Results 2,641-2,660 of 26,565 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (22 Jan 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The development of housing by the Land Development Agency on the site at St Kevin's Hospital is currently underway. This 14.5 acre site is expected to deliver approximately 266 homes (46 houses and 220 apartments), with a tenure mix of cost rental, affordable purchase and social homes. The Vesting Order to transfer the land at St. Kevin's is complete, and the LDA has advised my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Referendum Campaigns (22 Jan 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Establishment of Uisce Éireann in public ownership is already firmly secured in legislation under the Water Services Acts 2007 to 2022. These Acts additionally confirm Uisce Éireann as the national authority for water services and detail its functions and responsibilities. The government is committed in its aim to deliver a world-class public water services utility which brings...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (22 Jan 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant is a key support, introduced by this Government, to bringing vacant and derelict properties back into use as homes. A grant of up to €50,000 is available for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation as a principal private residence and for properties which will be made available for rent. A top-up grant of up to €20,000 is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (22 Jan 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government has recently revised its housing targets for 2025 to 2030, targeting delivery of some 303,000 new homes over the period, with an average of over 50,000 homes per year by 2030 and a pathway to delivering 60,000 homes annually in 2030 and thereafter. Tenure specific targets for social, affordable, and private rental and private ownership homes will fall to be considered by...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (22 Jan 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Cork City Council is responsible for the management and maintenance of the apartment complexes in their ownership, including flats at Togher and at Desmond Square, which are now in excess of 50 years old. Notwithstanding, funding is available from my Department for refurbishment projects though various schemes including the Estate Regeneration Programme. My Department has been informed...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (22 Jan 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Local Authorities are responsible for the maintenance of their social housing stock. Notwithstanding, funding is available from my Department for local authority refurbishment projects through various funding schemes including the Estate Regeneration Programme. It is strictly a matter for the Local Authorities to bring forward submissions for funding approval to the Department. These...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (22 Jan 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has been informed by Cork City Council that they are assessing the potential for redevelopment and regeneration of social housing at Noonan's Road. Feasibility is at an early stage and is connected with the planned relocation of residents from their existing accommodation. We have been advised that the Council is currently progressing with the decant process to move existing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (22 Jan 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the 2024 EERP programme, my Department funded costs of up to €48,850 plus project management fees, on individual local authority homes. The actual cost of retrofitting works on each home will depend on its pre-works BER. Targets set and funding allocated to local authorities under the programme calls for local authorities to undertake a variety of house types, from those...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (22 Jan 2025)

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. As set out in my letter of 18 October 2024, the detailed operation of the Scheme is a matter for the designated local authorities in the first instance and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Area Plans (22 Jan 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The Cork Event Centre was included as a Government commitment under the revised National Development Plan in 2021. This underlines the Government’s support for urban regeneration, enhanced amenity and heritage, associated quality of life standards, balanced regional development, and the regeneration and development of Cork City Centre. The Government decision of 22 October 2024...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (22 Jan 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: A list of all persons appointed to State or semi-State boards appointed under my remit since 1 November 2024 is set out in the table attached.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Urban Development (22 Jan 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: In line with the objectives of the National Planning Framework and the National Development Plan, the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) is currently providing part-funding to applicant-led projects, enabling more compact and sustainable development within the existing built-up footprints of our cities and large towns. Under Call 1 of the URDF programme, Louth County...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (22 Jan 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: All incentive schemes for new housing provided under Housing for All are required to meet the minimum performance requirements of Building Regulations. All new dwellings must comply with building regulations, the aim of which is to provide for the safety and welfare of people in and about buildings, and in addition achieve a 60-year durability for all key elements. The Building...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Stations (22 Jan 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Acts, 1981 and 2003. My Department supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (22 Jan 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department currently gathers and publishes data on a monthly basis on the number of homeless persons accommodated in emergency accommodation funded and overseen by local authorities. These reports are based on data provided by local authorities, produced through the Pathway Accommodation & Support System (PASS). The monthly homelessness report includes details of individuals,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Development Contributions (22 Jan 2025)

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: Local Authorities (22 Jan 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Local government has direct functional relationships with several Government Departments covering a wide range of policy and operational areas. In the context of those areas for which my Department has direct responsibility, local authority powers have been varied in a number of instances since 2015, including as follow below: The Water Services Acts 2007 to 2022 allow for the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (22 Jan 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: Since the publication of the current Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines in 2005 (which continue to have effect in addition to subsequent clarifications and national policy changes in the NPF published in 2018) there have been important changes to our planning system. Most notably, obligations under European Directives and international agreements relating to the management and protection...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (22 Jan 2025)

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). Full details are available on the First Home Scheme website, www.firsthomescheme.ie. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (22 Jan 2025)

Darragh O'Brien: 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, the Department invited relevant infrastructure project proposals...