Results 5,801-5,820 of 25,732 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wind Energy Guidelines (7 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is currently undertaking a focused review of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines which is addressing a number of key aspects of the Guidelines including setback distance, noise, shadow flicker, community obligation, community dividend and grid connections. My Department, in conjunction with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) which...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 260 and 271 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Referendum Campaigns (7 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: In line with Programme for Government commitments, I established the Commission on Housing in December 2021 as an independent body to examine and evaluate Ireland's housing system, including issues such as tenure, standards, sustainability, and quality-of-life issues in the provision of housing. At the same time, I also tasked the Commission to advise the Government on the critical...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Official Travel (7 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The details requested, since June 2020, are available and regularly updated on my Department's OpenData website and are available to view under the following links.2020: No foreign travel undertaken2021: data.gov.ie/dataset/ministerial-travel-20212022: data.gov.ie/dataset/ministerial-foreign-travel-costs-2022202 3: data.gov.ie/dataset/ministerial-travel-2023

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

Darragh O'Brien: 2023 Housing expenditure, including for the delivery of social and affordable homes, is currently being finalised and will be published in due course.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Measures (7 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: 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. Social housing support is intended to address a household’s long-term housing need it is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (7 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Direct subvention is not available to the Land Development Agency (LDA) for the purposes of ensuring their rents are below market rents, however, the LDA can participate in schemes that are open to the whole market. My Department provides funding to the LDA in respect of programme expenditure associated with the functions that are detailed under Section 29 of the LDA Act 2021. These functions...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Action 43 under the 2023 Housing for All Action Plan Update, which can be accessed at this link: 2023 Housing for All Update., includes the commitment "to convene a working group that includes the major utility and infrastructure providers to align delivery programmes to ensure the timely delivery of utilities and infrastructure required to support housing development, with updates to be...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Urban Development (7 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: In 2021, as one of the successful applications under the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund's (URDF) second call for proposals, I announced a preliminary allocation of €7,140,000 towards Wicklow County Council's proposal for the regeneration of the Bray Harbour Area. The proposal, made up of 6 individual projects, includes amenity and public realm works, promenade boardwalk...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded in accordance with Standing Orders.

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

Darragh O'Brien: The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded in accordance with Standing Orders.

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department seeks, where possible, to minimise legal costs and avails of the services of the Chief State Solicitor's Office, the Attorney General's Office and the State Claims Agency in terms of the provision of legal advice and representation of the Department in Court cases. The below table sets out details in relation to external legal services provided directly to my Department by legal...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme provides for the purchase by eligible tenants of local authority houses which are available for sale under the scheme. All applications for the Scheme must satisfy the requirements outlined in the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 and the associated regulations. The Act includes provision for a local authority to take into consideration...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department issued the ‘Sustainable Residential Development and Compact Settlements Guidelines for Planning Authorities’ on 15 January 2024 under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 (as amended). The provisions of the Guidelines apply to all planning decisions made after the Guidelines came into force. The Guidelines set national planning policy and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (7 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Under Housing for All, there is a policy objective to increase and improve housing options for older people to facilitate ageing in place with dignity and independence. Housing for All builds on and takes forward the ongoing actions in "Housing Options for Our Ageing Population" policy statement from 2019, published jointly by my Department and the Department of Health, which provides policy...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Urban Development (7 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 280 and 281 together. The legislative provisions to establish Urban Development Zones (UDZ) are set out in Part 22 of the Planning and Development Bill 2023 and provide for the identification of suitable sites which in the opinion of the Minister or relevant authority, would be of ‘significant economic, social or environmental benefit to the State and...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to my reply to Question No. 123 of 13 December 2023 regarding this matter. Approval to purchase under the Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme is a separate matter to obtaining finance. An applicant must pay the purchase money at the time the sale of the house is completed. Finance can be sought from a variety of sources including commercial lenders, or the Local Authority Home...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (7 Feb 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. Many areas of cities, towns and villages of all sizes face the blight of vacant properties, which, if brought back into use, could add real vibrancy and provide new accommodation in those areas. While the reasons for vacancy are often complex, the re-use and regeneration...