Results 21-40 of 10,861 for in 'Written Answers' speaker:Darragh O'Brien

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 791, 867 and 871 together. In January this year, I launched the Multi-annual Rural Water Programme 2024-2026 (MARWP) and invited local authorities to submit applications for funding with a closing date of 12 April 2024. Under the MARWP, all applications received by the Department undergo a two stage evaluation process. Stage one involves my Department...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The First Home Scheme, which launched in July 2022, is a shared equity scheme designed to help bridge the gap between a purchaser’s deposit and mortgage, and the price of their new home, for eligible first-time buyers, Fresh Start applicants and those who wish to build their first home. The First Home Scheme Designated Activity Company is responsible for the operation and management of...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides grant funding to assist households in rural areas that are dependent on a private water supply (individual well) for their household use. The objective of the grants, which are administered by the local authorities, is to assist households dependent on private individual water supplies who are incurring capital expenditure. An applicant may be eligible for a grant if,...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The National Building Control Management Project is managed by the National Building Control and Market Surveillance Office (NBCMSO) within Dublin City Council to provide oversight, support and direction for the development, standardisation and implementation of Building Control as an effective shared service in the 31 Building Control Authorities. The Office has also been appointed as a...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies Board, (RTB), was established as a quasi-judicial independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2024 to regulate the rental sector; provide information to tenants and landlords; maintain a national register of tenancies; resolve disputes between tenants and landlords; and conduct research and provide information to inform policy. Complaints...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Funding for AHBs to deliver social housing is available through various schemes such as Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) and Capital Advance Leasing Facility (CALF). Under CAS, my Department provides up to 100% capital funding to Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) for the development of social housing for various priority tenant categories, including age-friendly housing. Thereafter, the upkeep...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 801 and 852 together. In April 2024, a Working Group was established for the purpose of reviewing the existing suite of engineering qualifications in the local government sector and to propose changes to those qualifications where necessary. To date the Working Group has undertaken an in-depth analysis and review of the engineering qualifications through...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is currently developing revised housing targets for the period from 2025 onwards. This work is being undertaken with regard to, among other things, recently published research by the ESRI on population projections and structural housing demand. I expect it to be completed and revised targets to published later in the Autumn. It is too early to confirm what the final targets will...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Tailte Éireann is the State agency formed on 1 March 2023 following the merger of Ordnance Survey Ireland, the Property Registration Authority and the Valuation Office. All the functions previously carried out by the Property Registration Authority, the Valuation Office, and Ordnance Survey Ireland are now being performed by Tailte Éireann. Tailte Éireann is independent in the...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 805 and 806 together. 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 the fire authorities through...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has not engaged external HR specialist firms during the timeframe specified.

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) is the statutory agency responsible for the implementation and management of the Building Energy Rating (BER) Scheme in accordance with Ireland’s obligations under the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (Recast). Building Energy Rating assessors (“BER Assessors”) and Display Energy Certificate Assessors...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 810 to 812, 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 including noise, setback distance, shadow flicker, community obligation, community dividend and grid connections. As part of the review of the Guidelines, my Department has...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 813 to 819, inclusive, together. The Local Authority Home Loan (LAHL) is a Government-backed mortgage for creditworthy for first-time buyers and fresh start applicants who cannot get sufficient funding from commercial lenders to purchase or build a home. It has been available nationwide from local authorities since 4 January 2022. The loan can be used both for...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department, in close collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and with the Nitrates Expert Group have undertaken an interim review of the Fifth Nitrates Action Programme and have developed a suite of proposed additional measures that also fulfil the requirements of the Commission’s Implementing Decision on the Nitrates Derogation. All proposed measures...

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

Darragh O'Brien: An Bord Pleanála (ABP) is a quasi-judicial body which carries out its statutory functions independently of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. ABP appointed the external reviewer, Ms. Lorna Lynch, Senior Counsel, to carry out a scoping investigation into certain matters. The Chairperson of ABP received the scoping investigation report prepared by Ms Lynch SC on 12...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Applications for social housing support are assessed by the relevant local authority, in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended. The oversight and management of the lists of qualified households awaiting accommodation, including the...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Multi-Unit Developments (MUDs) Act 2011 is a matter for the Department of Justice. The MUDs Act was enacted with the primary purposes of reforming the law relating to the ownership and management of common areas of multi-unit developments, and facilitating the fair, efficient and effective management of Owners' Management Companies (OMCs). Well-functioning OMCs are key to maintaining and...