Results 221-240 of 1,387 for long speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (15 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: ...I am going to say? We are engaged. It is a very serious matter. I have already explained to the Deputies who wanted to listen and did not want to engage in stunts here today that we have gone a long way down the road in the retained fire service review, which has been welcomed by SIPTU. The last piece is pay. I am committed to resolving that. Contacts are being made. There is a way...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: ...Power, Mr. Sean Armstrong and Ms Claragh Mulhern. I will go through the opening statement quickly. Mar a dúirt mé cheana, caithfidh mé dul timpeall a 10 a chlog. I have to go around 10 o'clock but I will stay as long as I can. I thank the joint committee for the opportunity to address it on this topic of the climate action plan 2023. My Department is working hard to...

Retained Fire Services: Motion [Private Members] (13 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: ...circumstances and, I hope, set a pathway forward for all stakeholders. I welcome all the firefighters from throughout the country who have made the journey to be here, as well as those who are watching the debate online. As many of them will know, I have put on record more than once my long-standing admiration for, and interest in, the work of the fire services, long before I had...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Conservation (13 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: ...of farm plans. A five-year cycle allows for adaptability of plans and contracts to react to issues on the ground and to provide reasonable flexibility to the farmers in question. NPWS recognises that long term commitments provide certainty and forward planning for farmers, however under the new ABER the maximum duration will be to the end of 2029, at which stage it is envisaged that...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: ...to enhance the State pension provision for carers who have spent more than 20 years of their lives caring. This is part of our response to the Government's Commission on Pensions, recognising that our long-term carers deserve support in that regard. We will see details of this coming forward over the coming months in advance of the budget. I thank Deputy McAuliffe for his continued...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: .... As is their right, they have served notice of industrial action. I do not want to escalate the matter any further. Suffice it to say that I, as Minister, want this resolved. We have come a long way on pay, conditions and rostering. In fairness, the union representatives recognise that too. There are some outstanding issues that can and, I hope, will be resolved.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: ...relate to overtime or allowances into overtime. I have said clearly those in receipt of allowances who decide to stay will get the requisite overtime in local authorities. We have also moved a long way by way of concessions. I have said the additional superannuation contribution will not apply to workers who move across to Irish Water and the engagement has been very good up to now. I...

Accommodation Needs for New Arrivals: Statements (23 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: ...already plans in place for a part of the site. Having said that, there are many buildings across the State that, even if they cannot be brought into use in the short term, we should look at repurposing for the longer term because all of us realise that the reality we live in now, which is mass migration, is one that the developed world, Europe and Ireland will have to live with for many...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation (23 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing First approach to addressing homelessness places direct access to housing first and foremost for vulnerable individuals using homeless services consistently or intermittently over long periods of time, and those unable or resistant to accessing homeless services and who may then become habitual rough sleepers. These individuals often have complex high support needs such as mental...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: ..., rates are high, so measures like this are required to be able to make these schemes viable. Cost rental has been very popular. We have seen most of our schemes more than ten times oversubscribed with long-term, secure, State-backed rents with minimum tenures of 50 years and we are absolutely determined to roll this out further this year.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: ...grants of up to €150,000 per unit for cost-rental delivery under the affordable housing fund. We increased that from €100,000 to €150,000. The remaining capital costs are financed through long-term borrowing and preferential rates to local authorities by AHBs from the Housing Finance Agency. Cost-rental apartments are also delivered by the Land Development...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: ...through my Department's Voids Programme to supplement the local authority funding available for the preparation of vacant properties for re-letting. The funding was introduced originally to tackle long term vacant units and is now increasingly targeted to support authorities to ensure minimal turnaround and re-let times for vacant stock. The emphasis is on minimum refurbishment works...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 108, 145, 151 and 155 together. Under Housing for All, the Government will deliver 47,600 new build social homes and 3,500 social homes through long-term leasing in the period 2022-2026. Our clear focus is to increase the stock of social housing through new build projects delivered by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs). For 2023, the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Measures (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: ...needs of those experiencing homelessness and at risk of homelessness, in addition to their specific housing need. In line with Action 3.18 in ‘Housing for All’, work is underway to identify families experiencing long-term homelessness that have complex support needs to provide them with enhanced tenancy sustainment supports to help them exit homelessness and maintain...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (11 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: ...basis, up to a ceiling of 45% of the total capital costs of delivering the homes.  This will facilitate further direct delivery of Cost Rental homes by AHBs, and thereby support the development of a long-term AHB delivery pipeline. I can confirm that the criteria of the CREL scheme remains under review to ensure it remains fit for purpose in targeting support at those who cannot...

Planning and Rural Housing: Motion [Private Members] (10 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: ...x2014; Housing for All: A New Housing Plan commits Government to the largest State-led building programme ever and a sustainable supply of social and affordable homes to buy or rent, including cost rental homes, a new form of long-term sustainable home rental; — the Plan also details ways to maximise the efficient use of housing stock and bring back vacant dwellings into long-term...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (10 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: ...2026, and the State has committed funding of €200m, to be matched by the participating mortgage lenders. Full details of the Scheme, including eligibility criteria, are available on the website: www.firsthomescheme.ie.  Separately, a new form of long-term sustainable home rental has been introduced in the form of Cost Rental tenancies. Cost Rental is targeted to deliver...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (10 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 101, 102, 103 and 104 together. Under Housing for All, the Government will deliver 47,600 new build social homes and 3,500 social homes through long-term leasing in the period 2022-2026. Our clear focus is to increase the stock of social housing through new build projects delivered by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs). For 2023, the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Culture Ireland (9 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: ...bPíobairí Uileann freisin. I thank the Cathaoirleach and the Senator for her question and for the interest she has shown in na Píobairí Uileann. As she has rightly said, I paid a visit there with her not so long ago, just a couple of months past, and I was very impressed with the work that is being undertaken. I do not believe it is an exaggeration to say that na...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: ...cost-rental viability measure announced today will operate mainly through the LDA . Its main aim is to reduce the cost of development and thereby pass on the reduction to the tenant who is going to be there on a long-term basis at reduced rental. That is the timeframe we are operating under.