Results 3,701-3,720 of 26,778 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Legal Cases (23 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: Rental Sector (23 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 and specify requirements in relation to a range of matters, such as structural repair, sanitary facilities, heating, ventilation, natural light, fire safety and the safety of gas, oil and electrical installations. Responsibility for the enforcement of the Regulations in the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Process (23 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Under electoral law, Returning Officers are responsible for the selection and provision of polling stations at polling places. Section 94 of the Electoral Act 1992, as amended by section 3 of the Electoral (Amendment) Act 1996, provides that Returning Officers must, where practicable, select buildings for polling stations which are accessible to wheelchair users. Returning Officers continue...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (23 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1049 and 1104 together. The European Union (Planning and Development) (Displaced Persons from Ukraine Temporary Protection) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 306 of 2022) came into effect on 23 June 2022. The Regulations give effect to Council Directive No 2001/55 EC and Council Implementing Decision EU 2022/382 of 4 March 2022, to provide immediate protection in EU...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (23 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Through my Department's Multi-annual Developer Provided Water Services Infrastructure Resolution Programme significant funding has been provided to local authorities for housing estates that rely on water services infrastructure provided by the developer of the estate (DPI). The aim of the Programme is to provide funding that assists the local authorities to implement solutions that resolve...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Post Office Network (23 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Local authorities are entirely independent corporate entities having full responsibility under law for the performance of their functions and the discharge of their governance and other responsibilities. Under Section 149 of the Local Government Act 2001, the Chief Executive of a local authority is responsible for the executive functions of the local authority, and for that purpose to manage...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (23 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1066, 1067, 1091, 1103 and 1216 together. Pathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock. The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant supports bringing vacant and derelict properties back into use. A grant of up to €50,000 is available for the refurbishment of vacant properties for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (23 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1068, 1095 and 1214 together. Pathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock. The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant supports bringing vacant and derelict properties back into use. A grant of up to €50,000 is available for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Process (23 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Local authorities, in their capacity as registration authorities, are responsible for the management and maintenance of the electoral register. It is the duty of each authority to ensure, as far as possible, and with the cooperation of the public, the accuracy and completeness of the register in respect of its own administrative area. My Department does not compile the information requested.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Process (23 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Planning and Development Bill 2023 was passed by Dáil Eireann on 12 June 2024 and initiated in Seanad éireann on 27 June 2024. A copy of the amended Bill can be found on the Oireachtas website at the following link: Committee Stage in Seanad Eireann was completed on 17 July 2024 and the Bill will now proceed to Report Stage in the Autumn. Following the Bill’s anticipated...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (23 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1073 and 1210 together. My Department builds its strategic water policy and infrastructure delivery programmes around the National Planning Framework and the National Development Plan (NDP). Uisce éireann is the national utility and the primary provider of water and waste water services. State investment in water services in Ireland is provided for in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (23 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has engaged with the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) in relation to the eligibility of DCB homeowners under the National Retrofitting Schemes run by Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). I can confirm that DECC has now introduced bespoke arrangements to assist DCB homeowners to access the existing SEAI energy efficiency retrofitting grant...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Safety (23 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: 165 valid Owner Management Company (OMC) applications have successfully achieved Phase 2 of the Interim Remediation Scheme (Scheme). OMCs have to undertake a significant amount of work to complete Phase 3 of the Scheme, and the time taken to do this will vary for each OMC. The elements of work for OMCs to complete in Phase 3 are set out below:Selection and engagement of a Competent...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (23 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Regulation 6(4) of the Affordable Housing (No. 2) Regulations 2023 prescribes that the affordable dwelling contribution made by a local authority for the purposes of Part 2 of the Affordable Housing Act 2021 shall be not less than 5% and not greater than 40% of the market value of the home concerned. Part 2 of the Affordable Housing Act 2021 applies where a local authority provides an...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Area Plans (23 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The provision of amenities and services is a core element of the statutory plan-making process and is key to promoting the development of balanced and sustainable communities. Section 10 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 requires planning authorities to include objectives in their development plan to integrate social, community and cultural objectives with planning for residential and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (23 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act), 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (23 Jul 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). Social Housing is delivered through a range of local authority and Approved Housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (23 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Cost Rental Tenant In-Situ (CRTiS) scheme was introduced on 1 April 2023 for tenants in private rental homes who are at risk of homelessness because a landlord has served a valid Notice of Termination due to an intention to sell the property. The Local Authority conducts the initial assessment for eligibility of the tenant for this scheme and refers potential cases to the Housing Agency,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (23 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: On 25 April 2023, the Government approved additional measures under the Housing for All Action Plan to incentivise the activation of increased housing supply and help reduce housing construction costs, including the introduction of temporary time-limited arrangements for the waiving of local authority “section 48” development contributions and the refunding of Uisce éireann...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (23 Jul 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department publishes comprehensive programme-level statistics on a quarterly basis on social and affordable housing delivery activity by local authorities and AHBs in each local authority area. This data, which is gathered on a local authority-wide basis, is available to the end of Q1 2024 and is published on the statistics' page of my Department’s website at the following link: My...