Results 10,161-10,180 of 25,799 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Mortgage Resolution Processes (15 Sep 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 203 and 204 together. The Mortgage to Rent (MTR) scheme was introduced in 2012 for borrowers of commercial lending institutions and is targeted at those households in mortgage arrears who have had their mortgage position deemed unsustainable by their lender under the Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process (MARP), who agree to the voluntary surrender of their home...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (15 Sep 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department does not have access to data on the number of derelict buildings which have been brought back into circulation during this period. The preliminary findings of Census 2022 provided a figure of 166,752 vacant homes nationwide. This represents 7.8% of the housing stock. Studies suggest a properly functioning housing market will have a base vacancy rate for this reason and it is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (15 Sep 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I have no function in relation to allotments, community gardens or urban orchards and my Department does not hold the information requested. The locus of responsibility or accountability at central level is determined by the nature of the particular issue or activity involved, not by the fact that it involves a local authority role per se. In addition, local authorities are entirely...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The working group convened in September 2020 to examine the issues relating to unsold affordable properties is continuing to consider a number of options and met most recently on 14th September 2022. Any solutions put forward will consider all relevant parties including the tenants, the approved housing bodies, the local authorities and achieve good value for the Exchequer. These will be...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (15 Sep 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 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. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Staff (15 Sep 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: When dealing with special leave with pay (SLWP) for Covid-19 my Department applies the guidelines and policies set out in the Guidance and FAQs for Public Service Employers during COVID-19. The latest version of this document was issued on 22 May 2022 and included changes to the policy surrounding the payment of SLWP. This document can be found using the following link: SLWP is currently...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The design and delivery of new social homes as well as the maintenance and upkeep of existing properties, are the direct responsibility of our local authorities, working in partnership with AHBs. My Department is providing substantial funding to the local authorities for their work in these important areas and I understand that the Council is deploying some of the €1.628 million which...

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

Darragh O'Brien: A key principle of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme is that eligible households source their own accommodation in the private rented sector, which best suits their needs, in their area of choice. On entering the HAP scheme, tenants are required to stay in the same property for at least two years. However, they may be able to apply to their local authority for a new HAP payment...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (14 Sep 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the Water Services Acts 2007 and 2012 (Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems) Regulations 2012, the owner of a domestic waste water treatment system is responsible for its maintenance and renewal and should ensure that its parts and components are fit for purpose, operational where appropriate, kept in good order and repair so as to prevent a risk to human health or the environment. My...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (14 Sep 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Local authorities are solely responsible under the Housing Acts for setting and collecting rent on their dwellings. The making and amending of local authority rent schemes is an executive function and, notwithstanding broad principles set out by my Department, including that rents charged should be income-based and reflect tenants’ ability to pay, I have no role in this regard. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (14 Sep 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Data on the Repair and Leasing Scheme, including the number of applications received, as well as the number of units delivered, in respect of all local authorities is published at gov.ie - Overall social housing provision (www.gov.ie) Local authorities determine eligibility for the scheme by taking account of local housing need, the suitability of dwellings, sustainable communities’...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (14 Sep 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Under Housing for All, my Department was tasked with undertaking an analytical exercise to examine whether the level of discretion available to Local Authorities under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) was adequate. The Housing Agency undertook to carry out this analytical exercise on behalf of my Department to better understand what level of discretion should be made available to Local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (14 Sep 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 Bill 2022 on 21 June and the Bill passed through both Houses of the Oireachtas and was subsequently signed into law by the President. The purpose of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (14 Sep 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 introduced the Rent Predictability Measure to moderate rent increases in those parts of the country where rents are highest and rising fastest. The Residential Tenancies (No. 2) Act 2021 introduced measures in July 2021 to extend the operation of Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) until the end of 2024 and prohibit any...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (14 Sep 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 Bill 2022 on 21 June and the Bill passed through both Houses of the Oireacthas and was subsequently signed into law by the President on the 23 July, 2022. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (14 Sep 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 210, 230 and 232 together. Housing for All was published in September 2021 and, as part of a broad suite of social housing reforms, committed to reviewing income eligibility for social housing. The review, which examined inter alia the efficiency of the current banding model and income limits applicable to local authorities, has been completed and I...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (14 Sep 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: Urban Development (14 Sep 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The question of city status for Drogheda is not being considered at the moment. The National Planning Framework published in 2018 sets out a vision and strategy for the spatial development of Ireland to 2040. The Framework recognises the strategic importance of Drogheda and aims to support its development and its economic potential as part of the Dublin-Belfast Corridor and in particular the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (14 Sep 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on social housing delivery which is available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provis ion/. The data that is publicly available includes a breakdown on the delivery programmes for all social homes for all local authority areas.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (14 Sep 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides funding to local authorities for the delivery of new social homes through a range of build, acquisition and leasing mechanisms, including in conjunction with Approved Housing Bodies. The funding provided in each of the years 2016 to 2021 is set out in the table below. Year €m 2016 462 2017 ...