Results 8,821-8,840 of 25,732 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (31 Jan 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. Minimum standards for rental accommodation...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (31 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Regulations entitled the Planning and Development Act 2000 (Exempted Development) (Number 5) Regulations 2022 were signed on 13 December 2022 by Mr. Peter Burke, T.D., Minister of State at my Department at that time, and came into effect on 14 December 2022.   These Regulations were made under Section 4(4a) of the Planning and Development Act and provide for the insertion of a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (31 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The First Home Scheme, which is managed by First Home Scheme Ireland Designated Activity Company (First Home DAC) on behalf of scheme founders (the State, Bank of Ireland, Allied Irish Bank and PTSB), launched on 7 July 2022. It supports first-time buyers in purchasing new houses and apartments in the private market through the use of an equity share model. Full details of the First Home...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Waterways Issues (31 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Barrow Blueway Project is a significant initiative which will support communities and create exciting opportunities for recreation and ways to experience interesting places from new perspectives. Waterways Ireland obtained planning permission for the entire Barrow Blueway Project including the canal side works and the roadside works from Lowtown to Athy, a distance of approximately 46km....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Urban Development (31 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Limited preliminary  engagement  on a possible scheme to compensate Moore Street traders for business disruption during construction works by various parties, initiated by Dublin City Council and involving Hammerson and my Department started  in mid April 2021.  Once Hammerson's planning applications were lodged my Department considered that it would not be appropriate to...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Like Sinn Féin's guys.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Deputy Gould would probably object to it.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defective Building Materials (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputies for their questions which I will go through starting with Deputy Conway-Walsh, if the other Deputies do not mind. As I mentioned earlier, and as I discussed with both the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, and the Minister of State, Deputy Calleary, a very small number of properties under the defective concrete block scheme may have had work done already. What I said about...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defective Building Materials (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 88, 101, 103, 114, 138, 158, 161 and 220 together. I thank all the Deputies for their questions and the number of Deputies asking shows how important this matter is in relation to legacy defects. I know Deputies of all parties and none have been working hard on this. We know there are significant legacy defects in a large number of apartments and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I will refer to a couple of the examples used by the Deputy. He mentioned the paying down of local authority debt. Does he know why they are doing that? There are encumbered sites throughout this country that have not been able to be developed for the social housing the Deputy says he wants because the local authorities have been carrying a very significant debt, some of them for up to two...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: On the delivery of our affordable housing programme, I remind the Deputy that he and his party voted against the Affordable Housing Act. For the very people who are living with their folks-----

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: -----later than they would like to, we have now provided avenues for them to get into home ownership. That is why 16,700 first-time buyers were able to buy their own homes in the past 12 months, many of them through the first home scheme, which had more than 800 approvals. Again, the Deputy's party opposed that scheme. Many of them used the help-to-buy grant that gives them €30,000...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: -----in a year or two years. However, I am pleased to say to the Deputy that we will quite significantly exceed the target of 24,600 in overall delivery set for 2022, which is a big step up from the previous year. We have a very good pipeline for 2023. We will deliver more new-build social homes in 2022 than we have done in decades. I am fully open to criticism. That is what I would...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: -----or to build on State-owned land, such as that in respect of the Land Development Agency, was again opposed by him.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I know what Deputy O'Callaghan is against-----

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: -----but I have no idea what he and his party are for.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defective Building Materials (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: In the first instance, I would like to inform the Deputy that we have to work through this, and I believe people will understand the regulations are important to underpin the scheme and its operation. There is no pause on applications coming through. Anyone who applies to the previous scheme will get the uplift of the new scheme and, thankfully, people are applying and we are seeing an...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defective Building Materials (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes, it is for defective blocks and I want to be very clear on that. The Minister, Deputy McConalogue, in particular, has been in contact with me, as have other interested Deputies, on that point. I believe there will be a very small number of homeowners in the affected regions who have had work completed. It will have to be certified and invoiced appropriately, etc., for it to access the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defective Building Materials (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: With regard to certified works, works which have been done already and on the retrospective element of that, we will look at the date. We will be flexible and we will do that in consultation with representatives. It is only fair and proper that we do that and it will be a very small number of properties. Just to let the Deputy know, we have had 150 applications in Donegal which have...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defective Building Materials (26 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: There is not quite 500 of those.