Results 8,021-8,040 of 25,732 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (18 Apr 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. The Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund is a key initiative which underpins the policy objectives set out in Pathway Four of Housing for All. In July 2022, the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant was launched as part of the Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Invasive Species Policy (18 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department is responsible for the implementation of the Wildlife Acts and the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011, both of which prohibit the spreading of invasive species. The Quagga mussel is listed as an invasive alien species of national concern on the Third Schedule to the 2011 Regulations. While my...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (18 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I presume the Deputy is referring to the legislation in relation to management companies and Multi-Unit Developments. This is a matter for the Minister for Justice.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Energy Policy (18 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department launched the Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme (EERP) in 2013 with the aim of funding retrofit of social homes requiring insulation and energy upgrade works. Since the programme commenced in 2013 to the end of 2022, over 77,500 local authority social housing dwellings have been retrofitted with a total exchequer spend of over €251 million. In 2021 a new...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (18 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I can confirm that under the Multi-annual Rural Water Programme 2019-2022, my Department allocated €45,636 of funding for capital works to Mayo County Council for the project in question. In 2022, my Department made a payment to Mayo County Council of a portion of the allocated funding to the value of €8,600. The current position is, my Department awaits a further submission...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (18 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 823 and 824 together. The 2011 Social Housing Assessment Regulations, as amended, prescribe maximum net income limits for each local authority, in different bands according to the area concerned, with income being defined and assessed according to a standard Household Means Policy. The Regulations do not provide local authorities with any discretion to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (18 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 825 and 842 together. There are a broad range of funding and delivery mechanisms available to local authorities to deliver social housing and related supports in partnership with Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs). The funding is primarily provided by my Department directly to local authorities, who in turn, advance the funding to the AHBs, as appropriate....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Citizens' Assembly (18 Apr 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 Citizens' Assembly on Biodiversity Loss. I strongly welcome the publication of the report of this Assembly and am grateful to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (18 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 828, 835 and 857 together. The Residential Tenancies Board, or RTB, was established as a quasi-judicial independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2022 to regulate the rental sector; provide information to tenants and landlords; maintain a national register of tenancies; resolve disputes between tenants and landlords; and conduct...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (18 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government’s Housing for All plan targets the delivery of 18,000 Cost Rental homes by 2030, primarily through delivery by Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), Local Authorities and the Land Development Agency (LDA). Funding has been allocated to AHBs through the Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) scheme, and to local authorities through the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF). The policy...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (18 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides funding to local authorities under the Disabled Persons Grants scheme to carry out works on social housing stock to address the needs of older people, people with a disability or overcrowded situations. Extensions to provide for ground floor bathrooms and bedrooms can also be supported. The detailed administration of this scheme including assessment, approval and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Staff (18 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Employees are not obliged to state the nature of their illness on medical certificates or on the NSSO Human Resources Management System (HRMS) when reporting illness and absence. My Department actively engages with all staff on long term sick. We offer support through advice provided following regular referral to the Chief Medical Officer and through the services of the Civil Service Employee...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Staff (18 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: There have been three such allegations by staff in my Department against other staff members in the past five years as set out in the table below.All such allegations are dealt with in accordance with the 2015 Dignity At Work policy and formal investigations carried out where appropriate. Year Number of allegations 2019 0 2020 ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Staff (18 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: One member of staff was dismissed from my Department in the period referred to in the Question. That dismissal took place in 2023.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (18 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 840 and 841 together. Housing for All, is the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade. This includes the delivery of 90,000 social homes by 2030. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4bn per annum, through an overall combination of €12bn in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Offices (18 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 845 and 846 together. The National Building Control Management Project (NBCMP) is managed by the National Building Control Office and Market Surveillance Office (NBCMSO) within Dublin City Council (DCC) to provide oversight, support and direction for the development, standardisation and implementation of Building Control as an effective shared service in the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Quarrying Sector (18 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: A number of State agencies are currently responsible for regulating different aspects of quarries as set out below. In light of the expertise that currently exists in these agencies and the interaction with other functions in those agencies, there are currently no plans to establish a single authority overseeing quarries within the State Planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála, as...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (18 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Section 254 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended states that "any person may, in relation to the granting, refusing, withdrawing or continuing of a licence under this section or to the conditions specified by the planning authority for such a licence, appeal to An Bord Pleanála." The draft Planning and Development Bill 2022, published in January has recently completed...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Urban Development (18 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I understand the Question refers to the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF). In line with the objectives of the National Planning Framework and the National Development Plan (NDP), the URDF provides part-funding to applicant-led projects, enabling more compact and sustainable development within the existing built-up footprints of our cities and large towns, while also ensuring that...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Citizens' Assembly (18 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Citizens' Assembly on Biodiversity Loss agreed 159 recommendations, including 73 high level and 86 sectoral specific recommendations, reflecting the depth and breadth of the topics discussed. The recommendations of the Assembly will now be deliberated by the relevant committee in the Houses of the Oireachtas. The draft Planning and Development Bill 2022, which was published in...