Results 13,141-13,160 of 25,880 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (21 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Since 2007 it has been a requirement that all new dwellings install renewable energy systems. In 2019 SEAI introduced Building Regulations requiring all new dwellings to achieve Nearly Zero Energy building performance requirements. In 2020 the Programme for Government included a commitment to retrofit approximately 500,000 homes by 2030 to a B2/cost optimal BER standard, and it is expected...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (21 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: As you will be aware, local authorities are independent in the exercise of their functions and, as such, 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....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (21 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Ethnic minorities may apply to local authorities for social housing and are assessed in like manner with other applicants 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. An assessment carried out by the local authority will take account of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (21 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The regulations for the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme came into operation on 31 January 2020. The Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks in Construction (Remediation) (Financial Assistance) Regulations 2020 provide for a grant scheme of financial assistance to support affected homeowners in the counties of Donegal and Mayo only, to carry out the necessary...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (21 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 265 and 266 together. My Department does not hold the data on the amount of vacant residential units in the State, however, Housing Policy Objective 19 in the recently published Housing for All Plan provides for the collection of data on vacant residential units with a view to introducing a vacant property tax. The Local Property Tax returns in November 2021...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (21 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Data on delivery under the repair and lease scheme in respect of all local authorities to end Q1 2021 is published on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provis ion/#repair-and-leasing-scheme-rls The figures for Waterford are as follows: LA Dwellings Delivered - 2017 Dwellings Delivered -...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (21 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Buy & Renew Scheme makes capital funding available to local authorities to facilitate them in acquiring and remediating vacant properties that may be suitable for social housing. Housing for All has a strong emphasis on tackling vacancy and I have asked local authorities to increasingly target vacant and derelict properties that can be brought back to use as part of new public...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (21 Sep 2021)

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 line with Section 28 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provision) Act 2009. Notwithstanding the legal obligations on local authorities to manage and maintain...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (21 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The latest data available reflects the position at end of March 2021, at which point there were 17,608 active tenancies supported under the Rental Accommodation Scheme.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Quality (21 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: 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. The Environmental Protection Agency, through its Office of Environmental Enforcement, exercises general supervision in relation to the performance of these functions by local authorities....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Regeneration Projects (21 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: €476,000was allocated to Louth County Council in respect of the Westgate Vision Project under Call 1 of the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF). This project will provide technical assistance including project management, concept development, feasibility and detailed design and planning associated with “Westgate Vision”. While my Department works closely with...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (21 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department operates the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan, which is targeted at first time buyers who wish to own their own home, have access to an adequate deposit and have the capacity to repay a mortgage, but who are unable to access a mortgage sufficient for them to purchase their first home. The loan enables credit worthy first time buyers to access sustainable mortgage lending to purchase...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (21 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department launched the Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme in 2013 with the aim of funding retrofit of social homes requiring insulation and energy upgrade works. Since the programme commenced in 2013 over 73,500 units of social housing stock have been retrofitted with a total exchequer spend of €161 million under the scheme. The Energy Efficiency Programme has been revised in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (21 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has not placed a general prohibition on local authorities purchasing second hand homes other than derelict homes or one-bed or four-bed vacant properties. Given the impact of the COVID-19 restrictions on many of the social housing construction sites, I announced additional measures to support the delivery of social housing in April 2021 including a programme of targeted...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (21 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The development of the "First Home" scheme itself has been approved by Government and involved legislative change as part of the Affordable Housing Bill 2021, which was enacted before the summer recess. It will be a short-term, finance-limited measure to get first-time buyers into new homes by bridging an affordability gap faced by many. It will boost housing supply and instill confidence...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (21 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Amendments to Part V of the Planning & Development Act 2000 were introduced via the Affordable Housing Act 2021, which was passed by the Oireachtas in July 2021. These amendments were made on foot of the commitment in the Programme for Government to explore expanding Part V to encompass affordable purchase and cost rental units. In the course of determining what amendments should be...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (21 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Following two broad-based Serviced Sites Fund (SSF) calls for proposals to local authorities, funding of almost €200 million was approved in principle in support of 40 infrastructure projects in 14 local authority areas across 9 counties to assist in the delivery of almost 4,200 affordable homes for purchase or for rent. Since then and arising from the Programme for Government...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (21 Sep 2021)

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 Quarter 1 2021, and is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/6d316-local-authority-housing-sche me-statistics/ Data for Quarter 2 will be published shortly....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Stations (21 Sep 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: Wastewater Treatment (21 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department builds its strategic water policy and infrastructure delivery programmes around the National Planning Framework 2018-2040 and the National Development Plan 2018-2027. Investment is primarily delivered through Irish Water while my Department operates the Rural Water Programme directly. My Department provides funding, through the Rural Water Programme, to deliver improvements to...