Results 4,141-4,160 of 26,565 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (30 May 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 Policy (30 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Supporting individuals and families facing homelessness is a priority for Government. Critical to supporting households to exit homelessness and prevent homelessness in the first instance, is increasing the supply of housing. Almost 12,000 new social homes were delivered in 2023, through Build, Acquisition and Leasing, including 8,110 new build homes, the highest level of new build social...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (30 May 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. MMC is the term used to describe a range of manufacturing and innovative construction alternatives to traditional construction, including modular construction. MMC has the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (30 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 115 and 134 together. The First Home Scheme, which launched in July 2022, is a shared equity scheme, designed to help bridge the gap for eligible first-time buyers, other eligible homebuyers, and self-builders, between their deposit and mortgage, and the price of their new home (within price ceilings established across the country). The First Home Scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Cúrsaí Tithíochta (30 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Tá Grúpa Idir-Rannach (ina bhfuil mo Roinnse, an Roinn Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán, agus Údarás na Gaeltachta) fós ag leanúint lena chuid oibre ag forbairt treoir phleanála faoi leith do cheantair Ghaeltachta. Tá Grúpa Oibre eile ann freisin ina bhfuil an Roinn Tithíochta, Rialtais...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (30 May 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 and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023. The Grant Scheme is open to applications in four counties: Clare, Donegal, Limerick and Mayo. When a local authority that is not designated under the Scheme determines...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Irish Language (30 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Responsibility for coordinating and funding the promotion of the Irish Language rests with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media which coordinates the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030. I have no role in this regard. Local authorities are entirely independent corporate entities having full responsibility under law for the performance of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: heading (30 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 120 and 127 together. Under Housing for All, the Government has targeted delivery of 47,600 new social rented homes and 28,500 new affordable homes from 2022 to 2026. Each local authority has prepared its own 5-year Housing Delivery Action Plan setting out their planned social and affordable housing delivery. Mayo and Monaghan have published their plans on...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Gaeltacht Policy (30 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: An Interdepartmental Group (comprising my Department, the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, 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 the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (30 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Cost rental is a new form of tenure which was introduced under the Affordable Housing Act 2021, where rents are set only to cover the cost of financing, building, managing and maintaining the homes. The Government's Housing for All strategy commits to delivering a total of 18,000 Cost Rental homes over the period to 2030, and significant funding is being made available to support provision by...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (30 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Deputy will be aware that 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 and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023. The Act also provides for the Defective Concrete Blocks (DCB) Social Homes Scheme. This is a scheme for the purpose of enabling a designated...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (30 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department fully supports Dublin City Councils refurbishment or rebuild of social housing complexes in Dublin 8, 10, and 12. The aim of a regeneration project is to create sustainable communities through a combination of social, educational and economic initiatives and also by rejuvenating the built environment by a mixture of demolition, construction and refurbishment of dwellings...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (30 May 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). As housing authorities, local authorities are responsible for the identification of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (30 May 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 and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023. The Enhanced Grant Scheme was legislated for following extensive consultation with all relevant stakeholders. The new Scheme provides very considerable enhancements for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (30 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government agreed on 7 March 2023 that the ‘Winter Emergency Period’ under the Residential Tenancies (Deferment of Termination Dates of Certain Tenancies) Act 2022 would come to an end on 31 March 2023, with deferred tenancy terminations taking effect over a staggered period from 1 April to 18 June 2023 as planned and legislated for under that Act. The Government at that...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (30 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 186 to 188, inclusive, together. Tackling vacancy is a key priority for 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 Property Refurbishment Grant, introduced in July 2022, supports bringing vacant and derelict properties back into use. A grant of up...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Septic Tanks (30 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The policy of providing grant funding to households for work on Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems (DWWTS), including septic tanks, arises from the need to address damage being done to water quality in sensitive areas in particular. The grants are focused on the areas of greatest environmental priority and are available only in circumstances relating to risks to water quality and/or...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Bodies (30 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Tailte Éireann is an independent Government agency under the aegis of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Tailte Éireann provides a property registration system, property valuation service, and national mapping and surveying infrastructure for the State. Under Section 8(6) of the Tailte Éireann Act 2022, Tailte Éireann is independent in the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (30 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Local Authority Home Loan is a Government-backed mortgage for those who cannot get sufficient funding from commercial banks to purchase or build a home. It has been available nationwide from local authorities since 4 January 2022 for first-time buyers and fresh start applicants. The loan can be used both for new and second-hand properties, or to self-build. A ‘Fresh Start’...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (30 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Local Authority Home Loan is a Government-backed mortgage for those who cannot get sufficient funding from commercial banks to purchase or build a home. It has been available nationwide from local authorities since 4 January 2022 for first-time buyers and fresh start applicants. The loan can be used both for new and second-hand properties, or to self-build. It is the successor to the...