Results 2,781-2,800 of 26,565 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Equipment (5 Nov 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Mobile phones are issued to staff for work related purposes according to the OGCIO Mobile Phone Policy. The number of handsets issued and the overall expenditure on handsets and phone bills is set out in the table below. The total bills include the costs of new handsets issued, and those already in existence. 2022 2023 2024 Handsets...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (5 Nov 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001 provides that each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which they are responsible. Therefore, I have no role in relation to individual employment contracts. In all instances, personnel with queries in relation to their employment terms...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (5 Nov 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I commenced the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (the Act) on 22 June 2023 which contains the enhanced grant scheme and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023. The scheme is open to applications in five counties: Clare, Donegal, Limerick, Mayo and Sligo with comprehensive information of all aspects of the Scheme available on my...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Service (5 Nov 2024)

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 Act 1981 & 2003. My Department supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (5 Nov 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Regulation (EU) No 305/2011 (“the CPR”) sets out rules for the marketing of construction products in the EU, regardless of where the construction products are manufactured e.g. in Ireland, in other EU Member States, Northern Ireland, Great Britain or other third countries. Where a construction product covered by a harmonised European standard such as a concrete block is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Service (5 Nov 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: With the agreement of Government, the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, prepared legislation to give effect to changes in the retirement age for members of the uniformed services. The provisions, which amend the relevant legislation to give effect to this Government decision, were included in Part 11 of the Courts, Civil Law, Criminal Law and Superannuation...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (5 Nov 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Planning and Development Act 2024 (“Act of 2024”) was signed into law by the President of Ireland on 17 October 2024. My Department is currently putting arrangements in place to implement a phased commencement of the Act of 2024 to facilitate the transition to the new legislation across the planning system, taking into account the need to liaise with local authorities,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (5 Nov 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: An Bord Pleanála (the Board) is the national independent statutory body with responsibility for the determination of planning appeals and direct applications for strategic infrastructure and other developments under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and certain other Acts. Under Article 215 of the Planning and Development Regulations, the Health and Safety Authority...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (5 Nov 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The question raised is a matter for the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (5 Nov 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Apartments and duplexes built between 1991 and 2013 with defects caused by defective design, workmanship or materials that breached the Building Regulations that applied when the property was built will qualify for remediation under the Apartment and Duplex Defects Remediation Scheme. The Interim Remediation Scheme for the funding of eligible emergency fire safety defect works in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (5 Nov 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I commenced the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (the Act) on 22 June 2023 which contains the enhanced grant scheme and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023. The Grant Scheme applies to the owners of dwellings located in designated local authorities, which are damaged due to the use of defective concrete blocks and provided the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (5 Nov 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All commits to developing proposals to review the existing differential rent system and to provide for a standardised, national local authority social housing rent model. The objective is to develop and implement a model that provides the best blend between fairness, progressivity and sustainability. My Department has completed an initial scoping exercise to determine the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht – Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I will just say this, a Cheann Comhairle. Reversing the designation from safe country is not going to process those claims. If anything, the claims will be in process for longer.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht – Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Deputy can be assured that I will. I know he has raised this at the parliamentary party as well, and he is a strong and active advocate on behalf of Scoil Chiaráin. He can be assured that, following what I am sure is not going to be his last intervention here in Dáil Éireann, I will raise this directly with the Minister, Deputy Foley, to ensure this project proceeds as a...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht – Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I welcome the task force report. I will agree with the Deputy on this. There are things in it we were doing already and there are things in it we know we need to do. I have visited most of the flat complexes in this city. I know the Deputy was at one of the visits with me and we had good engagement with the residents there. We have had some very good regeneration projects completed in...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht – Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The local authorities have more funding now than they have ever had. I have to say that the leadership of the new chief executive of Dublin City Council, Mr. Richard Shakespeare, and the focus he has brought to bear on housing is very welcome. Dublin City Council is delivering some fantastic new schemes and on the refurbishment and regeneration. There are in excess of 100 refurbishment and...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht – Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: We need to see how we can expedite that, and we will, certainly.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht – Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Go raibh maith agat as ucht an cheist ar an ábhar tábhachtach seo. It is good to hear the report is concise. I guarantee the Deputy that, on receiving it, the Minister of State, Deputy Dillon, and I will review it. The Minister of State has delegated responsibility in this area. I am pleased that our capital budgets for the provision of Traveller accommodation have been fully...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht – Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I agree with the Ceann Comhairle. It is appalling and tragic to think we only know now about a child who has been missing for two years. It really beggars belief. I join Deputy O’Dowd in urging anyone with information to contact An Garda Síochána, regardless of whether he or she believes the information is of any or of little significance. I have read the media reports...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht – Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government has reaffirmed its commitment to the Cork event centre. That is an important part of the decision it made this week. The Taoiseach and I submitted a memo on it to the Cabinet and it had the full support of all its members. We will see an expedited and truncated procurement process. Costs have increased. The Government has already committed €57 million in grants for...