Results 6,521-6,540 of 25,732 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (15 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I have no role in water operational matters, Uisce Éireann has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. The scope, prioritisation and progression of individual projects is a matter for Uisce Éireann and is approved through its own internal governance structures. Uisce Éireann has...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (15 Nov 2023)

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 contains the enhanced grant scheme and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023. The new scheme is now open to applications in four counties: Clare, Donegal, Limerick and Mayo with comprehensive information of all aspects of the Scheme available on my...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Mortgage Interest Rates (15 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Mortgage to Rent (MTR) scheme introduced in 2012 is targeted at those households in mortgage arrears who have had their mortgage position deemed unsustainable by their lender under the Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process. In order for a borrower to qualify for the MTR scheme, the mortgage, property and household must meet detailed eligibility criteria. As part of the normal...

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Second Stage (14 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." The purpose of the Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023 is to provide for the number of Members of Dáil Éireann, the revision of constituencies and the number of Members to be elected for such constituencies in light of the results of census 2022. In broad terms, the Bill provides for the total number of Members of Dáil...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Safety (14 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: 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 the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a central...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (14 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: In accordance with section 58 of the Housing Act 1966, local authorities are legally responsible for the management and maintenance of their housing stock including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, the implementation of a planned maintenance programme and carrying out of responsive repairs. Local authorities also have a legal obligation to ensure that all of their tenanted properties...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (14 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as an 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. From 4 April 2022, landlords are required under the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2019 to register their tenancies with the RTB every year,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (14 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All is the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade. This includes the delivery of 90,000 social homes by 2030. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4bn per annum, through an overall combination of €12bn in direct Exchequer funding, €3.5bn in funding through the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (14 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Section 36 of the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks (DCB) Act 2022 provides that the Government may make a scheme for the purposes of enabling a designated local authority or an Approved Housing Body (AHB) to remedy damage caused to dwellings by the use of defective concrete blocks in their construction. The grant rates for this local authority and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (14 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: In April 2022, I announced a new funding measure, under the Multi-annual Rural Water Programme, for the waste water collection and treatment needs of villages that do not have access to public waste water services. Funding of €50 million has been specifically allocated under the National Development Plan 2021-2030. The first round of funding is intended to follow a demonstration...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Constitutional Amendments (14 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Seanad Electoral (University Members) Act 1937 sets out the current legislative provisions governing the election of university senators to Seanad Éireann. In a recent judgment the Supreme Court determined that sections 6 and 7 of that Act, which provide for the election of members of the Seanad by certain university graduates, are unconstitutional because they are not consistent...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (14 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: In April 2022, I announced a new funding measure, as an advance stage of the upcoming Multi-annual Rural Water Programme, for the waste water collection and treatment needs of villages that do not have access to public waste water services. Funding of €50 million has been specifically allocated under the National Development Plan 2021-2030. The first round of funding is intended to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (14 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides grant funding to assist householders dependent on an existing private water supply (Individual private well) with the costs incurred in providing a supply of water for domestic purposes or carrying out improvements to an existing supply. The grant is administered by local authorities. An applicant may be considered eligible for a grant if, in the opinion of the local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (14 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 246, 247, 248 and 249 together. Housing for All is the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the nine year period of the plan to 2030. This includes the delivery of 90,000 social homes, 36,000 affordable purchase homes and 18,000 cost rental homes to be facilitated by Local Authorities, Approved...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (14 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I understand the Question refers to housing estates with Developer Provided Water Services Infrastructure (DPI). My Department provides funding to progressively address DPI issues under the Multi-Annual Developer Provided Water Services Infrastructure Resolution Programme which is focused on housing estates which do not have their water services connected to the public network but instead...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (14 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides financial support through the domestic waste water treatment system (DWWTS) grant schemes to assist householders in carrying out works to repair, upgrade or replace defective septic tanks. The changes I recently announced to these grants are to increase the maximum grant level available to €12,000 (up from €5,000) and remove a requirement for the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Marine Protected Areas (14 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Maritime Area Planning (MAP) Act 2021 (Sections 20-29) provides for Designated Maritime Area Plans or DMAPs. These are forward-looking sub-national plans that contribute to the overall vision for marine spatial planning in the Irish maritime area. DMAPs are intended to be flexible forward planning tools that can be used for geographic based plans or sectoral-based plans that focus on the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (14 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 254, 255, 256, 257, 258, 259, 260, 261, 262, 263 and 264 together. 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 Provision (14 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Under Housing for All, the Government will deliver 54,000 affordable homes, including 18,000 Cost Rental tenancies, to be facilitated by local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), the Land Development Agency (LDA), and through the First Home scheme, a strategic partnership between the State and retail banks. To date over 3,000 affordable homes, including over 770 Cost Rental...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (14 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Awaiting reply from Department.