Results 11,681-11,700 of 26,864 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Animal Welfare (22 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The control of live hare coursing, including the operation of individual coursing meetings and managing the use of hares for that activity, is carried out under the Greyhound Industry Act 1958, which is the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. My responsibility relates to the conservation status of the hare. While the regulation of hare...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (22 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government commits to developing a Youth Homelessness Strategy. This commitment is articulated in Housing for All. An initial draft of the Strategy was developed in Q1. A revised draft is currently under development, taking into consideration feedback from the National Homeless Action Committee and responses received via various consultations. The aim of this Strategy is to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (22 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 53, 55 and 57 together. Delivery of affordable housing, in accordance with the schemes set out in the Affordable Housing Act, 2021 and the funding being made available, will be underpinned by local authorities' Housing Delivery Action Plans. Local authorities, including Cork City Council and Cork County Council, submitted their initial Plans to me last...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (22 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: In accordance with Government policy, social housing construction projects (as with all publicly funded construction projects), must be procured in accordance with the Capital Works Management Framework. The Office of Government (OGP) is responsible for implementing national policy on public procurement, particularly in relation to construction procurement. In January, the OGP introduced the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Sites (22 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, including a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Stations (22 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 62 to 64, inclusive, together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (22 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has received correspondence relating to a number of allegations regarding certain matters in County Wicklow. An assessment and analysis have been carried out of the various allegations raised. Some of the matters raised in the correspondence have been the subject of previous reviews or investigative processes by a person with suitable expertise or an appropriate statutory...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (22 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: Departmental Reports (22 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to the reply to Question No. 75 of 5 May 2022 which sets out the position in the matter.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Regeneration Projects (21 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Acting Chairperson, Senator Boyhan. I thank Senator Fitzpatrick for her ongoing interest in this issue and, indeed, for tabling this important Commencement matter. I visited the markets with Senator Fitzpatrick not so long ago. I am acutely aware of them. I visited them when I was much younger when they were a bustling place that was full of life, full of enterprise and an...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Regeneration Projects (21 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach. He is 100% correct. I have been in the buildings with Senator Fitzpatrick and, fortunately, they are in good shape. I remain to be convinced of the level of restoration work required to bring the market back into use. We can look to the English Market in Cork, El Nacional in Barcelona and others. We can see what they add to their areas. I have...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Second Stage (21 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach agus le gach Seanadóir a ghlac páirt sa díospóireacht thábhachtach seo ar Bille an-tábhachtach, agus go háirithe na Seanadóirí Fitzpatrick agus Cummins, mar bhaill den choiste, as ucht a gcuid oibre. I thank the Senators for their contribution to the debates. I was not here for the first part. My...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (21 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 247 and 272 together. The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as a quasi-judicial independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2021 (RTA), to operate a national tenancy registration system and to facilitate the resolution of disputes between landlords and tenants.   My Department does not collect the data...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (21 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: Water Services (21 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I announced funding on 28 April 2022 for a new funding measure under the Multi-Annual Rural Water Programme 2022-2025, for the Waste Water Collection and Treatment needs of Villages and Settlements that do not have access to public waste water services. Details of the announcement can be found at the following link: ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (21 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (21 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: 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 them so that they remain eligible for the HAP scheme. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (21 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: In July 2020, my Department received an application for Serviced Sites funding (SSF) from Dublin City Council for 375 Cost Rental units at Emmet Road. Approval in principle was granted for funding of €18,750,000 (€50,000 per affordable unit), the maximum amount allowable under the SSF.  The Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) has now replaced the SSF. Dublin City...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (21 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The regeneration of Poolbeg West is an important step in the transformation of the Dublin Docklands area, with the potential to provide for 3,500 homes. In June 2021 following a comprehensive international open market campaign, a consortium of Ronan Group Real Estate, Oaktree Capital Management, and Lioncor Developments (“the Consortium”) acquired a controlling 80%...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (21 Jun 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on social housing delivery activity. This data is available to the end of 2021, and is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website, at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-hou sing-provision/. My Department also publishes the Social Housing...