Results 7,141-7,160 of 28,221 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Supply (9 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department’s Rural Water Programme provides capital and operational funding to group water schemes. The day-to-day administration of the Programme is devolved to local authorities. An annual subsidy is payable by local authorities to group water schemes towards their operational and management costs of supplying water for domestic use. This is provided that the scheme meets the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Staff (9 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has 11 divisions, each led by an Assistant Secretary. Each division consists of several business units with each business unit overseeing a functional area under the wide and varied brief of this Department. The attached list represents a moment in time, as the functions, structure and personnel in any department are subject to change. An upcoming transfer of functions process...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (9 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Section 34(2) of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act), provides that when making its decision on a planning application, the planning authority shall be restricted to considering the proper planning and sustainable development of the area having regard to the provisions of the local development plan as well as a number of other factors including any guidelines issued by...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (9 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I established an Implementation Steering Group for the enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme and the sub-group the Question refers to was established within this existing group structure, to examine an emerging issue relating to financial aspects of the scheme. I expect the next meeting of this sub-group will take place in the coming weeks. In the meantime, my Department is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (9 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 719 and 720 together. My Department does not collate information relating to deaths of homeless individuals. On 16 January 2024, the Health Research Board published its report on deaths among people who were homeless based on 2020 data. The research applied the methodology used to compile the National Drug Related Deaths Index, which is a census of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (9 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme plays a vital role in housing eligible families and individuals. At the end of Q4 2023, there were more than 56,800 households actively in receipt of HAP support. Under HAP, tenants source their own accommodation in the private rented market. However, additional supports are available under HAP for homeless households or households at risk of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (9 Apr 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 contains the enhanced grant scheme and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023. I understand the question relates to the calculation of grant amounts under the enhanced grant scheme, which are determined in accordance with the Act and the Regulations. ...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I move amendment No. 645: In page 212, lines 4 and 5, to delete “(either individually or in combination with other plans or projects within the meaning of the Habitats Directive)”.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I move amendment No. 646: In page 212, line 9, to delete “retention” and substitute “retention permission”.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for introducing the amendment. I will speak to amendments Nos. 648 and 649 together. I understand the rationale for them but we want to make sure, as the Deputy mentioned, there is also access for applicants. I will explain the rationale as to why I will not accept either of these amendments. The Deputy explained what he wishes to do with regard to when an application...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: It is a useful discussion and gives an opportunity to provide an update on the roll-out of e-planning. I will get specific details but speak now in broader terms for the information of Deputies. There are approximately 25 or 26 local authorities now operating e-planning. Fingal County Council, Deputy O'Callaghan's area, opened that up in the past week or so. I turn to the issue of a...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I did respond, but I will respond again.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: No, not really. I will explain it again. You could effectively have two different timeframes. A planning application is a planning application, whether it is made online or in paper format. The Cathaoirleach is saying that you would only start the clock on public consultation once the documents have been uploaded. That matter will be dealt with, because the applications on which...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes. There might be some approximations. There might be one or two outliers because the systems are only being rolled out.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I do not have that stat.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: On the e-planning system, when someone makes an application – I know Deputy Ó Broin wants to come in on this – the issue Deputy raised continues to be an issue in some areas where councils council scan documents to put them up online in order that people can access them. When people apply through the e-planning system, they are driven with the data fields to put the...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Amendment No. 650 relates to the procedural powers of a planning authority under section 94. It would add a requirement for planning authorities to notify any person who made a submission on an application when additional material is received. The Bill already contains public notification procedures. Those are sufficient in this regard. I do not believe there is a requirement for what is...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: We will just get this double-checked for the Cathaoirleach. If you are a party to an application and have made an observation on a planning application and additional information is sought, you will be advised of the latter. If there is a further material change– I have seen this happen, and it is under current procedures as well – that is deemed by a planning authority to be...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes, on the decision. We will get clarity on this. If you made an observation and additional information is sought, you are advised that additional information has been sought.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes, as long you made the original observation and you are a party to that file.