Results 3,181-3,200 of 25,713 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (11 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: An assessment and analysis have been carried out of the various allegations raised in correspondence received by my Department in respect of this issue. The Department found that most of these matters had already been subject to review or investigation by an appropriate body external to the Council, including the Courts in some cases. The issue remains under consideration, as necessary.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Measures (11 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Currently, there is no specific legislation in Ireland dealing with light pollution and my Department has no role in this regard. If required, the responsibility for the development of a national strategy or legislation in respect of light pollution would rest with my colleague the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (11 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 383 and 384 together. Following the adoption of the Housing for All Plan, each local authority was required to prepare a Housing Delivery Action Plan setting out details of its planned social and affordable housing delivery programme over the period 2022-2026, in line with targets set and need identified. The Plans include details of the locations and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (11 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 385 and 386 together. The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) as the economic regulator of Uisce Éireann also has a role to protect customers by setting quality of service standards and ensuring customers are treated fairly. The CRU approves the Uisce Éireann Codes of Practice through its publication of the Domestic and Non-Domestic...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (11 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Uisce Éireann is focused on providing water that is fit for human consumption, with the objective of providing this service uniformly to its customers across the country. Uisce Éireann has a strong customer service focus through their Customer Charter, which outlines the standard of service customers should expect to receive. The Water Charges Plan outlines the manner and method by...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (11 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department does not have any grant available specific to the remediation of rising damp in private homes. My Department provides funding to local authorities in respect of the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, to assist eligible people in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. The suite of grants include the Housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (11 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2022 (the RTA) regulate the landlord-tenant relationship in the private rented sector and sets out the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants. The RTA apply to every dwelling that is the subject of a tenancy, subject to a limited number of exceptions. The dwellings to which the Act does not apply are set out in section 3(2) of the RTA, and include...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (11 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Sli na Ri, Bagenalstown is a P&A-CALF funded project consisting of 23 homes which is being delivered by Cooperative Housing Ireland in collaboration with Carlow County Council. To date Carlow Council has fully allocated tenants to ten of the homes within the development, a further eight properties have recently completed the nomination process with tenants due to move in shortly. All...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (11 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Cost Rental Tenant In-Situ (CRTiS) scheme was introduced on 1 April 2023 for tenants in private rental homes who do not qualify for social housing supports and are at risk of homelessness because a landlord has served a valid Notice of Termination due to an intention to sell the property. The primary tenant eligibility condition for accessing Cost Rental housing also applies for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (11 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The oversight and management of the lists of qualified households awaiting accommodation, including the allocation and transfer of tenancies, is a matter for the relevant housing authority in accordance with Section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended. While there is no obligation on local authorities to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (11 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as quasi-judicial, independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2022 (RTA ) to operate a national tenancy registration system and to resolve disputes between landlords and tenants. Tenants and registered landlords may refer a matter for dispute resolution under Part 6 of the RTA, where the RTB may award up to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (11 Jun 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: Water Services (11 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 399 to 402, inclusive, together. The Programme for Government is committed to funding Uisce Éireann’s capital investment plan for water and wastewater infrastructure on a multi-annual basis. There will be record levels of investment in water services by Uisce Éireann in the period 2021-2025, with commitments of almost €6 billion in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (11 Jun 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: Departmental Staff (11 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department does not generally keep a record of qualifications held by staff members, and accordingly there may be staff working in various roles in the Department who have a qualification in quantity surveying but applied for different positions. There were seven WTE Quantity Surveyors Grade 1 employed in the Department at the end of April in roles where this is a requirement. There were...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (11 Jun 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 (11 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016, taking account of the constitutionally protected property rights of landlords, introduced a targeted Rent Predictability Measure to moderate rent increases in those parts of the country where rents are highest and rising fastest. Rent controls are applied on the basis of the objective evidence available via the RTB...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (11 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 407 and 408 together. Legislation enacted in December 2022 amended the Planning and Development Act. The provisions under sections 3, 13 and 14 of the Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Act 2022 which insert section 179A into the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, have commenced. These provisions provide that housing development by,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Energy Conservation (11 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Fossil fuel boilers have been effectively phased out in new dwellings. Electricity heating systems, the majority of which are heat pumps, were installed in 97% of new dwellings in 2023. By comparison, fossil fuel boilers were installed in less than 3% of new dwellings in 2023 – down from 79% for the period from 2010 to 2014. It is expected that this upward trajectory will continue with...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (11 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: In December 2023, I announced the successful applications that are approved funding under the Multi-annual Rural Water Programme for the Waste Water Collection and Treatment needs for villages without access to Public Waste Water Services. Following the announcement, my Department wrote to Clare County Council confirming approval of funding for projects in the villages of Broadford and...