Results 181-200 of 5,446 for in 'Dáil debates' speaker:Kieran O'Donnell

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I note both points the Deputy has raised. Have the engineers been in contact with the Department on that issue? We do not appear to have received anything specifically on the issue to date. If there is a particular issue, the Deputy might bring it to our attention. More particularly, the engineers might make contact with us. I know the issue came up at a meeting of the Joint Committee on...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I thank the Deputy. A body of work on the issue of environmental and climate savings within building, and the employment of modern methods of construction, is under way in the Department. I cannot give the Deputy a formal response as to whether we have engaged with the particular group she mentioned. I will follow up on the issue and revert to the Deputy.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: The local authority affordable purchase fund can be used by the LDA in conjunction with the local authorities. That is there and that is its intended use. The local authorities and the LDA can partner up and funding can be provided under the local authority affordable purchase fund. Many local authorities are already seeking expressions of interest from potential purchasers under the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: The local authorities identify schemes and seek expressions of interest. Deputy Bruton is making a more general point. Some local authorities would be doing it already but the Deputy makes a very good-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: That is correct although in some cases they advertise beforehand. I have seen some local authorities advertise schemes in advance of them being built. They identify schemes and before they are built, they advertise them. The Deputy's general point is well made though and is something on which I will follow up.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I thank the Deputy. The Housing Act 1966 provides for the charging of rent by local authorities on social housing tenancies. Rents are based on household income levels, with those on lower incomes paying lower rents. This system is known as the differential rents system. It is a critical piece of the State's welfare apparatus, subsidising housing costs and supporting households who cannot...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: The differential rent scheme was, as the Deputy said, designed to provide rent at an affordable rate to tenants and provide income to local authorities to ensure they can maintain those properties. That has not changed and remains the model. One of the reasons we are doing a review of the differential rent scheme is to deal with the inconsistency between local authorities. The Deputy will...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I thank the Deputy. Carers do great work and the people for whom they care are hugely important. The Deputy has raised the issue in her constituency of Clare. We welcome the submission from Family Carers Ireland. It is something we will take into account in our scoping and review exercises. We want to ensure we bring about consistency in the schemes. I take on board the points the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: In the limited time I have, I will say that this is a matter the Deputy has raised on many occasions and we take what he says on board. We want that mix. The LDA is moving into that affordable purchase space. We want to look to increase that. The Croí Cónaithe cities scheme was launched in May 2022. This scheme is a viable measure designed to support the building of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Emergency Accommodation (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: We want a mixture of the type of units available. One and two-bedroom units are important and three and four-bedroom units are equally important. We note the point the Deputy makes and it is something we always look at. We are always looking for local authorities and AHBs to provide the three and four-bedroom properties as well. I want to put it in context. Last year, 5,478 people...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Emergency Accommodation (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: Deputy Boyd Barrett makes a clear point. He mentioned a specific case and I ask him to forward me details of that case and I will follow up on it. The tenantin situ scheme has been a great success. There have been 1,196 acquisitions to date and there are 1,000 more in the pipeline. Many of those are three and four-bedroom properties. I welcome the fact that the Deputy acknowledged that...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Emergency Accommodation (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I thank Deputy Boyd Barrett for his question. Supporting individuals and families facing homelessness is a key Government priority. Critical to supporting households to exit homelessness is increasing the supply of housing. Record State investment of €4.5 billion has been made available this year to support the largest State home-building programme ever, including 9,100 new-build...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Expenditure (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: The documents referred to in the question are documents that are prepared and published by the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform. The abridged Estimates for public services, AEV, are published as part of the expenditure report budget documents and detail provided for the Votes is limited to programme level. They vary and are hence called "abridged". They are...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Expenditure (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: The Deputy has raised this matter previously. Departments and governments have to have their own process in how they deal with documents. I reiterate that the Revised Estimate Volume for public services obviously provides considerably more detail. It is prepared and published by the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, Deputy Donohoe. I...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Expenditure (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: Deputy Ó Broin is an experienced politician and is aware of how Departments and Government operate. The abridged Estimates Volume, AEV, was published by the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform at the time of the budget and is freely available.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Expenditure (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: Regarding the detail the Deputy is looking for, that document is published by the Minister for Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Expenditure (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: The Revised Estimate Volume, REV, is under the domain and jurisdiction of the Minister for Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform. He will publish it very shortly. I hope the Deputy will await that, not go down the road of freedom of information and work with the normal process of Government.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Planning Issues (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: The Planning and Development Bill 2023 provides a range of measures to improve consistency across the planning system through clearer, more consistent policies and guidance throughout all tiers of planning, from national to local. Ministerial guidelines and policy directives will be upgraded to national planning statements. These statements will be approved by Government and subject to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Planning Issues (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: As the Deputy is aware, the Bill itself provides statutory timelines for An Bord Pleanála. That will provide a degree of certainty and it should speed up the process in terms of appeals. On the second point the Deputy raised, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on any individual planning cases. It should be noted that the Government is opposed to the abuse of any process,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Planning Issues (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: As the Deputy is aware, we are increasing the staff of An Bord Pleanála to 300, so we are putting the resources into the bord. The point I would make is that we are open to consider any amendments to the Bill on Committee Stage. I expect the Deputy will bring them forward and we would welcome that. What we are looking for, with the new planning Bill, is to have a robust and fit...