Results 4,921-4,940 of 25,713 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (20 Mar 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. Section 4 of the Act and Schedule 2 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended (the Regulations), set out various exemptions from the requirement to obtain planning permission. Any such...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, the implementation of a planned maintenance programme and carrying out of responsive repairs, are matters for each individual local authority under Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. Local authorities and elected members have a very important role to play in this regard by...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Process (20 Mar 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. The changes to the Electoral Acts and the registration process in 2022 facilitated enhanced public...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (20 Mar 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...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The European Union (Planning and Development) (Displaced Persons from Ukraine Temporary Protection) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 306 of 2022) were introduced in response to the emerging Ukrainian crisis. The Regulations give effect to Council Directive No 2001/55 EC and Council Implementing Decision EU 2022/382 of 4 March 2022 (European Council Decision) to provide immediate protection in EU...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Construction of new build social housing units on local authority lands follows the Capital Works Management Framework (CWMF) which includes four pre-construction stages, as follows - Stage 1 – Capital Appraisal Stage 2 – Procurement of Integrated Design Team and development outline design Stage 3 – Statutory Approvals including Part 8, DAC and Fire Safety, detailed...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (20 Mar 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 does not have any responsibility in relation to dog wardens. Responsibility in relation to dog control matters is a matter for my colleague...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (20 Mar 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. Local authorities are required to seek sanction from my Department for all new posts above agreed workforce plan levels. In 2022, my Department received 888...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The role of my Department is to provide an appropriate policy and legislative framework for a modern and efficient electoral system. Under the Electoral Acts, 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...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 708 and 709 together. Oversight for the Public Private Partnership (PPP) process across all Government Departments rests with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, which develops the general policy framework and provides guidance to Government Departments. My Department is currently progressing the Social Housing PPP Programme, which...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department's role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of local authorities in addressing homelessness at a local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless services rests with individual local authorities. My Department does not fund any homeless service directly...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 712 and 713 together. All development proposals require planning permission unless they are specifically exempted under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act) or the supplementary Planning and Development Regulations, 2001, as amended (the Regulations). In addition, national planning policy, guidelines and legislation do not dictate the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Broadband Infrastructure (7 Mar 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. The Valuation Division of Tailte...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Supply (7 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: In October 2018, I requested that the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) conduct an independent review of the Water Supply Project – Eastern and Midlands Region (WSP-EMR) as proposed by Uisce Éireann. The WSP-EMR review was intended to support my decision in relation to the capital consent that would be required if planning approval is obtained for the project. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (7 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: A key principle of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is that eligible households 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. Local authorities have a responsibility to ensure that tenancies are...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (7 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: 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 a maximum of €50,000 is available for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation as a principal private residence and for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (7 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 247, 248, 249, 250, 251 and 252 together. 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). ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (7 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 255, 256 and 257 together. 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 allocation of local authority dwellings,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Traffic Management (7 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Overall responsibility for roads policy and funding for the implementation of transport strategies is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Transport. Kildare County Council as the Roads Authority, is responsible for the management of the road network in its jurisdiction. Notwithstanding the above, the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) is providing part-funding for some...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (7 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 260 and 261 together. I launched the Multi-annual Rural Water Programme 2024-2026 (MARWP 2024-2026) on 17 January 2024. Local authorities have been invited to submit applications for funding for priority projects in their areas with a closing date of 12 April 2024. The core purpose of the MARWP 2024-2026 is to provide the necessary funding to address...