Results 8,741-8,760 of 25,732 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Constitutional Amendments (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government is committed to holding a referendum on water. It is important to note that the establishment of Uisce Éireann in public ownership is already firmly secured under the Water Services Acts 2007 to 2022 whereby all shares of Uisce Éireann are vested in the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform with both...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Matters in relation to the allocation of social dwellings, including the transfer of sitting tenants to other dwellings, are the responsibility of the respective local authorities. My department has no role in this regard. There is no legislative or policy provision preventing a tenant in an AHB social dwelling, who was drawn from the local authority's social housing waiting list, from...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the provisions of the Local Government (Expenses of Local Authority Members) Regulations 2021 a range of allowances are payable to councillors to support them in carrying out their role, including the Local Representation Allowance (LRA). The LRA is a flexible allowance with 14 eligible expenditure categories under which a councillor may claim expenses which are wholly and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has made funding available to support the local authorities in the creation of a temporary support team to: - work as part of the Community Response Forum, reporting to the Chief Executive; - lead the co-ordination of the provision of supports and services to Ukrainians at a local level by the range of public and not-profit bodies involved; - identify gaps or any...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Emergency Accommodation (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The European Union (Planning and Development) (Displaced Persons from Ukraine Temporary Protection) Regulations 2022 took effect on 23 June 2022. The regulations were made under Section 3 of the European Communities Act 1972 and give effect to Council Directive No. 2001/55 EC and Council Implementing Decision EU 2022/382 of 4 March 2022, to provide immediate protection in EU countries for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Emergency Services (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: 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 Service Acts, 1981 and 2003. The National Directorate for Fire & Emergency Management (NDFEM), within my...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Renewable Energy Generation (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Maritime Area Planning Act 2021 is radically transforming the spatial planning and consenting framework for the maritime area. While my Department currently operates the Foreshore Act 1933 that has historically regulated the development and activities from the highwater mark to twelve nautical miles, my Department has not accepted any new Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) development lease...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All, is the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 new homes 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Gaeltacht Policy (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 140 and 141 together. The National Planning Framework (NPF) sets out a high-level strategy for planning and development to 2040. The NPF defines ‘Gaeltacht’ as an area in Ireland ‘where the Irish language is, or was until the recent past, the main spoken language of a substantial number of the local population’. This includes many...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (9 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Section 34(2) of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act), provides that when making its decision on a planning application, the planning authority shall be restricted to considering the proper planning and sustainable development of the area having regard to the provisions of the local development plan as well as a number of other factors including any guidelines issued by...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Deputy Farrell for his question. He is right that it is a very important authority. It has been established and we have appointed the chairperson. The board will be appointed between this week and next. It will streamline the maritime area consent process, which is badly needed on the basis of ensuring that we can protect our maritime area, utilise the resources of our maritime...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (8 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 138 and 167 together. The purpose of the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 is to implement and give legislative underpinning to a series of measures to improve and enhance the current grant scheme, as agreed by Government on 30 November 2021. The administrative areas of the following counties have been...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (8 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 139 and 140 together. The First Home Scheme, launched on 7 July 2022, supports first-time buyers in purchasing new houses and apartments in the private market through the use of an equity share model. Further information is available at:www.firsthomescheme.ie. The Scheme is overseen and managed by the First Home Scheme Ireland Designated Activity Company...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Heritage Sites (8 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: While Tyone Abbey is a national monument in private ownership, the owners may make an application for funding 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (8 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Legislative reforms to regulate the short-term letting sector through the planning code, in areas designated as “rent pressure zones” (RPZs), were introduced under the Planning and Development Act 2000 (Exempted Development) (No. 2) Regulations 2019 ("the Regulations") which came into effect on 1 July 2019. In essence, the legislation requires home-sharers letting rooms in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (8 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT) is a new tax introduced in Finance Act 2021 which seeks to increase housing supply by encouraging the activation of development on lands which are suitably zoned and appropriately serviced. It aims to bring those lands which have benefitted from investment in services and are capable of being developed forward for housing. The tax is an action contained...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social Media (8 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Corporately, my Department uses five social media accounts. In addition, there are approximately a further 40 social media accounts operated locally in my Department in areas such as our six National Parks; the LIFE Programme; National Inventory of Archaeological Heritage; National Monument Service; Marine Planning Ireland and Fire Safety Ireland. Given the number of these accounts, the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (8 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is engaging with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel in relation to the drafting of the Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill, which is well advanced.   Finalisation of this complex Bill has been identified as a priority and the Department is working towards the publication of the Bill in April.  It is hoped that the Bill would then be able to progress...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (8 Feb 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: Homeless Accommodation (8 Feb 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department does not fund any homeless service directly but provides funding to housing authorities towards the operational costs of homeless accommodation and related services under Section 10 of the Housing Act, 1988. Under Exchequer funding arrangements, housing authorities must provide at least 10% of the cost of services from their own resources. Furthermore, housing authorities may...