Results 10,141-10,160 of 26,787 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (18 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The purpose of the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 is to implement and give legislative underpinning to a series of measures to improve and enhance the current grant scheme, as agreed by Government on 30 November 2021. The administrative areas of the following counties have been designated by the Act for the purposes of the enhanced grant...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Supply (18 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Almost 85% of households are supplied by water through the public water system operated by Uisce Éireann. Census 2016 indicated that approximately 172,000 households nationally (around 10% of households) have private sources of water (usually a private well). Updated data based on census 2022 will be published by the Central Statistics Office later this year. In addition, an estimated 6%...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Conservation (18 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The decline of Ireland’s native breeding Curlew is a cause of concern. The changes made to land management over the past 40 to 50 years have had consequences for birds such as the Curlew, along with various other species. It is imperative that we work with those who manage lands where Curlew remain breeding. Since 2017, the Curlew Conservation Programme has operated with local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (18 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 577 to 580, inclusive, together. The Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998 provides that the role of my Department is to ensure that there are adequate structures and supports in place to assist housing authorities in providing accommodation for Travellers, including a national framework of policy, legislation and funding. The Act provides that housing...

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

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: Housing Provision (18 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The Land Development Agency (LDA) has developed the State Lands Database which provides a detailed and mapped representation of the extent and location of lands owned by public bodies including local authorities in Ireland. Its contents are informed by the LDA’s engagement with the Property Registration Authority, Ordnance Survey Ireland and other public bodies. The constraints...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Local authority "own" developments as prescribed in Part 8 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended, are classified as exempted development under section 4 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act), and therefore no planning application is required for local authority development of this nature. Section 179 of the Act provides that, with certain...

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

Darragh O'Brien: 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 Officer (VHO), would be increased from €50,000 to €60,000 per annum, from mid-2022. This supports the commitment in Housing for All to ensure that VHOs are full-time. The provision of...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 588 and 589 together. The First Home Scheme, launched on 7 July 2022, supports first-time buyers in purchasing new houses and apartments in the private market through the use of an equity share model. Further information is available at: www.firsthomescheme.ie. The scheme is overseen and managed independently by the First Home Scheme DAC. The rules of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Site Acquisitions (18 Jan 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The responsibility to bring forward proposals for site acquisitions and potential development sites is a matter for local authorities and all queries in relation to this should be submitted to the relevant local authority in the first instance. My Department has no involvement until such time as it receives a capital appraisal for consideration. Each application will be considered on its...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Decisions on eligibility for social housing support, including the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS), are a matter solely for local authorities with reference to eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations. The Regulations prescribe maximum net income limits for each local...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department does not collate the information requested. In this connection, arrangements have been put in place by each Agency under the remit of the Department, including An Bord Pleanála, to facilitate the provision of information by State Bodies directly to members of the Oireachtas. The contact email address for An Bord Pleanála in this regard is oireachtasqueries@pleanala.ie...

Income Eligibility for Social Housing Supports: Statements (15 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: We will deliver this year about 10,500 new social homes across the country. I think even Deputy Boyd Barrett may say that is a significant uplift and it is welcome to the 10,500 households, many of whom I have the pleasure of meeting right across the country, who are getting their safe and secure home for life. What is important as well is that, for the first time in nearly a generation,...

Income Eligibility for Social Housing Supports: Statements (15 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I will address that. Also, just this week, I approved another 142 cost rental tenancies which will be delivered late this year and early next year. There is a really strong pipeline coming through. We would always look at acquisition, which is important, where appropriate. We are looking at schemes at the moment. I have already mentioned dormant or stalled planning permissions, where we...

Income Eligibility for Social Housing Supports: Statements (15 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I wish the Ceann Comhairle and all the staff of the Houses a very happy Christmas. I hope they get time to enjoy it with family and friends. I wish Deputy Ó Broin, his colleagues and all colleagues a happy Christmas. This is probably the last housing debate this side of the new Government. We wait to see what Saturday holds. I wish colleagues a very happy and peaceful Christmas and...

Defects in Apartments - Working Group to Examine Defects in Housing Report: Statements (15 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I welcome the opportunity to once again address the House on the issue of the report of the Working Group to Examine Defects in Housing and to inform Deputies of the steps this Government is taking to provide support to homeowners who find themselves in a difficult situation through no fault of their own. I thank Deputies across the House in this regard. We will sometimes have charged...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Appointments to State Boards (15 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: A dedicated MARA Establishment Unit is in place within my Department leading the critical work enabling the timely establishment of the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA). The unit is directing a detailed Implementation Plan along three workstreams - governance, corporate development and operational development and is on track to have MARA formally established in March 2023. I hope...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (15 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to the reply to Question No. 90 of 30 November 2022 which sets out the position in the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (15 Dec 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 220 to 223, inclusive, together. The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme was reviewed in 2021 in line with Programme for Government and Housing for All commitments. Amendments on foot of the review came into effect on 1st February 2022. The amendments include a reduction in the minimum reckonable income required to be eligible under the scheme from...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (15 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...