Results 13,861-13,880 of 25,880 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I am considering the report, entitled 'A Review Into Certain Planning Matters in Respect of Donegal County Council', by Mr. Rory Mulcahy S.C., and will bring this matter to Government for consideration in due course. In this regard, the decisions of the Commissioner for Environmental Information (CEI/18/0019) of 13 February 2019 and the Information Commissioner (OIC-59426-Q8D7T8) of 27...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Travel and subsistence expenses incurred by my Department in the years 2020 and 2021 to date are set out in the following table: Year- 2020 Amount Year- 2021 Amount Home €1,368,190.62 Home €231,339.00 EU €74,611.23 EU Nil Non-EU ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Reviews (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Government Departments regularly review expenditure programmes under the established system of value for money and policy reviews (VFMs). In the period under question, one such formal review was underway in relation to homeless services, on which no external costs were incurred. The Local Government Audit Service (LGAS) of my Department carries out VFM studies on local authority operations,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides funding to local authorities as projects and schemes are progressed and as relevant claims fall due for recoupment. Details of housing expenditure under the build and acquisition delivery streams each year since 2016 are set out in the table below. Prior to the implementation of Rebuilding Ireland in 2016, the reporting of housing expenditure was undertaken on a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on social housing delivery activity on a quarterly basis. This data includes details on the number of social housing units provided by local authorities in 2020. This data is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website, at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provis...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: 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 income limits for each local authority, in different bands...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: As of Q4 2020, a total of 2,039 unsold affordable units (USAs) have been identified across 19 local authorities and are available for social housing tenants. In September 2020, I convened a working group to examine the issues around these units in detail. This working group comprises members of the Local Government Management Agency, Housing Finance Agency, Housing Agency, Approved Housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority area is 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 households or...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Reviews (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The independent review referenced was carried out in accordance with the agreed terms of reference that addressed each of the specific concerns that had been raised by certain public representatives during 2011. The review was carried out on a non-statutory basis and as such the reviewer did not have powers to make any binding determinations of facts. The report states that any findings...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: As of Q4 2020, a total of 2,039 unsold affordable units have been identified across 19 local authorities. Whilst the original intention was that these properties would be sold on as affordable homes once demand increased to a level that would stimulate a sale, following the financial crash, developments in the housing market resulted in significantly reduced demand for affordable housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Affordable Housing Bill 2021, currently before the Oireachtas, provides for three schemes delivering on the Programme for Government commitment to put affordability at the heart of the housing system and prioritise the increased supply of affordable homes through (1) affordable homes on local authority lands, (2) the introduction of a new form of tenure in Cost Rental, and (3) a new...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The current maximum grant amounts payable under the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme were finalised in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. This process also took account of the comprehensive engagement that took place between my Department and both Donegal and Mayo County Councils, who operate and administer the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Websites (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is actively in the process of adjusting websites to meet the needs of its users. Websites will be scanned and/or checked to meet the principles set out in the Website Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Version 2.1 at AA level. This is an ongoing process as content changes. Along with scanning and implementation of WCAG guidelines, each site shall also be accompanied with...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Websites (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has a large number of websites, many of which are going through upgrading and redesign. This process is part of a wider approach to website management within my Department. My Department is developing an accessibility strategy and key elements are already in progress. As new websites and applications come online, a greater emphasis is being put into design that enables the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Protection (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My officials will make arrangements to contact the Deputy directly to furnish the relevant documentation in respect of the Wild Bird Declarations for the period 1 May 2021 to 30 April 2022.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Health and Safety Authority has overall responsibility for the administration and enforcement of health and safety in the workplace. My Department has not consulted with this Agency in relation to domestic dwellings located in the counties of Donegal and Mayo which have been affected by the use of defective concrete blocks. Local authorities have powers...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: During a meeting with the MICA action group held virtually on the 4th of February the Group offered to provide to my Department information relating to dwelling sizes affected and the implementation of the scheme for those homeowners in larger sized dwellings and my Department received a submission in relation to this on 29th April. In parallel, officials from my Department are actively...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Financial Services (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Mortgage to Rent (MTR) scheme provides for an Approved Housing Body (AHB) or since 2018 a private company, Home for Life, to acquire ownership of a property with an unsustainable private mortgage from a lender, which also enables the household to remain in their home as a social housing tenant. The scheme is an established part of the overall suite of social housing options and an...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 623 and 624 together. Under my Department’s Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS), capital funding of up to 100% of project costs may be advanced by local authorities to Approved Housing Bodies to provide housing for specific categories of housing need including older people, persons/families who are homeless and people with a disability. Funding...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Grant Payments (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 625 and 626 together. My Department provides funding under the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, in respect of private houses. There are three separate grants available, including the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability, the Mobility Aids Grant and Housing Aid for Older People grant. Funding of...