Results 9,001-9,020 of 26,783 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Grant Payments (18 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides financial support for the protection of eligible heritage buildings and historic structures through two grant schemes which are, in the main, administered by the local authorities. These are the Historic Structures Fund (HSF) and the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS). The HSF is for conservation and enhancement to heritage structures and historic buildings, in...

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

Darragh O'Brien: In 2013, the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) established a special purpose vehicle, National Asset Residential Property Services Limited (NARPS), to take direct ownership of properties, where there was an established demand for social housing, and lease those properties on a long-term basis to an approved housing body (AHB) or local authority. NAMA funded the remediation of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (18 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Pathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock. The Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund is a key initiative which underpins the policy objectives set out in Pathway Four of Housing for All. In July 2022, the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant was launched as part of the Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (18 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 705 and 789 together. Addressing vacancy and making efficient use of existing housing stock is a key priority for Government, as set out in Pathway 4 of Housing for All. In January 2022, my Department communicated with local authorities outlining that funding, made available since 2018 to support the work of a Vacant Homes Office including a Vacant Homes...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Policies (18 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Article 12 of the Birds Directive (Directive 2009/147/EC) requires Member States to report on the implementation of national provisions taken under this Directive, including specific reporting on status and trends of bird species. The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department considered the results of its 2019 Birds Directive Article 12 reporting to the European Commission....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Grant Payments (18 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 707, 708, 752 and 759 together. Pathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock. Many areas of cities, towns and villages of all sizes face the blight of vacant properties, which, if brought back into use, could add real vibrancy and provide new accommodation in those areas. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Compulsory Purchase Orders (18 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Pathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock. Many areas of cities, towns and villages of all sizes face the blight of vacant properties, which, if brought back into use, could add real vibrancy and provide new accommodation in those areas. While the reasons for vacancy are often complex, the re-use and regeneration...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Approved Housing Bodies (18 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 711 and 713 together. As provided for in the Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Act 2019, the Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority (AHBRA) was formally established on 1 February 2021. AHBRA is an independent body tasked with providing the regulation of Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) for the purposes of protecting housing assets...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Approved Housing Bodies (18 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department, through local authorities, makes a number of funding programmes, including the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS), the Capital Loan and Subsidy Scheme (CLSS – closed to new applications since 2011), leasing, P&A-CALF available to Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) for the provision of housing for social housing use. Once these units have reached the end of their...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Approved Housing Bodies (18 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: As provided for in the Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Act 2019 (the Act), the Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority (AHBRA) was formally established on 1 February 2021. AHBRA is an independent body tasked with providing the regulation of Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) for the purposes of protecting housing assets provided or managed by such bodies. A central aspect...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Approved Housing Bodies (18 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The relevant details are being compiled and will be provided to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme 2016 provides for the purchase by eligible tenants, or joint tenants, of local authority homes available for sale under the scheme. Applicants must meet certain criteria to qualify under the scheme, including a minimum 10 years in receipt of social housing supports. Such supports include social dwellings provided local authorities as well as...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Maximum rent limits for the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) were set for each housing authority area in 2016, in conjunction with the Department of Social Protection (DSP). In reviewing rent limits, my Department worked closely with DSP and monitored data gathered from the Residential Tenancies Board and the HAP Shared Services Centre. In prescribing these limits, household size and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Judicial Reviews (18 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The draft Planning and Development Bill was approved by Government in December 2022 and is the culmination of a year and half long review of the Planning and Development Act 2000 by the Office of the Attorney General. The draft Bill aims to ensure that the major debate is focused on the plan-making rather than the application stage, to facilitate greater clarity and long-term visibility in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Staff (18 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: At present my Department has one member of staff seconded to the Department of Foreign Affairs as an Attaché in the Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels. This official has responsibility for liaison with the European Commission and European Parliament and other EU Institutions in respect of the broad range of topics within my Department's remit. There are no vacancies...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Meetings (18 Apr 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: St. Patrick's Day offers a unique opportunity to promote Ireland’s economic and political interests overseas, with levels of publicity and media attention unmatched by the national day of any other country. This year I travelled to the United States of America for the St. Patrick's Day period, where I undertook a comprehensive programme of political, economic and civic engagements in...

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

Darragh O'Brien: With regard to individuals with a disability who wish to stand for election to local government, my Department is not aware that there are financial, personal assistant, administrative or other supports available before or during an election campaign. Such supports would tend to be a matter for the political parties on whose behalf individuals are standing as candidates or the individuals...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Pathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock. The Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund is a key initiative which underpins the policy objectives set out in Pathway Four of Housing for All. In July 2022, the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant was launched as part of the Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund. The...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Mortgage to Rent (MTR) scheme was introduced in 2012 for borrowers of commercial lending institutions and is targeted at those households in mortgage arrears who have had their mortgage position deemed unsustainable by their lender under the Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process (MARP), who agree to the voluntary surrender of their home and who have very limited options, if any, to meet...