Results 7,841-7,860 of 26,864 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Housing: Motion [Private Members] (7 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Let us deal with first-time buyers supports. The help-to-buy grant is provided for next year as well. There is an extension to 2025. The first home scheme, which the party opposite has opposed, has nearly 7,000 registrations. A total of 2,800 families and households who are eligible and are buying their homes through the scheme. It is a real intervention that is supporting homeownership....

Seanad: Housing For All: Statements (7 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Senators Kyne, Fitzpatrick, Casey and the Acting Chairperson for being here. I welcome the opportunity to update Members of the House on the progress being made on Housing for All. It is just over two years since the plan was published and although the landscape and environment in which we are operating has changed significantly, real progress is being made. While challenges...

Seanad: Housing For All: Statements (7 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I apologise to Senator Moynihan. I am due to be in the Dáil. My good colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, will be here for the rest of the debate.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (7 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: A comprehensive review of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) was initiated in May 2021, led by the Office of the Attorney General. This process included extensive stakeholder engagement, particularly with the Planning Advisory Forum established in December 2021. The review culminated in the publication of the draft Planning and Development Bill 2022 in January 2023. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (7 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Data on new residential dwellings completed are captured and published quarterly by the Central Statistics Office. The data are available at data.cso.ie/table/NDQ01. The data show 20,546, 29,751 and 22,443 new homes were completed in 2021, 2022 and to end-September 2023 respectively. Data on the share of these homes which have gone to market, or which are now inhabited, are not available.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (7 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Local Authority Home Loan (LAHL) is a Government-backed mortgage for creditworthy applicants who cannot get sufficient funding from commercial banks to purchase or build a home. It has been available nationwide from local authorities since 4 January 2022 for first-time buyers and fresh start applicants. The loan can be used both for new and second-hand properties, or to self-build. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (7 Nov 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: Wastewater Treatment (7 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 of the estate. The aim of the multi-annual programme is to provide funding to local authorities to assist them in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (7 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: All households in receipt of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) pay a differential rent based on the rent scheme set by the relevant local authority. The right of local authorities to set and collect rents on their dwellings is set out in section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. The making or amending of such schemes is an executive function and is subject to broad principles laid down by my...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Artificial Intelligence (7 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department does not use artificial intelligence (AI) to conduct business. As with all new technologies, my Department is assessing the potential of AI in the delivery of services, in line with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) guidance on its usage in the public service, and works closely with the NCSC which encompasses the State's national/governmental Computer Security Incident...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (7 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has responsibility at central government level in relation to the local government system generally and certain specific functional or service areas. My Department has no function however in relation to policy and funding of museums. That is, in the main, a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Grant Payments (7 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: 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 for the refurbishment of vacant properties for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (7 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government has developed the ‘Cost Rental Tenant In-Situ’ (CRTiS) scheme for tenants in private rental homes who are at risk of homelessness because a landlord intends to sell the property, but who are not in receipt of social housing supports. The scheme was established on a temporary administrative basis from 1 April 2023, pending further policy development over the longer...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Circulars (7 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department uses a variety of media to support the dissemination of circulars, including emailing directly to relevant contacts and posting to the Department's website. My Department regularly publishes circulars online. These are accessible on the government circulars database: www.gov.ie/en/circulars/. On this website, users can search for circulars in a number of ways: by department,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Bodies (7 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 605, 606 and 653 together. The LDA currently have access to €1.25bn of capital from the ISIF, of which they have drawn down €625m to date. They expect to draw down the remaining €600m by year-end 2023. They also have the ability to borrow up to €1.25bn. Discussions on the funding needs of the draft LDA Business Plan 2024-2028 and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Safety (7 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 607, 608, 609, 625 and 626 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (7 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 611 and 663 together. I refer the Deputy to the reply to Question No 319 of 17 October 2023 which sets out the position in this matter. Funding for STAR is voted Government Expenditure. With regard to who can apply for funding, I can confirm that both private providers and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) are eligible and can apply to provide cost rental...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (7 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to the reply to Question No. 107 of 25 October 2023 which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (7 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to the reply to Question No 323 of 17 October 2023 which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Regeneration Projects (7 Nov 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to the response to Dáil Question No. 324 on 17 October 2023 in which the details requested have been provided.