Results 14,221-14,240 of 25,979 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Second Stage (Resumed) (24 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Are membership cards being given out?

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Second Stage (Resumed) (24 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Senator Norris, and other colleagues, for the welcome. I said some months ago that we would try to initiate as much legislation as we could in the Seanad. I served in the Seanad before I served in the Dáil. Even though we are in the Dáil Chamber, Senator Norris's presence raises the talent level of debates here as well. This Second Stage debate has been good. It covered...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (20 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 241 and 242 together. With effect from 1 January 2011 all new appointees recruited from open competitions to direct entry grades in the Public Service must start at the first point of the relevant pay scale. The appointment to an Irish local authority of persons who are not serving employees of an Irish local authority on or after 1 January 2011 therefore must...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Cybersecurity Policy (20 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department acknowledges that IT security is of critical importance in ensuring the security and integrity of its systems, files and data. In recognition of this, my Department maintains a dedicated, professionally trained cybersecurity staff who implement best practise risk management. Cyber risk management is carried out in conjunction with guidance and advisories issued by the Office of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Data Protection (20 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: In accordance with the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), my Department has implemented a range of appropriate organisational and technical measures to safeguard privacy and protect personal information. These measures include the ability to ensure the ongoing confidentiality, integrity and availability of systems and services. Since the coming into effect of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Data Protection (20 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The State bodies under the aegis of my Department are expected to be compliant with all relevant statutory requirements, including those arising from EU Directives and Regulations. My Department does not routinely monitor such compliance. Further information in relation to these matters may be obtained by contacting the dedicated e-mail addresses for members of the Oireachtas in respect of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Domestic Violence (20 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department publishes a detailed monthly report on homelessness, based on data provided by housing authorities. The Report outlines details of individuals utilising State-funded emergency accommodation arrangements that are overseen by housing authorities. These reports serve as important management information for my Department, the housing authority sector and the various State funded...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Staff (20 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The information requested is set out in the tables below. It should be noted that the figures only include appointments in the Heritage Division since 9th September 2020 when functions in the Heritage area were formally transferred to my Department. My Department has its main offices in Dublin, Wexford and Mayo (Ballina) but there are other smaller offices throughout the country, including...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Quality (19 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I welcome the recent publication of the EPA’s Bathing Water Quality in Ireland 2020 report, and am pleased to see the continued improvements in the quality of our bathing waters highlighted in the report, especially those bathing waters that are meeting or exceeding the minimum water quality requirements. It is important to note that 96% of bathing waters met or exceeded the minimum...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (19 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each 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. My Department oversees workforce planning for the local government sector, including the monitoring of local government sector employment levels. To this...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commercial Rates (19 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Valuation Tribunal is an independent appeal body established and operating under the Valuation Acts of 1988 and 2001. It deals with appeals against decisions of the Commissioner of Valuation on the valuation of commercial properties for rating purposes and appeals against determinations of market value on derelict sites or vacant sites made by local authorities under the Derelict Sites...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (19 May 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: Vacant Properties (19 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 119 and 120 together. The innovative website vacanthomes.ie was developed by Mayo County Council in July 2017 on behalf of the local government sector to serve as a central portal for individuals to anonymously log possible vacant homes. It is a key tool in the effort to identify and bring long-term vacant homes back into use, and this source of locally...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (19 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Funding of €75 million is available nationally in 2021 for the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability Scheme. This funding has increased year on year since 2014. As part of the annual budgetary process, consideration will be given to this funding in future years in line with the Programme for Government commitments and the Policy Statement on Housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (19 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: In 2016 my Department sought to trial new approaches and working methods in supporting and accelerating overall national and local action on the process of taking in charge residential estates including those with developer provided water services infrastructure. This was done through a pilot initiative called the National Taking in Charge Initiative (NTICI). Following the NTICI process my...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (19 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Further to work commissioned by the Housing and Planning Divisions of my Department, the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) published a report into structural housing demand in Ireland to 2040, in December 2020. The ESRI research report “Regional Demographics and Structural Housing Demand at County Level” projects an annual new household demand figure for each county...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (19 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The regeneration of Poolbeg West is the next important step in transforming the Docklands area, given its strategic location east of Grand Canal Dock, with close proximity to important bridge connections to Dublin Port and North Lotts. In relation to the activation of these lands I understand that, having decided to embark on the competitive tendering process, on 22 December 2020, the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (19 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department issued guidance to all local authorities regarding the treatment of the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) when assessing and/or reviewing income eligibility for social housing support to all local authorities through Circular 38/2020. A copy of the Circular has been issued to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (19 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Management and maintenance of the approximately 140,000 local authority housing stock is an important issue. In accordance with section 58 of the Housing Act, 1966 local authorities are legally responsible for the management and maintenance of their housing stock. Local authorities also have a legal obligation to ensure that all of their tenanted properties are compliant with the provisions...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (19 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The table below sets out project progress status, amount of funding recouped by my Department (DHLGH) and the projected completion date by year, as estimated by the local authority, for schemes/projects under the Multi-annual Rural Water Programme (MARWP) for Mayo County Council as referred to in the details supplied. GWS(Group Water Scheme), CWC (Community Water Connection),LA(Local Authority)