Results 13,361-13,380 of 26,864 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Energy Conservation (7 Dec 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The newly revised ten year Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme launched in 2021 is designed around the Programme for Government commitment to retrofit 500,000 homes to a B2/Cost Optimal BER standard by 2030, of which approximately 36,500 of those homes are expected to be local authority homes. A target of 2,400 social homes for upgrade works has been set for 2021, 750 of which relate to the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (7 Dec 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department received a submission from Sligo County Council, dated 25 October, 2021 which outlined how they proposed to go about putting together a submission requesting the extension of the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme to County Sligo. In order to progress matters I and officials from my Department attended a virtual meeting held on the 2nd November 2021 with Oireachtas...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (7 Dec 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: In September 2020 I convened a working group to examine the issues around unsold affordable properties (USAs). The working group comprises members of the Local Government Sector, Housing Finance Agency, 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, the working group...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (7 Dec 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, the Chief Executive is responsible for staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority. The staffing resources of Greystones Municipal District is therefore a matter for the Chief Executive of Wicklow County Council.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Service (7 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: Defective Building Materials (7 Dec 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 250 and 251 together. The Government agreed an enhanced €2.2bn Defective Concrete Block (DCB) scheme on 30 November 2021. The comprehensive changes include the current 90% maximum grant will be increased to a 100% grant for all remediation options 1-5. The maximum grant cap for option 1 (demolition and rebuild) will be increased to €420,000...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (7 Dec 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme was informed by the report of an Expert Panel which was published in 2017 which involved extensive research, investigations and analysis. Any consideration of extension to the Defective Concrete Blocks Grants Scheme would, in the first instance, require the relevant local authority to conduct the same rigorous analysis as that carried out in Donegal...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (7 Dec 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the Government’s Housing for All plan it is intended to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade. Over 300,000 new homes will be built by the end of 2030, including a projected 90,000 social homes, 36,000 affordable purchase homes and 18,000 cost rental homes. Part 3 of the Affordable Housing Act 2021 provides for the establishment...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Flood Risk Management (7 Dec 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Funding maintenance and repair of weirs is not a matter that falls within the remit of my Department, which has no specific funding line for such projects. Notwithstanding that, in view of the strategic importance of this project from an economic, social and environmental perspective, a once off allocation of €175,000 from the Local Government Fund was approved in 2019 so that...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (2 Dec 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides both capital and current funding to local authorities across a range of funding initiatives to assist them in providing homes for families and individuals on their social housing waiting lists.  To provide transparency on the new social housing projects being advanced, each quarter my Department publishes a Social Housing Construction Status Report and updated...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (2 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: Homeless Accommodation (2 Dec 2021)

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 local level.While responsibility for the provision of accommodation for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities, the administration of homeless services is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (2 Dec 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan is available to first-time buyers only. This is set out in the regulations governing the Scheme. However, applicants who are separated or divorced may be treated as first-time buyers, in accordance with the regulations, if they meet certain conditions, including:  - they are separated or divorced under...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (2 Dec 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I have received a copy of the policy proposals referenced and I want to assure Deputies that I will be continuing to accord priority to working with my colleagues in Government to ensure the delivery of the appropriate responses for lone parent families experiencing homelessness. Supporting individuals and families facing homelessness is a key Government...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (2 Dec 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Properties (2 Dec 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has taken multiple steps to mitigate the risks posed by COVID in the workplace. These steps include risk assessments which have been conducted in all Department Office locations. These assessments have taken into account public health guidelines and also guidance from the OPW, Health and Safety Authority and the Work Safely Protocol. All recommended control measures listed in...