Results 3,021-3,040 of 26,565 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

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.

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (10 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I campaigned against abolition.