Results 15,241-15,260 of 26,293 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (23 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I understand the point. We actually simplified the form and made some changes to it last year to ensure that it was in compliance with the plain English guide. We simplified the form and removed some questions that were not required. An application to put someone on the list for social housing is obviously an important application. The Deputy is right that there is a parallel process with...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (23 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: There is no question about me agreeing with the Deputy. I meet with the CEOs on a regular basis. We engage with and meet them individually. I have had two recent housing summits where all chief executives and directors of service for housing from all 31 local authorities attended. That was very much focused on housing delivery. As I mentioned earlier, we will deliver more social homes...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (23 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: As outlined in my response to an earlier question, two affordable housing fund supported schemes will deliver affordable housing in Cork city this year. Cork City Council has advised my Department that the first two phases of the Boherboy Road project in Cork city, involving a total of 117 affordable purchase homes, will see 37 of those homes completed. They will be advertised for purchase...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (23 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: There are further advance purchase schemes coming to us that are under consideration by me and the Department, because the affordable housing fund is open. It is an open call where we bring schemes forward, so the Deputy will see more than this being delivered. The Deputy will also see the first home scheme, which will support affordable purchases of new homes in the private market, and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Angling Sector (22 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I can confirm that the working group established to examine ways to improve fish passage at Parteen Weir has completed its work, the output of which includes an assessment of the feasibility of a number of options to improve fish passage at Parteen Weir. A roadmap of actions has been proposed and the installation of a suitable new fish pass at Parteen Weir represents the first step of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (22 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The oversight and practical management of housing waiting lists, including the allocation and transfer of tenancies, is a matter for the relevant local authority in accordance with the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, and associated regulations. Section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 requires all local authorities, as a reserved function, to make an...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Regulatory Bodies (22 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 31 and 32 together. The Maritime Area Planning Act 2021, which was enacted in December 2021, includes provisions to establish a new agency, the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA). MARA's role will be wide ranging in scope and extensive preparatory work is required in advance of its establishment in respect of each of its individual functions. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (22 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Following Government approval, I shortly intend to introduce the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill, 2022 to the Oireachtas. The purpose of this Bill is to implement and give legislative underpinning to a series of measures to improve and enhance the defective concrete blocks grant scheme as agreed by Government on 30 November 2021. My...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (22 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme plays a vital role in housing eligible families and individuals. At the end of 2021, over 100,000 HAP tenancies had been set-up since the scheme commenced, of which there were more than 61,900 households actively in receipt of HAP support. Local authorities have discretion, because of local rental market conditions, to exceed the maximum rent...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (22 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: Homeless Accommodation (22 Jun 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/. My...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (22 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department funds the Multi-annual Developer Provided Infrastructure Resolution Programme for the progressive resolution by local authorities of housing estates with this legacy water services infrastructure to enable the taking in charge of these estates. The programme is focused on housing estates which are not taken in charge by local authorities and do not have their water services...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Labour Market (22 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Central to delivering on the ambition of Housing for All: A New Housing Plan for Ireland is the need for additional construction sector workers. The number of construction workers involved in residential construction will need to rise to 67,500 by the middle of the decade to achieve an annual average delivery of 33,000 homes. This will be achieved through a variety of means, including...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (22 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. The loan can be used both for new and second-hand properties, or to self-build. It is the successor to the Rebuilding Ireland Home...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Animal Welfare (22 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The control of live hare coursing, including the operation of individual coursing meetings and managing the use of hares for that activity, is carried out under the Greyhound Industry Act 1958, which is the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. My responsibility relates to the conservation status of the hare. While the regulation of hare...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (22 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government commits to developing a Youth Homelessness Strategy. This commitment is articulated in Housing for All. An initial draft of the Strategy was developed in Q1. A revised draft is currently under development, taking into consideration feedback from the National Homeless Action Committee and responses received via various consultations. The aim of this Strategy is to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (22 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 53, 55 and 57 together. Delivery of affordable housing, in accordance with the schemes set out in the Affordable Housing Act, 2021 and the funding being made available, will be underpinned by local authorities' Housing Delivery Action Plans. Local authorities, including Cork City Council and Cork County Council, submitted their initial Plans to me last...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (22 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: In accordance with Government policy, social housing construction projects (as with all publicly funded construction projects), must be procured in accordance with the Capital Works Management Framework. The Office of Government (OGP) is responsible for implementing national policy on public procurement, particularly in relation to construction procurement. In January, the OGP introduced the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Sites (22 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, including a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Stations (22 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 62 to 64, inclusive, together. The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Acts 1981 and 2003. My Department supports fire...