Results 5,981-6,000 of 25,732 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (18 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The First Home Scheme, which launched on 7th 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, including in relation to the application process, are available on the First Home Scheme website, www.firsthomescheme.ie. In addition, the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (18 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Part V provides for the State to capture a portion of the increase in land value resulting from the granting of planning permission for residential development and refers to Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2021. The Affordable Housing Act 2021 made a number of changes to Part V. These changes came into operation on 3 September 2021. Any planning applications processed...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (18 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 205 and 206 together. Under Housing for All, the Government has targeted the delivery of 28,500 new affordable homes from 2022 to 2026, to be facilitated by local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), the Land Development Agency (LDA) and through a strategic partnership between the State and retail banks. Mayo County Council has prepared and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (18 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 provides for grants of up to €420,000 to remediate homes under the Defective Concrete Blocks (DCB) Grant Scheme. This includes ancillary grants for approved applicants in the amount of €25,000 to assist homeowners at remediation stage to meet costs relating to temporary accommodation, storage...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (18 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks grant scheme provides that a homeowner may apply to the designated local authority for a payment of a remediation option grant approved either in whole or by way of stage payments as works progress. The form and content of interim valuation certificates is prescribed in the Regulations and must be furnished by the homeowners competent building...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (18 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Following a review conducted by my Department in 2022, the Government agreed to my recommendation to increase the baseline social housing income thresholds by €5,000 for all local authorities with effect from 1 January 2023. The thresholds increased to €40,000, €35,000 and €30,000 for bands 1, 2 and 3 respectively. Notwithstanding these recent changes, my...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (18 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Local Authority Home Loan (LAHL) is a Government-backed mortgage for creditworthy applicants who cannot get sufficient funding from commercial banks to purchase or build a home. It has been available nationwide from local authorities since 4 January 2022 for first-time buyers and fresh start applicants. The loan can be used both for new and second-hand properties, or to self-build. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (18 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The First Home Scheme, launched on 7 July 2022, supports first-time buyers in purchasing new houses and apartments in the private market through the use of an equity share model. Details are available at: www.firsthomescheme.ie. The Scheme is overseen and managed by the First Home Scheme Ireland Designated Activity Company (First Home Scheme DAC), on behalf of scheme founders (the State...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (18 Jan 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: Departmental Bodies (18 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The AHB Unencumbered Units Working Group Report was published on my Department's website on 19 October 2023. This report is available at the following link - www.gov.ie/en/publication/776db-ahb-unencumbered-units-worki ng-group-report/ .

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (18 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department approves an annual budget for the Housing Agency in respect of its role in the enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks scheme. This funding is to cover the operational costs of a regional office, payments due to framework consultants and professional support and costs. My Department is committed to ensuring that the Housing Agency will continue to have the appropriate level of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (18 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I announced the successful applications under a new funding measure for waste water collection and treatment needs of villages without access to public waste water services on 7 December 2023. I can confirm that my Department will be writing to the local authorities concerning all the applications shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (18 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Addressing vacancy is a key priority for this government. The Vacant Homes Action Plan, which was 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 as many vacant properties back into use as possible. There are now a range of schemes and supports in place to support addressing vacancy....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: International Protection (17 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has no role in the provision of accommodation for International Protection applicants. However, as part of the whole of Government response to the invasion of Ukraine and the associated humanitarian situation, my Department is providing support on certain accommodation options for Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection from Ukraine, including the Offer a Home scheme and the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (17 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 726 and 837 together. Under Housing for All, the Government will deliver 54,000 affordable homes, including 36,000 affordable purchase and 18,000 cost rental homes, by 2030, to be facilitated by local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), the Land Development Agency (LDA) and through a strategic partnership between the State and retail banks. Following...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (17 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 727, 738, 768, 771, 772 and 815 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: Fire Service (17 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 729 and 730 together. The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Acts 1981 and 2003. My Department supports fire authorities...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Flood Risk Management (17 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department undertakes the Lead Government Department role, as set out in the Strategic Emergency Management (SEM) Framework (2017), in relation to the coordination of national level responses to flooding emergencies, where warranted. My Department's National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management undertakes this role and works closely with Local Authority Severe Weather Assessment...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (17 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 733 and 735 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (17 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The First Home Scheme, which launched in July 2022, is a shared equity scheme designed to help bridge the affordability gap for eligible first-time buyers and other eligible homebuyers. The Scheme was expanded in April to include the Tenant Home Purchase Scheme, and was further expanded in September to include self-build homes. Details of the First Home Scheme are available at:...