Results 14,061-14,080 of 26,290 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (10 Feb 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: There will be a carryover from last year which, because of the construction shutdown, was not completed. On top of the 700, other cost rental will be delivered by the Land Development Agency.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (10 Feb 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Deputy is correct.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (10 Feb 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: That is a good question. We are all hoping that we are going to have an unimpeded year this year. Last year, construction was closed up to Easter and the supply chains and capacity constrained. Thankfully, our capacity as a sector is now back to pre-pandemic levels and we need to build on that. Through project Tosaigh the Land Development Agency has opportunities to delivered cost rental...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (10 Feb 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I take the point the Deputy makes but he is not entirely correct. There are some projects that can be started quite quickly and on a joint venture basis through project Tosaigh. We will be able to deliver cost rental in that space. I have no doubt that will be challenging, but we have set ourselves a challenging target of 4,100 affordable units. There are capacity issues, particularly...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (10 Feb 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: We have detailed in the Vote the €44 million of Exchequer funding that is going into helping individuals to buy their own homes, to bridge the gap between the finance they have and the-----

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (10 Feb 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: That is okay, I will answer. The Deputy knows what shared equity is. I am for it and Deputy Ó Broin is against it. That is fine. On the question, I expect the €44 million to be matched by the financial institutions.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (10 Feb 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes. The DAC is established.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (10 Feb 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: It is the designated activity company, DAC, or special purpose vehicle, SPV, that will deliver the equity piece.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Coastal Protection (16 Feb 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government established the Inter-Departmental Group on Managing Coastal Change to scope out an approach for the development of a national co-ordinated and integrated strategy to manage the projected impact of coastal change to our coastal communities. The Inter-Departmental Group is jointly chaired by my Department and the OPW and will bring forward options and recommendations for the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Reports (16 Feb 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to the reply to Question No. 426 of 1 February 2022 which sets out the position in this matter.  A copy of the report was provided to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (16 Feb 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department received a submission from Clare County Council, dated 23 July 2021, requesting the extension of the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme to County Clare. A response issued to the Council on 3 August 2021 indicating that my Department would review the submission and it also sought a detailed breakdown of costs associated with the Report. A breakdown of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (16 Feb 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I brought a Memorandum to Government on an enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme on the 30 November 2021. It included an unprecedented suite of improvements to the current scheme, including the introduction of a revised application process which will only require the homeowner to submit an initial ‘Building Condition Assessment’ at minimal cost recoupable on entry to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Measures (16 Feb 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Affordable Housing Act 2021, which I commenced in August 2021, laid the provisions for the introduction of a new local authority led affordable purchase scheme. Part 2 provisions will support buyers in purchasing local authority delivered new homes by providing equity to bridge the gap between the value of the home and the buyer's available mortgage and deposit. Regulations to set out...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (16 Feb 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The schedule requested by the Deputy is outlined at the following link. Foreign Travel

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (16 Feb 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I brought a Memorandum to Government on an enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme on the 30 November 2021. It included an unprecedented suite of improvements to the current scheme which funds five remediation options. The enhanced scheme is estimated to cost €2.2 billion and will continue to fund the five remediation options set out in the I.S....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (16 Feb 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme plays a vital role in housing eligible families and individuals. At the end of Q3 2021, over 97,000 HAP tenancies had been set-up since the scheme commenced, of which there were more than 62,000 households actively in receipt of HAP support, including 1,708 households in Wicklow.  Local authorities have discretion, because of local rental...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (16 Feb 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 109 and 110 together. I brought a Memorandum to Government on an enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant (DCB) Scheme on the 30 November 2021. It included an unprecedented suite of improvements to the current scheme. Government approved the enhanced scheme which it is estimated will cost approximately €2.2Bn. I aim to bring the required primary...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Staff (16 Feb 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Of the 1,460 staff employed by my Department at 31 January 2022, there were 103 at principal officer or equivalent grade level or above.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (16 Feb 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 113 and 114 together. Under Section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he or she is responsible. My Department oversees workforce planning for the local government sector, including the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (16 Feb 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: As part of the measures to support institutional capacity, Housing for All commits to strengthen the capacity of local authorities to initiate, design, plan, develop and manage housing projects and recognises that this requires the resourcing of the housing services of local authorities.  Last year, my Department worked closely with local authorities, through the County and City...