Results 5,261-5,280 of 25,732 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (27 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 278 to 280, inclusive, 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). Social...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: International Protection (27 Feb 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 which forms part of the whole of Government response. My Department was tasked with supporting the refurbishment programme. Decisions on which...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Elections (27 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 282 and 283 together. Sections 13 and 13A of the Local Government Act 2001 provide for disqualifications from local authority membership. Section 13(1)(h) provides that a civil servant who is not by terms of employment expressly permitted to be a member of a local authority shall be disqualified from local authority membership. The Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Septic Tanks (27 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I understand the Question refers to Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems (DWWTS), commonly known as septic tanks, and their selection for inspection under the National Inspection Plan and the grants available to households. The policy of providing grant support to households for remedial work on septic tanks arises from the need to address damage being done to water quality in sensitive...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: International Protection (27 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Emergency Refurbishment (Ukraine) Programme comprises two delivery strands, one of which is focused on buildings in public ownership and the other which supports owners of private buildings to refurbish them to the appropriate standard as per guidelines from my Department. These guidelines are available on my Department's website at:...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (27 Feb 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. When I launched the enhanced scheme, I established an Implementation Steering Group and part of the Group’s remit was to produce a six-month report on the Scheme. As...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Public Sector Pay (27 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to the reply to Question No. 99 of 22 November 2023 which sets out the position in the matter. Sections 13, 13A and 161 of the Local Government Act set out the legislative position in respect of local authority membership. These sections set out that members of a local authority are not to be employed by a local authority. Section 161 provides the Minister to designate by Order any...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (27 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to the reply to Question No. 343 on 20 February 2024 which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (27 Feb 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 encompasses...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation (27 Feb 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 housing authorities in addressing homelessness at a local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless services rests with individual housing authorities. While responsibility for the provision of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (27 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 292 to 295, inclusive, together. Under the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) is considered a form of social housing support. In line with the Act, all new RAS tenants from 1 April 2011 are considered to have their housing need met and therefore they cannot remain on the main social housing waiting list....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Measures (27 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The provisions in Parts 4 and 5 of the Electoral Reform Act 2022 were formally notified in draft form to the European Commission in accordance with the notification requirements of Article 5 of Directive (EU) 2015/1535 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 September 2015 laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical regulations and of rules on...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (27 Feb 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. These Regulations apply to all properties let or available for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (27 Feb 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: Emergency Accommodation (27 Feb 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 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 but...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Domestic Violence (27 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The expenditure by my Department in relation to Domestic Violence Refuges is for the capital development costs of new refuges. Operational expenditure in relation to refuges and related services is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Justice. My Department provides funding to local authorities under the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) towards the development of Domestic Violence...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (27 Feb 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 or she is responsible. My Department oversees strategic workforce planning for the local government sector, including the monitoring of local government sector employment levels....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Data Centres (27 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department uses data centres that are ISO 27001 compliant. My Department does not comment on operational security matters as it would be inappropriate to disclose information that may in any way assist those with malicious intent. The information requested in relation to bodies under the aegis of my Department is a matter for the individual bodies concerned. Arrangements have been put...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (22 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department cannot advise on the specific application outlined in the details supplied. It is the local authorities that administer the three grant schemes available to householders relating to Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems, commonly known as septic tanks. Each local authority has a Rural Water Liaison Officer who is responsible for the day to day administration of the grants...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (22 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The policy of providing grant funding for remedial work on domestic waste water treatment systems (DWWTS) arises from the need to address damage being done to water quality in sensitive areas in particular. The three grant schemes available to householders are focused on the areas of greatest environmental priority and are not general in application. Householders can avail of the grants if...