Results 14,241-14,260 of 25,979 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Government is committed to ensuring that affordable, quality housing solutions are available to everyone in Irish society. The Affordable Housing Bill 2021, which commenced Second Stage in the Seanad on 17 May 2021, will ensure that affordability is put at the heart of the housing system. The Bill will underpin the new local authority led scheme of affordable homes for purchase, an...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Charges (18 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Report of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services, published on 12 April 2017, has definitively addressed this matter. The Committee recommended, amongst other things, that the cost of domestic consumption of water services be met from general taxation rather than by means of direct charges on households, with the exception of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Irish Water (18 May 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. State funding provided to Irish Water over the past 7 years is set out in following table: Year  2014 2015  2016  2017  2018  2019 ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Quality (18 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 359 to 361, inclusive, together. I welcome the recent publication of the EPA’s Bathing Water Quality in Ireland 2020 report, and I 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....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Quality (18 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 362, 363 and 388 together. I am very aware of the recent increase in people swimming, and the increase of beach users generally, outside of the traditional bathing season in Dublin Bay (and in many other areas). I have tasked the Bathing Water Expert Group with examining potential increases to the frequency of bathing water monitoring...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Compulsory Purchase Orders (18 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The information requested by the Deputy is not collected by my Department. The approval or confirmation of proposals for the compulsory purchase of land or property by statutory authorities is a matter for An Bord Pleanala. Local authorities are encouraged to adopt a proactive approach in utilising their available legislative powers for compulsory purchase, where necessary, with the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (18 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I understand from Donegal County Council that the housing project referred to by the Deputy, was developed by Respond Housing Association and provides 21 apartments for older people.  I also understand that some accommodation that was planned by the Housing Association as a 'Group Home' within the overall development, requires some additional work to make it fit for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (18 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The oversight of social housing provision in any area is the responsibility of the relevant local authority which has statutory responsibility for these matters.  This responsibility includes housing provided in the operational area of a local authority by an Approved Housing Body (AHB), as the local authority will hold the mortgage for such AHB housing.  Local authorities have...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rights of Way (18 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: There appears to be a misapprehension regarding the dates for registering rights of ways acquired by prescription on foot of amendments made by Parts 12 and 13 of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2011 to the provisions relating to acquisition of easements and profits by prescription contained in Part 8 of the Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Act 2009.   I understand from...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Correspondence (18 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Changes in relation to building material costs are monitored and recorded by the Central Statistics Office (Wholesale Price Index for Building & Construction Materials). Issues relating to increases in construction costs generally and measures to address such issues, are matters for my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure & Reform, whose Department convenes the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (18 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The proposed project referred to in the question has been approved for funding under the Multi-annual Rural Water Programme 2019-2021. My Department received a submission from the local authority on the proposed project on 23 April last. The submission will be examined and a reply made to the local authority as quickly as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (18 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The right of local authorities to set and collect rents on their dwellings is laid down in section 58 of the Housing Act 1966.  The making or amending of such schemes is an executive function and is subject to broad principles set out by the Department, including that rent levels should be based on income and reflect tenants’ ability to pay. Local discretion and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (18 May 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: Social Welfare Payments (18 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 374 and 375 together. The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a flexible and immediate housing support that is available to all eligible households throughout the State. At end Q4 2020 there were nearly 60,000 households in receipt of HAP and over 33,520 separate landlords and agents providing accommodation to households supported by the scheme....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social Welfare Payments (18 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a form of social housing support for people who have a long-term housing need. In order for a household to qualify for HAP, they must first be assessed as eligible for social housing support by their local authority. Any household assessed as eligible for social housing is immediately eligible for HAP and those households must source their own...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (18 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government’s public health response to COVID has involved restrictions on construction activity in both 2020 and 2021. In 2020, construction activity ceased for a seven-week period from 28 March to 18 May, although certain designated social housing projects were allowed to continue.  In 2021, public health restrictions required most residential construction to stop from 8...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (18 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on social housing delivery activity. This data includes details on the number of social houses built between 2010 - 2020 and is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website, at the following link:  Since 2016, in addition to the statistical overview of activity in each local authority, the Social...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Sustainable Development Goals (18 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 379 and 380 together. The UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a significant and ambitious policy agenda that concerns all Government Departments. Overall political oversight for national SDG implementation is provided through the Cabinet, with each Minister having specific responsibility for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social Media (18 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 381, 382 and 402 together. My Department has not engaged a third-party company to conduct online and/or social media monitoring or to provide reports on social media coverage. My Department's social media channels are managed by officials within the Communications Unit. Content posted on those channels is monitored in order to measure its efficacy in terms...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Investigations (18 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has engaged one private investigation company in the past three years. In July 2019, a contract was put in place with a company for the provision of services related to the receipt and investigation of protected disclosures.  In the event, the services were not required and were never drawn down so no costs were incurred. My Department does not maintain the requested...