Results 7,461-7,480 of 25,732 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: What we have to do, Jennifer Whitmore-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Excuse me, Deputy Whitmore. I apologise. There is a big focus on using MMC. We are seeing much better practices across the country. I take the Deputy's point about the quantification of the carbon from the construction sector and particularly the residential sector. There is no question that it has its role to play. That is why we are focusing in particular on ensuring that our local...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: That is 1 January 2027.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Well-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: That is fine. I get the Deputy's question. As the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, rightly said, the embodied carbon frameworks will be in place from 1 January 2027. It is not that anyone is hiding away from it. When one looks at what is actually being delivered, it is hard to argue with its quality.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: We are working towards it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I will let my colleagues come in on this but will take the Deputy’s last point first. Local authorities are moving well on retrofitting their stock. There is an opportunity in older estates where homes may have been purchased. Fingal County Council is going to run a pathway scheme in relation to making an offer to the whole estate while retrofitting social homes within it. It is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I will not comment on Galway because it is a live matter with An Bord Pleanála. The Deputy mentioned the NPF review. We are undertaking that now and it will be done as a matter of urgency. We are waiting for the final CSO data to do that and look at population trends and growth, specifically in relation to compact urban growth. Our town centre first policy feeds well into ensuring...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I understand the Senator's point. In large swathes of the country as well, there might be infrastructural deficits that need to be dealt with and some of that will include road infrastructure. I will not comment on Galway but people will understand the issues in Galway. The sustainable and compact settlement guidelines are very important. They need to be updated because the guidelines...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy. EV charging infrastructure is crucially important. It is good to see the growth in EV sales. Something that has helped them is the grants. I would like to see the grant levels maintained for EVs as well, because people are responding to that. Local authorities have a role to play in that, and many exercise it. I have seen an increase in charging infrastructure...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I will let the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, talk about the National Parks and Wildlife Service, NPWS. In my opening statement I gave some detail around the retrofitting programme which is really important, with our local authority stock and the housing stock that we have, in order to reduce emissions. Local authorities are key drivers in their own areas to advance climate policy. They...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Measures (14 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Planning and Development, Maritime and Valuation (Amendment) Act 2022 was enacted on 24 July 2022. My Department is currently drafting regulations to provide for consequential amendments to the Planning and Development Regulations regarding the substitute consent and 37L procedures, following which the substitute consent and section 37L provisions of the Planning and Development,...

Retained Fire Services: Motion [Private Members] (13 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "recognises that: — Retained Firefighters are highly committed frontline responders providing an exceptional service within their communities; — Retained Firefighters live and work within close proximity of their fire station, which provides operational cover and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Allotments Provision (13 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to the reply to Question No. 395 of 30 May 2023 which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Judicial Reviews (13 Jun 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. My department does not hold the specific information requested by the Deputy. Arrangements have...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (13 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: On 3 November 2022, my Department approved a budget for the Housing Agency in respect of its role in the enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks scheme for 2023. This funding is to cover the operational costs of a regional office, payments due to framework consultants and professional support and costs. The budgetary process is an annual one and my Department is committed to ensuring that the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Conservation (13 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has operated the National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS) Farm Plan Scheme since 2006. The purpose of the scheme is to provide financial and advisory support to farmers to manage farmed habitats and species of conservation concern above and beyond statutory requirements. The scheme is operated under the Agriculture Block Exemption Regulation (ABER) 702/2014 (as extended...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (13 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on social housing delivery activity by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) in each local authority, including Cork County Council. This data is available to the end of 2022, and is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website, at the following link:...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (13 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on social housing delivery activity by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) in each local authority, including Cork County Council. This data is available to the end of 2022, and is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website, at the following link:...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (13 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on social housing delivery activity by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) in each local authority, including Cork County Council. This data is available to the end of 2022, and is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website, at the following link:...