Results 9,461-9,480 of 26,783 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (8 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2022 regulates the landlord-tenant relationship in the rented residential sector and sets out the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants. Section 123 of the Acts provides, inter alia, that the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) shall publish dispute determination orders issued by its Director. These orders can be found on the RTB website at...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (8 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I have no function in relation to the matters raised in the question and the information requested is not available in my Department. Local authorities are entirely independent corporate entities, having full responsibility under law for the performance of their functions and the discharge of their governance and other responsibilities. The policy in relation to compensating persons as...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Public Sector Pay (8 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Acts 1981 and 2003. My Department supports fire authorities through setting general policy, providing the legislative...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (8 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: While the management and operation of Choice Based Letting (CBL), including measures in place to assist older persons and persons with disabilities access online CBL systems, is a matter for the local authorities, in line with the commitment in Housing for All (September 2021) and the Housing for All Action Plan Update (November 2022), my Department monitors and promotes the roll-out of CBL....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (8 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: An Interdepartmental Group (comprising officials from my Department; the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts Gaeltacht, Sport and Media; and Údarás na Gaeltachta) is in place to support and accelerate the ongoing work in relation to planning in Gaeltacht areas. One of the key aims of this group is to ensure that procedures and systems will be tailored, as appropriate to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Contracts (8 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department initiated a procurement competition for Security Services for 90 North King Street, Smithfield, Dublin 7 on 1 December 2022, utilising Lot 2 of the Multi Supplier Office of Government Procurement Framework agreement for Security Services. After reviewing and evaluating the tender responses received against the specific award criteria, the company referenced was chosen and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Staff (8 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: There were 1,621 (1,576.39 FTE) staff serving in my Department at the end of January 2023, 258 (253.36 FTE) of whom are located in County Wexford. The Wexford staff headcount by Division is set out in the table below. Division Headcount FTE Corporate & Business Support 53 51.63 Heritage 48 46.93 ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Staff (8 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: There were 1,621 (1,576.39 FTE) staff serving in my Department at the end of January 2023. The staff headcount by Division is set out in the table below. Division Headcount FTE Corporate & Business Support 262 254.53 Heritage 556 534.71 Housing Policy, Legislation &...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Staff (8 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 118 and 119 together. Under Section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he/she is responsible. My Department oversees workforce planning for the local government sector, including the monitoring...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The former chief executive of Limerick City and County Council, Mr. Conn Murray, has done a significant amount of work in the refurbishment programme that has sat with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. We have stood up a new procedure under which Mr. Michael Walsh, the chief executive of Waterford City and County Council, will be co-ordinating the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Deputy Guirke should answer that. Did his councillors get support? How much?

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: B’fhéidir nach raibh an Teachta ag éisteacht le freagra an Taoisigh roimhe sin. We have put in place clear measures. Some 5,000 new social homes were built in the past quarter, 600 new homes have been leased, and approval was given today for another 1,000 homes, which will be specifically focused on the homeless sector. Approval has also been given for 1,500 purchases with...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Mainly in Dublin.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Deputy Boyd Barrett. The Deputy may have missed the Taoiseach's initial response.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Then the Deputy did not listen to it because we have made a couple of important decisions. First, we are extending the purchase of homes with a tenant in situ. We have got Government approval for another 1,500 homes. I met with all the local authorities last Thursday as well, and they are instructed to do it.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Will the Deputy let me answer the question?

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Also within that, it is for social housing list, HAP and rental accommodation scheme, RAS. What we have also done today, and the Taoiseach was clear about this earlier on, as I have been, is to provide an another mechanism for private renters to help them buy the home, should it come up for sale, and a cost-rental model if they cannot buy it. The latter is a measure I discussed with the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: -----housing limits. What we are about is coming forward with solutions and that is what we have been doing. The Taoiseach outlined what was done in the last quarter of last year. There was significant delivery. I put it to the Deputy that his party, People Before Profit, PBP,-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: -----voted against every single measure the Government brought forward in relation to affordability or social housing - the Affordable Housing Act, the Land Development Agency Act 2021 and budget after budget.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Mar 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: That is what we are doing.