Regulations (SI 605/2017), as amended. The current regulations run to the end of 2021 and a new Nitrates...

Maritime Area Planning Bill 2021: Financial Resolution (12 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I move: THAT provision be made in the Act giving effect to this Resolution for the charging in accordance with the Act of levies for holding a Maritime Area Consent.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (12 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Narrow Water Bridge is a cross-border project led by Louth County Council and supported by the Shared Island Fund, which as the Deputy will know is designed to fund strategic north-south projects that implement the commitments and objectives on Shared Island set out in the Programme for Government. The bridge will connect Cornamucklagh near Omeath, Co Louth with Narrow Water near...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Measures (12 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 161 and 169 together. The Programme for Government, published in June 2020, commits to developing comprehensive legislation for the identification, designation, and management of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). This legislation is a priority for my Department. Work to draw up a General Scheme of this legislation is commencing this quarter. When drawing up...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (12 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: As part of the broader social housing reform agenda, a review of income eligibility for social housing supports in each local authority area is underway. As set out in "Housing for All - a New Housing Plan for Ireland", the efficiency of the banding model and its application to local authorities will be considered. Equivalisation as between singles and families will also be considered. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (12 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: A number of pre-tender (Stage 3) proposals were received by my Department in September from Galway County Council for the construction under the Social Housing Investment Programme of single rural dwellings at a number of locations. Approval to proceed to tender has now issued to the Council from my Department in respect of these proposals. To further speed up all such project proposals,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Development Plan (12 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has a wide and diverse business agenda, covering a broad range of functions that are delivered primarily by local authorities and bodies under the aegis of my Department Details in relation to specific projects (which are being advanced primarily by local authorities and Irish Water) under my Department's range of capital programmes as part of Project Ireland 2040: National...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (12 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 171, 172 and 173 together. Increased rent limits for the Housing Assistance Programme (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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (12 Oct 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 following link: Cost information on the delivery of social homes through the various...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (12 Oct 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 local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and associated services for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (12 Oct 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a form of social housing support for people who have a long-term housing need. If a household has been deemed eligible for social housing support, it is a matter for the local authority to examine the suite of social housing supports available, including the HAP scheme, to determine the most appropriate form of social housing support for that household...