Results 3,181-3,200 of 26,778 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I can tell the Deputy it is €1 billion.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: We will do a reallocation of that for Deputy Ó Broin but I know from my negotiations with the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, exactly what came through in real terms. We will reallocate and I apologise for that typographical error.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Of course. It is a fair point, and I had flagged that in the past two years. When we negotiated the budget for last year, I negotiated a certain amount with a commitment that, if more was required, we would review it at mid-year, seek a Supplementary Estimate and any additional costs would be covered. We are seeing, not just in regard to the number of beds that need to be provided, because...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: We are in a good position this year. We will be coming back to the committee with a supplementary to spend additional money on social housing delivery and the other things we have spoken of. In previous years when there were constraints on expenditure, such as when we had the construction shutdown, and we were not delivering the number of social homes we wanted, we reallocated that money...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: No. The Deputy might have missed it earlier when I said in the coming weeks I would go to the Cabinet sub-committee, which is where we will bring that to.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes, and then to Cabinet.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I hope it is not too many. We are concluding the work on it. Even though some would not believe me, I listen to people across the House from time to time and we have taken a lot of feedback on that. The ESRI has outlined 12 scenarios in its report in respect of the additional housing it believes is required. It is a complex piece of work but it will be ambitious and housing targets will...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Last year we provided significant additional funding in the supplementary to local authorities which were delivering, exceeding and being proactive on this. We have also changed and updated the grants, which is long overdue. I think everyone agrees on that. We have increased funding of €25 million. That will help us as well. There is a 33% increase in grant limits and a 25%...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: It is not €25 million but €20 million.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: It is €20 million in total.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes. We have corrected that committee brief, Ms Kehoe has informed me, and that has been emailed to the clerk. Apologies for----

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: It relates to submissions from certain local authorities requesting additional funding due to applications on hand.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes, we provided that based on submissions made by those local authorities.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: That is on the repayment piece. Most of our tenures are separate and are longer than that anyway at between 50 and 70 years. It is something the affordable housing team is reviewing and is working with the Housing Agency on. I think Deputy Ó Broin raised that with me a couple of weeks ago during oral questions. That is something that is being looked at to see if there is the ability...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: So am I.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: That is okay. That has been emailed through and we will correct that. I am sorry for any confusion. We got an extra €5 million at the last minute for the NPWS as well.

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Is the Senator speaking to section 3?

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes, I can.

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: We had a good Second Stage debate. I reiterate that what is being proposed and brought forward by the Government in this Bill is the most significant reform of Seanad Eireann in decades. For some, it might not go far enough but it is also a response to the Supreme Court judgment. I have supported the Seanad and I campaigned against its abolition. I believe in Seanad reform. However, to...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Senators have raised this issue which we have also discussed on Second Stage. I certainly will write to the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, engage with him and ask that he update the Seanad on the progress that has been made on the conditions of designation and where the draft regulations are. Senator Clonan has raised that, as have Senators Byrne and Higgins. We will respond through the...