Results 8,721-8,740 of 26,783 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: On 25 April 2023, the Government approved additional measures under the Housing for All Action Plan to incentivise the activation of increased housing supply and assist the achievement of the housing delivery targets set in Housing for All, while also addressing cost and viability issues faced by the construction sector. These measures included the introduction of temporary time-limited...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government commits to funding Uisce Éireann’s capital investment plan for water and wastewater infrastructure on a multi-annual basis. The National Development Plan 2021-2030 commits to almost €6 billion in capital investment by Uisce Éireann in the period 2021-2025, of which over €4.5 billion will be Voted Exchequer funding for domestic water...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All, the Government’s housing plan, puts affordability at the heart of the housing system and commits to the delivery of 54,000 affordable homes by 2030. The plan can be accessed at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/ef5ec-housing-for-all-a-new-housin g-plan-for-ireland/#view-the-plan. In terms of arrangements for the pre-purchase of affordable housing...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Construction costs have risen considerably over recent years. The CSO Wholesale Price Index shows a 12-month increase in price of construction materials of 13.5% to March 2023. The Building and Construction Index (i.e. Materials and Wages) fell by 0.1% in the month but rose by 8.5% in the 12 months to March 2023. My Department actively monitors the housing market at all times. The impact...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies (No. 2) Act 2021 introduced measures in July 2021 to extend the operation of Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) until the end of 2024. The designation of all existing RPZs has also been extended until 31 December 2024. The Act provides that rent reviews outside of RPZs can, until 2025, occur no more frequently than bi-annually. This provides rent certainty for tenants...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government’s vision for water services – whether publicly supplied by Uisce Éireann or otherwise delivered under the Rural Water Programme - is set out in the Water Services Policy Statement 2018 to 2025 and is based on the delivery and development of water services in line with the needs and expectations of citizens and users; in compliance with legal obligations; in a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Since the receipt of Government approval in January to draft legislation to establish supports for the remediation of fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects in purpose-built apartment buildings, including duplexes, constructed between 1991 and 2013, I have been working to progress the various programmes of work that are required to place the remediation scheme on a statutory...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Addressing vacancy and making efficient use of existing housing stock is a a key priority for Government, as set out in Pathway 4 of Housing for All. To support local authorities in addressing vacancy, my Department increased funding made available since 2018 to support the work of a Vacant Homes Office including a Vacant Homes Officer (VHO), from €50,000 to €60,000 per annum,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (18 May 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 by 2030. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4bn per annum, through an overall combination of €12bn in direct Exchequer funding, €3.5bn in funding through the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Road Projects (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to my recent response in this matter. Staff of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department have been working with Galway County Council in relation to this project. It is a condition of the planning permission given by An Bord Pleanala that NPWS must agree to method statements relating to the Construction Stage prepared by Galway County Council. Two method...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2022 (RTA) regulate the landlord-tenant relationship in the private rented sector and set out the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants. The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as an independent statutory body under the Acts to operate a national tenancy registration system and to facilitate the resolution of tenancy disputes between...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I can confirm that my Department is in the final stages of drafting the Framework for the upcoming Multi-annual Rural Water Programme. I expect to receive a submission in the coming weeks for my consideration with, subject to approval, the bids process for the Programme to take place in the coming months. The purpose of the Programme is to continue to fund delivery of improvements to...

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

Darragh O'Brien: All development, unless specifically exempted under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act) or the associated Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended (the Regulations), requires planning permission. Planning exemptions are provided for when they are considered to be balanced, reasonable and proportionate and in accordance with proper planning and sustainable...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All was published 2 September 2021. The first annual update of the plan's actions was published on 2 November 2022. Under Housing for All, the supply of new homes is increasing. In 2022, almost 30,000 homes were built, the most since 2008. A record 6,716 new homes were added to the national housing stock in the first quarter of 2023. This represents the highest number of new homes...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (18 May 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 and 54,000 affordable homes by 2030. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4bn per annum, through an overall combination of €12bn in direct Exchequer funding,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (18 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Oversight of financial institutions is outside the scope and remit of my Department but I confirm that I have engaged with my colleague, the Minister for Finance on these matters. The Minister for Finance advised that neither he nor his Department have any role in relation to the commercial decisions of individual regulated entities, such as decisions they may make on applications for...

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

Darragh O'Brien: An Interdepartmental Group (comprising officials from my Department; the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts Gaeltacht, Sport and Media; and Údarás na Gaeltachta) is in place to support and accelerate the ongoing work in relation to planning in Gaeltacht areas. One of the key aims of this group is to ensure that procedures and systems will be tailored, as appropriate to facilitate...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Waterways Ireland (17 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Waterways Ireland is a North South Body responsible for the management and maintenance of more than 1000km of Ireland's inland waterways including the river Shannon. It is funded by my Department and the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland. The information requested is not held in my Department, however arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (17 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I announced on the 28 April 2022 a new funding measure, as an advance stage of the Multi-Annual Rural Water Programme 2022-2025, for the waste water collection and treatment needs of villages and settlements that do not have access to public waste water services.  To fund this measure, an allocation of €50 million has been committed under the National Development Plan up to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (17 May 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department issued Stage 3 Pre-tender Approval for this project on 22 December 2022.   Kerry County Council have advised that it is being advanced under the Social Housing Investment Programme (SHIP) and that they expect that a Stage 4 Approval to Proceed (to contract award) submission will be issued to the Department in June 2023. Should the project proceed to receive Stage 4...