Results 12,181-12,200 of 25,880 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Septic Tanks (19 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Following on from the recommendations contained in the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services report in April 2017, a Working Group was established to conduct a review of the wider resources and investment needs relating to the rural water sector. The Working Group recommended a number of revisions to the existing grant scheme that provided support towards...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (19 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 489 and 504 together. I condemn in the strongest terms any instance where properties are offered for rent in return for sexual acts. I have sought and received advice from the Attorney General in relation to the matter, which I am currently considering in consultation with my colleague the Minister for Justice.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (19 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 490 and 491 together. Primary responsibility for the monitoring, management, protection and improvement of water quality is assigned to local authorities under the Local Government (Water Pollution) Acts and related legislation. Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (19 Jan 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. This strategy provides for a broad suite of measures including for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (19 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Mortgage to Rent (MTR) scheme was introduced for local authority borrowers initially as a pilot in 2013, and has been in place nationally since 2014. Under the scheme, a local authority can acquire ownership of properties with unsustainable local authority mortgages, thus enabling the household to remain in their home as social housing tenants. From its inception in 2013 to end 2020,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (19 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Mortgage to Rent (MTR) scheme introduced in 2012 is targeted at supporting households in mortgage arrears who have had their mortgage position deemed unsustainable by their lender under the Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process (MARP); agree to the voluntary surrender of their home and are deemed eligible for social housing support. The property in question...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (19 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible. My Department oversees workforce planning for the local government sector, including the monitoring of local government sector employment levels. To this...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (19 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 496, 497, 498 and 499 together. The Limerick Regeneration Framework Implementation Plan sets out the high level objectives of the Limerick Regeneration Programme and outlines the strategies to deliver on these goals.  The implementation of the plan is a matter in the first instance for Limerick City and County Council. In respect of the thermal...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Emergency Accommodation (19 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department's role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at a local level.   My Department does not provide homeless service directly but contributes to overall expenditure incurred by housing authorities in the provision of homeless...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (19 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Report of the Expert Panel on Concrete Blocks recommends that, due to legacy failures involving construction products and in spite of the current knowledge, further research should be undertaken to gain a greater understanding of the effects of pyrite and excessive amounts of muscovite mica in concrete blocks in order to avoid future adverse effects in buildings. In February...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (19 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The provisions of the Affordable Housing Act 2021 establish the basis for four affordable housing measures. Taken together, these measures will deliver on the Programme for Government commitment to put affordability at the heart of the housing system and prioritise the increased supply of affordable homes. This will be done through (1) delivering affordable homes for purchase via local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (19 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 508, 532 and 558 together. Housing for All commits to a range of measures to address vacancy and maximise the use of existing housing stock such as plans to introduce a new programme for the Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) of vacant properties to ensure their use for residential purposes. Such a new programme for CPO of vacant properties is expected to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (19 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, responsive repairs and implementing planned maintenance programmes, is a matter for each individual local authority, in accordance with Section 28 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provision) Act, 2009.  Notwithstanding the legal obligations on local authorities in the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Undefined (19 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department received a Stage 3 budget application for the project referred to on 19 October 2021 and issued a budget approval on 7 January 2022.  The next step is for Limerick City and County Council to send the Stage 4 tender report submission to my Department. 

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (19 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department received correspondence from Donegal County Council, dated 6 December, 2021, in relation to reviewing the Administration of the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme. A review of the submission is currently being undertaken by officials from my Department and a response will issue shortly to Donegal County Council. Donegal and Mayo County Council have responsibility for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (19 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 515, 564 and 597 together. Housing for All – A New Housing Plan for Irelandwas published in September 2021 and, as part of a broad suite of social housing reforms, committed to reviewing income eligibility for social housing. The review, which examined inter alia the efficiency of the current banding model and income limits applicable to local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (19 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Under 'Housing for All' the Government's priority is to deliver 47,600 new build social homes over the next five years. Substantial funding is available to local authorities and AHBs to deliver on this objective as the primary means through which they will increasingly meet the needs of those on their waiting lists. I am also keen that local authorities and AHBs avoid competing with...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (19 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: In September 2020 I convened a working group to examine the issues around unsold affordable properties. The working group comprises members of the Local Government Sector, Housing Finance Agency (HFA), Housing Agency, Approved Housing Bodies through the Irish Council of Social Housing, and the Social Housing Leasing Section of my Department.  In progressing this examination,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (19 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Disabled Persons Grant Scheme (DPGs) is funded by my Department to carry out works on social housing stock to address the needs of older people, people with a disability and over-crowded household situations. Typical works include adaptations such as stair-lifts, level deck showers, ramps and grab rails, widening door opening widths and improving circulation...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (19 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 520 and 563 together. Increased rent limits for the Housing Assistance Programme (HAP) and the Rent Supplement Scheme were introduced in 2016. These limits were agreed in conjunction with the Department of Social Protection (DSP).  In reviewing the rent limits, my Department worked closely with DSP and monitored data gathered from...