Results 3,701-3,720 of 26,565 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (20 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) has been identified as a key measure to address the different housing needs in Ireland and methods to support the development of MMC in Ireland are set out in Housing for All. In December 2022, funding of €94m was provided to local authorities to address legacy land debts. The provision of this funding was linked to the immediate development of a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (20 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Tackling vacancy is a key priority for this Government. 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 pursued to return vacant properties back into use as homes. Last month, I launched the Vacant Homes Action Plan, Progress Report April 2024 which sets out what...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (20 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2015 provided for the development of a deposit protection scheme to be operated by the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB). However, significant changes have taken place in the rental market since this legislation was passed. The Housing for All Action Plan Update published in November 2022, included an action to examine the creation of a system of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Contracts (20 Jun 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 Schemes (20 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Under Housing for All, the Government will deliver 47,600 new build social homes and 3,500 social homes through long-term leasing in the period 2022-2026. Our clear focus is to increase the stock of social housing through new build projects delivered by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs). For 2023 and 2024, the Government agreed that there would be increased provision for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (20 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Under Housing for All the Government has targeted delivery of 54,000 affordable homes between now and 2030, an average of 6,000 affordable homes to be made available or supported every year for purchase or for rent by Local Authorities, AHBs, the Land Development Agency (LDA) and via the First Home Scheme. The LDA represents a crucial lever in the Government’s delivery of affordable...

International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Motion (Resumed) (19 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: If the Minister, Deputy Foley, comes in - she is in a committee at the moment - I will share time with her. I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important motion. The EU migration pact forms a central part of our national response to the migration crisis. It is collective action working together to address a common challenge in a humanitarian way. That is part of the best...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, all development, unless specifically exempted under the Act or associated Regulations, requires planning permission. Exemptions from the requirement to obtain planning permission in respect of specific forms of development are provided for when they are considered to be consistent with proper planning and sustainable development. The...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Planning and Development Bill 2023 is the culmination of a comprehensive legal review of the Planning and Development Bill 2000 (as amended) by the Office of the Attorney General. There was consultation with stakeholders as part of the Review followed by extensive pre-legislative scrutiny of the Bill. The Bill is currently before the Oireachtas and recently completed all stages in the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Correspondence (19 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Local authorities, in their capacity as registration authorities, are responsible for the management and maintenance of the electoral register. The Electoral Reform Act 2022 delivered the legislative underpinning for a range of significant electoral reforms, including in relation to electoral registration, set out in the “Programme for Government – Our Shared Future”....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Process (19 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Regulations for a new gratuity scheme for local authority members have recently been published under S.I. No. 276 of 2024. Related guidance has been issued to local authority staff and serving members. The Regulations, which commenced on 14 June 2014, provide that where an elected member of a local authority ceases to hold office and has at least two years' qualifying service having...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (19 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Based on the current pay levels for Conservation Rangers, the estimated cost of recruiting an additional 30 WTE Conservation Rangers for the National Parks and Wildlife Service is €982,426. My Department is currently engaged with the Public Appointments Service in recruiting additional Conservation Rangers.

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

Darragh O'Brien: Under Section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he/she is responsible. My Department oversees workforce planning for the local government sector, including the monitoring of local government sector employment levels. To this end,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (18 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I commenced the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (the Act) on 22 June 2023, which contains the Enhanced Grant Scheme (Scheme) and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023. The Scheme was legislated for following extensive consultation with all relevant stakeholders. At the time of the Scheme launch, I established an Implementation...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All targets the delivery of 18,000 new Cost Rental homes in the period out to 2030. A strong pipeline is in place and under continuous development by Local Authorities, by Approved Housing Bodies using the Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL), by the Land Development Agency, and now also by private providers under the Secure Tenancy Affordable Rental (STAR) scheme. The core...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (18 Jun 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (18 Jun 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. The detailed operation of the Scheme is a matter for the designated local authorities and the Housing Agency in the first instance. Their respective roles...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Mortgage to Rent (MTR) scheme was introduced in 2012. It offers households with acute, unsustainable mortgage arrears who have little or no prospect of a significant change in circumstances, the chance to surrender a property to a lender and in turn become a social housing tenant whilst staying in their own home and community. The MTR scheme is targeted at those households in...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Budget 2024 provides for continued record investment in Housing with €4.25 billion in Exchequer funding for the delivery of housing programmes, comprising capital funding of €2.6 billion and current funding of €1.5 billion. The Capital provision of €2.6 billion will be supplemented by Land Development Agency (LDA) investment and Housing Finance Agency (HFA)...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: European Court of Justice (18 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department continues to put in place the necessary measures to ensure the full transposition, implementation and enforcement of EU environmental law in Ireland. For matters that fall within the policy remit of my Department, the table below sets out detail of cases where the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has handed down judgments and imposed penalties in relation to the...