Results 10,601-10,620 of 25,799 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Good luck.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy and what he refers to as a "revelation" in the Business Postwas no such thing. I brought a memo to Cabinet three weeks ago detailing the measures we brought forward over a year ago to protect first-time buyers against bulk purchases. What the Deputy has neglected to say is that in that period of time planning permissions have been granted for over 16,000 homes with the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I was not trying to score any political points. I was just stating the facts of the Social Democrats position and of what we are bringing forward as a Government on affordability measures because we support home ownership, social housing and social housing delivery. We have a plan that is fully funded on a multi-annual basis to do that and that plan is starting to take hold. There is no...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for his question and for raising the important issue of defective blocks. As he rightly stated, the Bill is detailed and complex legislation. By the way, it has not been delayed. There has been weekly, if not daily, engagement with homeowners and I have endeavoured to engage with Opposition parties. I wrote to the Deputy directly with many detailed questions a number of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I assure the Deputy that, as I have done with all Bills that I have brought before the House, many of which I have received support for from Opposition benches, I will work through the legislation and we will consider any amendment to it as we move through the process. It is fair to say that tomorrow's meeting will give an opportunity for residents to put forward their views. There have...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Angling Sector (22 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I can confirm that the working group established to examine ways to improve fish passage at Parteen Weir has completed its work, the output of which includes an assessment of the feasibility of a number of options to improve fish passage at Parteen Weir. A roadmap of actions has been proposed and the installation of a suitable new fish pass at Parteen Weir represents the first step of...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The oversight and practical management of housing waiting lists, including the allocation and transfer of tenancies, is a matter for the relevant local authority in accordance with the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, and associated regulations. Section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 requires all local authorities, as a reserved function, to make an...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Regulatory Bodies (22 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 31 and 32 together. The Maritime Area Planning Act 2021, which was enacted in December 2021, includes provisions to establish a new agency, the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA). MARA's role will be wide ranging in scope and extensive preparatory work is required in advance of its establishment in respect of each of its individual functions. It is...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Following Government approval, I shortly intend to introduce the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill, 2022 to the Oireachtas. The purpose of this Bill is to implement and give legislative underpinning to a series of measures to improve and enhance the defective concrete blocks grant scheme as agreed by Government on 30 November 2021. My...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme plays a vital role in housing eligible families and individuals. At the end of 2021, over 100,000 HAP tenancies had been set-up since the scheme commenced, of which there were more than 61,900 households actively in receipt of HAP support. Local authorities have discretion, because of local rental market conditions, to exceed the maximum rent...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Local Authority Home Loan is a Government backed mortgage for those on modest or low incomes who cannot get sufficient funding from commercial banks to purchase or build a home. It has been available nationwide from local authorities since 4 January 2022 for first-time buyers and fresh start applicants. The loan can be used both for new and second-hand properties, or to self-build. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation (22 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department publishes a detailed monthly report on homelessness, based on data provided by housing authorities. The Report outlines details of individuals utilising State-funded emergency accommodation arrangements that are overseen by housing authorities. The Reports are available on my Department's website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/80ea8-homelessness-data/. My...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (22 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department funds the Multi-annual Developer Provided Infrastructure Resolution Programme for the progressive resolution by local authorities of housing estates with this legacy water services infrastructure to enable the taking in charge of these estates. The programme is focused on housing estates which are not taken in charge by local authorities and do not have their water services...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Labour Market (22 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Central to delivering on the ambition of Housing for All: A New Housing Plan for Ireland is the need for additional construction sector workers. The number of construction workers involved in residential construction will need to rise to 67,500 by the middle of the decade to achieve an annual average delivery of 33,000 homes. This will be achieved through a variety of means, including...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Local Authority Home Loan is a Government backed mortgage for those on modest or low incomes who cannot get sufficient funding from commercial banks to purchase or build a home. It has been available nationwide from local authorities since 4 January 2022. The loan can be used both for new and second-hand properties, or to self-build. It is the successor to the Rebuilding Ireland Home...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Animal Welfare (22 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The control of live hare coursing, including the operation of individual coursing meetings and managing the use of hares for that activity, is carried out under the Greyhound Industry Act 1958, which is the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. My responsibility relates to the conservation status of the hare. While the regulation of hare...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (22 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government commits to developing a Youth Homelessness Strategy. This commitment is articulated in Housing for All. An initial draft of the Strategy was developed in Q1. A revised draft is currently under development, taking into consideration feedback from the National Homeless Action Committee and responses received via various consultations. The aim of this Strategy is to...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 53, 55 and 57 together. Delivery of affordable housing, in accordance with the schemes set out in the Affordable Housing Act, 2021 and the funding being made available, will be underpinned by local authorities' Housing Delivery Action Plans. Local authorities, including Cork City Council and Cork County Council, submitted their initial Plans to me last...

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

Darragh O'Brien: In accordance with Government policy, social housing construction projects (as with all publicly funded construction projects), must be procured in accordance with the Capital Works Management Framework. The Office of Government (OGP) is responsible for implementing national policy on public procurement, particularly in relation to construction procurement. In January, the OGP introduced the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Sites (22 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All (published in September 2021) provides a new housing plan for Ireland to 2030 with the overall objective that every citizen in the State should have access to good quality homes through a steady supply of housing in the right locations, with economic, social and environmental sustainability built into the system. The strategy sets out, over four pathways, including a...