Results 8,001-8,020 of 26,778 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (3 Oct 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department has not provided any capital or current funding to Dublin Zoo in either 2022 or to date in 2023. My Department has responsibility for the implementation of the European Communities (Licensing and Inspection of Zoos) Regulations 2003 (S.I. No. 440/2003) which deal with the inspection, licensing and regulation of zoos and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Protection (3 Oct 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: A public consultation of the Open Seasons Order (OSO) was carried out in early 2023, providing all interested stakeholders, and the general public with an opportunity to input their views on policy issues. NPWS subsequently engaged external expertise to review the c. 2,500 responses to the survey on the OSO, along with the outcome of the very productive stakeholder engagement meeting held in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (3 Oct 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department prioritises the ongoing management and eradication of invasive species as part of its conservation role, dedicating a significant level of its resources to these management activities each year. Staff at the NPWS have surveyed the area around the property in question and have attempted to contact the individual in question to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Seanad Elections (3 Oct 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: In a judgment earlier this year the Supreme Court determined that sections 6 and 7 of the Seanad Electoral (University Members) Act 1937, which sets out the current legislative provisions governing the election of university senators to Seanad Éireann, are unconstitutional because they are not consistent with Article 18.4.2 of the Constitution. The Supreme Court suspended its declaration...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (3 Oct 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: A range of supports are available for persons who wish to purchase their primary residences. These include examples such as the First Home Scheme which has recently been extended to people building their own homes, the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, and the National Home Upgrade Energy Scheme. These supports are not directed towards specific building types. All new dwellings must...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (3 Oct 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department prioritises the ongoing management and eradication of invasive species as part of its conservation role, dedicating a significant level of its resources to these management activities each year. Monitoring of invasive species at Glen of the Downs Nature Reserve in County Wicklow continues throughout the year. There has been...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Ministerial Responsibilities (3 Oct 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I understand that my Department has been notified of potential legal proceedings. Accordingly, it would not be appropriate for me to comment at this time.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (3 Oct 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for Allis the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing over the next decade. It includes unprecedented State investment of €4.5 billion per annum to facilitate the supply of housing at the substantial scale required to meet demand, including 54,000 affordable homes by 2030. Greater supply is key to meeting demand and facilitating access to affordable housing....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (3 Oct 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides financial support through the domestic waste water treatment system grant schemes to assist householders to carry out works to repair or upgrade defective septic tanks. I can confirm that a review of the grant schemes has been recently completed by my Department. As part of the review, there was extensive consultation with stakeholders, including convening a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (3 Oct 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: In April 2022, I announced a new funding measure, as an advance stage of the upcoming 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. Funding of €50 million has been specifically allocated under the National Development Plan 2021-2030. The first round of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Measures (3 Oct 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is currently finalising the drafting of the regulations to provide for consequential amendments to the Planning and Development Regulations regarding substitute consent procedures, following which the substitute consent and other relevant provisions of the Planning and Development, Maritime and Valuation (Amendment) Act 2022 will be commenced. The regulations are in the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Policies (3 Oct 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department does not use ChatGPT or any other 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Approved Housing Bodies (3 Oct 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: There are currently 450 AHBs registered with AHBRA. My Department does not hold information on organisations that may have registered as AHBs in the past but are no longer on the register. The Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Act makes it an offence for a person, other than an AHB as defined in the Act, to describe themselves as or hold themselves out to indicate that they are,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Approved Housing Bodies (3 Oct 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: One of the functions of the Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority (AHBRA) is to collect and publish information (including statistical information) concerning AHBs as it considers necessary and appropriate. AHBRA conducted its first monitoring programme in September 2022, the results of which have been published in its first Sectoral Analysis on 8 May 2023, and is available on their...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Office of Public Works (28 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I understand that the Office of Public Works (OPW) have confirmed that they have no involvement with Baltimore Station House and have not expressed any interest in acquiring it. Requests in respect of the OPW's involvement in respect of the property should be addressed to the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform who has responsibility for the Office. The Land...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (28 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The raising of the ratio of mortgage to income from 3.5 to 4 times for first-time buyers, as mandated by the Central Bank of Ireland, came into effect on 1January this year. With regard to the First Home Scheme, this change was carried over on the same date. Full details of the First Home Scheme are available at:www.firhomescheme.ie. The Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (28 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for Alldelivers on the Programme for Government commitment to step up housing supply and putaffordabilityat theheartof the housing system. There are two equity schemes currently available to support the affordable purchase of homes to eligible applicants. The First Home Scheme is operated by a Designated Activity Company (DAC), governed by a Board of Directors comprising...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (28 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Local Authority Home Loan is a Government backed mortgage scheme for those 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. Local authorities...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (28 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The First Home Scheme is operated by a Designated Activity Company (DAC), governed by a Board of Directors comprising representatives of the scheme funders, i.e. the State, AIB, Bank of Ireland, and Permanent TSB. First Home does not apply an interest rate. A service charge applies to the percentage value of unredeemed equity from year 6 in order to cover administrative costs associated with...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (28 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 193 and 194 together. The Local Authority Home Loan is a Government-backed mortgage for those 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...