Results 10,221-10,240 of 25,799 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 393 and 396 together. The Department of Social Protection Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme offers a safety net within the overall social welfare system by assisting those whose means are insufficient to meet their own needs and those of their dependents. The main purpose of the scheme is to provide immediate and flexible assistance to those in need who...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 394 and 400 together. The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) and the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) are forms of social housing support, provided by my Department, for people who have a long-term housing need. If a household has been deemed eligible for social housing support, it is a matter for the local authority to examine the suite of social housing...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 395, 397, 398 and 399 together. The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a form of social housing support for people who have a long-term housing need. In order for a household to qualify for HAP, they must first be assessed as eligible for social housing support by their local authority. Any household assessed as eligible for social housing is immediately...

Seanad: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (13 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I acknowledge the Acting Chair’s ruling. I know that we have a number of amendments to get through. It might be helpful if I address some of the questions in the context of the overall debate as we get to other amendments. First, I will speak directly to the amendment, which is the definition. The Bill states, "“defective concrete blocks” means concrete blocks that...

Seanad: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (13 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Okay. I will not respond to these questions.

Seanad: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (13 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: It might be helpful to speak on the damage threshold.

Seanad: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (13 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: We might.

Seanad: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (13 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Damage threshold ensures that the worst first are remediated. It is not to keep anyone out. Genuinely. That is the way it operates. The east coast scheme has been referred to as well. It is the principle of worst first, which residents wanted and which is what I want as well. There are thousands of homes to remediate. This scheme will be in operation for a significant number of years -...

Seanad: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (13 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I will not be accepting amendment No. 1.

Seanad: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (13 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Senator for tabling the amendment. To be very clear again, it will be based on scientific research. The relevant research was sought and is being carried out. I understand why people want that. The process will take time. If the research, which is independent of me and my Department, indicates that there is a problem, that problem will be rectified. If there is a problem...

Seanad: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (13 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Senators for tabling the amendment. To follow on from what Senator Blaney said, that is fundamentally the issue. There are homes that are ready now to be remediated in the coming weeks and months and many homeowners will want to move that forward. The review is really important. Senator Boyhan's amendment proposes that the Minister request the National Standards Authority of...

Seanad: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (13 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Cuirim fíor fháilte roimh na haíonna. Section 11 provides for an increase or a decrease in the overall caps by way of a Government order. The reason for doing this is because it means we can change the amount by up to 10% for the first three years by regulation, thereby allowing the Minister flexibility which means he or she does not have to come before the Dáil or...

Seanad: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (13 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Senator Gavan for the amendment and thank Senators for their contributions. There is mention in the very first section that the damage category ratings and thresholds exist to ensure that we can prioritise the worst homes first. We need to do that because, potentially, thousands of homes are affected so this scheme will be with us for quite some time. Also, we want people to apply...

Seanad: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (13 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes, with the new evidence. We are not going to insist people stick with a remediation option that is not going to work. I will explain what is required in that instance. An independent engineer will have conducted an assessment and a remediation option will have been chosen. However, because of the passage of time or whatever, it is found that another remediation option is more...

Seanad: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (13 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I assure Senator Flynn that I am not setting the thresholds of what damage should look like or the minimum threshold. That has been informed by the expert group, which comprises experts such as scientists and people qualified in the appropriate areas. There was reference to the 1.5 mm threshold and it is a recommendation from the expert group. We will set the threshold on the basis of...

Seanad: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (13 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I have not purposely compared the pyrite remediation scheme for the east coast and this Bill. They are very different schemes. There are additional items in this scheme, particularly in respect of second properties, second grant options registered with the Residential Tenancies Board, RTB, increased costs and grant amounts. It is therefore a substantially better scheme than the east coast...

Seanad: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (13 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I think we should be able to deal with multi-unit developments and apartments and the exceptional circumstances clause through regulation. If that requires a small amendment to an Act, which it may, we will do that. We have not bottomed that out, but I am putting on record here, as I did in the Dáil, that it is my absolute intention that both those elements be dealt with. We just have...

Seanad: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (13 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I will now address amendment No. 37. Retrospective application of benefits of the enhanced scheme will apply to applicants under the current scheme. Retrospectively including homes which were remediated before the grant scheme and the IS 465 standard would, if it was introduced, be extremely complex. It is genuinely not clear how many such homes are in this situation. In the absence of...

Seanad: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (13 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Senators for their contributions and for the amendment. All present recognise the massive leap forward being made with this scheme. That has been acknowledged by homeowners, as well as by all parties and Independents. It is a scheme that is vastly different from the one in place from January 2020 - unrecognisably so. Fundamentally, it gives 100% redress based on independent...

Seanad: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (13 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes, that is the intention. There is no downsizing penalty. The scheme is fair and appropriate. Fundamentally, we are doing this because we want to help people to rebuild their homes and get their lives back on track. We need to be honest with people. This scheme will work. It will probably cost at least €2.7 billion of Exchequer funding, and rightly so.All of the people affected...