Results 17,021-17,040 of 26,293 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (8 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Household Means Policy and accompanying guidance, which sets out how local authorities should assess household means, provides savings are only relevant to the assessment in so far as they generate income for applicant households through dividends or interest. Determining whether a household meets the income criteria when applying for social housing support is based on a calculation...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (8 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The purpose of the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 is to implement and give legislative underpinning to a series of measures to improve and enhance the current grant scheme, as agreed by Government on 30 November 2021. The administrative areas of the following counties have been designated by the Act for the purposes of the enhanced...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (8 Feb 2023)

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: Legislative Measures (8 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 156 and 157 together. On 20 January 2023, I launched a three-month public consultation on proposed amendments to Part B of the Building Regulations relating to fire safety. The details of the public consultation can be found on my Department’s website at the following linkwww.gov.ie/en/consultation/1ed7c-public-consultation-on-...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (8 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to the reply to Question No. 560 of 18 January 2023 which sets out the position in the matter. 

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Foreshore Issues (8 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 159, 160 and 161 together. My Department operates the consenting regime under the Foreshore Act 1933,as amended, managing the regulation of a range of different marine activities and infrastructural developments. The volume of applications made under the Act in recent years has grown significantly. In parallel, my Department is leading an extensive...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (8 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Updated Planning Guidelines on short-term letting are currently being prepared by my Department to complement the Registration of Short-Term Tourist Letting Bill 2022 being brought forward by my colleague, the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. It is intended that the updated guidelines will be published on the enactment of the Bill.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (8 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 163 and 164 together. The First Home Scheme, launched on 7 July 2022, uses an equity share model to support first-time buyers nationally in purchasing new houses and apartments in the private market. Further information is available on the Scheme website at:www.firsthomescheme.ie. The Scheme is overseen and managed by the First Home Scheme Ireland Designated...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (8 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Affordable Housing Fund is available to assist all local authorities in bringing forward affordable housing schemes. Following the publication of Housing for All in September 2021, I asked local authorities to prepare Housing Delivery Action Plans. Each local authority was asked to assess the level of housing demand with affordability constraint projected for their area based on the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (8 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Government recently agreed to increase the baseline income thresholds by €5,000 for all local authorities with effect from 1 January 2023. My Department has also recently begun work to scope options for a new social housing income eligibility model and I expect proposals for a new model to be submitted for my consideration in Q1 2023. Pending completion of this work, it would be...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (8 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998 provides that the role of my Department is to ensure that there are adequate structures and supports in place to assist housing authorities in providing accommodation for Travellers, including a national framework of policy, legislation and funding. The Act provides that housing authorities have statutory responsibility for the assessment of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (14 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department launched the Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme (EERP) in 2013 with the aim of funding retrofit of social homes requiring insulation and energy upgrade works. Since the programme commenced in 2013, over 77,500 local authority social housing dwellings have been retrofitted with a total exchequer spend of over €251 million. In 2021 a new holistic approach was...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Special Areas of Conservation (14 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: In May 2022, Government approved a three-year Strategic Action Plan for renewal of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). Building on the substantial investment under the Plan, which comes to an additional €55 million across three budgetary cycles, there are a range of funding initiatives managed by the NPWS to support individuals or groups to assist with the conservation of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (14 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (14 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Legislative reforms to regulate the short-term letting sector through the planning code, in areas designated as “rent pressure zones” (RPZs), were introduced under the Planning and Development Act 2000 (Exempted Development) (No. 2) Regulations 2019 (the Regulations) which came into effect on 1 July 2019. Under this legislation applicable in RPZs: - Short term letting...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Meetings (14 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Both the Programme for Government and Housing for All commits to strengthening the Mortgage to Rent (MTR) scheme and ensuring that it is helping those who need it. Building on the significant amendments already made to the scheme in 2017, the 2021 Review, which was published on the 24 January 2022, examined the impact of these changes and what further changes would benefit those in need of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social Welfare Benefits (14 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a form of social housing support available for people who have a long-term housing need. Any household assessed as eligible for social housing is immediately eligible for HAP. Eligible households can source their own accommodation in the private rental sector which should be within the HAP rent limits provided to them by the local authority. In order...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Construction Industry (14 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: In response to the many building failures that have emerged over the past decade, my Department introduced the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014, which require greater accountability in relation to compliance with Building Regulations in the form of statutory certification of design and construction by registered construction professionals and builders, lodgment of compliance...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (14 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The terms for gratuity payments to elected members of local authorities are as set out in the provisions of the Local Authority Members (Gratuity) Regulations 2002-2006. The calculation of the gratuity is based upon the Representational Payment that was in place when the Principal Regulations were given effect and this is adjusted in proportion to any adjustments made to the salary of a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (14 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I can confirm that the National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department is happy to work with the organisation concerned to come to a resolution and is currently working on registering a new domain name.