Results 4,861-4,880 of 25,713 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

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

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

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing Agency administers the Housing Agency Acquisitions Fund (HAAF) on behalf of my Department. This fund has been repositioned to a dual role to support both the ‘Housing First’ Programme and the new, pilot ‘Cost Rental Tenant in-Situ’ (CRTiS) Scheme. The 'Housing First' Programme offers permanent housing to those rough sleeping or in long term use of...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (SHCEP) supports the delivery of social housing by providing financial support to local authorities for the leasing of houses and apartments. Dwellings under the scheme come from a number of different sources including private owners, Part V and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs). Details of the number of units and funding of the Social Housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Policies (20 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Under electoral law, a nomination paper must state the name, address and occupation (if any) of a candidate at an election. A ballot paper must contain the name and description of the candidate standing nominated, as shown in the nomination paper. This requirement is intended as a means of identifying a candidate and ensuring the transparency of elections. In ruling on the validity of a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (20 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department publishes comprehensive programme-level statistics on a quarterly basis on social housing delivery activity by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) in each local authority. This data is available to the end of Q3 2023 and is published on the statistics' page of my Department’s website at the following link:...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The regeneration of Poolbeg West is an important step in the transformation of the Dublin Docklands area, with the potential to provide for 3,500 homes. A condition of the planning scheme for the Poolbeg West Strategic Development Zone, as modified by An Bord Pleanála on 9 April 2019, is the provision of 15% social and affordable homes on this site in addition to the 10% statutory social...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The information requested is being complied and will be forwarded to the deputy in accordance with standing orders.

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

Darragh O'Brien: Under the HAP scheme, tenants source their own accommodation in the private rented market. The accommodation sourced by tenants should be within the prescribed maximum HAP rent limits, which are based on household size and the rental market within the area concerned. While there is no legislative provision precluding HAP supported households contributing towards the monthly rent required...

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

Darragh O'Brien: In March 2023, the Government agreed to extend the Rent-a-Room Relief scheme disregard to social welfare recipients, extend the disregard into medical card criteria, and permit local authority tenancies access the scheme. My Department provided for the extension of the scheme to local authority tenancies by way of a supplementary action in Housing for All, and worked closely with the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Election Management System (20 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 617, 671 and 672 together. The primary role of my Department in electoral matters is to provide an appropriate policy and legislative framework for a modern and efficient electoral system. Within that framework, local Returning Officers are responsible for all matters in connection with the actual conduct of elections and referendums. This includes, in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Correspondence (20 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The First Home Scheme, which launched in July 2022, supports first-time buyers and other eligible homebuyers in purchasing new houses and apartments in the private market, and now self-builders, through the use of an equity share model. Details are available on the First Home Scheme website, www.firsthomescheme.ie. The First Home Scheme Ireland DAC (Designated Activity Company) was...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 619, 624, 643, 644, 662, 679, 680 and 700 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (20 Mar 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. The Action Plan outlines the various measures of vacancy, including Census data and...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Kildare County Council recently presented a proposal to my Department to support a new AHB/approved housing body to take responsibility for the housing development in question and last week, my Department confirmed funding approval for the necessary works to restore and re-tenant the housing. I look forward to these homes being brought back into productive use to provide secure and...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Kildare County Council made a proposal to my Department, in conjunction with an approved housing body (AHB), for the development of age-friendly homes on the site referred to in the question. Stage 2/Pre-Planning approval on this project was confirmed to the Council by my Department in April 2022 and I understand that planning permission was granted for the proposed development in August...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme, tenants source their own accommodation in the private rented market. The accommodation sourced by tenants should be within the prescribed maximum HAP rent limits, which are based on household size and the rental market within the area concerned. Each local authority has statutory discretion to agree to a HAP payment above the prescribed...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Emergency Accommodation (20 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) is the lead Department for the provision of accommodation for Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection. The role of my Department in this area is a supporting role, in the form of the Emergency Refurbishment (Ukraine) Programme (ERUP). Decisions on which properties are suitable for progression through the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (20 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The review of Part B of the Building Regulations dealing with fire safety is being finalised at present, with a view to the proposed Building Regulations (Part B Amendment) Regulations and associated Technical Guidance Document B – Fire Safety - Volume 1: Buildings other than dwelling houses and Regulatory Impact Analysis being published shortly. The proposed changes aim to improve...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Energy Conservation (20 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 627 and 628 together. Social Housing is delivered through a range of local authority and Approved Housing Body (AHB) delivery programmes. Capital expenditure on the delivery of new social homes is also supported by current funding provided through the Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (SHCEP). In 2023, Exchequer expenditure on the...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 629 and 633 together. Electoral law allows for the taking of a poll at an election or referendum on any day of the week. In deciding on a particular day, a wide range of considerations are taken into account and ultimately there are advantages and disadvantages attaching to any day chosen. The flexibility in the legislation allows all relevant factors to be...