Results 2,161-2,180 of 25,713 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wind Energy Guidelines (15 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is currently undertaking a focused review of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines. The review is addressing a number of key aspects of the Guidelines including noise, setback distance, shadow flicker, community obligation, community dividend and grid connections. My Department, in conjunction with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC)...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (15 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The planning system plays an important role in the delivery of renewable energy development and related development, from both a legislative and a policy perspective. The Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) provides the basis for plan-making and decision-making within the planning system in respect of renewable energy development and battery storage. This legislative framework...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Land Development Agency (15 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: For the purposes of National Accounts, the Land Development Agency (LDA) is considered part of the General Government Sector. As such, investments and borrowings made by the LDA will impact the General Government Balance Sheet. However, the transfer of funds from ISIF to the LDA is balance sheet neutral as the funds held by the National Treasury Management Agency are exchanged for shares of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Deposit Protection Account (15 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to my reply to Question No. 379 of 18 September 2024 which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (15 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to my reply to Question No. 185 of 10 October 2024 which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (15 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The legislative process for the taking in charge of housing estates by local authorities is set out in section 180 of the Act. The prescribed process in this regard applies to residential developments consisting of two or more dwellings that have been granted planning permission under section 34 of the Act. There is no automatic requirement for local authorities to take over unfinished...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Mortgage Resolution Processes (15 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The First Home Scheme, which launched in July 2022, is a shared equity scheme, designed to help bridge the gap for eligible first-time buyers, eligible homebuyers, and self-builders, between their deposit and mortgage, and the price of their new home (within price ceilings established across the country). The First Home Scheme (DAC) is a partnership between the State, Allied Irish Banks,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Derelict Sites (15 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Derelict Sites Act 1990 requires every owner and occupier of land, including a statutory body and a State authority, to take all reasonable steps to ensure that land does not become or does not continue to be a derelict site. It also requires that local authorities take reasonable steps, including the exercise of appropriate statutory powers, to ensure that any land within their...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (15 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Basic Unit Costs (BUCs) relate to social housing build projects developed directly by local authorities or approved housing bodies on their own land, using Public Works forms of contract. While not a record of actual delivery costs, the BUCs are based on an analysis of returned data from tendered social housing schemes and act as a key benchmark for local authorities and approved housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Staff (15 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The information requested is set out in the table below and provides the staff numbers at the end of each year, and at the end of September for 2024. Grade 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 PO 0.5 0.5 1 1 1 AP 2 2 3 3 4 4 HEO 3 3 2...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Advertising (15 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department undertakes public information campaigns where there is important information to be brought to the public’s attention. The advertising campaigns generally utilise a variety of advertising methods, including TV, radio and print as well as online advertising and social media. My Department’s campaigns to date this year include:Doors Open; a significant print,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Waterways Issues (15 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My role and responsibilities as Minister do not extend to the maintenance, clearance or dredging of rivers, nor does my Department provide specific funding for this. The Local Government Act 2001, as amended by the Local Government Reform Act 2014, provides the legislative basis for the local authority budget process. Local authorities are entirely independent corporate entities, having...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Development Contributions (15 Oct 2024)

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: Defective Building Materials (15 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. The table below sets out the drawdown amounts under the Defective Concrete Blocks Scheme since June 2020. Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme Total ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Budget 2025 (15 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Under Budget 2025, announced on 1 October, my Department was allocated an overall budget package of over €7.9 billon, comprising €4.5 billion capital and €3.4 billon current funding. Full details are available online at: . As part of this, the Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) scheme has a provisional sub-allocation of €300m capital funding. This figure includes...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (15 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, the implementation of a planned maintenance programme and carrying out of responsive repairs, are matters for each individual local authority under Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. Local authorities also have a legal obligation to ensure that all of their tenanted properties...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (15 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: In relation to the specific group water scheme referred to, I understand that the scheme has received all payments relating to the emergency capital works concerned. I can confirm that my Department has requested some further information from Offaly County Council which is required to close out this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (15 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 372 and 373 together. The objective of the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) is to provide public off-site infrastructure to relieve critical infrastructure blockages. The types of infrastructure being provided include roads, bridges, diversion of power-lines, drainage works as well as public amenities (parks). In July 2016, my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Official Engagements (15 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I can confirm that have not attended any international events or engagements where members of the media were present as part of our delegation.