Results 14,201-14,220 of 26,864 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (9 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department currently publishes data on a monthly basis on the number of homeless persons accommodated in emergency accommodation funded and overseen by housing authorities.  These reports are based on data provided by housing authorities, produced through the Pathway Accommodation & Support System (PASS). The reports are collated on a regional basis, are published on my...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (9 Sep 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (9 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 321 and 322 together. The Property Registration Authority (PRA) processes adverse possession applications based on Section 49 of the Registration of Title Act 1964 and in accordance with the Land Registration Rules 2012.  Ancillary statutes informing the process are the Local Registration of Title Act 1891, Statute of Limitations 1957, Registration...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Hare Coursing (9 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Irish hare [Lepus timidus hibernicus] is protected under the Wildlife Acts [1976 and 2000] and is also listed on Annex V of the E.U. Habitats Directive [92/43/EEC].  The species is considered to be in favourable conservation status. Hare coursing in Ireland is administered by the Irish Coursing Club (ICC) which is a body set up under the Greyhound Industry Act, 1958. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Flexible Work Practices (9 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 324, 373 and 375 together. Departments and Offices are currently working in line with Government COVID-19 guidance, which provides for home working to continue where possible. Arrangements will be put in place in the coming weeks to allow for a gradual, staggered and physically distant return to the workplace for staff, as provided for in recently updated...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (9 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: In order to be eligible for HAP support, a household must first qualify for social housing support and be placed on a housing list. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Stations (9 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (9 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Details of the applications received and granted by local authority under the Mortgage Allowance scheme are available on my Department's website at the following link:   www.gov.ie/en/collection/fd048-affordable-housing-and-part-v -statistics/.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Supply (9 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Review of Demand for Water Services (2017), undertaken by the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities reported that the average amount of water supplied by Irish Water to a dwelling was 125,000 litres per year. Based on this report, the Water Services Act 2007 (Threshold Amount and Allowance Amount) Order 2017 specifies that the threshold amount of water services for domestic...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (9 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Affordable Housing Act 2021 was signed into law by the President on 21 July 2021. On 18 August, I signed the Affordable Housing Act 2021 (Commencement) (Parts 1 and 3) Order 2021, which commenced Parts 1 and 3 of the Act from 19 August. This brought into operation the Cost Rental element of the Act. The text of the Order is available at:...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (9 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2020 allows a local authority to purchase a percentage of land (currently up to 10%) at existing use value and to use this land for the provision of social housing support. Existing use value is the value of the land without the benefit of planning permission and is generally less than the market value, particularly for greenfield sites....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (9 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Persons who have a disablity and are eligible for a Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan may apply for a Loan. The final decision on loan approval is a matter for the relevant local authority and its credit committee on a case-by-case basis. Decisions on all housing loan applications must be made in accordance with the statutory credit policy that underpins the scheme, in order to ensure...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (9 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (9 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides funding under the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, to assist people in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs.  The grants include the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability, the Mobility Aids Grant and the Housing Aid for Older People, which are...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (9 Sep 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 resolve disputes between landlords and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation (9 Sep 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.  Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless services rests with individual housing authorities. The functioning of homeless accommodation is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (9 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The quality of local authority contracted construction is a matter for the contracting parties in the first place, which includes the Builder, Employers Representative, Design and Assigned Certifiers, among others, in addition to the relevant local authority or Client. Under the Building Control Acts 1990 to 2020, primary responsibility for compliance of works with the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (9 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 356 and 357 together. The role of my Department is to ensure that there are adequate structures and supports in place to assist housing authorities in providing accommodation for Travellers, including a national framework of policy, legislation and funding. Following a review of the arrangements for the disbursement of funding for the provision...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (9 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department’s Rural Water Programme provides a grant for the improvement of a private water supply to a house (private well). My Department understands from the local authority that the householder, mentioned in the material supplied, and the adjacent properties are supplied by the public water mains and the issues that arise are matters for Irish Water to resolve. The local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (9 Sep 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I have convened a time-bound working group which includes representatives from my Department, local authorities and homeowner representative groups. These working group members are tasked with reviewing the operation of the current scheme. Included within the terms of reference and one of the issues under review is the role of responsible parties and financial...