Results 15,501-15,520 of 26,293 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Seanad: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (13 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I assure Senator Flynn that I am not setting the thresholds of what damage should look like or the minimum threshold. That has been informed by the expert group, which comprises experts such as scientists and people qualified in the appropriate areas. There was reference to the 1.5 mm threshold and it is a recommendation from the expert group. We will set the threshold on the basis of...

Seanad: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (13 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I have not purposely compared the pyrite remediation scheme for the east coast and this Bill. They are very different schemes. There are additional items in this scheme, particularly in respect of second properties, second grant options registered with the Residential Tenancies Board, RTB, increased costs and grant amounts. It is therefore a substantially better scheme than the east coast...

Seanad: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (13 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I think we should be able to deal with multi-unit developments and apartments and the exceptional circumstances clause through regulation. If that requires a small amendment to an Act, which it may, we will do that. We have not bottomed that out, but I am putting on record here, as I did in the Dáil, that it is my absolute intention that both those elements be dealt with. We just have...

Seanad: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (13 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I will now address amendment No. 37. Retrospective application of benefits of the enhanced scheme will apply to applicants under the current scheme. Retrospectively including homes which were remediated before the grant scheme and the IS 465 standard would, if it was introduced, be extremely complex. It is genuinely not clear how many such homes are in this situation. In the absence of...

Seanad: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (13 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Senators for their contributions and for the amendment. All present recognise the massive leap forward being made with this scheme. That has been acknowledged by homeowners, as well as by all parties and Independents. It is a scheme that is vastly different from the one in place from January 2020 - unrecognisably so. Fundamentally, it gives 100% redress based on independent...

Seanad: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (13 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes, that is the intention. There is no downsizing penalty. The scheme is fair and appropriate. Fundamentally, we are doing this because we want to help people to rebuild their homes and get their lives back on track. We need to be honest with people. This scheme will work. It will probably cost at least €2.7 billion of Exchequer funding, and rightly so.All of the people affected...

Seanad: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (13 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I do not want to go back and forth because there has been a pretty constructive debate but that is incorrect. It is totally and utterly incorrect. It might suit to make the charge to create an issue. There is not an issue. The rates have been set independently. Dealing with inflation is built in by way of the review. I have already quoted the specific rates that are there. They are set...

Seanad: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (13 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Is there an intervention from the Public Gallery?

Seanad: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (13 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Deputy Mac Lochlainn has not been allowed to speak all week for other reasons. We have a responsibility to people to be very honest with them and get behind the scheme to make it work for them. Anyone who looks at this in a fair and clear way will see the financial commitment behind the scheme is extremely robust. I said to Senators earlier, and I said to Deputies in the other House, that...

Seanad: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (13 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I have made my point. I have tried to address the amendment tabled. The debate heretofore has been very constructive and respectful. The most recent intervention moved away from that. Our job is to get a new scheme in place that will fix people's homes and get their lives back on track. This is absolutely the basis to do this. I will not accept the amendment.

Seanad: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (13 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: There are a lot of dates and so on specified in the legislation but the situation is exactly as Senator Cummins outlined. Once an applicant is approved, he or she has 78 weeks from the date of approval to commence the work. We should not forget these are urgent works. Should an applicant need another 24 weeks on top of that to commence the work, he or she will get it. That basically gives...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Rental Sector (12 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2022 regulates the landlord-tenant relationship in the rented residential sector and sets out the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants. The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as an independent statutory body under the Act to operate a national tenancy registration system and to facilitate the resolution of disputes between...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Harbours and Piers (12 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Property Registration Authority (PRA) is under the aegis of my Department. In relation to any specific cases with the PRA, arrangements have been put in place to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. Further information in relation to the specific cases referred to may be obtained by contacting the dedicated e-mail address in respect of the PRA at...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Ukraine War (12 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: As part of the Government's on-going response to the humanitarian challenges arising as a consequence of the invasion of Ukraine, my Department is leading efforts to refurbish vacant buildings suitable for use as multi-occupancy accommodation, in partnership with local authorities. In cases where vacant buildings identified as part of the initial request to local authorities do not require,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (12 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Tenant Purchase Scheme is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the scheme. Among other things, eligible tenants must meet a minimum income requirement to qualify under the scheme. This requirement has a dual purpose. It ensures the scheme is sustainable, and the tenant purchasing the house has the financial...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (12 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 375, 382, 423 and 438 together. I refer to the reply to Question No. 6 of 23 June 2022 which sets out the position in the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (12 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 376 and 377 together. Local authorities set and collect rents on their dwellings in accordance with section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. The making or amending of such rent schemes is generally a matter for local authorities within broad principles set out by my Department, including that rent levels should be based on income and reflect tenants’...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Youth Services (12 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 378 and 379 together. The Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) was launched in 2018 to support more compact and sustainable development. The Fund is providing part-funding for applicant-led projects that will enable a greater proportion of residential and mixed-use development to be delivered within the existing built-up footprints of our cities...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defence Forces (12 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) was launched in 2018 to support more compact and sustainable development. The Fund is providing part-funding for applicant-led projects that will enable a greater proportion of residential and mixed-use development to be delivered within the existing built-up footprints of our cities and large towns, while also ensuring that more parts of our...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (12 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. The monitoring, scope, prioritisation and progression of individual projects and services is a matter for Irish Water, and is approved through its own internal governance structures. Irish Water has established a...