Results 8,421-8,440 of 25,732 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: B’fhéidir nach raibh an Teachta ag éisteacht le freagra an Taoisigh roimhe sin. We have put in place clear measures. Some 5,000 new social homes were built in the past quarter, 600 new homes have been leased, and approval was given today for another 1,000 homes, which will be specifically focused on the homeless sector. Approval has also been given for 1,500 purchases with...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Mainly in Dublin.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Deputy Boyd Barrett. The Deputy may have missed the Taoiseach's initial response.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Then the Deputy did not listen to it because we have made a couple of important decisions. First, we are extending the purchase of homes with a tenant in situ. We have got Government approval for another 1,500 homes. I met with all the local authorities last Thursday as well, and they are instructed to do it.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Will the Deputy let me answer the question?

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Also within that, it is for social housing list, HAP and rental accommodation scheme, RAS. What we have also done today, and the Taoiseach was clear about this earlier on, as I have been, is to provide an another mechanism for private renters to help them buy the home, should it come up for sale, and a cost-rental model if they cannot buy it. The latter is a measure I discussed with the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: -----housing limits. What we are about is coming forward with solutions and that is what we have been doing. The Taoiseach outlined what was done in the last quarter of last year. There was significant delivery. I put it to the Deputy that his party, People Before Profit, PBP,-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: -----voted against every single measure the Government brought forward in relation to affordability or social housing - the Affordable Housing Act, the Land Development Agency Act 2021 and budget after budget.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: That is what we are doing.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (7 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Nonsense.

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

Darragh O'Brien: All new dwellings constructed under Housing for All are Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB). While my Department do not collate the data requested in the Question, Central Statistics Office (CSO) data provides an analysis of the main heating fuel for new dwellings in its Domestic Building Energy Ratings dataset, details of which can be accessed at...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 297, 298, 311 and 312 together. My Department provides funding to local authorities to enable them to administer the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability scheme. These schemes assist eligible applicants living in privately owned homes to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. The schemes provide...

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

Darragh O'Brien: 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, 36,000 affordable purchase homes and 18,000 cost rental homes. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4bn per annum, through an overall combination of €12bn in direct...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (7 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The number of staff recruited for the National Parks and Wildlife Service in the grades requested for the years 2022 to date in 2023 is set out in the table below. 2022 1 Head of Ecological Guidance and Advisory Unit 1 Head of Ecological Assessment Unit 10 Wildlife Inspectors Grade 1 12 Wildlife...

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

Darragh O'Brien: In line with the objectives of the National Planning Framework and the National Development Plan, the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) is currently providing part-funding to applicant-led projects, enabling more compact and sustainable development within the existing built-up footprints of our cities and large towns. To this end, the URDF has already provisionally allocated...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as a quasi-judicial independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2022 (RTA) 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 research and provide information to inform policy). The remit...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Equitable and consistent treatment of all applicants requires an objective framework and conditions for effectively and fairly assessing eligibility for social housing. While flexibility allows for some subjective reasoning in atypical cases, it also increases the risk of unfair and inconsistent treatment between applicants. Accordingly, local authorities are statutorily prohibited from...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is committed to serving our customers properly, fairly, impartially and with courtesy. This includes ensuring accommodating diversity and ensuring that rights to equal treatment established by equality legislation are upheld in the delivery of our services. The drafting of legislation in my Department, generally follows the approach set out in Chapters 4 and 5 of the Cabinet...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (7 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is engaging with the Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) sector, including Cena, on its capacity to deliver Traveller specific accommodation as part of the ongoing work of the Programme Board, established to oversee the implementation of the recommendations contained in the Expert Group Review report. My Department funded Cena, through a service level agreement, to employ a...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides funding for Domestic Waste Water Treatment System, commonly known as a septic tank, through a grant scheme. The Domestic Waste Water Treatment System grant is administered by the local authorities and all matters relating to its day-to-day operation, including applications and payments are a matter for the relevant local authority. Under the scheme, an appeals process...