Results 16,541-16,560 of 26,293 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Dublin Bay Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (8 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Gabhaim buíochas le Teachta Bacik as ucht an mBille seo. Ní bheidh an Rialtas ag cur i gcoinne an Bhille seo. Ba cheart go mbeadh an Teachta cinnte go mbeimid ag obair le chéile ar an gceist thábhachtach seo. I am grateful to the Deputy for introducing the Bill. I assure her we will not oppose it but work with her on it. I will constructively outline some of the areas...

Dublin Bay Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (8 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I welcome the representatives from SOS Dublin Bay and others from right across the bay. I have had the pleasure of engaging with them and that is why I wanted to take this Bill myself. I very much appreciate the work of Deputy Bacik and her commitment. We can work together. There are some aspects of the Bill that might be conflicting, and I will outline those. I am not in any way raising...

Dublin Bay Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (8 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: That is another story, which I will not go into on the floor of the Dáil.

Dublin Bay Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (8 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Indeed. That is a matter of opinion. I have appointed a research team from University College Cork, UCC, to consider the findings of a recently conducted public survey to help gather the evidence base needed to identify bathers' behaviour and investigate the feasibility of real-time monitoring. That is what I would really like to get to. People could make up their own minds then. If...

Dublin Bay Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (8 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Was that the Deputy's first ever protest? I would have thought so.

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Housing Provision (8 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: More than half of local authorities currently operate a Choice Based Letting system. While several offer paper-based systems, others offer both paper-based and online services. Currently, 14 local authorities use an online system including Clare, Cork City, Cork County, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal, South Dublin, Galway City, Galway County, Kildare, Leitirm, Louth, Meath,...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Housing Policy (8 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The policy intent of developing a new Cost Rental sector in Ireland is to assist those on moderate incomes who are facing affordability pressures in the private rental market and may not qualify for social housing supports. The social housing sector already caters for a significant cohort of people and it is not intended for Cost Rental to overlap with or replace traditional social...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Disability Services (8 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. 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 Land Development Agency and €5bn funding through the...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Housing Schemes (8 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 234 and 235 together. My Department introduced an Energy Efficiency Programme that commenced in 2013, with the ambition to fund retrofit on all social homes requiring insulation and energy upgrade works. This programme has seen improved energy efficiency and comfort levels in over 75,000 Local Authority homes over the period 2013 to the end of 2021 at a total...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Vacant Properties (8 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant was launched as part of the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund. The grant benefits those who wish to turn a formerly vacant house or building into their principal private residence. The grant was initially launched in respect of vacant properties in towns and villages and as, of the 15 November, the grant was expanded to include eligible vacant...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Water Services (8 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. The day-to-day operation of the public water system, including the arrangements for dealing with unforeseen outages, and communicating with customers and...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (8 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The funding system that applies to local authorities in Ireland is a complex one, as those authorities derive their income from a variety of sources including commercial rates, charges for goods and services and funding from Central Government including my Department but also other government departments and state agencies. Most of the funding from Central Government to local authorities must...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Housing Schemes (8 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant was launched as part of the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund. The grant benefits those who wish to turn a formerly vacant house or building into their principal private residence. The grant was initially launched in respect of vacant properties in towns and villages and as of the 15 November, the grant was expanded to include eligible vacant...

Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy. (13 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: For all of us, Bobby was a true friend. I was a disrupter in the group as a Dub. The one thing Bobby could never understand is when he discussed hurling, I would discuss cricket. It was one thing he could never agree with me about. We travelled a bit and went to weddings in Kinsale. Everywhere you went, people loved Bobby. He was gregarious and his personality was infectious. As every...

Confidence in Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Motion (13 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: There are only 15 members in the Government.

Confidence in Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Motion (13 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank colleagues from the three Government parties and those Members of the Opposition who have spoken in our favour. People watching the debate have witnessed the contrast between those who want to solve the housing situation and those who want to manipulate it. People will make up their minds on that at the appropriate time. I am glad the debate is coming to an end because we might...

Confidence in Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Motion (13 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: It is an important issue. I and my Government colleagues are acutely aware of the challenge the country has in tackling and solving the housing crisis. All of us in this House, whether Government or Opposition and whether some like it or not, have a responsibility to help resolve it, not to capitalise on it, manipulate it, sow division, block, delay or use any tactic to avoid supporting...

Confidence in Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Motion (13 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: That might be a first. I stand to be corrected and will check the council records. There is a very serious-----

Confidence in Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Motion (13 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: There is a very serious thing this Government is engaging in, namely, providing housing for all. That is why all three parties of the Government have put together a comprehensive plan that is detailed and clear for anyone who wants to read it. It sets out the actions across Government that need to be taken to improve the situation for our citizens. No one on the Opposition benches has put...

Confidence in Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Motion (13 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The public knows that too. Let us show some respect to voters. That respect should extend to the fact that when Members bring forward alternatives, they should stack up and be implementable. If you support social housing across this country, do not object to it. Do not let your councillors object time after time or find any reason to object. Do not vote against legislation that will...