Results 14,621-14,640 of 26,293 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (26 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The project referred to in the Question was developed by the Respond and Tuath Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) on land provided by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLRCC), with €4.5 million of funding provided through the Serviced Sites Fund, the precursor to the Affordable Housing Fund. This project is the result of an innovative collaboration between the two AHBs...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Staff (26 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Seven staff are currently seconded from my Department to other organisations. To the best of my knowledge none of these staff took up these seconded roles on the basis that it was not their intention to return to their position within the Department. While different conditions can apply to individual secondments, depending on their particular circumstances, my Department is guided by the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Appointments to State Boards (26 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The appointment of Board members to An Bord Pleanála is governed by section 106 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act), and Part 7 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended. It provides that appointments to the Board by the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government are generally made from candidates nominated by panels of prescribed...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Refugee Resettlement Programme (26 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: On 31 March 2022, my colleague, Heather Humphreys TD, Minister for Rural and Community Development, and I wrote to the chief executives of the local authorities welcoming the establishment of Community Response Forums in every local authority area to coordinate the community-led response in the provision of assistance and support to those arriving into our communities having fled the conflict...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (26 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Self Help Grant Scheme was an initiative introduced by Kildare County Council to assist local authority tenants to carry out minor improvement works on their home. My Department did not have any role in the design, funding or oversight of this grant scheme. Queries in relation to the scheme should be directed to Kildare County Council. The management and maintenance of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (26 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Local Authority Home Loan has been available nationwide from local authorities since 4 January 2022. Prior to that, the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan was the mortgage available from local authorities. As of 4 January 2022, no new Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan applications have been accepted, although applications/approvals already in process are being honoured. As...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (26 Apr 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. Government approved the enhanced scheme which it is estimated will cost approximately €2.2Bn. Full details in relation to the changes announced are available at the following link: ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (26 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: National affordable housing delivery targets were published in Housing for All for 2022 – 2030. Overall targets to 2030 include 54,000 affordable housing units. Within that, the target for affordable purchase homes is 36,000 dwellings, with a further 18,000 to be cost rental units. From 2022 to 2026, over 28,000 affordable homes are targeted for delivery. The five-year 2022-2026...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (26 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: A Housing Delivery Action Plan prepared by each Local Authority will underpin local authority delivery of affordable purchase and cost rental homes to 2026. This includes local authority delivery of Cost Rental homes utilising the support of the Affordable Housing Fund. Each Local Authority submitted the first iteration of their plans in December and my officials have now met...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (26 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department does not collate information in relation to local authority housing stock according to their heating source or cooking source. However, this information may be available or requested from each individual local authority. My Department does provide funding under the Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme (EERP) to support local authorities with the retrofit of local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (26 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 687 and 688 together. My Department does not collate information relating to deaths of homeless individuals. However, Cork County has advised that three people died while residing in emergency accommodation in the local authority area  in 2021. Each of these deaths is a tragedy and I extend my sympathies to the families...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Residential Tenancies Board (26 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as a quasi-judicial independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2021 (RTA), to operate a national tenancy registration system and to facilitate the resolution of disputes between landlords and tenants. Registered landlords and all tenants can apply to the RTB for dispute resolution. Section 134 of the RTA...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (26 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The day-to-day operation of the social housing system, including tenancy agreements, is a matter solely for each local authority. My Department has no role in this regard. That said, it is typically a condition of social housing tenancy agreements that tenants must inform the relevant local authority of any change in circumstances related to their tenancy, including changes in employment,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Cybersecurity Policy (26 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Property Registration Authority (PRA) is very heavily dependent on the availability, reliability and integrity of information relating to the registration of property and deeds in Ireland. Information and communication technologies (ICT) governance and security are of critical importance to the process. Accordingly, the PRA has a well-developed information security policy and access...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Charges (26 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Public Group Water Schemes are currently charged for the use of water (and wastewater service if applicable) in accordance with the billing practice that applied prior to the establishment of Irish Water. For most such schemes, the scheme itself is Irish Water’s customer, rather than the individuals within it. It is not a matter for Irish Water to determine how a public Group Water...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (26 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: An application for funding has been made for the project referred to in the Question under my Department’s Capital Assistance Scheme. This application is under active consideration in my Department and a response will issue to Limerick City and County Council on completion of this process in due course.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (26 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Supporting individuals and families facing homelessness is a key Government priority. Housing for All - a New Housing Plan for Ireland commits to working to eradicate homelessness by 2030 and provides detail on how the Government is approaching this as a priority. Housing for All includes eighteen distinct actions on homelessness. Two of these actions relate...

Rising Rental Costs: Motion [Private Members] (4 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I move amendment No. 2: To delete all words after "That Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "notes that: — the Government is fully committed to tackling high rents and ensuring an increase in the supply of affordable, high-quality rental accommodation through continued significant capital investment including Cost Rental and other means and in a manner that...

Rising Rental Costs: Motion [Private Members] (4 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I did not interrupt the Deputy once, even though I was tempted. Tá brón orm ach gabh mo leithscéal.

Rising Rental Costs: Motion [Private Members] (4 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The fact of the matter is that we have identified measures in the Housing for All plan, which we have resourced to the tune of €4 billion. I will talk about the effect that is having right now. We have targeted 90,000 new social housing builds. This year, the target for new-build social houses is 9,000. One thing the Sinn Féin Party might do is to instruct its councillors and...