Results 15,981-16,000 of 26,293 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

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

Darragh O'Brien: Pathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock. Many areas of cities, towns and villages of all sizes face the blight of vacant properties, which, if brought back into use, could add real vibrancy and provide new accommodation in those areas. The Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund is a key initiative which underpins...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (12 Oct 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: Housing Provision (12 Oct 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 73, 74 and 75 together. The annual statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA) outlines details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority area. The purpose of the SSHA is to capture the total number of households qualified for social housing support across the country whose social housing need has not...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (12 Oct 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded in accordance with Standing Orders. The information requested in relation to bodies under the aegis of my Department is a matter for the individual bodies concerned. Arrangements have been put in place by each Agency to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. The contact email address for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (12 Oct 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 specify requirements in relation to a range of matters, such as structural repair, sanitary facilities, heating, ventilation, natural light, fire safety and the safety of gas, oil and electrical installations. All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties comply with these regulations. Responsibility for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Cybersecurity Policy (18 Oct 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department recognises fully that cybersecurity measures are key in ensuring the safety and integrity of its infrastructure, systems and data. This is achieved through a combination of staff training, security policies and processes and appropriate technological solutions. My Department has cybersecurity measures built into the fabric of its IT infrastructure and costs are not separated...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Cybersecurity Policy (18 Oct 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department fully supports the National and EU Digital Strategies calling for the wider adoption of cloud where suitable to deliver better IT efficiencies and services to the public. Since 2019, my Department assesses all new services and the upgrading of existing services with the focus on utilising cloud solutions. This in conjunction with wider adoption of government build to share cloud...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Staff (18 Oct 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 334 and 356 together. The information requested in relation to the appointment of Special Advisers is set out in the tables below and covers the period from 2015 to date. All advisers served in the role until the end of the relevant Minister's term except where indicated. Minister Adviser Payscale Minister Darragh...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (18 Oct 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: Housing Schemes (18 Oct 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer the Deputy to Figure 2 on page 31 of Housing for All, “HNDA Projection 33,000 Annually to 2030”, which provides the annual average breakdown by tenure type. This includes an annual average of 11,800 new private ownership homes and 6,500 new private rental homes, respectively.   Housing for All: A New Housing Plan for Ireland can be accessed on my Department’s...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (18 Oct 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Following on from the Government decision of the 30 November 2021 in respect of the enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme, the Government approved the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022 on 21 June and the Bill passed through both Houses of the Oireachtas and was subsequently signed into law by the President on the 23 July, 2022. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (18 Oct 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Staffing numbers for the local authority sector broken down by each local authority area for each of the years 2019 to 2021 and to the end of Q2 2022 are available on the Public Service Numbers Databank which is hosted and maintained by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and is available at the following link: .

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (18 Oct 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme, tenants source their own accommodation in the private rented market. The accommodation sourced by tenants should be within the prescribed maximum HAP rent limits, which are based on household size and the rental market within the area concerned. The Programme for Government commits to ensuring that HAP levels are adequate to support...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (18 Oct 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government's Housing for All strategy commits to delivering a total of 18,000 Cost Rental homes over the period to 2030. Significant funding has been secured and is being made available to support delivery of Cost Rental by Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), Local Authorities and by the Land Development Agency (LDA). Delivery will increase incrementally, to an average of 2,000 Cost...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (18 Oct 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he or she is responsible. My Department oversees workforce planning for the local government sector, including the monitoring of local government sector employment levels. To this...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Correspondence (18 Oct 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The correspondence in the details supplied by the Deputy deals with a range of issues in relation to the operation of the private rental sector. In general, the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2022 regulate the landlord-tenant relationship in the residential rental sector and set out the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants. The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: State Bodies (18 Oct 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Land Development Agency Act 2021 was developed taking account of legal advice in relation to State Aid. The Department’s approach, based on advice received, is that the economic functions of the Land Development Agency (LDA) do not give rise to an advantage either to the LDA or other parties under State Aid rules. The European Commission was informed about the Land Development...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (18 Oct 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Planning statistics are compiled by each planning authority on an annual basis for collation and publication on my Department’s website, at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/service/9e4ee-get-planning-statistics/. The data collected relates to the total number of applications and decisions for all developments that require planning permission, broken down by year and planning...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (18 Oct 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 348 and 349 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (18 Oct 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 357 and 358 together. Housing for All 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...