Results 11,541-11,560 of 26,846 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (23 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 24, 85 and 211 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. Local authorities have discretion, because of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (23 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 25 and 77 together. Housing for Allis the Government’s plan to increase the supply of homes to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade. Over 300,000 new homes will be built by the end of 2030, including a projected 90,000 social homes, 36,000 affordable purchase homes and 18,000 cost rental homes. The Plan is backed by historic levels of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (23 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All, is the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade. This includes the delivery of 90,000 social homes, 36,000 affordable purchase homes and 18,000 cost rental homes. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4bn per annum, through an overall combination of €12bn in direct...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (23 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides funding to local authorities for the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability Scheme. These schemes assist eligible applicants living in privately owned homes to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. Funding of €81.25 million is available nationally in 2022 which is an...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (23 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 30 and 53 together. I received Government approval for the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022 on 21 June 2022. The purpose of this Bill is to implement and give legislative underpinning to a series of measures to improve and enhance the scheme as agreed by Government on 30 November 2021. Key features of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (23 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All, is the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade. This includes the delivery of 90,000 social homes, 36,000 affordable purchase homes and 18,000 cost rental homes by 2030. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4bn per annum, through an overall combination of €12bn in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Environmental Policy (23 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Embodied Carbon in construction materials makes a significant contribution to the lifetime carbon emissions of new buildings. The operational carbon emissions for heating, lighting and other services have been significantly reduced in Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB). These NZEB regulations apply to all new buildings including social and affordable housing developments.  Currently...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (23 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 34, 40 and 78 together. The Government needs to strike a balance between restricting the level of rents that tenants are paying and keeping ordinary landlords in the system. A blanket rent freeze will simply not grow, or maintain, the supply of much needed accommodation in the rental market. It is highly likely that a blanket ban on rent increases for a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Urban Development (23 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is committed to ensuring that tenants in social housing are provided with adequate housing that meets the standards most recently laid down in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019.  My Department is actively engaging with the local authority sector to promote the preventative maintenance of local authority housing stock and provides significant funding...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (23 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government supports the uptake of Irish Water's Small Towns and Villages Growth Programme 2020-2024, which will provide water and waste water growth capacity in smaller settlements that would otherwise not be provided for in Irish Water's capital investment plan.  I understand from Irish Water that an allocation of almost €100 million for this programme was...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: State Bodies (23 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, is requested to provide a report to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (23 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All sets out the range of actions necessary to increase the supply of housing to the required 33,000 homes, on average, per year over the next decade. 54,000 affordable home interventions will be delivered between now and 2030 to be facilitated by local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), the Land Development Agency (LDA) and through a strategic partnership...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Ukraine War (23 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 42 and 68 together. 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. My Department is supporting the wider, cross-Government response in a number of ways, including in respect of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (23 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 43, 65 and 84 together. Housing for All, is the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade. This includes the delivery of 90,000 social homes by 2030. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4bn per annum, through an overall combination of €12bn in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (23 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All, is the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade. This includes the delivery of 90,000 social homes, 36,000 affordable purchase homes and 18,000 cost rental homes. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4bn per annum, through an overall combination of €12bn in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (23 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Regulations that underpin the statutory basis for the operation of the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability provide that the applicant must occupy the house as his or her normal place of residence on completion of the works.  The administration of the grants scheme, including the assessment, approval and prioritisation of grant...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (23 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to the reply to Question No. 60 of 22 June 2022 which sets out the position in this matter. My Department previously developed a survey methodology in relation to locating vacant housing and carried out a pilot field-based survey across six local authorities in order to more accurately determine the levels of long-term, vacant but recoverable dwellings that...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: State Bodies (23 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department first became aware of allegations in relation to An Bord Pleanála in parliamentary questions submitted on 7th April 2022 concerning board members' compliance with Section 106(13)(d)(ii) of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended). My office was subsequently copied into correspondence to An Bord Pleanála from Mr. Michael Smith on 14th April 2022...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (23 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, a broad suite of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (23 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The continuing increase in the numbers accessing emergency accommodation throughout the country is a serious concern. The Government, local authorities and others are making every effort to reduce homelessness. Key to this is the delivery of new social housing and boosting overall supply. The Government is investing significantly in social and affordable housing, with record funding...