Results 3,041-3,060 of 26,565 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

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

Darragh O'Brien: I appreciate the contributions of Senators Malcolm Byrne, Tom Clonan, Maria Byrne, Rónán Mullen, Fintan Warfield, Michael McDowell and Alice-Mary Higgins. I have immense regard for Senator McDowell, as he knows. I should put on record that I campaigned against the abolition of this House in 2013 - the referendum was in October 2013 - and my party campaigned against its abolition....

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

Darragh O'Brien: I am not. He has been on record as-----

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

Darragh O'Brien: From my perspective, the Bill is a genuine attempt to bring about the start of the reform of the Seanad and deal with the Supreme Court judgment. Senators mentioned the programme for Government and I discussed this with Senator McDowell a number of years ago when we met virtually during Covid. The programme for Government, Our Shared Future, does not make an explicit commitment to the issue...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I know there have been difficulties. Senators Mullen and Byrne and others commended the NUI on the work done. As the central registration authority, they are the right people to do that. We have an opportunity to get the Seanad register up-to-date and in a modern format once and for all, but it will require reregistrations. All those on the existing NUI and University of Dublin registers...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I did not interrupt the Senator once. I sat here and listened to her full contribution, as I have done on many occasions on many different pieces of legislation and on many different issues. I never interrupt the Senator. All that I am saying to the Senators who right now, on Second Stage, feel they should oppose this legislation is that if they oppose it, they are effectively opposing...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I am pleased to bring the Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024 before the House today.There are three main components in the Bill. First, it proposes a significant extension of the franchise for electing the six university members of Seanad Éireann to graduates of designated institutions of higher education in Ireland who are Irish citizens, have received a degree...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Coolly.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (10 Oct 2024)

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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (10 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 185 and 193 together. Applications for social housing support are assessed by the relevant local authority, in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended. The 2011 Regulations prescribe maximum net income...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (10 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All includes a commitment to review income eligibility for social housing. From this review, completed in November 2021, it was recommended moving five local authorities from Band 3 to Band 2, ensuring the income eligibility thresholds better reflect housing costs in those counties. Government also agreed to increase the baseline income thresholds by €5,000 for all local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (10 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 187 and 188 together. As part of the Residential Tenancies Act, the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016, introduced a targeted Rent Predictability Measure to moderate rent increases in those parts of the country where rents are highest and rising fastest. Rent control areas, known as Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs), are applied...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Bodies (10 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Under Section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he/she is responsible. In terms of building capacity generally in the local government planning sector, my Department is currently working on a number of measures to increase...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (10 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies Board's (RTB) remit extends to the private rental, approved housing bodies (AHB), cost rental and student-specific accommodation sectors. The RTB’s remit does not extend to holiday lettings and properties that are short-term lets. New legislative provisions enforced by planning authorities were introduced in 2019 under the Planning and Development Act and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (10 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Pathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock. The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, introduced in July 2022 under the Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund, supports bringing vacant and derelict properties back into use as homes. A grant of up to €50,000 is available for the refurbishment of vacant...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Reports (10 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: Local Authorities (10 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the Local Government Reform Act 2014, Town and Borough Councils were dissolved with effect from 1 June 2014. The total current expenditure (including transfers to and from reserves, for example, for loan or lease repayments, debt write off or development levies, among other matters) recorded in the Annual Financial Statements of the relevant dissolved local authorities for 2013 was...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (10 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Uisce Éireann has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. The scope, prioritisation and progression of individual projects is a matter for Uisce Éireann and is approved through its own internal governance structures. There has been record levels of investment in water services by Uisce...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Reviews (10 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (10 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I set up an Implementation Steering Group for the enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks (DCB) Grant scheme, comprising officials from the relevant local authorities, my Department, the Housing Agency, and the Homeowners’ Liaison Officer. This Group meets every 4-6 weeks and keeps the operation of the DCB Scheme under continuous review. The most recent engagement took place on 12 September...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (10 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Mortgage to Rent (MTR) Scheme was introduced in 2012 and is administered by the Housing Agency on behalf of my Department. The MTR Scheme offers households in acute, unsustainable mortgage arrears situations, with little or no prospect of a significant change in circumstances, the chance to surrender a property to a lender and in turn become a social housing tenant whilst staying in...