Results 6,061-6,080 of 26,666 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (5 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as quasi-judicial, independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2022 (RTA) to operate a national tenancy registration system and to resolve disputes between landlords and tenants. Tenants and registered landlords may refer a matter for dispute resolution under Part 6 of the RTA, where the RTB may award up to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (5 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 also have a legal obligation to ensure that all of their tenanted...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (5 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Staffing numbers for the local authority sector for the period 2008 to 2023 broken down by local authority area are available on the Public Service Numbers databank, which is hosted and maintained by the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (DPENDR). Staffing numbers are published quarterly and the databank is currently updated to Q3 2023. Staffing numbers for the end...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: State Bodies (5 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: An Bord Pleanála (the Board) is the national independent statutory body with responsibility for the determination of planning appeals and direct applications for strategic infrastructure and other developments under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and certain other Acts. There are now more people working at the Board than at any time previously. Since October 2021,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Reports (5 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government approved an initial General Scheme in December 2021 to set out proposals to introduce Land Value Sharing. The proposals set out in the revised General Scheme (www.gov.ie/en/publication/0ad37-general-scheme-planning-and -development-land-value-sharing-and-urban-development-zones- bill-2022/) published on 14 April 2023 are the result of significant analysis and engagement...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (5 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing is delivered through a range of local authority and Approved Housing Body (AHB) delivery programmes. Capital expenditure on the delivery of new social homes is also supported by current funding provided through the Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (SHCEP). In respect of Affordable Housing delivery, Housing for All provides for a number of important affordability...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (5 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Further to Parliamentary Question No. 341 of 20 February 2024, to qualify for a Local Authority Home Loan an applicant must currently have a legal right to reside and work in the State. As previously advised the Credit Policy requires that applicants from outside the EEA/EU must be legally resident in Ireland for a period of 5 years or have leave to remain extending to permit 5 years...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (5 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: It is the responsibility of each local authority to ensure appropriate supports are in place for elected members with disabilities, alongside a statutory responsibility to ensure practical and appropriate access to its buildings and services under the Disability Act of 2005. Obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, along with the Public...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (5 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides funding to improve the quality, quantity and reliability of the water services relied upon by rural dwellers, where Uisce Éireann water services are not available. In relation to the group water scheme referred to I understand that funding has been approved to carry out water treatment improvements and that the relevant local authority continues to work with...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (5 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The First Report on Relevant Public Lands which was published by the LDA in 2023 identified state owned land with potential for housing development in the five cities and five key growth centres. That potential identified is being assessed further in the light of ongoing developments on those sites. Suitable sites for housing development being recommended for transfer to the LDA will be...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Reviews (5 Mar 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: Departmental Funding (5 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 432, 428, 429 and 431 together. Funding provided by my Department to each local authority for the delivery of housing programmes in each of the years 2019 to 2022 is set out in the tables attached. The detailed breakdown of 2023 housing expenditure, by local authority and delivery stream, is being finalised within my Department and will be available in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (5 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 430 and 433 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 Service Acts, 1981 and 2003. My Department supports fire authorities...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Register of Electors (5 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Local authorities, in their capacity as registration authorities, are responsible for the management and maintenance of the electoral register. My Department does not collect data on the age profile of the electoral register.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: There are a few issues with the amendment but, in principle, I agree having a public consultation over, say, a holiday period will not exercise the minds of the public. In practice, however, that is extremely rare. As an example, we discussed yesterday the sustainable residential development and complex settlement growth guidelines. I had them ready before Christmas. Most local...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Like the Deputy.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: To be helpful, I do not believe we are a million miles away from each other on defining "reasonable". The Deputy has attempted to expand on "reasonable" and the requirements in his amendment. I genuinely do not believe the language is appropriate for inclusion in the primary legislation and that it would be more appropriate to address the matter via a circular or guidance, which can be...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The last two words of the section read "considers reasonable". I know that Deputy has flipped it the other way. On whether it is more appropriate to specify through guidance, this could be done anyway. It certainly could be done under the provision. However, on the basis of what I have mentioned already, and without being in any way dismissive, I believe the wording of the amendment is...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: It could be Eid or another occasion. These types of matters are appropriate at the time. With regard to trying to come up with a definition, we could certainly consider setting down the principle in guidance. It already applies to bank holidays and the like. No one is going to put something out for public consultation during St. Patrick's week. It is effectively a week now as opposed to...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Do they?