Results 7,321-7,340 of 25,732 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (6 Jul 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department publishes programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on social housing delivery activity. This data is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website, at the following link: . This provides information for a number of categories of social housing delivery and also contains the targets for each local authority during each year of the programme. Longford...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation (6 Jul 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department publishes quarterly progress reports which are based on quarterly performance reports submitted by the nine regional lead authorities responsible for the administration of homeless services at local level. These quarterly performance reports include details of the numbers of individuals prevented from entering emergency accommodation, and those exiting emergency accommodation...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (6 Jul 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 and 54,000 affordable 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,...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (5 Jul 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Gabhaim buíochas leis na Seanadóirí as a gcuid leasuithe. I thank the Senators for their amendments. I again thank Senator Malcolm Byrne and the other sponsors of the Bill for progressing it. I will address some of the remarks made. I want to focus my remarks directly on amendments Nos. 1 and 11 but, following on from what Senator Boyhan mentioned, it is worth reflecting on...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (5 Jul 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I will come back in.

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (5 Jul 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: We take this legislation and the amendments very seriously. I served in the Seanad for five years and have great regard for it. I campaigned for its retention. Thankfully, it was retained. I believe in a bicameral system. The Seanad does important work. All Senators, be they from the university panels, elected from the other panels through local government or nominees of the Taoiseach,...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (5 Jul 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Senator can raise that directly with Senator Byrne. It is a fair point.

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (5 Jul 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir. As she outlined, amendment No. 3 proposes to amend the definition of “University Constituency” in section 1. The current definition is "University Constituency" and the "Universities Constituencies" means all graduates of universities in the State, and of institutions of Higher Education in the State, as determined by the...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (5 Jul 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: They probably will not, particularly as it is a broader view on it.

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (5 Jul 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Senator. I will go through them briefly. The Bill is useful, as I have mentioned. What I am about to say is not a criticism of the Bill itself, but it will show the types of things we need to address. There appears to be no clear definition in the Bill of what is meant by "institutions of Higher Education in the State", which is the term used in Article 18.4.2° of the...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (5 Jul 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: There were electronic ballots in Fingal once.

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (5 Jul 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I was.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Regulations (5 Jul 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The online public consultation, that was carried out as part of the review of the birds Open Seasons Order, was available to any member of the public or any organisation with an interest in the subject matter. The consultation was advertised widely and had a large response rate. A separate in-person stakeholder forum was held. Representatives from a wide range of cross cutting...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (5 Jul 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I have no plans to alter the Residential Tenancies Act in this regard at this time but I do keep the operation of the Acts under constant review and I will make timely amendments, as may be required. I draw your attention to the thorough review of the private rental sector which is currently underway in my Department. This will ascertain what an improved fully functioning private rental...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Invasive Species Policy (5 Jul 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department is responsible for the implementation of the Wildlife Acts and the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011, both of which prohibit the spreading of invasive species. Under this legislative framework, responsibility for dealing with invasive alien species rests with the landowner. Much of the work in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Protection (4 Jul 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The International Whaling Commission (IWC) was established in 1946 as the global body responsible for management of whaling and conservation of whales. It is an inter-governmental organisation with a current membership of 88 governments from all over the world. Ireland joined the IWC in 1985. Ireland maintains a pro-conservation position with respect to cetaceans and all cetaceans are...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Office of Public Works (4 Jul 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Scattery Island is designated as a Special Area of Conservation (Lower River Shannon SAC 2165), and part of the island is classified as a Special Protection Area (River Shannon and River Fergus Estuaries SPA 4077). Scattery Island is an important site for both breeding (nesting) birds and wintering birds. During the spring and summer season, the following birds have been observed breeding on...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Protection (4 Jul 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Expanded polystyrene foams (EPS) are widely used as packing,material for household appliances and in construction. Polystyrene is very inert and this characteristic causes polystyrene to last a long time in the natural environment, which poses a litter hazard as the material is typically thrown away after an extremely short useful lifespan. Plastic pollution, and its effects on wildlife, has...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (4 Jul 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Regional National Parks and Wildlife Service staff in Carlow were made aware of the fuel leak in recent weeks and have liaised with Inland Fisheries Ireland staff and the Local Authority, who have led on the incident. Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), under the aegis of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, is the agency responsible for the protection, management and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Correspondence (4 Jul 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Awaiting reply from Department.