Results 8,961-8,980 of 26,783 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I sat here and listened to Deputy Gould and sometimes it was not easy to do so. I am just trying to give him some facts. He should give his local authority in Cork city some credit for the work it does.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Deputy has not even acknowledged that the council built 517 new social homes last year. It purchased a further 45 while the approved housing bodies purchased a further 11. That is not even including Part V leasing. There were hundreds of homes provided in the Cork City Council area last year. Including the housing assistance payment, 1,295 homes were provided. The figure on the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I will write to the committee with an update on An Bord Pleanála. This will be useful and of interest to the members. We have 15 board members in place now, which is the highest number ever. They are working through the backlog. Even comparing the number of staff in the organisation now to the number there in 2021, it will be seen that we have had an increase of approximately 60% in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I know that, but there was an issue with open space and also with the mix of units. It was quite a dense development, which I think is good, but there is a desire to row back from that now. Some discussion is under way in this regard. I agree with the Deputy. I want to see these units built and I will provide him with an update. Deputy O'Donoghue raised an issue that we are examining,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: There must be a space for rental accommodation as well, but the Part V requirement does apply. If the accommodation in question is not intended to be temporary, and some in the agricultural and horticultural sector are permitted to-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes, it does.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes, I am aware of that as well. Turning to Deputy McAuliffe's query regarding cost rental, with tenants in situ, this scheme is now in place, as are the changes to the first homes scheme, which was approved by the board of the designated activity company. We have had queries about this from people. These changes are to be routed through the local authorities and the Housing Agency is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I will announce it myself if I do not receive the submission next week. Let us put it like that. It is on the way.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I will. The results, which show 8,300 units coming back in less than three years, are true. The average that was set on voids was actually €11,000 but that is the average cost. We are approving more substantial voids for much more than that. I will write to the Deputy on the voids as well.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Septic Tanks (25 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Water Services Act 2007, as amended, requires all owners of premises served by an individual domestic waste water treatment system to register their system with the relevant local authority. Further details are available at the following link: www.protectourwater.ie/default.aspx. I can confirm that my Department does not compile the requested data. In relation to the Census 2016...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (25 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 297 and 298 together. 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. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4 billion per annum, through an overall combination of €12 billion in direct Exchequer funding, €3.5 billion...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Measures (25 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 300 and 313 together. My Department has been proactively engaged with a wide range of stakeholders throughout the process of review and consolidation of the Planning and Development Act (2000), the project which has been led by the Office of the Attorney General. The Review is ongoing further to publication of the draft Planning and Development Bill 2022...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Public Sector Staff (25 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Based on information provided by the Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR) to my Department, there are currently two whole-term staff vacancies in the OPR. A detailed breakdown as requested is included in the table below. Job title To be filled 1x Executive Officer Live recruitment campaign 1x Clerical Officer Awaiting...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Planning Framework (25 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 304 and 305 together. The National Planning Framework (NPF) is the long-term, 20 year strategy for the spatial development of Ireland to promote a better quality of life for all, with sustainable economic growth and an environment of the highest quality as key underlying principles. The NPF, which was published in 2018, replaced the National Spatial Strategy...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: State Bodies (25 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: An Bord Pleanála (the Board) is the national independent statutory body with responsibility for the determination of planning appeals and direct applications for strategic infrastructure and other developments under the Planning and Development Act 2000 (the Act), as amended, and certain other Acts. The Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Act 2022, which was signed into...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (25 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Part 2 of the Affordable Housing Act 2021, and its associated Regulations, allows for the provision of affordable homes by local authorities, for sale to eligible buyers under affordable dwelling purchase arrangements. Section 6(2) of the Act empowers local authorities to enter into arrangements for the provision of affordable homes with Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), community-led...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (25 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The functions of the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) include the development and publishing of standards to meet international demands for the quality, design, performance, safety and environmental impact of products and services. The NSAI is an agency under the auspices of my colleague the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. While my Department works in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (25 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I recently introduced the Cost Rental Tenant In-Situ (CRTiS) Scheme, as an interim measure developed on an administrative basis, which is intended to address the immediate circumstances of the ending of the 'Winter Emergency Period' on 31 March 2023. This temporary scheme is available where a tenant faces the valid termination of a tenancy due to the landlord’s intention to sell the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Functions (25 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has a dedicated Vacant Homes Unit, and is one of the business units in the Housing Affordability, Inclusion and Homelessness Division. The Unit oversees, drives and supports the co-ordinated approach to addressing vacancy and efficient use of existing stock under Pathway 4 of Housing for All, the Vacant Homes Action Plan, and in the context of the Towns Centre First Policy...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Rangers (25 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Given the enforcement roles discharged by certain staff in the National Parks and Wildlife Service, for reasons of operational security, my Department does not provide details of staffing in the manner requested. Currently there are in excess of 70 Conservation Rangers stationed right across the country, and it is my intention to further increase this number, up to 120 Rangers. In April...