Results 3,601-3,620 of 26,565 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Measures (10 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: In early 2019, legislative amendments to provisions relating to placename changes in Part 18 of the amended Local Government Act 2001 were commenced. At the same time, previous provisions under local government legislation for the changing of placenames were repealed, and replaced by provisions in the Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2011, amending Part 18 of the 2001 Act, which...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Gaeltacht Policy (10 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: An Interdepartmental Group (comprising my Department, the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (DTCAGSM) and Údarás na Gaeltachta) is still continuing its work in developing specific planning guidance for Gaeltacht areas. There is also a separate Working Group made up of my Department, the DTCAGSM and Údarás na Gaeltachta and the relevant local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Covid-19 Pandemic (10 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (10 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The purpose of Part V is for the State to capture a portion of the increase in land value resulting from the granting of planning permission for residential development. The current Part V legislation provides for local authorities to acquire up to 20% of this land at existing use value and to use it to deliver homes to those households who qualify for social and affordable housing support. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (10 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department continues to provide funding to local authorities under the legacy Affordable Housing Scheme for payment of mortgage subsidy to qualifying households based on income thresholds. The Scheme was stood down in June 2011 and householders who entered into agreements prior to the standing down of the scheme remain eligible for subsidy based on income. New affordable housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Compulsory Purchase Orders (10 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Addressing vacancy is a key priority for this government. The Vacant Homes Action Plan, which I originally published in January 2023, built on Pathway 4 of Housing for All and set out the various actions that were being pursued to return vacant properties back into use as homes. I recently published an update on the Action Plan a year on which shows the significant progress that is being...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (10 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The qualification criteria for social housing support are set down in Section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended. A household may apply for social housing support to one local authority only, which may be the authority for the area in which the household normally resides or with which it has a local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (10 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Details of the total rent collected by local authorities and the levels of arrears are contained in the annual local authority Audit Reports prepared by the Local Government Audit Service and published by my Department. With the exception of Cavan County Council, the 2023 Audit Reports are not yet available. Details of rent local authority rent arrears from 2019 are included on the table...

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2024: Second Stage (9 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: They have taken a minute off. They are brutal.

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2024: Second Stage (9 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am grateful to the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach and all Deputies for facilitating the debate on this urgent legislation before the summer recess. I wish to record my thanks to the Chief Whip and members of the Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage for enabling the Bill to be read a Second Time here today. I am...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wind Energy Guidelines (9 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 387 to 390, inclusive, together. My Department is currently undertaking a focused review of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines. The review is addressing a number of key aspects of the Guidelines including setback distance, noise, shadow flicker, community obligation, community dividend and grid connections. My Department, in conjunction with...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 391, 392 and 432 together. Housing for All sets out the range of actions necessary to increase the supply of housing out to 2030 including 54,000 affordable homes to be delivered by local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies, the Land Development Agency and through the First Home Scheme, which is a strategic partnership between the State and retail banks. ...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Basic Unit Costs (BUCs) formally referred to as Unit Cost Ceilings, specifically relate to social housing build projects developed directly by local authorities or approved housing bodies on their own land, using Public Works forms of contract. While not a record of actual delivery costs, the BUCs are based on an analysis of returned data from tendered social housing schemes and act as a...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) was a scheme initiated in 2016 under the previous Rebuilding Ireland plan which funded the building of public infrastructure by local authorities. Its objective is to provide public off-site infrastructure to relieve critical infrastructure blockages to housing delivery. This enables the accelerated delivery of housing on key...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The social and affordable housing development at Shanganagh is being delivered by Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council in collaboration with the Land Development Agency and includes 306 cost rental and 91 affordable purchase homes. I understand that the cost rental apartments will be let and managed by the Land Development Agency (LDA). The designation of cost rental homes requires that...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Government is firmly committed to using vacant or underutilised lands in state ownership for the delivery of housing. A range of measures are in place to advance this commitment and the Land Development Agency's (LDA) delivery programme of housing on State lands is well advanced. Good progress is being made on transferring lands to the LDA and constructing homes, such as in Cork where the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Emergency Services (9 Jul 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 Service Acts, 1981 and 2003. The National Directorate for Fire & Emergency Management (NDFEM), within my...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Artificial Intelligence (9 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department does not use ChatGPT or any other 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 which encompasses the State's national/governmental...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department does not comment on operational security matters as it would be inappropriate to disclose information that may in any way assist those with malicious intent. I can say however that my Department operates processes and procedures to manage assets and that lost or stolen devices are managed appropriately. My Department also continues to work closely with the National Cyber...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Tackling vacancy is a key priority for this Government and Pathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock. The Vacant Homes Action Plan, which I originally published in January 2023, built on Pathway 4 of Housing for All and set out the various actions that were being pursued to return vacant properties back into use...