Results 13,001-13,020 of 26,886 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (27 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 205 and 206 together. The Local Authority Home Loan is a Government backed mortgage scheme for those on modest or low incomes who cannot get sufficient funding from commercial banks to purchase or build a home. It has been available nationwide from local authorities since 4 January 2022 for first-time buyers and fresh start applicants. The loan can be used...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (27 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I am supportive of a recommendation of the working group on Defective Concrete Blocks which would allow for enhancements, as announced as part of the Governments decision on the 30th November 2021, to be made available retrospectively to current eligible scheme applicants if applicable. I aim to bring the required primary legislation to give effect to the enhanced scheme before the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Construction Industry (27 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The main objective of the Regulation of Providers of Building Works Bill 2021, is to develop and promote a culture of competence, good practice and compliance with the Building Regulations in the construction sector, which will benefit consumers and the general public. The legislation will require providers of building services to register with the appointed statutory body. This will apply to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (26 Jan 2022)

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 Schemes (26 Jan 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. HAP...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (26 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: While the Department does not hold information on the number of Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) tenancies that moved directly into a social housing property, data is available in relation to the number of tenancies that moved from HAP to other forms of social housing support. The majority of these transfers would have been to local authority or approved housing body social housing. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (26 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 74 and 75 together. The Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme supports the delivery of social housing by providing financial support to local authorities for the leasing of houses and apartments. Dwellings under the scheme come from a number of different sources including private owners, Part V and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs). Long term lease...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (26 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: In April 2018, a Working Group was established to conduct a review of the wider investment needs relating to rural water services. The Group's aim is to recommend measures to ensure an equality of outcome between those who receive water services from Irish Water and non-Irish Water customers. The terms of reference of the review provide for a two-strand approach. Strand 1 is considering...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (26 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All – A New Housing Plan for Ireland was 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 aliathe efficiency of the current banding model and income limits applicable to local authorities, was completed in Q4, 2021. I expect to make a decision...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Urban Development (26 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (26 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The local authority mortgage protection insurance (MPI) scheme has applied to all house purchase loans approved by local authorities after 1 July 1986, including the Local Authority Home Loan introduced on 4 January 2022. It is important to note that there are a number of differences between the local authority MPI scheme and standard MPI products available on the market. Most notably,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (26 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: The local authority mortgage protection insurance (MPI) scheme has applied to all house purchase loans approved by local authorities after 1 July 1986, including the Local Authority Home Loan introduced on 4 January 2022. It is important to note that there are a number of differences between the local authority MPI scheme and standard MPI products available on the market. Most notably, the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Contracts (26 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department maintains a contracts register for contracts with a value in excess of €25,000 (excl. VAT). Details of the contracts granted, including the tendering process used, in relation to Covid-19 since the beginning of the pandemic are set out in the attached table. The procurement regulations and guidelines in place throughout the pandemic enabled contracting authorities to...

Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community: Tithíocht agus Cúrsaí Pleanála Fisiciúla sa Ghaeltacht: Plé (Atógáil) (26 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Gabhaim mo mhíle buíochas leis an gcomhchoiste as cuireadh a thabhairt dom labhairt anseo tráthnóna agus cuirim fáilte roimh an deis seo leis an eolas is déanaí a thabhairt do chomhaltaí ar an obair atá ar siúl laistigh de mo Roinn maidir le ceisteanna pleanála inár nGaeltacht. I dtosach, is mian liom a rá go bhfuil mé...

Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community: Tithíocht agus Cúrsaí Pleanála Fisiciúla sa Ghaeltacht: Plé (Atógáil) (26 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Tá gearr-ráiteas á léamh agam. Níl ann ach na príomhphointí.

Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community: Tithíocht agus Cúrsaí Pleanála Fisiciúla sa Ghaeltacht: Plé (Atógáil) (26 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Táim ag iarraidh am a shábháil.

Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community: Tithíocht agus Cúrsaí Pleanála Fisiciúla sa Ghaeltacht: Plé (Atógáil) (26 Jan 2022)

Darragh O'Brien: Caithfidh an Teachta éisteacht fós. Nílim ach ag magadh.