Results 13,181-13,200 of 26,245 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (11 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.   54,000 affordable homes interventions will be delivered nationally between now...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government provides for a package of social housing reforms, including the introduction of a social housing passport to allow households move from one local authority waiting list to another.    There is already a degree of flexibility with regard to waiting lists. The four Dublin local authorities already co-operate in arrangements that enable social...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The solution to dealing with the rental market challenges is to provide for increased supply of homes. Housing for All – A New Housing Plan for Ireland does that through a range of interventions and unprecedented investment with in excess of €20 billion in funding over the next five years. Housing for All lays the foundation for an entirely new housing tenure in Ireland,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the Housing Act 1988 it is a matter for each local authority to determine whether a person is regarded as homeless; section 2 of the Act sets out the requirements in this regard.  When a household has been assessed as homeless, section 10 of the 1988 Act provides that a local authority may provide accommodation and related services to that household.   This allows the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Supporting individuals and families at risk of homelessness is a key Government priority.  ‘Housing for All - a New Housing Plan for Ireland’, sets an ambitious objective of working to eradicate homelessness by 2030 and outlines details on how the Government is approaching this challenge. Housing for All commits to taking action to prevent entries into...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 24, 51 and 65 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: Wastewater Treatment (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. Irish Water takes a strategic, nationwide approach to asset planning and investment, and meeting customer requirements. The prioritisation and progression of individual projects and programmes is a matter for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: There are approximately 140,000 local authority owned social housing properties in the State which have an estimated market value of €25 billion. It is fundamental that a management and maintenance system be established to ensure these homes comply with the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations, 2019, that they provide good comfort levels for their occupants and that...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing for All Strategy delivers on the Programme for Government commitment to step up housing supply and put affordability at the heart of the housing system, with an ambitious target of 300,000 homes over the next decade for social, affordable and cost rental, private rental and private ownership housing. Measures to deliver this housing are supported by over €4 billion in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All is the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade. Under Housing for All, the Government will deliver 47,600 new build social homes in the period 2022-2026.  Individual targets for the delivery of social housing from 2022 -2026 have been provided to each local authority. Details on social housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Real Estate Investment Trusts (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I have no function in the matter raised in the question. Taxation is a matter for the Minister for Finance and is outside the remit of my Department. The Finance Act 2013 introduced the regime for the operation of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) in Ireland. The function of the REIT framework is not to provide an overall tax exemption but rather to facilitate...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Domestic Violence (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: While the responsibility for the development and provision of services to support victims of domestic violence rests with my colleague the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, my Department provides capital funding to local authorities via the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) which is available to Approved Housing Bodies in the development of new...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I met with persons and representatives of persons, whose properties have been affected by the use of defective concrete blocks in County Donegal, on three occasions. The first was at the launch of the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme, which took place in Buncrana on 6 August 2020. The second meeting was held virtually on 4 February 2021. The third meeting...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority administrative area are provided in the annual statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA). The most recent summary, conducted in November 2020, shows that 61,880 households were assessed as qualified for and being in need of social housing support. This represents a decrease of 6,813...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Pollution (11 Nov 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.  Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local level,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (11 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 2021-2030. 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 aspects of water...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (11 Nov 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'. On 10 September 2021, I also announced a reduction of the mortgage interest rate for new borrowers of the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan by 0.25%. This lower rate will be retained for mortgages issued under the forthcoming Local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (11 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 support...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: 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 group to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 49, 88, 92 and 102 together. Supporting individuals and families facing homelessness is a key Government priority. ‘Housing for All - a New Housing Plan for Ireland’, the Government’s strategic housing plan to 2030, sets an ambitious overarching objective of working to eradicate homelessness by 2030 and outlines details on how the...