Results 3,321-3,340 of 26,565 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: On 5 June I received Government approval for a Local Authority Purchase and Renovation Loan (LAPR), which is an expansion of local mortgage lending to support the purchase and/or renovation of homes which are eligible for the existing Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant. The introduction of the Local Authority Purchase and Renovation Loan significantly expands the number of homes eligible...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Addressing vacancy and maximising the use of existing housing stock is a primary objective of this Government as reflected in Pathway 4 of Housing for All. The Vacant Homes Action Plan, which I published in January 2023, sets out the various actions that were being pursued to return vacant properties back into use as homes. Earlier this year, I published an update on the Action Plan which...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is currently developing revised housing targets for the period 2025 onwards. This work is being undertaken with regard to, among other things, recently published research by the ESRI on population projections and structural housing demand. I expect it to be completed and revised targets to published later in the Autumn. The ESRI research presents 12 scenarios of housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: A cornerstone policy of both the existing and the proposed revised National Planning Framework (NPF) is the achievement of a greater regional balance in population and employment growth. The goal is to see a roughly 50:50 distribution of growth between the Eastern and Midland region, and the respective Southern, and Northern and Western Regions, with 75% of the growth to take place outside...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is providing significant investment in rural water and wastewater infrastructure to support the development of our rural towns and villages. Uisce Éireann, through its Small Towns and Villages Growth Programme is providing water and waste water growth capacity for smaller settlements across the country drawing on expenditure provided for this purpose. My...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (19 Sep 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. I set up an Implementation Steering Group for the enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks (DCB) Grant scheme, comprising officials from the relevant local authorities, the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 179, 180, 181 and 182 together. The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme provides for the purchase by eligible tenants of local authority houses which are available for sale under the scheme. All applications for the Scheme must satisfy the requirements outlined in the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 and the Housing (Sale of Local Authority...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Supply (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I can confirm that, under my Departments’ Rural Water Programme, grant assistance is available to assist households dependent on private individual water supplies who are incurring capital expenditure. Each local authority is responsible for the administration of the grants in their area. In each local authority there is a Rural Water Liaison Officer who deals with the day to day...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Energy Infrastructure (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I received this report together with Parliamentary Question No. 876 of 9 September 2024 which was disallowed. As this report was also received in the context of ongoing litigation I am not in a position to comment further.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: In December 2023, I announced the successful projects that are approved funding under my Department's Multi-annual Rural Water Programme for the waste water collection and treatment needs for villages without access to public waste water services. I can confirm that Galway County Council applied and were approved funding under the Programme for a project in the village of Craughwell. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (19 Sep 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. My Department also provides annual funding support to local authorities in preparing vacant...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 188, 191, 195, 196 and 197 together. Housing for All is the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade. This includes the delivery of 90,000 social homes, 36,000 affordable purchase homes and 18,000 cost rental homes. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Affordability and the chance to own a home is at the heart of the Government’s housing policy. As detailed under Housing for All, the Government plans to deliver 54,000 affordable homes, including 36,000 affordable purchase and 18,000 cost rental homes, by 2030. A comprehensive implementation strategy is in place to support the various affordable housing schemes now being delivered by...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the statutory role of local authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of emergency accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with individual local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All, the most ambitious and comprehensive housing plan in the history of our State, was published in September 2021. The Plan contains a suite of actions that has and continues to increase the provision of housing through accelerating supply and increasing the affordability of homes for our citizens, including those in Kildare. My Department does not hold data on the number of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (18 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 367, 391 and 415 together. Addressing vacancy and making efficient use of existing housing stock is a key priority for Government, as set out in Pathway 4 of Housing for All. The Vacant Homes Action Plan, which I launched in January 2023, outlines the significant progress that has been made in addressing vacancy, along with the actions that are being...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (18 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) Community Grant supports the upgrade of homes, community buildings and businesses across Ireland to become more energy efficient and reduce costs. The Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2024 (the RTA) regulate the landlord-tenant relationship in the private residential rented sector, and set out the rights and obligations of landlords and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (18 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Local authorities set and collect rents on their dwellings in accordance with section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. The making or amending of such rent schemes is generally a matter for local authorities within broad principles set out by my Department, including that rent levels should be based on income and reflect tenants’ ability to pay. Local discretion and flexibility are...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Artificial Intelligence (18 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 372 and 373 together. My Department does not use artificial intelligence (AI) to conduct business. As with all new technologies, my Department is assessing the potential of AI in the delivery of services, in line with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) guidance on its usage in the public service, and works closely with the NCSC. My Department does...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (18 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Local Authority Home Loan is a Government-backed mortgage for creditworthy applicants who cannot get sufficient funding from commercial banks to purchase or build a home. It has been available nationwide from local authorities since 4 January 2022 for first-time buyers and fresh start applicants. The loan can be used both for new and second-hand properties, or to self-build. As part of...