Results 10,661-10,680 of 26,787 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue of the Mulcahy report. He will know there are complexities. There has been advice as well in respect of the potential publication and, if it were to be published, the nature of the publication in terms of redactions and people's names being mentioned within it. It remains under consideration within my Department.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The year-on-year figures on commencements show commencements are up and the Deputy knows that. Housing completions and starts are up.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing starts are up and we will substantially exceed our target this year - even in a difficult year. That may not suit the Deputy. However, this Government is very serious about tackling the housing crisis. On affordability, every measure that we brought forward, such as help to buy and the first home scheme, that helps young people and renters buy their own home-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Deputy opposed it and voted against-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Deputy voted against the Affordable Housing Act. We see alternatives from the Social Democrats and we are always open to looking at things that will work. This Government's plan is working and taking hold, even though there are very persistent and serious challenges that we are meeting on a weekly basis. As the Taoiseach said, this is our focus and the number one priority. The Deputy...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: No one is denying anything.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I engaged with the Deputy specifically on this case and I met with Graham as well. I do not want to talk about specific instances. There are complexities in that too. We are engaging directly with Tipperary County Council and will continue to do so. I wrote to the Deputy earlier this week in that regard.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: How many have you opposed, Deputy Ó Broin?

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Staff (9 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: There is one civil servant in my Department who is currently on a secondment to a public body and who is in receipt of a higher duty/acting allowance, which is payable by that body.  The civil servant in question has been on secondment since 2019.  This allowance is deemed to be pensionable.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: International Protection (9 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 54 and 58 together. The European Union (Planning and Development) (Displaced Persons from Ukraine Temporary Protection) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 306 of 2022), which came into effect on the 23rd of June 2022 give effect to Council Directive No 2001/55 EC and Council Implementing Decision EU 2022/382 of 4 March 2022, to provide immediate protection in EU...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (9 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a flexible and immediate form of social housing support for people with a long-term housing need. Any household assessed by their local authority as eligible for social housing is immediately eligible for HAP. These households must find their own accommodation in the private rental sector.  The HAP scheme started in 2014 and at the end of Q2 2022,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Bodies (9 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The operation of the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2022, the residential rental market and the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) are kept under constant review by my Department to ensure that the legislation is fit for purpose. I have no plans to provide for a legal requirement, as proposed in the Question. The RTB was established as an independent statutory body under the Residential...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (9 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Further to my reply to Question No. 552 of 8 September 2022, the day-to-day operation of the social housing system, including the oversight and practical management of the lists of qualified households awaiting accommodation, is a matter solely for each local authority. I have no role in this regard.  Accordingly, it is a matter for Galway City and Galway County Councils to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (9 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing First recognises that a stable home provides the basis for recovery in other areas. With Housing First, the priority is to support a person who has experienced homelessness into permanent housing as quickly as possible, without any preconditions around addiction or mental health treatment. Then, intensive work continues on these issues once they are housed. Housing First has been a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (9 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I am confident the funding and targeted schemes committed to under Housing for All will deliver a greater supply of homes and increase access to purchasing affordable homes for all who aspire to do so, including local authority tenants. Government has committed a record €4 billion current and capital funding in Budget 2022 to help increase homeownership. This investment, a 20% increase...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (9 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2022 regulate the landlord-tenant relationship in the private rented sector and set out the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants. The Acts apply to every dwelling that is the subject of a tenancy, subject to a limited number of exceptions. Section 3(2)(g) provides that the Acts do not apply to a dwelling within which the landlord also...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (8 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The water services authority (Irish Water, since 2014) is legally responsible for water services infrastructure extending from a waste water works to the curtilage of a private property. Responsibility for waste water drainage pipes located within the boundary of a property rests with the owner of the property, in line with sections 43, 54 and 70 of the Water Services Act, 2007. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Agriculture Industry (8 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: There is no regulatory provision to exempt slurry spreading in the closed period beyond the 15th October. I have, in consultation with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, set out scientific criteria to consider before granting an exemption to the closed period for slurry spreading under the Good Agricultural Practice Regulations. This exemption can only be applied up...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (8 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies (Deferment of Termination Dates of Certain Tenancies) Act 2022 was signed into law on 29 October 2022. The Act makes emergency provision to defer the termination dates of certain residential tenancies that fall, or would fall, during the 'winter emergency period', beginning on 30 October 2022 and ending on 31 March 2023. The aim is to mitigate the risk that...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Safety (8 Nov 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local level, including investment in wastewater treatment plants and returning wastewater safely to the environment in an efficient and sustainable manner. My Department has no operational function in this matter. As a result, my...