Results 18,221-18,240 of 26,320 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (23 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department does not hold the details requested. A breakdowns of housing application refusals based on the parameters requested may be sought from relevant Local Authorities directly.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation (23 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing First approach to addressing homelessness places direct access to housing first and foremost for vulnerable individuals using homeless services consistently or intermittently over long periods of time, and those unable or resistant to accessing homeless services and who may then become habitual rough sleepers. These individuals often have complex high support needs such as mental...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Domestic Violence (23 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Generally, is not possible for a household previously on one social housing waiting list to carry the time spent on that list when applying to another local authority. However, local authorities may provide for exceptional or emergency cases to qualified households, allowing immediate housing outside of normal waiting lists priorities, should circumstances require. They may also reserve a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (23 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The First Home Scheme, launched on 7 July 2022, supports first-time buyers in purchasing new houses and apartments in the private market through the use of an equity share model. Full details of the First Home Scheme are available at: www.firsthomescheme.ie The Scheme is overseen and managed by the First Home Scheme Ireland Designated Activity Company (First Home DAC), on behalf of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (23 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: On 25 April 2023, the Government approved additional measures under the Housing for All Action Plan to incentivise the activation of increased housing supply and help reduce housing construction costs, including the introduction of temporary time-limited arrangements for the waiving of local authority “section 48” development contributions and the refunding of Uisce Éireann...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Programme (24 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government's Legislation Programme for summer 2023, published in April, includes the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill 2023 for priority drafting in this Oireachtas session. Policy is being developed as a matter of priority and draft legislative provisions and administrative measures are being examined to help a tenant to buy their rented home on the basis of a landlord...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: House Sales (24 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The report of the Working Group I established to examine defects in housing estimated that of apartments and duplexes (or associated common areas) constructed between 1991 and 2013, the number that may be affected by one or more fire safety, structural safety or water ingress defects, is likely to range between 62,500 and 100,000 apartments/duplexes. The Working Group did not specify any...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (25 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Embodied Carbon in construction materials makes a significant contribution to the lifetime carbon emissions of new buildings. These embodied carbon emissions are being addressed by the Climate Action Plan, the review of the EU Construction Products Regulation and the review of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. The Government is committed to working with industry stakeholders...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Data Protection (25 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department publishes public information on a number of social media platforms including Meta. My Department does not comment on operational security matters as it would be inappropriate to disclose information that may in any way assist those with malicious intent. I can say however that my Department has policies in place to cover social media usage. My Department also continues to work...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (30 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Local Electoral Area (LEA) referred to was designated as a Rent Pressure Zone (RPZ) on 20 September 2017 under section 24 of the Residential Tenancies Acts, as amended. New LEAs and Municipal Districts were signed into law on 31 January 2019, for the County of Louth, for the May 2019 local elections.  The County of Louth Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (30 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: It should be noted that the licence regime under section 254 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act) does not constitute planning permission. Section 254(7) provides that development carried out in accordance with a licence under this section shall be exempted development for the purposes of this Act. There is no time limit on taking an appeal under 254(6) of the Act,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Strategies (30 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), threshold values for sea floor integrity have been developed by experts across the EU. Ireland, represented by officials of my Department, was involved the development of these thresholds. These threshold values support technical criteria for adversely affected and loss of habitat type. A threshold value of 25% has been proposed...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Quarrying Sector (30 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: As set out in the Official Journal of the EU, the applicability date for EN 12620:2002 was 1 July 2003, subject to a co-existence period end date of 1 January 2004 for the purposes of the implementation of the Council Directive 89/106/EEC of 21 December 1988 on the approximation of laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States relating to construction products. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Heritage Council (30 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 397 to 400, inclusive, together. The Board of the Heritage Council comprises members from a wide range of diverse backgrounds and experiences, ensuring leadership and governance oversight for the organisation, and the delivery of its core goals, including the promotion of interest, education, knowledge and pride in Ireland's national heritage. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Urban Development (30 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Collaborative Town Centre Health Check (CTCHC) programme was launched in 2016 by the Heritage Council to gather information which would support the regeneration of historic town centres. In 2019 Local Authorities became directly involved in the programme, which has very successfully analysed a number of towns across Ireland in aspects such as land use, vacancy, surveys of businesses and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Waterways Issues (30 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Barrow Blueway Project is a significant initiative, which will support communities and create exciting opportunities for recreation and ways to experience interesting places from new perspectives. Waterways Ireland obtained planning permission for the entire Barrow Blueway Project including the canal side works and the roadside works from Lowtown to Athy, a distance of approximately...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (30 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 429 to 432, inclusive, together. The local authority biodiversity officer programme is coordinated by the Heritage Council, utilising funding provided by my Department. My Department also sanctions the recruitment for new posts as requested by individual local authorities. The Heritage Council manage this programme centrally and so hold the detailed...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (31 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: On 25 April 2023, the Government approved additional measures under the Housing for All Action Plan to incentivise the activation of increased housing supply and assist the achievement of the housing delivery targets set in Housing for All, while also addressing cost and viability issues faced by the construction sector. These measures included the introduction of temporary time-limited...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (31 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I understand the Question is referring to the new funding measure which I announced in April 2022, as an advance stage of the upcoming Multi-Annual Rural Water Programme, for the waste water collection and treatment needs of villages and settlements that do not have access to public waste water services. All rural local authorities were invited to submit two priority applications for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Invasive Species Policy (31 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Regulation 49(2) of the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 makes it an offence to disperse, allow or cause to disperse, spread or otherwise cause to grow any plant, including Rhododendron ponticum, listed in Part 1 of the Third Schedule to those Regulations. Occasional reports on the presence of invasive alien species in retail outlets and garden centres...