Results 5,541-5,560 of 26,666 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 644 and 681 together. I announced on 11 December 2023 the opening of the Interim Remediation Scheme (Scheme) for the funding of emergency fire safety defect works in apartments and duplexes, constructed between 1991 and 2013. The Scheme, which is being administered by the Housing Agency on a nationwide basis, is open to applications from apartment Owner...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Since the publication of the current Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines in 2005 (which continue to have effect in addition to subsequent clarifications and national policy changes in the NPF) there have been important changes to our planning system. Most notably, obligations under European Directives and international agreements relating to the management and protection of the environment...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Recognising the need for increased capacity and expertise in the public sector planning services, in addition to the staffing needs of relevant agencies, organisations as well as in the private sector, analysis is being undertaken with a view to developing a Ministerial Action Plan on Planning Resources incorporating a specified set of actions to respond to the capacity challenges faced. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Public Private Partnerships (9 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 647 and 648 together. During the life of the PPP contract (typically 25 years after construction), a portion of the unitary payment is adjusted annually by an inflation factor to reflect changes in a general inflation index specified in the contract (the Consumer Price Index or the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices). This indexable portion represents costs...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (9 Apr 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. My Department will publish the Plan's 2023 Progress Report in April, setting out what has been...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Each designated local authority is responsible for the detailed administration of the Enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme within their local authority area. This includes the initial validation of applications, notifying homeowners of the Housing Agency's determinations on the damage threshold, the appropriate remediation option and grant amount, determination of the grant payable...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Mayoral Election (9 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 653 and 658 together. The 2022 Dublin Citizens’ Assembly was asked to consider the type of directly elected mayor and local government structures best suited for Dublin. Its final report was presented to the Taoiseach in January 2023. In June 2023, the Houses of the Oireachtas referred the report to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Planning and Development Bill 2023 was published in November 2023 and has been subject to intensive stakeholder engagement as part of the Planning Advisory Forum as well as an extensive pre-legislative scrutiny process in the Oireachtas. As one of the largest and most complex pieces of legislation in the history of the State, the Bill has been continuously reviewed by the Department, in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Emergency Accommodation (9 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 656 and 722 together. My Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the statutory role of local authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of emergency accommodation and related services for...

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

Darragh O'Brien: It is open to anyone to apply for social housing support at any stage, subject to meeting the eligibility and need criteria at the point at which they apply. 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...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Community and communal facilities relating to new public housing developments can be supported via a number of funding streams. However in the case of the communal facilities scheme that is supported by National Lottery funding, this is in the main, for facilities to complement social housing developments under the Capital Assistance Scheme/CAS and is for works and facilities including...

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

Darragh O'Brien: When referring to mixed tenure housing developments, I assume that the question refers to housing developments led by either local authorities or Approved Housing Bodies, with a tenure mix of social and cost rental and/or affordable purchase. There are a number of funding streams for the delivery of social and affordable housing developments, each with its own approval process: Social...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered in the valuation list prepared by Tailte Éireann under the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2022. Tailte Éireann has independent responsibility for all valuation matters, except appeals of valuation procedures set out under the Valuation Acts...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (9 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Public ownership is a core principle governing the development of water services and the Government has given its full commitment to holding a referendum on ownership of water services. It should also be noted that the establishment of Uisce Éireann in public ownership is already firmly secured under the Water Services Acts 2007 to 2022. I have previously committed to bringing forward...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) Rent Index is designed to measure developments in rental prices faced by those taking up new tenancies in the private rental sector and from Q2 2023 utilising Annual Registration data, existing tenancy rent price developments. The addition of the Existing Tenancies Index beginning in the Q2 2023 index, significantly strengthens the ability to understand...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I established an Implementation Steering Group for the enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme and a sub-group was established within this existing group structure, to examine an emerging issue relating to financial aspects of the scheme. The sub-group met on 11 January 2024. Due to operational reasons it was not possible to proceed with the scheduled follow up meeting of 21...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The legislative position in respect of local authority membership is set out in the Local Government Act 2001. The Act sets out the categories of individuals who are disqualified from being elected or co-opted to, or from being a member of a local authority. Section 161 (1)(a) provides that member of a local authority is not to be employed by a local authority. However, Section 161 (1) (b)...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All sets out the range of actions necessary to increase the supply of housing out to 2030 comprising of 54,000 affordable homes to be delivered by local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), the Land Development Agency (LDA) and through the First Home Scheme, which is a strategic partnership between the State and retail banks. Local authorities have published 5 year...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as an independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2022 to operate a national tenancy registration system and to resolve disputes between landlords and tenants. When landlords, tenants and third parties bring disputes to the RTB through mediation, adjudication or tribunal, they receive a legally binding...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Government has 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. The commitment to extend the Rent-a-Room Relief Scheme was included as a supplementary action in Housing for All. My Department provided for the extension of the scheme to local...