Results 7,161-7,180 of 25,732 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

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

Darragh O'Brien: Responsibility for existing public buildings as raised in the question is a matter for the relevant Government Department or the Office of Public Works as appropriate. In relation to social housing, the management and maintenance of existing local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, the implementation of a planned maintenance programme and...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 440, 441, 442, 443, 444, 445, 446, 447, 448, 449, 450, 451, 452, 453, 454, 455, 456, 457, 458, 459, 460, 461, 462, 463, 464, 465, 466, 467, 468, 469, 470, 471, 472, 473, 474, 475, 476, 477, 478, 479, 480, 481, 482, 483, 484, 485, 486, 487, 488, 489, 490, 491, 492, 493, 494, 495, 496, 497, 498, 499 and 500 together. The relevant details are being compiled and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Service (20 Sep 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 Service Acts, 1981 and 2003. My Department supports fire authorities by establishing policy, setting national standards for...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 502 and 527 together. Pathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock. In July 2022 the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant was launched to support bringing vacant and derelict properties back into use. From 1 May 2023, a grant of up to a maximum of €50,000 is available...

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

Darragh O'Brien: In July 2022 the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant was launched to support bringing vacant and derelict properties back into use. From 1 May 2023, a grant of up to a maximum of €50,000 is available for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation as a principal private residence and for properties which will be made available for rent, including the conversion of a property...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Report, entitled 'A Review Into Certain Planning Matters in Respect of Donegal County Council', by Mr. Rory Mulcahy S.C., received by my Department in June, 2017, remains under consideration. The Report is a scoping report and as such it does not make findings as to the truth or otherwise of allegations that have been made by an individual against named persons. Following an initial...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 505 to 507, inclusive, together. The Government has agreed to extend the Rent-a-Room Relief scheme disregard to social welfare recipients, extend the disregard into medical card criteria, and permit local authority tenancies access the scheme. The commitment to extend the Rent-a-Room Relief Scheme was included as a supplementary action in Housing for All, as...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Under section 63(3) of the Local Government Act 2001 local authorities are independent in the performance of their functions. The management of the local authorities' social housing stock, whether acquired through Part V or elsewhere, is among these functions and is part of the day to day management of the social housing system. I have no function in this regard and I have no plans to...

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

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. Arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my Department to facilitate...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (20 Sep 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: Building Regulations (20 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 511 and 512 together. The National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) as Ireland’s Official standards body, created and developed the appropriate standards that currently apply in determining whether a building has been damaged by concrete blocks containing certain excessive amounts of deleterious materials (such as mica). That standard is I.S. 465...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I can confirm that funding of €68.5 million has been allocated, under the National Development Plan, for the period 2021-2025, to address legacy water services issues. My Departments’ Multi-annual Developer Provided Water Services Infrastructure Resolution Programme (DPI) is focused on housing estates which do not have their water services connected to the public network and are...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Cost Rental Tenant In-Situ (CRTiS) Scheme was introduced as an interim measure, developed on an administrative basis, to address the immediate circumstances of the ending of the 'Winter Emergency Period' on 31 March 2023. This temporary scheme is available where a tenant faces the termination of a tenancy due to the landlord’s intention to sell the property. On 31 March 2023,...

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

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 housing authorities in addressing homelessness at a local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless services rests with individual housing authorities. My Department does not fund any homeless service...

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

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. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless services rests with individual local authorities. My Department does not fund any homeless service directly...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 519 to 521, inclusive, together. In 2021 a new holistic approach was applied to the Energy Efficient Retrofit Programme (EERP), designed around the Programme for Government's commitment led by the Department for the Environment, Climate and Communications that calls for the 'retrofit' of 500,000 homes to a B2 (BER)/Cost Optimal Equivalent standard by 2030, of...

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. My Department oversees workforce planning for the local government sector, including the monitoring of local government sector employment levels. To this end,...

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

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, carrying out of responsive repairs and ultimately the regeneration and replacement of social housing, are matters for each individual local authority under Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. My Department currently funds...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is strongly committed to the Government’s National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy and to supporting staff who are members of LGBTQIA+ communities. Our People Strategy was developed in partnership with staff and sets out the strategic priorities, objectives and actions through which we wish to engage, support, develop and lead our staff. Actions include a commitment to enhance...

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

Darragh O'Brien: On 7 March 2023, the Government agreed to develop legislation to give tenants the opportunity to buy their home including the development of a legislative based “first right of refusal”. Detailed and complex work has been ongoing in conjunction with the Office of the Attorney General to progress the implementation of the Government decision. I updated Government on the progress...