Results 18,021-18,040 of 26,320 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: It is a simple question and as the Deputy might understand as well, delivery can be complex. However, we have a number of delivery streams. The LDA will deliver through Project Tosaigh this year as well.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: It has already delivered its first cost rental also. The LDA, by the way, which the Deputy opposed, is a development agency to deliver homes on State-owned land.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Right the way across our delivery through the local authority affordable purchase, and the local authority, LA, cost rental, in which we are targeting 200 this year. We broke ground in Tallaght recently on a significant scheme with South Dublin County Council of 134 cost rental through the local authority.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Sorry, Deputy.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Deputy asked his question and I am answering it.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: It is impossible to answer with continuous interruption.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: What I will do is supply the Deputy with the details that I have. The Deputy should then highlight the schemes that he does not support-----

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: -----such as the first home scheme, the Land Development Agency and cost rental, on which we are making changes.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I do have the answer.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defective Building Materials (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for this important question and colleagues for their input into this. Since receipt of Government approval in January to draft legislation to establish supports for remediation defects in apartments, I have been working to progress the various programmes of work required to put a significant remediation scheme on a statutory footing. A key aspect of this work is...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defective Building Materials (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I know.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defective Building Materials (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Colleagues across the House have worked together on this and I want to continue in that vein. I meet residents regularly. I have had a number of webinars with them and met the representative groups as recently as 10 May. The legislation is complex and we need to get it right. It is important residents know where work has been done already. An important decision was made by the Government...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defective Building Materials (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I would like it to happen in early 2024. I will come back in again.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defective Building Materials (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I do not know that it is the third time the Deputy has asked about that. I have formally engaged with industry, both Banking and Payments Federation Ireland, BPFI, and Insurance Ireland. I have met them and we are continuing that engagement. Homeowners have been too. The code of practice is very important because it will underpin what interim works can take place and what the standard of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defective Building Materials (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: To conclude, it is really important that residents know - and many developments have been fully remediated - that where works have started, those works will be covered. Where they are entering into contracts and where they have funds, they should continue with those works. All those works will be covered.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Policy (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Specifically with regard to the tenant in situscheme, it has been a real success so far. To update the House, approximately 1,800 properties are going through the sales process right now. The targets that were set across local authorities were baseline targets and I have said that to everyone on numerous occasions. Additional funding will be required. If we can do more than 2,000 this...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Policy (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: First, I have every sympathy and empathy for that lady and for the difficulties that people find themselves in. There are two issues here. We need to get the supply of social housing up. Our new-build programme is happening and we will build more this year than we did last year. Specifically in relation to the case the Deputy has referenced, we have given flexibility to the local...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Policy (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The suite of measures is in place, and not just for HAP and RAS tenants. There is the cost-rental purchase scheme for tenants in situ. As I said, we have had our first approvals in that space and that has been managed by the Housing Agency. The other piece of work we have to do is the right of first refusal, about which we will bring forward legislation to the House in advance of the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 80, 104 and 109 together. Section 48(2)(b) of the Planning and Development Act 2000 provides that a development contribution scheme applied by a planning authority in respect of its functional area may make provision for payment of different contributions in respect of different classes or descriptions of development. The level of contribution and the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The waiving of development levies and the refund of Uisce Éireann connection charges apply to all, including the single one-off homes of families who have saved and want to build their own homes as well as small developments. I will provide an example. We were contacted by a 44-home scheme in a rural village that was not going to start but will now do so because of these cost-saving...