Results 15,061-15,080 of 26,293 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (31 May 2022)

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. With regard to the question of the publication of the Mulcahy Report, the decisions of the Commissioner for Environmental Information (CEI/18/0019) of 13 February 2019...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (31 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All (published in September 2021) provides a new housing plan for Ireland to 2030 with the overall objective that every citizen in the State should have access to good quality homes through a steady supply of housing in the right locations, with economic, social and environmental sustainability built into the system. The strategy sets out, over four pathways, a broad suite of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Construction Industry (31 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Construction costs have risen considerably over recent years. This is due to a combination of the increased cost of regulatory compliance, general increases in labour and material costs, and increases in energy costs. The CSO Wholesale Price Index (WPI) shows the annual increase for building and construction materials to be 18.2% to the end of April 2022. My Department continues to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Staff (31 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: There were 1467.06 staff serving in my Department at the end of April 2022, as calculated on a fulltime equivalent basis.  The information requested is set out in the table below.  Grade Female Male Total ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER 20.80 25.75 46.55 ADVISORY COUNSEL GRADE 2 1.00 ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (31 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Legislative reforms to regulate the short-term letting sector through the planning code, in areas designated as “rent pressure zones” (RPZs), were introduced under the Planning and Development Act 2000 (Exempted Development) (No. 2) Regulations 2019 which came into effect on 1 July 2019. Notwithstanding the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, significant work on the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (31 May 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,Local Government and Heritage are generally made from candidates nominated by panels of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Derelict Sites (31 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All (published in September 2021) provides a new housing plan for Ireland to 2030 with the overall objective that every citizen in the State should have access to good quality homes through a steady supply of housing in the right locations, with economic, social and environmental sustainability built into the system. The strategy sets out, over four pathways, a broad suite of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (31 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Part 4 of the Affordable Housing Act 2021 provides for the establishment of the ‘First Home’ affordable purchase shared equity scheme to support purchases in the private market. The Scheme aims to support c. 8,000 households in acquiring new homes in the private market in the years 2022 to 2026. First Home will help applicants to afford new homes in the private market...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (31 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Local authorities will always have a level of vacancy in their housing stock. This will fluctuate over time, as tenancy surrender and re-letting of stock is an ongoing process. Therefore, ongoing data in relation to the location and date of vacancy of local authority units are not collated by my Department. However, statistics in relation to social housing stock, at a point...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Ukraine War (31 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government has recently established a dedicated Cabinet Committee, chaired by An Taoiseach, to oversee and coordinate the Ukraine humanitarian response, including accommodation and supports for persons arriving in Ireland from the conflict in Ukraine. The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (D/CEDIY) is leading the initial humanitarian response,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (31 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The right of local authorities to set and collect rents on their dwellings is set out in section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. Subject to broad principles set out by my Department, including that rent levels should be income-based and reflect tenants’ ability to pay, the making or amending of such rent schemes is a local authority executive function. Accordingly, decisions...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (31 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: With effect from 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels for public water services, including the delivery of water services capital infrastructure, encompassing the management of urban waste water collection and treatment infrastructure. Irish Water’s primary...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (31 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Since the Buy and Renew Scheme was introduced, local authorities have purchased c750 homes for social housing use. Nationally, the average cost to deliver one of these homes under the Scheme is c.€196,000 including the cost for the necessary improvement works to the properties. I have asked local authorities to increasingly target vacant and derelict properties that...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (31 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department supports local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) to acquire social housing homes through a number of funding programmes. The Social Housing Investment Programme (SHIP) and Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) allow local authorities and AHBs to recoup 100% of acquisition costs. The Capital Advance Leasing Facility (CALF) funding is capital support provided to AHBs by...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (31 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The oversight and management of local authority housing stock and the allocation of social housing support to qualified households is a matter for the relevant local authority concerned, in accordance with its allocation scheme made in accordance with section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and associated Regulations. This legislation requires all local authorities,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (31 May 2022)

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 58 of the Housing Act 1966.  Notwithstanding this, my Department provides annual funding support to local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (1 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Local Authority Home Loan is a Government backed mortgage for those on modest or low incomes who cannot get sufficient funding from commercial banks to purchase or build a home. It has been available nationwide from local authorities since 4 January 2022 for first-time buyers and fresh start applicants. The loan can be used both for new and second-hand properties, or to self-build. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (1 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All (published in September 2021) provides a new housing plan for Ireland to 2030 with the overall objective that every citizen in the State should have access to good quality homes through a steady supply of housing in the right locations, with economic, social and environmental sustainability built into the system. The strategy sets out, over four pathways, a broad suite of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (1 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I understand the Deputy is referring to the Repair and Leasing Scheme, the Buy and Renew Scheme and the Housing Acquisitions Fund. The Repair and Leasing Scheme is targeted at owners of vacant properties who cannot afford or access the funding needed to bring their properties up to the required standard for rental properties. The scheme provides upfront funding to carry out...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Energy Conservation (2 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department does not collate information in relation to local authority housing stock according to their heating source. However, this information may be available or requested from each individual local authority. Since 2013, Exchequer funding has been provided through my Department's Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme (EERP) to support local authorities with the retrofit...