Results 13,641-13,660 of 26,864 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Policy (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: We are on track to get the commission up and running on time. There has been a lot of work in this. Obviously, we want to ensure the commission is populated with the right people with the right expertise and that we have a cross-section of knowledge and expertise feeding in. It will meet formally once a month, with 12 meetings each year. Work will also be done within the subgroups. I...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Environmental Policy (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for his question. It is important, relevant and particularly timely. Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each local authority chief executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he or she is responsible. The role and duties of biodiversity officers...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Local Authorities (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for the question. He will be aware that Housing for All is our Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 units per year over the next decade. This target includes the delivery of about 90,000 new social homes and just short of 54,000 new affordable homes from 2022 to 2030. As I mentioned, Housing for All is supported by an...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Local Authorities (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Deputy is correct that there are challenges in this area, including in building up resources in local authorities. I agree with the Deputy completely that the challenges we face in housing are not just urban-centric, they exist all across the country in urban and rural areas. Our job as a Government and my job as the Minister is to support local authorities to enable them to deliver in...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Local Authorities (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I am familiar with the proposal from St. Patrick’s College in Thurles. On Tuesday of this week, I had a bilateral meeting with the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Harris, to discuss several issues around student accommodation. Included in those discussions was the issue of how we might be able to assist in providing accommodation on...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Real Estate Investment Trusts (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: This question demonstrates Sinn Féin's priorities in housing. It gets two priority questions every six weeks, and it did not ask about rent, homelessness, affordable housing or building capacity in the construction sector but has raised this non-issue. It has done so, and deems it as important, because it wants to create a controversy and sow discontent. It wants to put its own...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Real Estate Investment Trusts (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I am very serious about the housing crisis and the challenges this country faces, about the people on our social housing waiting list and about the 8,475 people who do not have a home or are homeless. The Government has a plan with 213 actions to tackle it. We have introduced the Affordable Housing Act, which Sinn Féin supported even though it criticised it throughout its passage, and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Real Estate Investment Trusts (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: We are making the largest intervention any government or the State has ever made in housing in Housing for All, a fully financed, multi-annual plan, backed by more than €20 billion, more than Sinn Féin sought. We have banned bulk-buying of family homes and duplexes. Just this week, we introduced an owner-occupier guarantee, which will come forward in the large-scale residential...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Legislative reforms to regulate the short-term letting sector through the planning code, in areas designated as “rent pressure zones” (RPZs), were introduced under the Planning and Development Act 2000 (Exempted Development) (No. 2) Regulations 2019 which came into effect on 1 July 2019. Notwithstanding the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, significant work on...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing for All strategy was published on 2 September and provides the funding and the targets for the social housing and affordable housing schemes. This is the most ambitious housing plan in the history of our State, backed up by an unprecedented financial commitment of in excess of €4bn per annum. At a national level, over 300,000 new homes will be built by the end of 2030,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing First enables homeless individuals with high levels of complex needs to obtain permanent secure accommodation with intensive housing and health supports.  The programme is a joint initiative of my Department, the Department of Health, the HSE and local authorities, in conjunction with NGO partners. A total of 695 tenancies have been achieved under the current National...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing for All Strategy delivers on the Programme for Government commitment to put affordability at the heart of the housing system. Over €4 billion in funding is provided annually, representing the highest ever level of Government investment in building social and affordable housing.   54,000 affordable homes interventions will be delivered nationally between now...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government provides for a package of social housing reforms, including the introduction of a social housing passport to allow households move from one local authority waiting list to another.    There is already a degree of flexibility with regard to waiting lists. The four Dublin local authorities already co-operate in arrangements that enable social...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The solution to dealing with the rental market challenges is to provide for increased supply of homes. Housing for All – A New Housing Plan for Ireland does that through a range of interventions and unprecedented investment with in excess of €20 billion in funding over the next five years. Housing for All lays the foundation for an entirely new housing tenure in Ireland,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the Housing Act 1988 it is a matter for each local authority to determine whether a person is regarded as homeless; section 2 of the Act sets out the requirements in this regard.  When a household has been assessed as homeless, section 10 of the 1988 Act provides that a local authority may provide accommodation and related services to that household.   This allows the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Supporting individuals and families at risk of homelessness is a key Government priority.  ‘Housing for All - a New Housing Plan for Ireland’, sets an ambitious objective of working to eradicate homelessness by 2030 and outlines details on how the Government is approaching this challenge. Housing for All commits to taking action to prevent entries into...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 24, 51 and 65 together. 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 2011 Regulations prescribe maximum net...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. Irish Water takes a strategic, nationwide approach to asset planning and investment, and meeting customer requirements. The prioritisation and progression of individual projects and programmes is a matter for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: There are approximately 140,000 local authority owned social housing properties in the State which have an estimated market value of €25 billion. It is fundamental that a management and maintenance system be established to ensure these homes comply with the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations, 2019, that they provide good comfort levels for their occupants and that...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (11 Nov 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...