Results 3,421-3,440 of 26,565 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: In January this year, I launched the Multi-annual Rural Water Programme (MARWP) 2024-2026. Local authorities were invited to submit requests for funding for priority projects in their areas. Under MARWP 2024-2026, there are a number individual measures available and each is directed at a specific activity, such as source protection, water treatment, network improvement etc. The funding...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: 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 tenants. The RTA applies to every dwelling that is the subject of a tenancy, subject to the limited number of exceptions set out in section 3(2) of that Act. A dispute in relation to whether or not a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme provides for the purchase by eligible tenants, including joint 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 associated regulations. Changes to the Scheme took effect from 29 January 2024 with...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 834 and 835 together. Somerton Park, Ballinlough Road, Cork consists of 44 houses built circa 1950 by the Lee Public Utility Society. According to the leases, the houses were provided under the Housing of the Working Classes Acts 1890 to 1958. They were grant aided under section 20 of the Housing (Amendment) Act 1948 on condition that the houses would not be...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Staff (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 836 and 837 together. Parliamentary and Secretarial Assistants are not employed by my Department but are employees of the Houses of the Oireachtas. Members of an Garda Síochána act as my drivers since the start of 2023 and are on Garda payroll but both Ministers of State in my Department have appointed Civilian Drivers. Details of Ministerial staff...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Ministerial Staff (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Expenses paid to Ministerial advisers in my Department for years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and to date in 2024, are outlined in the table below. All claims are administered in accordance with Circular 11/82 and subsequent Circulars governing Travel and Subsistence regulations. Year Minister's name Minister's adviser name Amount paid 2020 Minister Eoghan Murphy O’Donnell-...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Development Plan (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Within the Irish planning system, the city or county development plan is the principal planning strategy document for each local authority area over the 6 year lifespan of the plan. The development plan gives spatial expression to the physical, economic and social needs of the community by enabling planning authorities to plan for new development, support the provision of necessary...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: House Prices (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Data on new and existing residential property transactions on a county-by-county basis, including purchase price, are collected by the Central Statistics Office and published on a monthly basis on its website at the following link: data.cso.ie/table/HPM02 The most recent data show the growth in residential property prices has moderated significantly in the past two years, down from a high of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (9 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. Local authorities also have a legal obligation to ensure that all of their tenanted properties...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Domestic Lead Remediation Grant Scheme assists households with the cost of replacing lead piping or related fittings located within the internal drinking water distribution system of their house. Each local authority is responsible for the day to day administration of the grant in their respective area. My Department does not hold information on the number of grant applications received...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Land Issues (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Local authorities published annual draft Residential Zoned Land Tax maps on 1 February 2024 that identify lands that fall within the scope of the tax, as well as lands which they propose to exclude from the previous year’s annual final maps for 2025. Landowners and other interested parties had until 1 April 2024 to make a submission to the relevant local authority about whether or not...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Tenants in the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme are required to sign a rent contribution agreement to pay a weekly rental contribution to the relevant local authority, in line with the local authority’s differential rent scheme. As set out in the rent contribution agreement, this weekly rental contribution must be paid by them so that they remain eligible for the HAP scheme....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Local authorities published annual draft Residential Zoned Land Tax maps on 1 February 2024 that identify lands that fall within the scope of the tax, as well as lands which they propose to exclude from the previous year’s annual final maps for 2025. Landowners and other interested parties had until 1 April 2024 to make a submission to the relevant local authority about whether or not...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Capital Expenditure Programme (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government commits to funding Uisce Éireann’s capital investment plan for water and wastewater infrastructure on a multi-annual basis. This commitment is reflected in Budget 2024, with almost €1 billion of capital funding allocated to Uisce Éireann from my Department.However, in terms of allocations for specific works, Uisce Éireann has statutory...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended, prescribe maximum net income limits for each local authority in different bands according to the area concerned, with income defined and assessed according to a standard Household Means Policy. The policy provides for a range of income disregards and local authorities have discretion to disregard income that is temporary, short-term...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Process (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 855 and 856 together. An Coimisiún Toghcháin, Ireland’s independent Electoral Commission, was established on 9 February 2023 in accordance with the relevant provisions of Part 2 of the Electoral Reform Act 2022. An Coimisiún's research, advisory and public information function will see it carry out research on electoral policy and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Safety (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Act, 1981. My Department supports fire authorities through setting general policy and national standards, providing a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New Apartments were issued in 2018 under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000. In accordance with the guidelines, ‘shared accommodation’ (also known as ‘co-living’) was identified as a distinct format within the overall residential sector, which, due to its specific nature, had a limited,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All targets the delivery of 54,000 affordable homes by 2030, divided between affordable purchase homes and Cost Rental homes. A strong pipeline is in place and under continuous development. In the case of Cost Rental homes, in August last year the Government increased the income thresholds for new tenancies, with net household income limits rising to €66,000 in Dublin and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: House Prices (9 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 861 and 893 together. The Government has targeted delivery of 54,000 affordable homes between now and 2030, to be facilitated by local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies, the Land Development Agency and via the First Home scheme, a strategic partnership between the State and retail banks. My Department is supporting this affordable housing delivery by local...