Results 11,821-11,840 of 26,864 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (31 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I think I have addressed in detail the Government's position on section 5 and how it will operate.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (31 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I will respond to both amendments. We had a long discussion around section 5 and I reject any notion that there is an incentivisation within this. What we are doing is bringing forward a process for either regularisation through a proper transparent process or if that fails, enforcement. That is what it would lead to. Amendment No. 7 seeks to amend section 12 of the Bill by inserting a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Hare Coursing (31 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: A licence under Section 32 of the Wildlife Acts is issued to the Irish Coursing Club which allows for a tag or other marking device to be used. A link to the licence is below:   www.npws.ie/licencesandconsents/hare-coursing  Details of hare capture locations are provided to my Department in advance of meetings.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Hare Coursing (31 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department can confirm that there has been no use of our properties by any Coursing club to hold Hare coursing events and my Department has not received any reports of illegal hunting of hares within the boundaries. The control of live hare coursing, including the operation of individual coursing meetings and managing the use of hares for that...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (31 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Requests for housing transfers are considered solely by the relevant local authority concerned in accordance with that authority’s allocation scheme, which is made by the elected members under section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and in compliance with Social Housing Allocation Regulations 2011. Local authorities are responsible for assessing housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (31 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 231 and 220 together. Addressing the current housing shortage requires short, medium and long-term action to stimulate housing supply. The Croí Cónaithe (Cities) Scheme is one measure within Housing for All that will help to kick-start apartment developments that might not otherwise be developed. In developing the Croí Cónaithe...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (31 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I am considering the report, entitled 'A Review Into Certain Planning Matters in Respect of Donegal County Council', by Mr. Rory Mulcahy S.C., and will bring this matter to Government for consideration in due course. With regard to the publication of the Mulcahy Report, the decisions of the Commissioner for Environmental Information (CEI/18/0019) of 13 February 2019 and the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Emergency Accommodation (31 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 224 and 225 together. My Department publishes a detailed monthly report on numbers using emergency accommodation, based on data provided by housing authorities. The Report outlines details of individuals utilising State-funded emergency accommodation arrangements that are overseen by housing authorities. These reports serve as important management...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Protection (31 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 226, 227 and 228 together. Work on the upcoming Wild Bird Declarations is ongoing. Minister O'Brien extended the existing Wild Bird Declarations by a period of three months up to the end of July 2022. This will allow for the completion of the review of submissions received as part of the public consultation process, the receipt of legal advice and other...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (31 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014, a “tenant” means any person to whom a housing authority has let a house under the Housing Acts 1966 to 2014 or Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000. Typically where a dwelling is allocated to a qualified household, which includes partners, a joint tenancy will be created unless the local authority concerned...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Covid-19 Pandemic (31 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Firstly I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all staff working in homeless organisations for their efforts during this most challenging period. There are many people across the country who went above and beyond over the course of the last two years and their continued contribution has been essential to getting us through this difficult time.  The decision regarding to whom...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (31 May 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.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (31 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, the implementation of a planned maintenance programme and carrying out of responsive repairs, are matters for each individual local authority under Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. Notwithstanding the legal obligations on local authorities to manage and maintain their...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Energy Conservation (31 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 235, 236, 237 and 238 together. Since 2013, Exchequer funding has been provided through my Department's Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme (EERP) to support local authorities with the retrofit of local authority owned homes requiring insulation and energy upgrade works. Since the programme commenced in 2013 over 75,000 homes have been retrofitted with a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Energy Conservation (31 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 240, 239 and 241 together. In 2020 funding of €20 million was made available for an energy efficiency retrofitting programme to  upgrade approximately 750 dwellings in the midlands, under the 'Just Transition' programme. The Midlands Retrofit Programme (MRP) was established as a pilot programme to provide learning on the move to B2/Cost Optimal...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Energy Conservation (31 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department launched the Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme (EERP) in 2013 with the aim of funding retrofit of local authority owned homes requiring insulation and energy upgrade works. Since the programme commenced in 2013 over 75,000 homes have been retrofitted with a total exchequer spend of €184 million under the scheme. Up to 2020, the EERP was carried out in two...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Energy Conservation (31 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department launched the Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme in 2013 with the aim of funding retrofit of local authority owned homes requiring insulation and energy upgrade works. Since the programme commenced in 2013 over 75,000 homes have been retrofitted with a total exchequer spend of €184 million under the scheme. The scheme will also help Ireland meet its commitments...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (31 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I am considering the report, entitled 'A Review Into Certain Planning Matters in Respect of Donegal County Council', by Mr. Rory Mulcahy S.C., and will bring this matter to Government for consideration in due course. With regard to the question of the publication of the Mulcahy Report, the decisions of the Commissioner for Environmental Information (CEI/18/0019) of 13 February 2019...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (31 May 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: Construction Industry (31 May 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Construction costs have risen considerably over recent years. This is due to a combination of the increased cost of regulatory compliance, general increases in labour and material costs, and increases in energy costs. The CSO Wholesale Price Index (WPI) shows the annual increase for building and construction materials to be 18.2% to the end of April 2022. My Department continues to...