Results 16,981-17,000 of 26,293 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for his question. First, that would be a matter for the appropriation accounts. We spent more money and had a bigger budget than we have ever had in housing in 2022. There were some constraints on delivery, which I believe the Deputy might accept, in respect of the supply chain difficulties and some projects are running into this year. We said very publicly that we will...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: ------30,000 new homes have been built in this State. The Land Development Agency-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: -----delivered homes for the first time in 2022.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Deputy Canney for his question. The review of the housing adaptation grant is nearing completion and will come to me very shortly. Amendments are required to it and it needs to keep pace with the increased costs we have seen. A review of it has not been carried out in many years. It is a very effective grant and helps many people stay in their homes, where they want to and should...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Deputy Pringle for his question and Laura for its preparation. This is a matter which is obviously of great interest to those in secondary school and to those who will be coming up to do the leaving certificate. The Minister, Deputy Foley, and her Department have been actively engaged. We have made quite significant reforms to both the junior certificate cycle and, indeed, the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Deputy McAuliffe. This is a very serious issue for many people. As the Deputy rightly said, public transport use is back to pre-pandemic levels. We want to ensure we are investing in public transport. It is a better way for people to travel. There are issues with recruitment and filling of vacancies, which have been raised. We have also had significant complaints in respect of...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Particularly in growing and developing places mentioned by the Deputy, such as Adamstown and others, families need to have childcare facilities in place. That is why, as regards the planning system, we very clearly tied the provision of childcare services in particular with new homes being delivered within estates. Where that is not being provided, I put it to the Deputy that it is a matter...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: There are many addiction services throughout the country. I am chair of the North Dublin Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Force. I see the work done in addiction services throughout the country and in the area in which I live, which is invaluable and continued during the course of the pandemic. I am not familiar with the specific case the Deputy raised regarding the Clondalkin addiction...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy. I look forward to the legislation coming to the House and debating it fully here. His point is very valid. I am not familiar with the exact details of the legislation but I certainly take his point on board.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue of Enfield Community College. I assume he has tabled parliamentary questions regarding it. If he gives me the details following this debate, I will raise the matter directly with the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, and ask her to respond to the Deputy.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: As the Deputy knows, budget 2023 provided a total package of €11 billion, some €4 billion of which were one-off measures that took effect from the final quarter of last year. One of those measures related to a reduction in excise duty. Those matters will be discussed by the Government in the coming weeks in February. A collective decision will be made by the Government and...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: This is a very serious and real issue. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue, and the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Deputy Humphreys, held a meeting regarding the control of dogs on 9 January. The working group met on 8 February. Two senior officials from my Department are involved in that group. It is a very serious issue for people. We...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Again, I assume the Deputy has tabled parliamentary questions about this and is pursuing the matter herself. Certainly, I will raise those matters directly with the Minister for Education on the Deputy's behalf and ask the Minister to respond to her on the query she has raised.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Deputy Connolly does not have to do so.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Aontaím leis an Teachta faoin gceist seo faoi Munster Technological University. I spoke to the Minister, Deputy Harris, just this morning about this. Cybercrime and cyberterrorism are ever-present. This is a significant breach. MTU is involved with all relevant authorities, including An Garda Síochána, the National Cyber Security Centre, the Higher Education Authority and...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: It is a very important issue, particularly for the communities in his constituency that the Deputy mentioned. That work is nearing conclusion, as is the review of the multi-annual rural water programme. As for water pre-connection applications, if an application has been submitted to Uisce Éireann and the Deputy has not heard back from it, I ask him to get the details to me and,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Constitutional Amendments (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government is committed to holding a referendum on water. It is important to note that the establishment of Uisce Éireann in public ownership is already firmly secured under the Water Services Acts 2007 to 2022 whereby all shares of Uisce Éireann are vested in the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform with both...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Matters in relation to the allocation of social dwellings, including the transfer of sitting tenants to other dwellings, are the responsibility of the respective local authorities. My department has no role in this regard. There is no legislative or policy provision preventing a tenant in an AHB social dwelling, who was drawn from the local authority's social housing waiting list, from...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the provisions of the Local Government (Expenses of Local Authority Members) Regulations 2021 a range of allowances are payable to councillors to support them in carrying out their role, including the Local Representation Allowance (LRA). The LRA is a flexible allowance with 14 eligible expenditure categories under which a councillor may claim expenses which are wholly and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has made funding available to support the local authorities in the creation of a temporary support team to: - work as part of the Community Response Forum, reporting to the Chief Executive; - lead the co-ordination of the provision of supports and services to Ukrainians at a local level by the range of public and not-profit bodies involved; - identify gaps or any...