Results 16,501-16,520 of 26,293 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 222, 228, 229 and 230 together. 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, 36,000 affordable purchase homes and 18,000 cost rental homes. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4bn per...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation (1 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The continuing increase in the numbers accessing emergency accommodation is a serious concern for me and for the Government. We are doing everything in our power to tackle this problem, both by increasing housing supply and investing in homelessness prevention. The Government is investing significantly in social and affordable housing, with record funding allocated for current and capital...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (1 Dec 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, 36,000 affordable purchase homes and 18,000 cost rental homes. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4bn per annum, through an overall combination of €12bn in direct...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department publishes the Social Housing Construction Status Report (CSR). The CSR provides details of social housing developments, including details of turnkey delivery, which have been completed, are under construction or are progressing through the various stages of the design and pre-tender process. The most recent publication was for Q2 2022. The report is available at the following...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Construction Industry (1 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Reducing construction costs is a key part of supporting the delivery of Housing for All, and is critical to increasing supply. Under Action 23.2 of Housing for All, my Department, in conjunction with the Construction Sector Group, is conducting Residential Construction Cost Study for new build housing and apartment schemes and student accommodation. This is an analysis and value engineering...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (1 Dec 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 in accordance with Section 7 of the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013. This includes the connection of new houses to the water services network. Irish Water is committed to supporting the delivery of housing including the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Traffic Management (1 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: As set out in the reply to Question No 298 of 15 November 2022, the Naas Inner Relief Road project was cancelled by Kildare County Council following the rejection of the Part 8 planning application for the road by the elected members of the council in mid-2019. As the infrastructure was not proceeding, the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) funding agreement was cancelled...

Seanad: Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (6 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I am pleased to introduce this Bill to Seanad Éireann today. I thank the Seanad for facilitating this important and urgent legislation. I acknowledge concerns about the limits on debate time and the fact that the pre-legislative scrutiny report has not been published. However, the urgency of the issues at hand to address the housing crisis requires immediate legislative action. I...

Seanad: Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (6 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: A vote has been called in the Dáil Chamber.

Seanad: Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (6 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I will check with the Government Whip, but I believe I am required to attend the vote in the Dáil, unfortunately. Beidh mé ar ais.

Seanad: Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (6 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Senators for their thoughtful contributions today. To put this in context, it is about urgent interim measures regarding An Bord Pleanála. Senator Moynihan and other Senators raised issues about the need for a consolidated planning Bill; we are doing that. We are bringing forward consolidated planning legislation, which I intend to bring to Cabinet on 13 December. It is...

Building Defects: Motion [Private Members] (6 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: First, I welcome the residents who are here this evening for this important debate and, indeed, the representatives of the Construction Defects Alliance and the Apartment Owners Network. I welcome the opportunity to debate this. It is important and I am not opposing the motion. There are elements within it that I do not agree with, specifically around the area of the pyrite resolution...

Building Defects: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (6 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: That is not the waiting time. It is the scale of the programme.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Ukraine War (7 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is continuing to work closely with local authorities and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) to identify, refurbish, and bring into use, multi-unit vacant properties that may be suitable and available for accommodation purposes for beneficiaries of temporary protection from Ukraine.  The building referred to in the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (7 Dec 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. As...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Supply (7 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) is the body responsible for setting water connection charges as set out in Part V of the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013, in particular it sets out the CRU's responsibility for the determination of the charges, including connection charges, and charging arrangements that apply to customers of Irish Water. Prior to the establishment of Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (7 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: As provided for in the Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Act 2019 (the Act), the Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority (AHBRA) was formally established on 1 February 2021. AHBRA is an independent body tasked with the regulation of Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) for the purposes of protecting housing assets provided or managed by such bodies.  The register of AHBs...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Urban Development (7 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The City Edge Project is a joint initiative between South Dublin County Council (SDCC) and Dublin City Council (DCC). A non-statutory Strategic Framework has been published jointly by DCC and SDCC and is available online at www.cityedge.ie. Section 12.7 of the Framework addresses the proposed funding for delivery of this ambitious project.  My Department has funded studies and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (7 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government sets out a commitment to examine defects in housing, having regard to the recommendations of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing’s report Safe as Houses?, and to assist owners of latent defect properties by identifying options for those impacted by defects, to access low-cost, long-term finance. In response, in February 2021, I established a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Flood Risk Management (6 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Office of Public Works (OPW) is the body responsible for flood risk assessment and mitigation of flood risk. OPW work directly with local authorities in relation to flood risk management projects.  When flooding occurs, the Government approved Framework for Major Emergency Management (2006) designates responsibility for coordination of the local response to the relevant...