Results 7,741-7,760 of 26,864 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Agriculture Industry (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Good Agricultural Practice – GAP- Regulations allow for an extension of the slurry spreading season up until the 15th October provided there are suitable ground and growth conditions and a favourable weather forecast to ensure that the slurry spreading will not impact water quality. This year I approved the maximum extension allowing farmers more time to empty their tanks before...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme plays a vital role in housing eligible families and individuals. At the end of Q2 2023, over 112,900 HAP tenancies had been set-up since the scheme commenced, of which there were over 58,200 households actively in receipt of HAP support. At end Q2 2023, nearly 4,200 new HAP tenancies had been created this year, which is an average of 161 new HAP...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Pollution (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Blessington Reservoir, also known as Pollaphuca Reservoir, is monitored by the EPA to assess its ecological health for the Water Framework Directive. The most recent full assessment, using data from 2016 to 2021, classified the lake as being in satisfactory ecological condition (Good Ecological Status). Algal blooms (phytoplankton over-growth) in lakes are a natural phenomenon that can...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The increase in homelessness is a serious concern for Government and is being actively addressed. There is no shortage of will or determination to deal with the issue of homelessness. It remains a top priority for our Government. Resources and funding are not an obstacle to the urgent efforts required. Reflecting the importance placed on Housing for All, a record €5.1bn capital...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Building Regulations (Part M Amendment) Regulations 2022 will greatly improve community participation and social inclusion for people with complex care needs. The key objectives of the Building Regulations (Part M Amendment) Regulations 2022 are to increase the provision of changing places toilets in certain new buildings, and to improve the accessibility and usability of existing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Long term lease arrangements, including the enhanced lease, of privately owned dwellings can be entered into by either local authorities or Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs). Under these arrangements the local authority or AHB acts as the landlord to the tenant. The terms of these agreements are set out in standard template agreements provided by my Department, which must be used by all local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Government Reform (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: In June this year, Government referred the report of the 2022 Dublin Citizens’ Assembly to the Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The Committee was asked to consider the recommendations contained in the report, and to advise on whether to hold plebiscite to determine if Dublin should have a directly-elected Mayor and local government structures as recommended,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department currently provides funding for three demand-led domestic waste water treatment system (DWWTS) grant schemes. The purpose of the grants is to provide financial assistance to householders for the remediation, repair, upgrade or replacement of DWWTS (commonly known as septic tanks). These grants are focused on the areas of greatest environmental priority to protect human health...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: As you are aware the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 which contains the Enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks (DCB) Grant Scheme commenced on 22 June 2023 and the related Regulations were adopted on 29 June 2023. The enhanced scheme provides very considerable enhancements over the old Scheme for eligible homeowners. I established the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Emergency Services (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is designated as 'Lead Government Department', as set out in the Government approved Strategic Emergency Management (SEM) Framework (2017), in relation to coordination of response to flooding and certain other emergencies at national level where warranted. Other Departments have lead roles in respect of other specific types of emergencies, as set out in the SEM Framework. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department's 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 but instead rely on infrastructure provided by developers. The aim of the DPI programme is to provide funding to local authorities to assist them in implementing solutions that resolve...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All was published 2 September 2021 and the Government published its first annual update of the plan's actions on 2 November 2022. Progress :reports are published quarterly. The ninth of these reports, covering progress in Q3 2023, is due for publication in the coming weeks along with the second annual update of the plan’s actions. These reports can be accessed at...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Telecommunications Infrastructure (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act), all development, unless specifically exempted under the Act or associated Regulations, requires planning permission. In this regard, Class 31 of Part 1 of Schedule 2 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended, provides that certain classes of development carried out by a statutory undertaker authorised to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has secured record overall funding of €1.81 billion for the delivery of water services in 2024. This Government is delivering a sustainable funding path to further enhance the ongoing significant improvements in our public water and waste water services. Sustained investment over a number of investment cycles is required to address existing infrastructural deficits...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Public Inquiries (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: There are no tribunals, public investigations or commissions of investigation currently underway in relation to functional areas relevant to my Department. There are still claims and payments being processed following the completion of the Tribunal into Certain Planning Matters and Payments (Mahon Tribunal) in 2012. It is estimated that this process will be completed in 2024. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Since the receipt of Government approval in January of this year, I have been working to progress the various programmes of work that are required to place the scheme to establish supports for the remediation of fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects in purpose-built apartment buildings, including duplexes, constructed between 1991 and 2013 on a statutory footing. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Flood Risk Management (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Local authorities are designated as lead agencies for coordinating the local response to flooding emergencies as per the Government decision relating to the “Framework for Major Emergency Management” (2006), details of which are available on my Department's website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/ca182-a-framework-for-major-emergen cy-management/. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I understand that the Question is referring to the new funding measure which I announced in April 2022, under my Department's Multi-annual Rural Water Programme, for the waste water collection and treatment needs of villages and settlements that do not have access to public waste water services. All rural local authorities were invited to submit up to two priority applications for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 ("The Act") which contains the Enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks (DCB) Grant Scheme commenced on 22 June 2023 and the related Regulations were adopted on 29 June 2023. The enhanced scheme provides very considerable enhancements over the old Scheme for eligible homeowners. I understand that the Question is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (9 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department currently provides funding for three domestic waste water treatment system (DWWTS) grant schemes. These grants are focused on the areas of greatest environmental priority to protect human health and the environment. The grants assist householders, who have an advisory notice for a failed inspection under the National Inspection Plan, who are situated in a Prioritised Area for...