Results 11,441-11,460 of 26,791 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (28 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing for All Strategy delivers on the Programme for Government commitment to step up housing supply and put affordability at the heart of the housing system, with an ambitious target of 300,000 homes over the next decade for social, affordable and cost rental, private rental and private ownership housing. 54,000 affordable home interventions will be delivered between now and 2030 to be...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (28 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 267 and 282 together. Tenants in the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme are required to sign a rent contribution agreement to pay a weekly rental contribution to the relevant local authority, in line with the local authority’s differential rent scheme. As set out in the rent contribution agreement, this weekly rental contribution must be paid by...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (28 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department does not provide funding to undertake arterial drainage works in relation to the Arterial Drainage Act 1945. Information in relation to arterial drainage works by local authorities is not held by my Department and I, as Minister have no function in this regard. The Arterial Drainage Act 1945 is a matter the Office of Public Works under the aegis of the Department for Public...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (28 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides exchequer funding to local authorities to support the Housing Adaptation Grants for People with a Disability which are available to a person with a physical, sensory, mental health or intellectual disability. These grant schemes assist in the carrying out of works to make accommodation more suitable for these persons needs including access ramps, adaptations to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (28 Jun 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 levels in accordance with Section 7 of the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013. This includes operational responsibility for the first fix free scheme for addressing occuring within the curtilage of a customers property. In addition,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (28 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing for All strategy delivers on the Programme for Government commitment to step up housing supply and put affordability at the heart of the housing system, with an ambitious target of 300,000 homes over the next decade for social, affordable and cost rental, private rental and private ownership housing. It will see 54,000 affordable home interventions which includes 36,000...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (28 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Data in relation to housing commencements, broken down by Local Authority area, is published by my Department on a monthly basis and can be accessed via the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/a5cb1-construction-activity-starts / Data in relation to new dwelling completions is published by the CSO on a quarterly basis and can be accessed via the following link:...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Service (28 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Acts 1981 and 2003. My Department supports fire authorities through setting general policy, providing the legislative...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (28 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: As you will be aware, the site at St Ita’s, Portrane, is very extensive and accommodates many protected structures and attractive buildings in an extensive demesne type landscape. I understand that a feasibility study of this site was completed jointly by Fingal County Council and the HSE in November 2013, to determine the optimal future sustainable use of this complex and to consider...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (28 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department published the terms of reference (attached) for the Report into the management of conflicts of interest and relevant disclosures by the Deputy Chairperson of An Bord Pleanála in relation to certain Decisions of that Board on the 12th of May 2022. In accordance with the terms of reference, Remy Farrell, Senior Counsel, was requested to provide a report to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (28 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Data in relation to new dwelling completions is published by the CSO on a quarterly basis and can be accessed via the following link: www.cso.ie/en/statistics/construction/newdwellingcompletions / 5,669 new homes were added to the national housing stock in Q1 2022. This represents a 44.5% increase from 3,923 completions in Q1 2021 (when there were COVID-19 restrictions in place) and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (28 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 288 and 300 together. 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. Of these, 463 were in Cavan and 566 were in Monaghan....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Quality (28 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Primary responsibility for the management and monitoring of identified bathing waters is assigned to local authorities as specified in Regulation 7 of the Bathing Water Quality Regulations 2008.   The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the environmental regulator who ensure that the local authorities carry out their functions under Bathing Water Regulations.  As part of their...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Bodies (28 Jun 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. Irish Water as a single national water services authority takes a strategic, nationwide approach to asset planning and investment. The scope, prioritisation and progression of individual projects is a matter for Irish Water,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Bodies (28 Jun 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 levels in accordance with Section 7 of the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013. Staffing matters, including training, are a matter for Irish Water and as Minister I have no role in relation to their ongoing training plans. Irish Water...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (28 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Part 4 of the Affordable Housing Act 2021 provides for the establishment of the ‘First Home’ affordable purchase shared equity scheme to support purchases in the private market. The Scheme aims to support c. 8,000 households in acquiring new homes in the private market in the years 2022 to 2026. First Home will help applicants to afford new homes in the private market...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (23 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I understand the point. We actually simplified the form and made some changes to it last year to ensure that it was in compliance with the plain English guide. We simplified the form and removed some questions that were not required. An application to put someone on the list for social housing is obviously an important application. The Deputy is right that there is a parallel process with...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (23 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: There is no question about me agreeing with the Deputy. I meet with the CEOs on a regular basis. We engage with and meet them individually. I have had two recent housing summits where all chief executives and directors of service for housing from all 31 local authorities attended. That was very much focused on housing delivery. As I mentioned earlier, we will deliver more social homes...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (23 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: As outlined in my response to an earlier question, two affordable housing fund supported schemes will deliver affordable housing in Cork city this year. Cork City Council has advised my Department that the first two phases of the Boherboy Road project in Cork city, involving a total of 117 affordable purchase homes, will see 37 of those homes completed. They will be advertised for purchase...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (23 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: There are further advance purchase schemes coming to us that are under consideration by me and the Department, because the affordable housing fund is open. It is an open call where we bring schemes forward, so the Deputy will see more than this being delivered. The Deputy will also see the first home scheme, which will support affordable purchases of new homes in the private market, and...