Results 13,661-13,680 of 26,864 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

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

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All is the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade. Under Housing for All, the Government will deliver 47,600 new build social homes in the period 2022-2026.  Individual targets for the delivery of social housing from 2022 -2026 have been provided to each local authority. Details on social housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Real Estate Investment Trusts (11 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I have no function in the matter raised in the question. Taxation is a matter for the Minister for Finance and is outside the remit of my Department. The Finance Act 2013 introduced the regime for the operation of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) in Ireland. The function of the REIT framework is not to provide an overall tax exemption but rather to facilitate...

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

Darragh O'Brien: While the responsibility for the development and provision of services to support victims of domestic violence rests with my colleague the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, my Department provides capital funding to local authorities via the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) which is available to Approved Housing Bodies in the development of new...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I met with persons and representatives of persons, whose properties have been affected by the use of defective concrete blocks in County Donegal, on three occasions. The first was at the launch of the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme, which took place in Buncrana on 6 August 2020. The second meeting was held virtually on 4 February 2021. The third meeting...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority administrative area are provided in the annual statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA). The most recent summary, conducted in November 2020, shows that 61,880 households were assessed as qualified for and being in need of social housing support. This represents a decrease of 6,813...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Pollution (11 Nov 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.  Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local level,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (11 Nov 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 2021-2030. Investment is primarily delivered through Irish Water, while my Department operates the Rural Water Programme directly. Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water...

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

Darragh O'Brien: As part of Housing for All, I announced a reformed successor to the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan Scheme (RIHL), the 'Local Authority Home Loan'. On 10 September 2021, I also announced a reduction of the mortgage interest rate for new borrowers of the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan by 0.25%. This lower rate will be retained for mortgages issued under the forthcoming Local...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme came into operation on 1 January 2016. The Scheme is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the Scheme. To be eligible, tenants must meet certain criteria, including having a minimum reckonable income of €15,000 per annum and having been in receipt of social housing support...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government sets out a number of commitments in respect of the important policy area of building defects and provides for an examination of defects in housing, having regard to the recommendations of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing report, "Safe as Houses". In this context, I established a working group to...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 49, 88, 92 and 102 together. Supporting individuals and families facing homelessness is a key Government priority. ‘Housing for All - a New Housing Plan for Ireland’, the Government’s strategic housing plan to 2030, sets an ambitious overarching objective of working to eradicate homelessness by 2030 and outlines details on how the...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 50 and 63 together. The Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 introduced the Rent Predictability Measure to moderate rent increases in those parts of the country where rents are highest and rising fastest. A rent increase limit of 4% per annum initially applied in Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) . The introduction of the rent...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2021 regulates the landlord-tenant relationship in the rented residential sector and sets out the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants. The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as an independent statutory body under the Act to operate a national tenancy registration system and to facilitate the resolution of disputes between...

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

Darragh O'Brien: With regard to issue of mortgage requirements and the assessment by financial institutions of mortgage applications, these requirements are governed by the Central Bank of Ireland which retains independence in the establishment of macro-prudential policy and mortgage measures.  Information in this regard, including on exemptions and other matters, is available at the...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 58 and 94 together. The Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, sets out the objective that everybody should have access to sustainable, good quality housing to purchase or to rent at an affordable price, built to a high standard and located close to essential services, offering a high quality of life. ...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, the implementation of a planned maintenance programme and carrying out of responsive repairs, are matters for each individual local authority under Section 28 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provision) Act 2009. Notwithstanding this, my Department provides annual funding...

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

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (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.   A multi-faceted approach is being implemented to deliver 54,000 affordable homes...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Addressing vacancy and maximising the use of existing housing stock is a primary concern of this Government, as demonstrated by one of the four pathways dedicated solely to this priority area in the new Housing for All strategy. The most recent figures available from Census 2016 indicate that there were 183,000 vacant homes nationwide, a 20% reduction on figures reported in Census 2011...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (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...