Results 14,801-14,820 of 26,293 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (10 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Tenants in the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme are required to sign a rent contribution agreement to pay a weekly rental contribution to the relevant local authority, in line with the local authority’s differential rent scheme. As set out in the rent contribution agreement, this weekly rental contribution must be paid by them so that they remain eligible for the HAP scheme. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation (10 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the statutory role of local authorities in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons. The National Quality Standards Framework (NQSF) is in place nationally for local authority and NGO delivered...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (10 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: On Thursday, 28thof April I announced the commencement of a new funding scheme targeting the waste water collection and treatment needs of villages and settlements without access to public waste water services. Details of this announcement can be found at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/press-release/f2fa6-minister-obrien-announces-...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (10 May 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. I aim to bring the required primary legislation to give effect to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (10 May 2022)

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. 54,000 affordable home interventions will be delivered between now and 2030 to be...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (10 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 379 and 380 together. The Capital Provision for my Department’s Vote Group (inclusive of Vote 34 - Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage; Vote 16 - Valuation Office and Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority) for 2021 and 2022 is set out in the table below: CAPITAL 2021 2022 2021 vs 2022 ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (10 May 2022)

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. This includes the delivery of 90,000 social homes by 2030. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4bn per annum, through an overall combination of €12bn in direct Exchequer funding, €3.5bn in funding through the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Emergency Accommodation (10 May 2022)

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 link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/80ea8-homelessness-data/ and are...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (10 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: 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.    Due to the quasi-judicial role of the RTB, it would be inappropriate for me or any officials in my Department to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (10 May 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. I aim to bring the required primary legislation to give effect to...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for his question. The review of the social housing income limits is nearing completion. I received a submission. We are working through some changes in that regard. To be fair to the Deputy, he has raised this matter on a number of occasions, as have others on both sides of the House. The income limits have not been reviewed for years. There will be changes made. We...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: They have a certain discretion, which we ask them to operate. The work will be done in this session.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Derrybrien does not have a distinguished history in regard to planning, installation, and its impact on the topography of the site and on residents in the area. It has been the subject of a very recent decision. As a country, we have been in infringement of EU directives in this space. It goes without saying that my Department and every other Department will play their part in ensuring we...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I am aware of the issue with Drogheda wastewater treatment plant and I thank the Deputy for raising it. Odour neutralising treatment will be implemented at the main pumping station this year. I assure him that I will make further contact with the chief executive of Irish Water to make sure any works that can be done are expedited. As the Deputy knows, the Government is putting €6...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Following the Deputy's intervention today, I assure him that I will make contact at a senior level with Irish Water and revert back to him.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I can confirm for the Deputy that Wexford is not being excluded. No county is excluded from the affordable housing fund. It is open to every local authority to apply and bring schemes forward. We have the most comprehensive affordable housing policy in the history of the State. The fund is open and I have encouraged all local authorities to access it. We will have the first home shared...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: International Agreements (11 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: In line with Programme for Government commitments, Government established a Commission on Housing to examine issues such as tenure, standards, sustainability, and quality-of-life issues in the provision of housing. The Commission has also been tasked with bringing forward proposals on a Referendum on Housing. While not a commitment to a referendum on a 'right to housing', this is not...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (11 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 102 and 131 together. Housing for All set out four pathways to achieve its vision of a sustainable housing system, ensuring that everyone in the State has access to a home to purchase or rent at an affordable price, built to a high standard and in the right place, offering a good quality of life. Addressing the current housing shortage requires short, medium...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commissions of Investigation (11 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: There are no Commissions of Investigation currently underway concerning my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (11 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority administrative area and the length of time on waiting lists are provided in the annual statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA). Below is the link to the summary report for 2021: www.gov.ie/en/publication/f6119-summary-of-social-housing-as sessments-2021-key-findings/ The SSHA...