Results 18,681-18,700 of 26,350 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Derelict Sites (27 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Derelict Sites Act 1990 (the Act) imposes a general duty on every owner and occupier of land to take all reasonable steps to ensure that the land does not become, or continue to be, a derelict site. The Act also imposes a duty on local authorities to take all reasonable steps, including the exercise of appropriate statutory powers, to ensure that any land within their functional area does...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (27 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Departments' Multi-annual Developer Provided Water Services Infrastructure Resolution Programme (DPI) is focused on housing estates which do not have their water services connected to the public network but instead rely on infrastructure provided by developers. The aim of the DPI programme is to provide funding to local authorities to assist them in implementing solutions that resolve the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Parking Provision (26 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The planning and development of new areas for tourism and recreational purposes is a matter for local authorities, within the context of their role as planning authorities in the Irish planning system. Section 63(3) of the Local Government Act 2001, provides that a local authority is independent in the performance of its functions. A core function of local authorities, as planning...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (26 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I can confirm that my Department is in the final stages of completing comprehensive Framework documentation that will assist and support the launch of the upcoming Multi-annual Rural Water Programme. Extensive engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, including the Rural Water Working Group, was a valuable and necessary requirement to allow my Department finalise this work. I expect to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Public Sector Staff (26 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Elected members of local authorities are considered to be office holders and not employees of the local authority. They are not included in the definition of 'public servant' under the terms of the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004. Elected members are entitled to a gratuity payment on retirement, rather than an annual pension. This is a non-contributory...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Industrial Disputes (26 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 321 and 335 together. Under the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he or she is responsible and each local authority is an individual employer. The Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) provides support...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (26 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I commenced the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (the Act) on 22 June 2023 which contains the enhanced grant scheme and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023. The new scheme is now open to applications in four counties: Clare, Donegal, Limerick and Mayo with comprehensive information of all aspects of the Scheme available on my...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (26 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The NPWS Farm Plan Scheme, administered by my Department's National Parks and Wildlife Service, is an important instrument that allows for proactive engagement with farmers and land managers, to go above and beyond their statutory requirements in supporting nature. I recognise the central and vital role that those who manage our landscapes and habitats have in addressing the biodiversity...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Environmental Policy (26 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Following the declaration by the Dáil of a Biodiversity Emergency in 2019 and in recognition of the vital role that biodiversity plays in the continued health of our society, economy, species and planet, the Programme for Government included a commitment to hold a Citizen's Assembly on Biodiversity Loss. The Assembly presented its’ report in April 2023 and agreed 159...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Environmental Policy (26 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 325, 326 and 327 together. The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department is responsible for the implementation of a range of legislation and policy relating to biodiversity and nature in Ireland and is the National Focal Point for the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), an overarching international agreement underpinning the Global...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (26 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Awaiting reply from Department.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (26 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The legislation governing the clawback on a previously purchased affordable homes is Section 99 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 or Section 9 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2002, depending on the home in question. Both of these pieces of legislation set the same clawback rule: where the property is resold within 20 years, the homeowner must pay a clawback amount equal...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Environmental Policy (26 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department co-funded a research project with the Irish Research Council which will result in a Financial Needs Assessment for Biodiversity. Part of this research identified solutions for biodiversity including: biodiversity offsets, biodiversity friendly subsidies and certification, carbon credits, carbon tax, community based natural resources...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Emergency Accommodation (26 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of local authorities in addressing homelessness at a local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless accommodation and related services rests with individual local authorities. Under the Housing Act...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Approved Housing Bodies (26 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Awaiting reply from Department.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Ministerial Responsibilities (26 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Section 160 of the Local Government Act 2001 provides the Minister with the power to declare qualifications of such classes and descriptions as he or she thinks fit for a specified employment under a local authority or for such of the employments as belong to a specified class, description or grade. An Order under section 160 of the Local Government Act 2001 declaring the qualifications for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (26 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department does not hold information in relation to the numbers of tenants of local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies who are in rent arrears. This information may be sought from the local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies directly. Details of the total rent collected by local authorities and the levels of arrears are contained in the annual local authority Audit Reports...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (26 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Data on the total housing stock in the State are gathered by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) as part of the Census. Total housing stock per the last four Censuses is as follows:2006 - 1,769,6132011 - 1,994,8452016 - 2,003,6452022 - 2,112,121My department does not capture any additional data on the quantum of housing stock in the State, e.g. for intercensal years.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (26 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 (the Act) provides the statutory framework for the establishment of the Pyrite Resolution Board (PRB) and for the making of a pyrite remediation scheme to be implemented by the PRB 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (26 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 (the Act) provides the statutory framework for the establishment of the Pyrite Resolution Board (PRB) and for the making of a pyrite remediation scheme to be implemented by the PRB 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...