Results 16,801-16,820 of 26,293 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defective Building Materials (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: With regard to certified works, works which have been done already and on the retrospective element of that, we will look at the date. We will be flexible and we will do that in consultation with representatives. It is only fair and proper that we do that and it will be a very small number of properties. Just to let the Deputy know, we have had 150 applications in Donegal which have...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defective Building Materials (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: There is not quite 500 of those.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defective Building Materials (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Local authorities have asked the Housing Agency to look through those cases. If we had accepted the views of some others in the Opposition to wait until IS 465 was fully interrogated, we would not have the scheme up and running now. It is important it is and that it is there. We will take on board the feedback we get and the research done on IS 465, which we will look at and share with...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for his question. Budget 2022 provided record levels of investment to support housing programmes, levels which we have not seen before, including for the delivery of increased levels of social and affordable homes. Exchequer funding of €4 billion was made available, comprising €2.6 billion in capital and €1.4 billion in current funding. Additional...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I will refer to a couple of the examples used by the Deputy. He mentioned the paying down of local authority debt. Does he know why they are doing that? There are encumbered sites throughout this country that have not been able to be developed for the social housing the Deputy says he wants because the local authorities have been carrying a very significant debt, some of them for up to two...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: On the delivery of our affordable housing programme, I remind the Deputy that he and his party voted against the Affordable Housing Act. For the very people who are living with their folks-----

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: -----later than they would like to, we have now provided avenues for them to get into home ownership. That is why 16,700 first-time buyers were able to buy their own homes in the past 12 months, many of them through the first home scheme, which had more than 800 approvals. Again, the Deputy's party opposed that scheme. Many of them used the help-to-buy grant that gives them €30,000...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: -----in a year or two years. However, I am pleased to say to the Deputy that we will quite significantly exceed the target of 24,600 in overall delivery set for 2022, which is a big step up from the previous year. We have a very good pipeline for 2023. We will deliver more new-build social homes in 2022 than we have done in decades. I am fully open to criticism. That is what I would...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: -----or to build on State-owned land, such as that in respect of the Land Development Agency, was again opposed by him.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I know what Deputy O'Callaghan is against-----

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: -----but I have no idea what he and his party are for.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defective Building Materials (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 88, 101, 103, 114, 138, 158, 161 and 220 together. I thank all the Deputies for their questions and the number of Deputies asking shows how important this matter is in relation to legacy defects. I know Deputies of all parties and none have been working hard on this. We know there are significant legacy defects in a large number of apartments and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defective Building Materials (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputies for their questions which I will go through starting with Deputy Conway-Walsh, if the other Deputies do not mind. As I mentioned earlier, and as I discussed with both the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, and the Minister of State, Deputy Calleary, a very small number of properties under the defective concrete block scheme may have had work done already. What I said about...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Deputy Gould would probably object to it.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Like Sinn Féin's guys.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (25 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 96 and 103 together. I refer to the reply to Question No. 327 of 24 January 2023 which set out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (25 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: In 2009 the Department issued guidance to local authorities on the use of unsold affordable properties (USAs) to provide social housing. Whilst the original intention was that these properties would be sold on as affordable homes once demand increased to a level that would stimulate a sale, following the financial crash, developments in the housing market resulted in significantly reduced...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Bodies (25 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department, through local authorities, makes a number of funding programmes, including the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS), the Capital Loan and Subsidy Scheme (CLSS – closed to new applications since 2011), leasing, P&A-CALF available to Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) for the provision of housing for social housing use. As we have moved to the statutory regulation of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Tourist Accommodation (25 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: All development, unless specifically exempted under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, or associated Regulations, requires planning permission. This includes the material change of use of land or buildings. It should be noted that exemptions from the requirement to obtain planning permission in respect of specific forms of development are provided for when they are...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (25 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 provides the statutory framework for the establishment of the Pyrite Resolution Board and for the making of a pyrite remediation scheme to be implemented by the Board with support from the Housing Agency. The provisions of the Act apply only to dwellings affected by significant damage attributable to pyritic heave consequent on the presence of reactive...