Results 11,281-11,300 of 25,844 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (26 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Local Authority Home Loan is a Government backed mortgage scheme 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....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (26 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government sets out a number of commitments in respect of the important policy area of addressing building defects. Housing for All, the Government’s national plan on housing to 2030, reiterates these commitments. I brought a Memorandum to Government on an enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme on 30 November 2021. It included an...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (26 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) are making an important contribution to social housing delivery, as envisaged under current Government policy.  My Department operates a number of funding programmes that assist local authorities to work in partnership with AHBs to construct or purchase new homes and make them available for social housing. One such programme that AHBs progress...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (26 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I have no function in regard to the management of playgrounds. The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth provided grant funding for refurbishment of playgrounds, however the management of playgrounds is a matter for the local authorities directly.  Local authorities are entirely independent corporate entities having full responsibility under law for the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Waterways Issues (26 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Through the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO), my Department is currently providing €295,688 in funding to the Rivers Trust Resilience Pilot Project. Run in collaboration with the Rivers Trust Ireland, this project provides funding to the Inishowen Rivers Trust in County Donegal and the Maigue Rivers Trust in County Limerick to each employ a Project Officer for a period of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Standards Authority of Ireland (26 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I brought a Memorandum on an enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme to Government on the 30 November 2021 and it included an unprecedented suite of improvements to the current scheme. Government approved the enhanced scheme which it is estimated will cost approximately €2.2Bn. Full details in relation to the changes announced are available at the following...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Energy Usage (26 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has undertaken numerous measures to reduce its energy usage. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) recently published its Annual Report for 2021 on Public Sector Energy Efficiency Performance. The report notes that my Department has exceeded the baseline target of a 30% energy reduction. We currently stand at an energy savings of 39.6% and are on the glide path to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (26 Apr 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, a broad suite of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (26 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 658, 659 and 660 together. 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....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (26 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The funding system that applies to local authorities in Ireland is a complex one, as those authorities derive their income from a variety of sources including commercial rates, charges for goods and services and funding from Central Government including my Department but also other government departments and state agencies. Most of the funding from Central Government to local authorities must...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Meetings (26 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing for All Delivery Group of Secretaries General, which is chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach, has met 8 times since September 2021. The minutes of these meetings, including persons in attendance, are published by the Housing for All Secretariat in the Department of the Taoiseach on the dedicated Housing for All webpage which can be accessed...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (26 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 664 and 697 together. I refer to the reply to Question No. 343 of 22 March 2022, which sets out the position in the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Ukraine War (26 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) is responsible for meeting the immediate and short-term accommodation needs of persons arriving in Ireland from the conflict in Ukraine. As part of a whole-of-government response, DCEDIY, in close cooperation with local government, is securing accommodation for arrivals through: - hotels, guest houses and B and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Ukraine War (26 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) is responsible for meeting the immediate and short-term accommodation needs of persons arriving in Ireland from the conflict in Ukraine. As part of a whole-of-government response, DCEDIY, in close cooperation with local government, is securing accommodation for arrivals through: - hotels, guest houses and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (26 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The project referred to in the Question was developed by the Respond and Tuath Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) on land provided by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLRCC), with €4.5 million of funding provided through the Serviced Sites Fund, the precursor to the Affordable Housing Fund. This project is the result of an innovative collaboration between the two AHBs...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Staff (26 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Seven staff are currently seconded from my Department to other organisations. To the best of my knowledge none of these staff took up these seconded roles on the basis that it was not their intention to return to their position within the Department. While different conditions can apply to individual secondments, depending on their particular circumstances, my Department is guided by the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Appointments to State Boards (26 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The appointment of Board members to An Bord Pleanála is governed by section 106 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act), and Part 7 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended. It provides that appointments to the Board by the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government are generally made from candidates nominated by panels of prescribed...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Refugee Resettlement Programme (26 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: On 31 March 2022, my colleague, Heather Humphreys TD, Minister for Rural and Community Development, and I wrote to the chief executives of the local authorities welcoming the establishment of Community Response Forums in every local authority area to coordinate the community-led response in the provision of assistance and support to those arriving into our communities having fled the conflict...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (26 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Self Help Grant Scheme was an initiative introduced by Kildare County Council to assist local authority tenants to carry out minor improvement works on their home. My Department did not have any role in the design, funding or oversight of this grant scheme. Queries in relation to the scheme should be directed to Kildare County Council. The management and maintenance of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (26 Apr 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Local Authority Home Loan has been available nationwide from local authorities since 4 January 2022. Prior to that, the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan was the mortgage available from local authorities. As of 4 January 2022, no new Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan applications have been accepted, although applications/approvals already in process are being honoured. As...