Results 15,081-15,100 of 26,293 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

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

Darragh O'Brien: The information sought by the Deputy regarding nominations received from prescribed bodies  for membership of An Bord Pleanála in 2014 is being compiled and will be provided to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders. The appointment of ordinary members of the Board is governed by section 106 of the Planning and Development Acts 2000, as amended, and by Part 7 of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Radon Gas Levels (2 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 set a minimum standard for decent, safe and secure rental accommodation. These Regulations also focus on tenant safety and include measures covering heating appliances, carbon monoxide and window safety. With very limited exemptions, these apply to social housing as well as private rented residential accommodation. All landlords...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Radon Gas Levels (2 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The provision of office accommodation for my Department falls within the remit of the Office of Public Works. I understand from my officials that nine (9) of my Department's offices, are located in areas currently designated as high-risk for radon. To date six (6) of the nine (9) locations have been tested and the remaining three are scheduled for testing later this year.

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 228 and 229 together. 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...

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

Darragh O'Brien: An Bord Pleanála ('the Board') is independent in the performance of its functions under the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended). Arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my Department to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. This provides a speedy, efficient and cost effective system to address...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Social housing statistical returns are completed by each local authority and returned to my Department on a quarterly basis. There is a robust process in place to ensure the data provided by local authorities is accurate. Each quarter the statistical returns are compiled by the Statistics and Data Analytics Unit and validated by the Social Housing Delivery teams in my Department. Each social...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Ukraine War (14 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 459 and 460 together. 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 for persons arriving in Ireland from the conflict in Ukraine.  The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (14 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department published the terms of reference (attached) for the Report into the management of conflicts of interest and relevant disclosures by the Deputy Chairperson of An Bord Pleanála in relation to certain Decisions of that Board on the 12th of May 2022. In accordance with the terms of reference, Remy Farrell, Senior Counsel, is requested to provide a report to the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Grant Payments (14 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Under my Department’s grant scheme for the renewal or repair of a thatched roof, funding of up to €6,350, or 80% of the approved cost, whichever is the lesser, may be payable in respect of necessary works to renew or repair the thatched roofs of private houses situated on the mainland where the private owner holds a medical card. A higher level of assistance of up to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (14 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Tenant Purchase Scheme provides for the purchase by eligible tenants, or joint tenants, of local authority homes available for sale under the scheme. Applicants must meet certain criteria, including minimum reckonable income and minimum time in receipt of social housing supports, to be eligible.  The minimum reckonable income required to be eligible under the scheme is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: State Bodies (14 Jun 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.   Section 134 of the RTA requires a landlord to apply to the RTB to register a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (14 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Cost information on the delivery of social homes through the various construction streams, is collated by my Department at development level rather than at individual housing unit level. The cost of constructing new homes is dependent on a range of variables, including location, scale of the development and the size and type of the homes involved in individual local authorities. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (14 Jun 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: Defective Building Materials (14 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 provides the statutory framework for the establishment of the Pyrite Resolution Board and for the making of a pyrite remediation scheme. The provisions of the Act apply only to dwellings affected by significant damage attributable to pyritic heave consequent on the presence of reactive pyrite in the subfloor hardcore material. The pyrite remediation...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (14 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I understand from clarification received that the Question is seeking information on funding drawn down by Dublin City Council from the Regeneration programme in the 2022 vote, specifically regarding the social housing flat complex regeneration. The 2022 Vote allocated €50million for the subhead A.15 Estate Regeneration programmes which includes various regeneration...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (14 Jun 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. Local authorities also have a legal obligation to ensure that all of their tenanted properties...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Energy Conservation (14 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Since 2013, Exchequer funding has been provided through my Department's Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme (EERP) to support local authorities with the retrofit of local authority owned homes requiring insulation and energy upgrade works. Since the programme commenced in 2013 over 75,000 homes have been retrofitted with a total exchequer spend of €184 million under the scheme. In...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (14 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 479, 507 and 514 together. I refer to the reply to Question No. 75 of 5 May 2022 which sets out the position in the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (14 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 482 and 484 together. I refer to the reply to Question No. 97 of 1 June 2022. 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...