Results 8,501-8,520 of 25,732 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 294 and 295 together. I fully acknowledge the difficulties that homeowners and residents of many apartments and duplexes are facing, and the stress that is caused when defects arise in relation to their buildings. The Government is committed to helping those whose lives have been impacted by this issue. In this regard, on 18 January 2023 I received...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fuel Prices (28 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: In accordance with section 58 of the Housing Act, 1966 local authorities are legally responsible for the management and maintenance of their housing stock. Local authorities also have a legal obligation to ensure that all of their tenanted properties are compliant with the provisions of the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations, 2019 and provide good comfort levels for occupants....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (28 Feb 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 operate a national tenancy registration system and to facilitate the resolution of disputes between landlords and tenants and as such, the case you have outlined is an operational matter for the RTB. It would be inappropriate for me, as...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Public Sector Staff (28 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 298 to 300, inclusive, together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Regeneration Projects (28 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 301 and 302 together. 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. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Public Sector Pay (28 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Building Momentum Public Service Agreement 2021-2022 provides for the following pay adjustments over the period of the Agreement: - a general round increase in annualised basic salary for all public servants of 1% or €500, whichever is greater, on 1 October 2021; - the equivalent of a 1% increase in annualised basis salaries to be used as a sectoral bargaining fund on 1 February...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Commission (28 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Electoral Commission - An Coimisiún Toghcháin - was established on 9 February 2023 by way of the Electoral Reform Act 2022 (Establishment Day) Order 2023 and is now operational. In this regard, section 30(3) of Electoral Reform Act provides that an Coimisiún shall be independent in the performance of its functions. I understand that An Coimisiún is currently...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Public Procurement Contracts (28 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Public Procurement Contracts (28 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The table below sets out the awards made to Microsoft by my Department in each of the years 2018 to 2022 inclusive Description/Purpose Amount Timeline Output Microsoft Advance Support Add-on Package /Annual -Maintenance Support €5,248.66 January 2018 Support drawn down as required Microsoft...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides funding to local authorities so as to enable them 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 are means tested and operate on a sliding scale with the highest percentage grants...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Following on from the Government decision of the 30 November 2021 in respect of the enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme, the Government approved the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks (DCB) Bill 2022 on 21 June and the Bill passed through both Houses of the Oireachtas and was subsequently signed into law by the President on the 23 July, 2022....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wind Energy Guidelines (28 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is currently undertaking a focused review of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines. The review is addressing a number of key aspects including noise, setback distance, shadow flicker, community obligation, community dividend and grid connections. Guidance on the noise aspect is currently being finalised by the Department in conjunction with the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Conservation (23 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Cork Harbour is one of over 100 Irish sites that are part of BirdLife International’s list of Important Bird Areas (IBA); six species were listed for Cork Harbour IBA: Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit; Bar-tailed Godwit; Curlew; Redshank; and Common Tern. Cork Harbour is also classified, by way of Statutory Instrument 391 of 2021, as a Special Protection Area under the EU Birds Directive....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Reviews (23 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Baseline funding for local authorities for 2024 and 2025 has not yet been finalised. Provisional Local Property Tax (LPT) allocations comprising baseline funding and equalisation funding where required, are normally notified to Government and subsequently to local authorities in July of each year, in advance of the local LPT variation decision process. The review of local authority...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Ambulance Service (23 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 210 to 212, inclusive, together. The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Acts 1981 and 2003. My Department supports...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Projects (23 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Details of the studies, reviews and research undertaken or commissioned by my Department and currently underway, are set out in the attached table, together with the scheduled completion date. Information in relation to recently published reports is available on the homepage of my Department's website at: www.gov.ie/en/organisation/department-of-housing-local-gover nment-and-heritage/

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Further Revised)
Vote 23 - Electoral Commission (Further Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Further Revised) (23 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I will keep my statement as brief as possible. For the information of members and the Cathaoirleach, I am joined by my officials, Mr. Brían Munnelly, Mr. David Kelly, Ms. Sinead Kehoe and Ms. Janet Jacobs, along with the Ministers of State. As the Cathaoirleach has said, we have provided briefing material in advance so I will keep my remarks brief. The Further Revised Estimate...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Further Revised)
Vote 23 - Electoral Commission (Further Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Further Revised) (23 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: There was very strong delivery in quarter 4. It was a matter of a debate that we had in the Dáil Chamber and, indeed, at committee. Last year, the outturn was 29,851 new homes across all tenures. That figure has been verified by the Central Statistics Office, the independent agency the State depends on and respects. If others want to call the CSO figures into question, they must...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Further Revised)
Vote 23 - Electoral Commission (Further Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Further Revised) (23 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The first home scheme is one of the affordability measures we have in place and it is working very well. We have just short of 1,000 approvals already. The scheme only launched on 7 July last year. We wanted to ensure we had the IT system in place to back it up. There has been strong interest in it. The State is taken an equity stake and not a second mortgage. It helps bridge the...