Results 7,121-7,140 of 25,732 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Cost Rental Tenant In Situ Scheme: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (21 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: We are encouraging local authorities. It is not about beating up those that are below their baseline targets. Only four of the 31 local authorities are behind their annual baseline targets. Twenty-seven are either on schedule or ahead of schedule. That is a quick tally but I think I am correct.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Cost Rental Tenant In Situ Scheme: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (21 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Those four local authorities are behind their targets.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Cost Rental Tenant In Situ Scheme: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (21 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: There is. Some of these sales will be closed but we will not get the claims for them until later in the year or early next year. They are not all going to come in this calendar year. As I said earlier, I expect them to spend approximately €300 million, based on what we are projecting. Will all of that be in this year's expenditure? I cannot guarantee that. It depends when the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Cost Rental Tenant In Situ Scheme: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (21 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: We have had 43 applications so far and 29 eligibility certificates issued. It is relatively small, but these are households or families who like where they are living and want to buy it, were not able to up to now and can buy them now. That is increasing as well. We get that regularly. I have to say the team in South Dublin are doing an excellent job.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Cost Rental Tenant In Situ Scheme: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (21 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: We provided an additional 360 staff alone across local authorities. I met with both chief executives in the Deputy's area - Cork city and county - earlier today. The market out there is pretty hot for people. Vacancies are not filled as quickly as they would have been because we have nearly full employment in the country, but many of the roles have been filled. Sanction is given. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Cost Rental Tenant In Situ Scheme: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (21 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: A property does not have to put on the open market. The notice to quit has to be issued. That has to be served. The property does not have to go out on the open market. You can decide to deal directly with the local authority.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Cost Rental Tenant In Situ Scheme: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (21 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: There is a need to allow discretion to local authorities in the purchase of vacant properties. They are embarked on a significant purchase of a tenant in situproperty. In some instances, it will be that a local authority - I get these queries too - will say it has its quota or quotient of social housing in this area and that it needs a mix, such as some affordable, cost-rental or whatever....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Cost Rental Tenant In Situ Scheme: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (21 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Deputy Flaherty. I would make two points. As we are building up our housing stock - there is a desire for people to purchase social homes as well - we need to catch up and get our stock levels back up. There was a sale of properties in this jurisdiction and other jurisdictions, diminishing the housing stock. Any Part V social homes cannot be purchases. Other homes can be. I have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Cost Rental Tenant In Situ Scheme: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (21 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: If it is through an approved housing body, the Deputy is correct. I thank the Deputy for his comments at the start. The scheme is working well. We are doing this as we are increasing supply across the board, which is good.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Cost Rental Tenant In Situ Scheme: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (21 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: On Leaders' Questions in the Dáil, it was put to me by Deputy Mythen in relation to the current dispute of Fórsa workers in the local authorities. What I have said is that we are in national pay talks right now. That is the way to be able to deal with any future claims and conditions. We all respect those workers, who do lots of good work. I think any of the issues they...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Cost Rental Tenant In Situ Scheme: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (21 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I am just saying that-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Cost Rental Tenant In Situ Scheme: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (21 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: It is with the Housing Agency now because it is on an administrative basis through it. It is like the secure tenancy affordable rental investment scheme in that it is available to everyone. We will work that through. It will probably require some changes as secondary legislation.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks (20 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department occasionally purchases land for strategic and conservation purposes. Such acquisitions are considered on a case by case basis. In light of the commercial sensitivity of such considerations and the strategic implications of bringing these considerations into the public domain, I am not in a position to comment on any individual...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (20 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The minimum 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (20 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 401 and 402 together. Arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my Department to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. This provides a speedy, efficient and cost effective system to address queries directly to the relevant bodies. The contact email address for An Bord Pleanála in this...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (20 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 403, 404 and 524 together. The competition to appoint the next chief executive of Dublin City Council was advertised by the Public Appointments Service (PAS) on 15 September 2023. The competition is open for applications until 5 October 2023 and details of the appointment process are outlined in the information booklet for this competition. Dublin City...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Industrial Disputes (20 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 405, 422 and 426 together. Under the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he or she is responsible and each local authority is an individual employer. The Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) provides...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (20 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 406, 407 and 408 together. The existing Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines were issued in 2005, as Ministerial Guidance under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act). Any person may lodge an application for permission to a planning authority in accordance with section 34 of the Act, for the construction of a house, which may...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (20 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he or she is responsible. Staffing numbers for the local authority sector for the period sought are available on the Public Service Numbers databank, which is hosted and maintained...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (20 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The regeneration of Poolbeg West is an important step in the transformation of the Dublin Docklands area, with the potential to provide for 3,500 homes. A novel condition of the planning scheme for the Poolbeg West Strategic Development Zone, is the requirement that a further 15% of approved homes across the SDZ should be social and affordable homes, in addition to the 10% statutory social...