Results 9,201-9,220 of 25,732 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Seanad: Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (6 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I am pleased to introduce this Bill to Seanad Éireann today. I thank the Seanad for facilitating this important and urgent legislation. I acknowledge concerns about the limits on debate time and the fact that the pre-legislative scrutiny report has not been published. However, the urgency of the issues at hand to address the housing crisis requires immediate legislative action. I...

Seanad: Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (6 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: A vote has been called in the Dáil Chamber.

Seanad: Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (6 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I will check with the Government Whip, but I believe I am required to attend the vote in the Dáil, unfortunately. Beidh mé ar ais.

Seanad: Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (6 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Senators for their thoughtful contributions today. To put this in context, it is about urgent interim measures regarding An Bord Pleanála. Senator Moynihan and other Senators raised issues about the need for a consolidated planning Bill; we are doing that. We are bringing forward consolidated planning legislation, which I intend to bring to Cabinet on 13 December. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Flood Risk Management (6 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Office of Public Works (OPW) is the body responsible for flood risk assessment and mitigation of flood risk. OPW work directly with local authorities in relation to flood risk management projects.  When flooding occurs, the Government approved Framework for Major Emergency Management (2006) designates responsibility for coordination of the local response to the relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (6 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides funding under the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, to assist people in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs.  The grants include the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability, the Mobility Aids Grant and the Housing Aid for Older People, which are 80% funded by my...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (6 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Ethical conduct in public office continues to be governed by the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995 and the Standards in Public Office Act 2001 (‘the Ethics Acts’), and, at local level, by Part 15 of the Local Government Act 2001, as amended. Part 15 of the 2001 Act provides an ethical framework for local government, which imposes a statutory duty on all in the service to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (6 Dec 2022)

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, 36,000 affordable purchase homes and 18,000 cost rental homes. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4bn per annum, through an overall combination of €12bn in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (6 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, the implementation of a planned maintenance programme and carrying out of responsive repairs, are matters for each individual local authority under Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. Since 2014, Exchequer funding has also been provided through my Department's Voids...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (6 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Established under the National Development Plan and a key element of Project Ireland 2040, the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) was launched in 2018 to support more compact and sustainable development within the existing built-up footprints of Ireland’s five cities and other large towns.  In line with the objectives of the National Planning Framework, the URDF is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (6 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Under Pathway 1 of Housing For All, “Pathways to Home Ownership and Increasing Affordability”, I have introduced the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme to assist first-time buyers purchasing new homes delivered by Local Authorities. The scheme operates by providing an equity support to bridge the gap between the market value of the home and the combined value of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (6 Dec 2022)

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. The Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund is a key initiative which underpins...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (6 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All sets out the range of actions necessary to increase the supply of housing to the required 33,000 homes, on average, per year over the next decade. 54,000 affordable home interventions will be delivered between now and 2030 to be facilitated by local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), the Land Development Agency (LDA) and through a strategic partnership...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (6 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I understand the Question is referring to the new funding measure which I announced on the 28 April 2022, 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. An allocation of €50 million has been committed under the National...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (6 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 232 and 233 together. Data in relation to funding provided by the State for Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) tenancies in 2019?2021, broken down by local authority area, can be found on my Department’s website at this link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provis ion/#housing-assistance-payment. This funding represents the portion...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (6 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Local authorities set and collect rents on their dwellings in accordance with section 58 of the Housing Act 1966.  The making or amending of such rent schemes is generally a matter for local authorities within broad principles set out by my Department, including that rent levels should be based on income and reflect tenants’ ability to pay. Decisions regarding how the rent...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Peace Commissioners (6 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: A signed affidavit or letter is required in circumstances where there is no separation or divorce agreement in place. The affidavit or letter should confirm there is no formal separation agreement and no court proceedings pending under family law legislation, as well as the position regarding maintenance payments, overnight access and custody arrangements for children, and property ownership....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Staff (6 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Croke Park Agreement encompassed all civil servants in my Department. No distinction was made between categories of civil servants under the Agreement. My Department does not hold the requested information in respect of public servants employed by the State Bodies under its aegis.  Arrangements have been made that these State Bodies may be contacted directly by e-mail by members...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (6 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Applications for social housing support are assessed by the relevant local authority, in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended. The allocation of local authority dwellings, including the prioritisation of certain...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Inquiries (6 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: In November 2019, my predecessor, the then Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, appointed an authorised person under section 224 of the Local Government Act 2001 to prepare a report into the alleged role, if any, of Dublin City Council regarding payments made to certain individuals for the purpose of facilitating the protection of social housing developments in...