Results 19,061-19,080 of 26,350 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 91, 99 and 124 together. Last year, we exceeded our housing delivery targets and we will exceed them again this year. We will deliver more new social homes this year than we did last year and will continue to break records with the largest social housing provision in 50 years. We will build substantially more affordable homes than last year and we have more...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: It is also opposed to the Croí Cónaithe scheme. What the Deputies opposite want to do is CPO those properties and send them back in as some type of affordable home.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: They are opposed to it. They have actually brought motions forward in the House that have detailed their opposition to it. Let us be straight about it.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I am glad Deputy Ó Broin has converted.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: To answer Deputy Murnane O'Connor's question, to the end of September of this year, 289 new homes commenced in Carlow. This is an increase of 26% on the same period in 2022 and the highest number of commencements in Carlow for this period since the data series began in 2014. With three months of the year still remaining, commencements so far this year already exceed the second highest...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: There is no question that progress is being made right across the country in every local authority area, in all 26 counties of the Republic. We are acutely aware that we need to do a lot more but there has been a step change in housing delivery under this Government. About 40% to 50% of the homes that will be delivered this year will be backed by this Government, be they social or...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: -----for local authorities like the one in Carlow. Now we are purchasing the land for them, and for approved housing bodies as well, to build into the future so we have the land banks to continue to deliver the homes we need. The progress is very welcome. We are not at all going to rest on our laurels. We want to do more. The pipeline for next year, looking at the commencements for this...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: On staffing and resources, local authorities have never had more staff than they have now. They have never had more resources than they have now. Where we receive submissions from local authorities, like in this instance from Carlow County Council, if they put a case forward to us and require additional sanction, we look at those requests favourably, though they obviously have to stack up....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Domestic Violence (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: It is an important question. Before I answer it, for clarity, in a cursory glance at Croí Cónaithe, it is important that Members state their correct position. In its alternative budget last year, Sinn Féin stated, "As part of the financing of this component of our public housing policy Sinn Féin would redirect the small amount of funding in the Croí Cónaithe...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Domestic Violence (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: No, tuigim é sin. It is important people know that.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Domestic Violence (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: In respect of this-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Domestic Violence (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: In respect of this important matter, applications for social housing support, as Deputy McAuliffe knows, are set by each local authority, and that is governed by the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009. Generally, it is not possible for a household previously on one social housing waiting list to carry over the time spent on the list when applying to another local authority. A new...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Domestic Violence (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: There are areas, as the Deputy knows, where local authorities can provide priority, and the scheduling of allocations is governed by them. I have seen cases where a survivor of domestic violence has needed to leave their home and the local authority has been very supportive, even in instances where somebody has an interest in a family home but has to leave it. We are making progress on...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Domestic Violence (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank all the Deputies for their contributions. The two Ministers of State and I discussed this yesterday at length on foot of Deputy McAuliffe's question, and I have engaged also with the Minister for Justice in respect of the new national strategy and what we can do to help in that regard. Moreover, the Minister for Social Protection has made changes on the social welfare side. To...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Fire Safety (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I answered this question earlier in response to Deputy Ó Broin but am happy to do so again. We will have another webinar for residents next Monday, which will be attended by representatives of the Housing Agency. Between 400 and 600 people have attended various webinars and we are directly engaging with residents in this regard. I want the interim scheme relating to fire defects to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Fire Safety (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I was party to the negotiations on the programme for Government. There are apartments and schemes in my area and I have friends, family and constituents affected by this. I engaged directly with people right the way through. The legislation is important; that will be next year. This scheme will be with us for a number of years. It needs to be underpinned by primary legislation. I get...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Policy (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: We allocate the questions.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (8 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Data in relation to grant applications, including processing times, is monitored on an on-going basis by the Vacant Homes Unit in my Department, which is in regular communication with the Vacant Homes Officers, now in place in all local authorities and part of whose role it is to oversee administration of the grant. My Department acknowledges the administrative overheads in delivering...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 50 and 51 together. Since the receipt of Government approval in January of this year, I have been working to progress the various programmes of work that are required to place the scheme to establish supports for the remediation of fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects in purpose-built apartment buildings, including duplexes, constructed...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Capital Expenditure Programme (8 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The data requested is set out in the following table. Subhead 2023 Allocations 2024 Allocations 2023 REV €000 2023 Capital Carryover €000 2023 LPT €000 Total 2023 Allocation €000 2024 AEV €000 2024 LPT €000...