Results 2,081-2,100 of 25,713 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (17 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department currently supports an agreed programme of new Domestic Violence Refuges via the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS). CAS also supports the acquisition of individual properties as 'Safe Houses'. Operational costs for Refuges are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Justice. Domestic Violence Refuge units and Safe Houses can also be provided through other sources outside of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (17 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department currently supports an agreed programme of new Domestic Violence Refuges via the Capital Assistance Scheme/CAS. Operational costs for such Refuges are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Justice. New Domestic Violence Refuges currently under development as part of this programme, or recently completed via CAS, as part of the 3rd National DSGBV Strategy, are averaging...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (17 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I commenced the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 ('the 2022 Act') on 22 June 2023, which contains the enhanced grant scheme and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023. A review mechanism is provided within the 2022 Act, which provides for an increase or decrease in the overall grant scheme cap (currently €420,000) a year...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Safety (17 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Interim Remediation Scheme for the funding of eligible emergency fire safety defect works in apartments and duplexes has been in place since December 2023. The Scheme, which is being administered by the Housing Agency on a nationwide basis, is open to applications from apartment Owners’ Management Companies (OMC) via the Housing Agency’s website. In the period since the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (17 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The response to Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (DSGBV) is a cross-Departmental and multi-agency issue, with overall policy coordinated by the Department of Justice. Responsibility for the development and provision of services to support victims rests with my colleague the Minister for Justice working in conjunction with Cuan, the statutory DSGVB agency under the remit of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (17 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 219 to 221, inclusive, together. The standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 and specify requirements in relation to a range of matters, such as structural repair, sanitary facilities, heating, ventilation, natural light, fire safety and the safety of gas, oil and electrical supplies....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Approved Housing Bodies (17 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: As provided for in the Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Act 2019, the Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority (AHBRA) was formally established on 1 February 2021. AHBRA is an independent body tasked with providing the regulation of Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) for the purposes of protecting housing assets provided or managed by such bodies. The register of AHBs...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (17 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The minimum standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 and specify requirements in relation to a range of matters, such as structural repair, sanitary facilities, heating, ventilation, natural light, fire safety and the safety of gas, oil and electrical supplies. These Regulations apply to all properties let or available for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social Enterprise Sector (17 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Gabhaim buíochas leis an gcoiste as an gcuireadh teacht anseo tráthnóna inniu. I very much welcome the opportunity to discuss with the select committee my Department’s Supplementary Estimate for 2024. I am joined by the following officials from my Department: Mr. David Kelly, assistant secretary in the homelessness, rental and social inclusion division, and Ms Sinead...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: To answer the Deputy's first question on revised housing targets, I expect the Cabinet subcommittee on housing to meet in the coming weeks. I will bring forward proposals to that subcommittee and we will discuss them among the three parties. That is based on the work that has been done by a number of bodies, including the ESRI and the Housing Commission. That will feed into the revised...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Deputy McAuliffe is referring to the Local Government Fund as opposed to what we give from a capital perspective. That is something on which there is and should be clarity, in particular for councillors in advance of setting their own budgets. I know many councils are preparing to set their budgets for next year.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Equalisation funding is provided to local authorities in advance of their budgets, which should provide the clarity people need. Deputy McAuliffe is correct about Dublin City Council. It is the largest local authority and many of the services the State provides for people across the State are centred in Dublin, or there are more of them located in Dublin city. If we can provide any further...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I agree. We are fully committed to it. We substantially exceeded our target last year. As the Deputy is aware, we started last year with an acquisition target of 200 but we purchased outright approximately 1,800 plus units. There were some teething issues at the start but we have a very strong pipeline now. We will also exceed the baseline target that we set this year of 1,500. It makes...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes, sure.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I will get the details for the Deputy. He refers to €552 million. We provided €200 million in June. Some €97 million is to support the tenant in situ programme. A total of €255 million is required for the development levy waiver - charged into A3. They are the main parts of it.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: There have, unquestionably, been additional costs, but we endeavour to manage them as best as we can. I am sure Deputy Ó Broin knows from talking to our delivery partners that the costs are managed within it. For clarity's sake, I do not know if Deputy Ó Broin has the information, but in June when there was a temporary reallocation, it was €40 million to subhead A3, which...