Results 9,601-9,620 of 25,799 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Telecommunications Infrastructure (22 Nov 2022)

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, as amended, and certain other Acts. Sections 50, 50A and 50B of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, codify the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Measures (22 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Planning and Development, Maritime and Valuation (Amendment) Act 2022 was enacted on 24 July 2022. My Department is currently drafting regulations to provide for consequential amendments to the Planning and Development Regulations regarding the substitute consent procedure, following which the substitute consent provisions of the Planning and Development, Maritime and Valuation...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (22 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 local authorities in addressing homelessness at a local level.  Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless accommodation and related services rests with individual local authorities.   While...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (22 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government sets out a number of commitments in respect of the important policy area of addressing building defects. These include a commitment to examine defects in housing, having regard to the recommendations of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing’s report Safe as Houses? and to assist owners of latent defect properties, by identifying options...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (22 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 306 and 307 together. I intend to bring forward legislation early in the new year regarding eligibility of non-nationals for social housing, including provision for legal residence as an eligibility criterion in any assessment for social housing support.  In the meantime, my Department continues to provide guidance and updates as needed on related...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (22 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: In relation to concerns around the adequacy of certain local authority housing, my Department is committed to ensuring that tenants in social housing are provided with adequate housing that meets the standards most recently laid down in the Housing (Standards For Rented Houses) Regulations 2019. All landlords including social housing landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that their...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (22 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 309 and 310 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (22 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 setting of the initial First Home Scheme price ceilings was informed primarily by an analysis of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (22 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 313, 314, 315, 316 and 317 together. My Department provides funding to local authorities for the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability Scheme. These schemes assist eligible applicants living in privately owned homes to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs, with Exchequer funding of €65 million...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Ukraine War (17 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is continuing to work closely with local authorities and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY), as well as engaging with private owners, the Department of Justice, the OPW, the HSE, and the Department of Education to identify, refurbish, and bring into use, multi-unit vacant properties that may be suitable and available as...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Cost of Living Issues (17 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides funding to local authorities for the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability Scheme. These schemes assist eligible applicants living in privately owned homes to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs, with Exchequer funding of €65 million available nationally in 2022. As part of the annual budgetary process the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Service (17 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Retained local authority fire services are made up of both the senior fire officer ranks the Question refers to who are are whole-time fire service officer grades employed by local authorities, as well as ‘retained’ local authority firefighters. Retained firefighters are men and women who are ‘on call’ to respond to a range of fire service emergencies. Many...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (17 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: In October of last year I requested National Building Control and Market Surveillance Office, in partnership with Donegal County Council and Geological Survey Ireland, to carry out an audit of all quarries in Donegal to evaluate relevant economic operators’ compliance with the Construction Products Regulation (EU) No 305/2011 when placing relevant construction products (aggregate...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Quality (17 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is currently preparing the third River Basin Management Plan for Ireland, to cover the period up to 2027. This plan will build on the work of the second-cycle, and will again describe the main pressures and activities affecting water status, set out the environmental objectives to be achieved up to 2027 and identify the measures needed to achieve these objectives, including...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Quality (17 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The European Union’s Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) (as amended) requires Member States to protect habitats and wildlife areas of European interest by, among other things, designating sites as Special Areas of Conservation. The European Union Habitats (Lough Corrib Special Area of Conservation 000297) Regulations 2022 completes the formal designation of Lough Corrib site as a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Approved Housing Bodies (17 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: All landlords, including Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties comply with the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019. Responsibility for the enforcement of the Regulations rests with the relevant local authority. There is no legal obligation to conduct virtual inspections, however a number of local authorities piloted...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (17 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I am currently considering potential changes to the social housing income eligibility model. In the meantime, I have approved proposals to scope and develop options for a new income eligibility model. This work will commence shortly under the aegis of the Housing Agency who have been tasked with commissioning it and I expect that the work will complete in the next few months. I have...

Retained Firefighters: Motion [Private Members] (15 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "acknowledges that: — Retained Firefighters are highly committed frontline responders providing an exceptional service within their communities; — the retained fire service has been shown to be highly effective in dealing with a wide range of emergencies, working...

Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (No. 4) Regulations 2022: Referral to Joint Committee (15 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I move: That the proposal that Dáil Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft: Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (No. 4) Regulations 2022 a copy of which has been laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on 2nd November, 2022, be referred to the Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage, in accordance with Standing Order 95(5),...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (15 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: On 19 January 2022, the Government announced a Covid-19 recognition payment for frontline healthcare workers to recognise their unique role during the pandemic. This once-off payment is ring fenced to staff who were ordinarily onsite in Covid-19-exposed healthcare environments within the period from 1 March 2020 to 30 June 2021. It applies to eligible staff in the public health service and...