Results 11,341-11,360 of 26,791 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Seanad: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Second Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank all Senators for their contributions. I have taken a detailed note of all contributions. I will, during the course of Committee Stage, get an opportunity to respond to many of them. This legislation, as Senator Blaney rightly said, has not just come about in the past two months. It follows more than two years of direct engagement with homeowners through the various fora we have...

Seanad: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Second Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I did.

Seanad: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Second Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I am just trying to be helpful to the Senator. Amendments Nos. 71, 72, 81, 94, 106, 111 and 150 were accepted. Perhaps not all of them were Deputy Pringle's, however, a number of them were and his name was on a number of them. I welcomed his engagement on it, in fairness. It is not a criticism. It just shows that we accepted amendments in the Dáil and I would expect that if there...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Safety (7 Jul 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. These include a commitment to examine defects in housing, having regard to the recommendations of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing’s report "Safe as Houses?" and to assist owners of latent defect properties, by identifying options for those...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Flood Risk Management (7 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My officials in the Department are currently reviewing the correspondence received from the OPW regarding flood relief measures at Lough Funshinagh, County Roscommon and will issue a response to the OPW in due course.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (7 Jul 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: Departmental Schemes (7 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Local Authority Home Loan has been available nationwide from local authorities since 4 January 2022. The Housing Agency provides a central support service that assesses applications for the Local Authority Home Loan on behalf of local authorities and makes recommendations to the authorities to approve or refuse applications. Each local authority must have in place a credit committee and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (7 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The "Framework for future delivery of water services" which was developed through an engagement process facilitated by the Workplace Relations Commission, will enable the delivery of the Government's ambition for a world class public water system as set out in the Government's Policy Paper on Water Sector Transformation (February, 2021). The Framework restates the Government's vision for...

Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (6 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I will make a couple of points and respond to Deputy McHugh. I thank him for all his engagement right the way through. I also thank Deputies Calleary, Carey, Cathal Crowe and many others who have engaged very positively and constructively, in what is a difficult situation, to improve this scheme and work it through. I have no doubt that, through the regulations, there will be other areas...

Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (6 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Deputies will be aware that the €420,000 overall cap is set by the Government. It is a significant change from the existing scheme, at 90% maximum grant, to 100% maximum grant under the new scheme for different house types. There is a cost per square foot of between €161 and €145 per square foot.

Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (6 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: They are very significant changes. Under the Bill, every 12 months those rates can be varied by a Minister by regulation without changing the Bill. The SCSI set the rates, and I commend it on the work it did. It was an important piece of work. I committed to homeowners at the time with regard to the previous rates, and homeowners had understandably been very critical of those rates, that...

Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (6 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I am allowed to respond, Deputy Ó Broin. People can get their homes back on track and get their lives back on track. That is what we want. We want engagement from the Housing Agency as well, which will be there, and resourcing of the agency on the ground. There are independent appeals and independent assessments. This is a vast improvement on the previous scheme, and I thank the...

Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (6 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: All I will say to the Deputy is that nobody is throwing around figures of €2.7 billion. That is not the purpose. The State needs to intervene in a market failure on behalf of its citizens, to help people to get their homes and their lives back together. I am not throwing around figures of €2.7 billion. That is the cost initially. That only takes in a certain amount of...

Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (6 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: -----greatly improve the situation and provide 100% redress for people. I will not go over the other points raised. I have already put on the record many of the different changes. Voting against the legislation means there is no new scheme in place and it is further delaying the remediation and replacement of people's homes and enabling them to be able to see a future and some light at the...

Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (6 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: We would have no legislation, because that scheme was set up under regulations only.

Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (6 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: It will not be grounded in primary legislation as it needs to be. We will not have the Housing Agency involvement in it or the independent appeals. We will not have all the infrastructure that is set up to make this scheme work. It will all fall. That is what happens if this is voted down.

Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (6 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: At the committee hearings, one of the most eminent and respected experts on pyrite and deleterious materials, Mr. Paul Forde, presented to the committee and did a really good job as chair of the expert group. He was very clearly of the view that an independent review and a scientific study of the material needed to be done. By the way, he had another view on foundations that was contrary to...

Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (6 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I read the amendment. When an amendment includes the words "as far as is possible", it leaves it open to interpretation. What is as far as possible? I am explaining where we are at. This review is important. It will be based on scientific research done independently. I reiterate that should problems or issues be found within it, we will amend the scheme accordingly. Everyone would say...

Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (6 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I will respond to the amendment the Deputy has tabled. It proposes to add a new definition in section 2 in respect of a “standards assessment and compliance report” and insert the requirements in respect of the said report in section 41. The report would require the Minister to publish a report confirming the amendment of various standards in full compliance with others. It...

Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (6 Jul 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I will respond specifically on amendment No. 9. I want to make sure that people are aware that the Housing Agency will look at foundations and particularly the foundations of homes that have been proven to have pyrrhotite in the block. That work is under way and will be under way by the NSAI, to test scientifically should there be an issue with the foundations. I said this clearly on...