Results 9,341-9,360 of 25,732 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (29 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Following on from the Government decision of the 30 November 2021 in respect of the enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme, the Government approved the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks (DCB) Bill 2022 on 21 June and the Bill passed through both Houses of the Oireachtas and was subsequently signed into law by the President on the 23 July, 2022....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Staff (29 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has appointed three Access Officers. These Officers have responsibility for providing and coordinating assistance for, and guidance to, people with disabilities accessing my Department's Services, as required by section 26 (2) of the Disability Act 2005. Specifically, these roles are divided across three areas; Physical Access, ICT Access and Publishing Access. These services...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (29 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme 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, including minimum reckonable income and minimum time in receipt of social housing supports, to be eligible. The tenant or, in the case of applications from joint tenants, both tenants must...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (29 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Draft documentation in the form of revised draft Building Regulations (Part B Amendment) Regulations, Technical Guidance Document B – Fire Safety, and a Regulatory Impact Analysis are currently being finalised. My Department intends to bring these forward for public consultation in the coming weeks.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Measures (29 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Part V provisions seek to promote social integration and secure mixed tenure, sustainable communities. Accordingly, Part V properties secured for social housing are excluded from the Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme to ensure the original policy intent is not eroded over time and the properties remain available for people most in need of social housing support. Detailed...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (29 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority administrative area is provided in the annual statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA). The most recently published summary for all counties, conducted in November 2021, is available at: www.gov.ie/en/publication/f6119-summary-of-social-housing-as sessments-2021-key-findings/. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (29 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Local authorities will always have a level of vacancy in their housing stock. This will fluctuate over time as tenancy surrender and re-letting of stock is an ongoing process. Data in relation to levels of vacancy, average turnaround times and reasons associated with this are not routinely collated by my Department. However, statistics in relation to the social housing stock are published...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (29 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a form of social housing support for people who have a long-term housing need. Under HAP, tenants source their own accommodation in the private rented market. However, additional supports are available under HAP for homeless households or households at risk of homelessness. While eligible households or individuals may source accommodation for themselves...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (29 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. While responsibility for the provision of accommodation for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities, the administration of homeless services is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (29 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government’s Housing for All strategy introduced a new ‘Fresh Start’ principle targeting support at those who have experienced a relationship breakdown or an insolvency. Whilst these schemes are not aimed at supporting mortgage repayments on current homes, they do provide support to divorced persons in acquiring new homes. Under the provisions of the Affordable...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Contracts (29 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Ministerial Staff (29 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: No civilian drivers in my Department have been replaced by official Garda drivers at this time.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (24 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Following on from the Government decision of the 30 November 2021 in respect of the enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks (DCB) Grant scheme, the Government approved the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022 on 21 June and the Bill passed through both Houses of the Oireachtas and was subsequently signed into law by the President on the 23 July, 2022....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (24 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: In July, I launched the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant as part of the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund. The grant benefits those who wish to turn a formerly vacant house or building into their principal private residence. The grant was initially launched in respect of vacant properties in towns and villages but I am pleased to say that as of the 15 November, the expanded grant also...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (24 Nov 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. 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 Land Development Agency and €5bn funding through the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (24 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Oversight of the financial institutions is outside the scope and remit of my Department but I did write to the Minister for Finance on these matters. The Minister for Finance advised that neither he nor his Department have any role in relation to the commercial decisions of individual regulated entities, such as decisions they may make on applications for credit, or in respect of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (24 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The First Home Scheme, launched on 7th July this year, supports first-time buyers in purchasing new houses and apartments in the private market through the use of an equity share model. Full information on the First Home Scheme is available at the following link: www.firsthomescheme.ie. The First Home Scheme Designated Activity Company (DAC) holds responsibility for operating and maintaining...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (24 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My office is currently preparing a response to the correspondence referred to in the information supplied. Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. My Department has no operational function in this matter. Irish Water is required by national regulations to consult...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Grant Payments (24 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The funding system that applies to local authorities in Ireland is a complex one, as those authorities derive their income from a variety of sources including commercial rates, charges for goods and services and funding from Central Government including my Department but also other government departments and state agencies. Most of the funding from Central Government to local authorities must...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (24 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The flexibility of Housing Assistance Programme (HAP) as a social housing support is one of the scheme's key characteristics and was one of the primary benefits envisaged at the outset of the scheme. With this in mind, Departmental circulars relating to inter-authority movement issued in 2017 and 2019, with the aim of facilitating movement of HAP households from one local authority area to...