Results 3,461-3,480 of 26,778 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Deputy Bacik for her questions and comments. Those in emergency accommodation and homelessness remain the number one challenge for this Government. In a number of counties across the country, we are seeing continued decreases in the numbers accessing emergency accommodation and increasing exits from such accommodation. In quarter 2, 630 households were able to exit emergency...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: We will hit our social housing target this year. We have delivered over 6,000 affordable housing solutions this year. When we came into government, there were no affordable housing solutions. There was no cost-rental housing or secure tenancies for working people. Nearly 2,000 tenancies have been put in place through cost rental that we legislated for and funded. We will see a continued...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: We have to make sure that where people end up in a situation where they do not have a home, they are supported in the best possible accommodation that can be provided for them for as short a time as possible. That is the reason for the Government support this year to the tune of €242 million for homelessness and emergency services and we will add a supplementary to that this year....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Just to bring a bit of reality to this conversation, the Deputy will know that the previous Minister for Finance appointed Dr. Donal de Buitléir to undertake an independent examination of the standard fund threshold, which was reduced in 2014. As a Government, our main focus in respect of pensions, particularly for middle-income workers, is to ensure that they have pension provisions...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Sinn Féin has proposed to reduce it to 20%,-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: -----which would reduce the pension tax relief that they receive. Regarding the Government's decision, the Minister for Finance considered the independent de Buitléir report carefully, taking into account its recommendations. If the Deputy has seen the report, then he will know that we have not accepted all of its recommendations. The Government has agreed to implement a staggered...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Our focus has always been on, in the first instance, average workers and those who assist them in making provision for their pensions and, in the second, ensuring a continued increase in the State pension, which the Government has always prioritised. We will make it a priority in this budget as well. There has been an increase of €29 in the standard weekly State pension since this...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Which ones?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The principle of the purchase of homes of tenants in situ is one that everybody in the House supports.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Last year, we bought 1,830 homes. The original target had been 200. It was reset to 1,500 and we increased it further. Deputy Troy, the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke, and I met the chief executive of Westmeath County Council yesterday. For clarification, so that everyone is clear on this, there is no ceiling on the number of homes a local authority can purchase under the scheme...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The cost-rental tenant in situ scheme is working very well and has been set up on an administrative basis.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I did not interrupt the Deputy once. I ask him to let me answer. The cost-rental tenant in situ scheme does exist. It is administered by the Housing Agency and we have purchased more than 200 homes in that space already.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Let me answer the question.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Deputy is in bad form today. I do not know why.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I will attempt to answer the question because I respect Members when they ask questions. They might respect that I always speak through the Chair.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I always speak through the Chair. Very clearly, with regard to exhausting other options that are available, if a tenant receives a notice to quit, there may be other options available and those should be looked at. It could be a social housing allocation, which happens in many instances. So far this year, 4,210 adult preventions and exits have been achieved. I want to talk about...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: It is very good.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Deputy Wynne asked about capital and the provision of funding to local authorities to continue the e tenant in situ scheme. That is in place. Deputy Ó Broin referred to a June circular. I wrote to the local authorities after that - in July last. I have said this in the House on a number of occasions and have engaged directly, as I do, with the chief executives and directors of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Economic Policy (19 Sep 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Fingal is a major employment zone too. Taking the airport as an example, 25,000 people are directly employed on-campus, with about 120,000 indirect jobs in that area. That is how important the airport industrial and economic zone is. Certainly, regarding remote working, specifically for Fingal, last year the local government division of my Department last year allocated €150,000 in...