Results 6,501-6,520 of 26,666 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (15 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has had a number of engagements with the Banking and Payments Federation (BPFI) on specific issues raised by Defective Concrete Block (DCB) homeowners to see what can be done to address their concerns I set up an Implementation Steering Group for the enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme, comprised of officials from the relevant local authorities, my Department,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (15 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government’s Housing for All plan is focused on tackling supply and affordability issues, including those in the rental market. The plan contains targets, actions and guaranteed State investment in housing aimed at increasing supply, which in turn will help increase access to affordable rental housing. Under Housing for All, over €5bn is available for capital investment in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (15 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme plays a vital role in housing eligible families and individuals. At the end of Q3 2023, there were nearly 57,617 households actively in receipt of HAP support. Maximum rent limits for the HAP scheme are set out for each housing authority area by the Housing Assistance Payment (Amendment) Regulations 2017. The limits applicable are related to the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (15 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to the reply to Question No. 288 of 1 February 2024 which sets out the position in the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Measures (15 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 a local level. Section 2 of the Housing Act 1988 outlines how local authorities can form an opinion on whether or not an individual/household shall be regarded as homeless, while section 10...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation (15 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and associated services for homeless persons rests with individual local authorities. 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. While...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (15 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Government affords a high priority to the use of vacant or underutilised state land for housing delivery. Under Housing for All, each Government Department/ Agency was requested to examine their existing portfolio of properties and place them on the market if they are not re­quired and may be suitable for conversion to residential accommodation. This is to ensure that every effort is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Quality (15 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The European Union (Drinking Water) Regulations 2023 (S.I. No 99 of 2023) from March 2023 transpose the recast Drinking Water Directive into national legislation. Section 4 of the Regulations require the water supplier to ensure drinking water is wholesome and clean, does not present a risk to human health. The water suppliers, in conjunction with the supervisory authorities (Environmental...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (15 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to my reply to Question No. 377 of 13 February 2024 which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation (15 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Supporting individuals and families facing homelessness is a key Government priority. Increasing the supply of housing is critical to address homelessness and record levels of investment are being provided under Housing for All to support the delivery of housing. In 2024, over €5bn in investment is available to support the delivery of housing and local authorities have a target to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Regeneration Projects (15 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Parnell Square Cultural Quarter (PSCQ) project was included as part of the overall North Inner City Concept Area 1 (NICCA) proposal from Dublin City Council (DCC) under Call 2 of my Department’s Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) programme. The URDF, which was established as part of the NDP in 2018 with an allocation of €2 billion is providing up to 75%...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Priorities (15 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The regeneration of the Oliver Bond House complex by Dublin City Council (DCC) has my Department's full support. My Department provided Stage 1 Capital Appraisal approval to DCC for the redevelopment for the flats in Blocks L, M and N, on the 16th March 2022. This allowed for a guarantee of Departmental support whilst also tasking DCC to investigate a review of options to find the most...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (15 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: There are over 146,000 local authority social housing properties in the State. It is important that local authorities fulfil their legal obligations with regard to management and maintenance of this valuable State asset, ensure that their homes comply with relevant standards and that vacancy and turnaround times are kept to a minimum. My Department is committed to supporting local authorities...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (15 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Cost Rental is a form of rental tenure designed to assist a cohort of renters who face significant affordability challenges meeting high rents in the private sector and who are not eligible for social housing support. The core principle of Cost Rental is that the rents cover the development, management, and maintenance costs of the homes, so that the long-term future of the homes is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (15 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 236 and 237 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: Defective Building Materials (15 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 provides for the enhanced grant scheme, and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023. The enhanced scheme provides very considerable enhancements over the old scheme for eligible homeowners. The overall cost of the enhanced scheme is estimated at...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (15 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: A National Steering Group has been established to ensure that the National Building Control and Market Surveillance Office is properly positioned and supported to provide an optimal shared service to the local authorities. This National Steering Group met for the first time on 11 January and is due to meet again on 11 April. While my Department is a member of the Steering Group, the Group...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (15 Feb 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 (15 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 supplies. These Regulations apply to all properties let or available for let....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (15 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Data on dwelling completions by local authority and house type are published quarterly on the Central Statistics Office website at the following link: data.cso.ie/table/NDQ06. The data show a substantial uplift in the quantum of new homes delivered since the launch of Housing for All in 2021, with some 29,726 and 32,695 new homes completed in 2022 and 2023 respectively. Indeed, new home...