Results 8,021-8,040 of 26,778 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

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

Darragh O'Brien: Maximum rent limits for the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) were set for each housing authority area in 2016, in conjunction with the Department of Social Protection (DSP). In reviewing rent limits, my Department worked closely with DSP and monitored data gathered from the Residential Tenancies Board and the HAP Shared Services Centre. In prescribing these limits, household size and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (28 Sep 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 occupation as a...

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

Darragh O'Brien: During the Covid-19 emergency, the HAP Debt Management Process (DMP) was suspended from March 2020 and partially re-commenced in October 2020. This meant non-payment of differential rent by a tenant during that time did not affect payments to HAP landlords. Tenants were, however, expected to continue to pay their rent with supports available for those financially impacted by Covid. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Monuments (27 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I can confirm that the monument in question is a protected structure (Record of Protected Structures ID 02348). My Department provides financial support to owners of eligible heritage buildings and historic structures to assist in their conservation and protection through two grant schemes, the Historic Structures Fund (HSF) and the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS). The HSF is for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (27 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Under Housing for All, the Government will deliver 47,600 new build social homes and 3,500 social homes through long-term leasing in the period 2022-2026. Our clear focus is to increase the stock of social housing through new build projects delivered by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs). For 2023, the Government has agreed that there will be increased provision for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (27 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the scheme. The scheme is underpinned by the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 and the Housing (Sale of Local Authority Houses) Regulations 2015, as amended. The regulations provide for specified classes of houses to be excluded...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Monuments (27 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The structure in question may be eligible for an application under the Community Monuments Fund grant scheme of the National Monuments Service of my Department.The Community Monuments Fund was established in 2020 to provide investment in Ireland’s archaeological heritage. This funding is prioritised for local authorities, private owners and custodians and community groups for the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Protection (27 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The recent Public consultation on the Open Seasons Order contained several useful recommendations and suggestions, many of which will be actioned by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department in the coming months. These include: - the need for collaboration across various groups and agencies - the need for collation of good quality, current data on bird populations and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Harbours and Piers (27 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Licences and leases in respect of properties such as the marina identified are managed by Waterways Ireland, a North South body sponsored by my Department and the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland. While it would be inappropriate to comment publicly on any individual marina in a manner that might potentially prejudice any current or future legal proceedings, arrangements have...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Waterways Ireland (27 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The registration, licensing and operation of marinas is managed by Waterways Ireland, a North South body sponsored by my Department and the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland. In 2021, Waterways Ireland established a dedicated land recovery and first registration team to research, lodge and register its property portfolio. As part of that process, Waterways Ireland is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Derelict Sites (27 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Derelict Sites Act 1990 (the Act) imposes a general duty on every owner and occupier of land to take all reasonable steps to ensure that the land does not become, or continue to be, a derelict site. The Act also imposes a duty on local authorities to take all reasonable steps, including the exercise of appropriate statutory powers, to ensure that any land within their functional area does...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (27 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Departments' 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 the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Parking Provision (26 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The planning and development of new areas for tourism and recreational purposes is a matter for local authorities, within the context of their role as planning authorities in the Irish planning system. Section 63(3) of the Local Government Act 2001, provides that a local authority is independent in the performance of its functions. A core function of local authorities, as planning...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (26 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I can confirm that my Department is in the final stages of completing comprehensive Framework documentation that will assist and support the launch of the upcoming Multi-annual Rural Water Programme. Extensive engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, including the Rural Water Working Group, was a valuable and necessary requirement to allow my Department finalise this work. I expect to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Public Sector Staff (26 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Elected members of local authorities are considered to be office holders and not employees of the local authority. They are not included in the definition of 'public servant' under the terms of the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004. Elected members are entitled to a gratuity payment on retirement, rather than an annual pension. This is a non-contributory...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Industrial Disputes (26 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 321 and 335 together. Under the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he or she is responsible and each local authority is an individual employer. The Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) provides support...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (26 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I commenced the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (the Act) on 22 June 2023 which contains the enhanced grant scheme and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023. The new scheme is now open to applications in four counties: Clare, Donegal, Limerick and Mayo with comprehensive information of all aspects of the Scheme available on my...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (26 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The NPWS Farm Plan Scheme, administered by my Department's National Parks and Wildlife Service, is an important instrument that allows for proactive engagement with farmers and land managers, to go above and beyond their statutory requirements in supporting nature. I recognise the central and vital role that those who manage our landscapes and habitats have in addressing the biodiversity...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Environmental Policy (26 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Following the declaration by the Dáil of a Biodiversity Emergency in 2019 and in recognition of the vital role that biodiversity plays in the continued health of our society, economy, species and planet, the Programme for Government included a commitment to hold a Citizen's Assembly on Biodiversity Loss. The Assembly presented its’ report in April 2023 and agreed 159...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Environmental Policy (26 Sep 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 325, 326 and 327 together. The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department is responsible for the implementation of a range of legislation and policy relating to biodiversity and nature in Ireland and is the National Focal Point for the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), an overarching international agreement underpinning the Global...