Results 12,281-12,300 of 25,880 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (16 Dec 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I brought a Memorandum on an enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme to Government on the 30 November 2021 and it included an unprecedented suite of improvements to the current scheme. Government approved the enhanced scheme which it is estimated will cost approximately €2.2Bn. The comprehensive changes include: - The current 90% maximum grant will be increased to a 100%...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (16 Dec 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Applications for social housing support are assessed by the relevant local authority, in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011 (as amended). The Regulations prescribe maximum net income limits for each local authority, in different bands...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Stations (16 Dec 2021)

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 the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a central...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Urban Development (16 Dec 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: A total of €3,719,011 has been allocated to Kerry County Council under Call 1 of the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund in respect of the projects in Tralee and Killarney. In March this year I announced provisional funding support of €32,005,146 for Kerry County Council’s successful Call 2 projects – Destination Killarney (€16,068,429) and Positioning...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Urban Development (16 Dec 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The URDF was launched in 2018 to support more compact and sustainable development. The Fund is providing part-funding for projects that will enable a greater proportion of residential and mixed-use development to be delivered within the existing built-up footprints of our cities and large towns, while also ensuring that more parts of our urban areas can become attractive and vibrant places...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (16 Dec 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: As Housing Minister, my priorities in relation to housing delivery are set out under Housing for All; they are to ramp up State building of social homes to help eliminate homelessness and address waiting lists, as well as supporting homeownership and increasing affordability. Under Housing for All there are unprecedented resources available to support public housing programmes. Implementation...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Energy Prices (16 Dec 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Government policy in relation to electricity matters is led by the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications and electricity connection charges and charging arrangements are subject to independent regulation by the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU). Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (15 Dec 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Under Housing for All, the Government will deliver 47,600 new build social homes and 3,500 social homes through long-term leasing in the period 2022-2026. In September, I issued social housing delivery targets to each local authority for the period 2022-2026. Under Housing for All, each local authority is required to prepare a Housing Delivery Action Plan, which should set out details...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (15 Dec 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: A household applying for social housing support is assessed for eligibility and need by the relevant  local authority in accordance with criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011 (as amended).  The 2009 Act defines a household as a person living alone,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (15 Dec 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) are making an important contribution to social housing delivery, as envisaged under current Government policy. My Department operates a number of funding programmes that assist local authorities to work in partnership with AHBs to construct, purchase and lease new homes and make them available for social housing. One such programme that AHBs progress...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (15 Dec 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Local authorities will always have a level of vacancy in their housing stock. This will fluctuate over time, as tenancy surrender and re-letting of stock is an ongoing process. Therefore, ongoing data in relation to vacant local authority owned homes is not collated by my Department. However, statistics in relation to social housing stock, at a point in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (15 Dec 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department publishes a detailed monthly report on homelessness, 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. The Reports are available on my Department's website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/80ea8-homelessness-data/ and via...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (15 Dec 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 89 to 91, inclusive, together. 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 the local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Policies (15 Dec 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department's website, www.gov.ie/en/organisation/department-of-housing-local-gover nment-and-heritage/ provides comprehensive information on our policy achievements and initiatives. Highlights during the course of 2021 would include: - Publication of Housing for All: A New Housing Plan for Ireland. This is a whole of Government plan and sets out a pathway to increase the supply of housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation (15 Dec 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department publishes data on a monthly basis on the number of homeless persons accommodated in all forms of emergency accommodation funded and overseen by housing authorities. These reports are based on data provided by housing authorities and are produced through the Pathway Accommodation & Support System (PASS), the single integrated national data information system on...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (15 Dec 2021)

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. Measures to deliver this housing are supported by over €4 billion in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (15 Dec 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing First enables homeless individuals with high levels of complex needs to obtain permanent secure accommodation with the provision of intensive housing and health supports to help them maintain their tenancies. The National Implementation Plan for Housing First, published in September 2018, which puts the programme on a national footing, is designed to provide this response, by...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (15 Dec 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 97 to 99, inclusive, together. 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. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless services rests with individual...

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (Extension of Notice Periods) Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (14 Dec 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputies who put their names to the Bill. I particularly thank the Simon Communities of Ireland, who have put a huge amount of work into putting the legislation together. Earlier today, I spoke with Wayne Stanley and I commended him on the work he has done on the legislation and the tireless work the Simon Communities of Ireland do day in day out. In response to Deputy Gould,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (14 Dec 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a flexible and immediate form of social housing support for people with a long-term housing need. Any household assessed by their local authority as eligible for social housing is immediately eligible for HAP. These households must find their own accommodation in the private rental sector. The HAP scheme started in 2014 and at the end of Q3 2021,...