Results 13,141-13,160 of 26,245 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (10 Nov 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. Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (10 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, the implementation of a planned maintenance programme and carrying out of responsive repairs, are matters for each individual local authority under Section 28 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provision) Act 2009. Notwithstanding this, under the Voids Programme, my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Reports (10 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I am considering the report, entitled 'A Review Into Certain Planning Matters in Respect of Donegal County Council', by Mr. Rory Mulcahy S.C., and will bring this matter to Government for consideration in due course. In this regard, the decisions of the Commissioner for Environmental Information (CEI/18/0019) of 13 February 2019 and the Information Commissioner (OIC-59426-Q8D7T8) of 27...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Domestic Violence (10 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 96 and 97 together. The response to Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (DSGBV) is a cross-Departmental and multi-agency issue, with overall policy coordinated by the Department of Justice.Responsibility for the overall legal definition of domestic violence rests with my colleague the Minister for Justice. In relation to Housing legislation, the Housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Domestic Violence (10 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The response to Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (DSGBV) is a cross-Departmental and multi-agency issue with overall policy coordinated by the Department of Justice. Responsibility for the development and provision of services to support victims rests with my colleague the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. Statutory responsibility for the care and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Advertising (10 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The information requested by the Deputy is currently being compiled and will be forwarded in accordance with Standing Orders.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (10 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has no specific plans in place to use InvestEU funds at this time to support investment in social housing. The recently published National Development Plan 2021-2030 provides a Capital Investment framework for all investment under the responsibility of my Department. Between 2021 and 2025 some €17.5bn will be provided, and an average of €2.4Bn per annum of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (10 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing for All Strategy delivers on the Programme for Government commitment to put affordability at the heart of the housing system. Over €4 billion in funding is provided annually, representing the highest ever level of Government investment in building social and affordable housing.  A multi-faceted approach is being implemented to deliver 54,000 affordable homes...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (10 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 106 and 110 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: Housing Provision (10 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department does not hold the details requested by the Deputy. The Central Statistics Office (CSO), as the national statistical office, compiles and makes available detailed data on a number of housing related issues including housing completions. Data on new dwelling completions for can be found on the CSO website at...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (10 Nov 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Land Issues (10 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: In support of the Zoned Land Tax and other measures included in "Housing for All - A New Housing Plan for Ireland", a register of lands zoned for housing development will be created in conjunction with the local authorities, based on the city and county development plan system. This will be compiled on a national basis to provide an accurate and current picture of the stock of zoned housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (10 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department publishes a detailed monthly report on homelessness, based on data provided by housing authorities. The Report outlines details of individuals utilising State-funded emergency accommodation arrangements that are overseen by housing authorities. The Reports are available on my Department's website at the following...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (10 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 117 and 118 together. I welcome the report on Urban Waste Water from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) showing that, while many challenges remain, Irish Water is continuing to make progress and is improving our waste water systems.  Irish Water has reduced the number of priority waste water sites listed by the EPA, and has increased...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (10 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: As set out in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 112 of 28 September 2021, the meetings I held in May/June (online) and in September last (in person) were with the Chief Executives of all the local authorities, which included both Galway City and County Councils and the other 29 local authorities. At these meetings, a range of issues relating to the Housing for...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Real Estate Investment Trusts (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: This question demonstrates Sinn Féin's priorities in housing. It gets two priority questions every six weeks, and it did not ask about rent, homelessness, affordable housing or building capacity in the construction sector but has raised this non-issue. It has done so, and deems it as important, because it wants to create a controversy and sow discontent. It wants to put its own...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Real Estate Investment Trusts (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I am very serious about the housing crisis and the challenges this country faces, about the people on our social housing waiting list and about the 8,475 people who do not have a home or are homeless. The Government has a plan with 213 actions to tackle it. We have introduced the Affordable Housing Act, which Sinn Féin supported even though it criticised it throughout its passage, and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Real Estate Investment Trusts (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: We are making the largest intervention any government or the State has ever made in housing in Housing for All, a fully financed, multi-annual plan, backed by more than €20 billion, more than Sinn Féin sought. We have banned bulk-buying of family homes and duplexes. Just this week, we introduced an owner-occupier guarantee, which will come forward in the large-scale residential...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Local Authorities (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for the question. He will be aware that Housing for All is our Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 units per year over the next decade. This target includes the delivery of about 90,000 new social homes and just short of 54,000 new affordable homes from 2022 to 2030. As I mentioned, Housing for All is supported by an...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Local Authorities (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Deputy is correct that there are challenges in this area, including in building up resources in local authorities. I agree with the Deputy completely that the challenges we face in housing are not just urban-centric, they exist all across the country in urban and rural areas. Our job as a Government and my job as the Minister is to support local authorities to enable them to deliver in...