Results 14,261-14,280 of 25,979 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 385 and 386 together. The cracking of external walls of dwellings in Donegal and Mayo, due to the crumbling of concrete blockwork, came to light in 2013. An Expert Panel was established in 2016 to investigate the matter. It was chaired by Mr Denis McCarthy (formerly Waterford Co Co) and it included representatives nominated by the National Standards...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Energy Efficiency/Retrofitting Programme (EERP) was launched in 2013 with the aim of funding the retrofit of social homes requiring insulation and energy upgrade works. Since 2013, over 73,500 units of local authority housing stock have been retrofitted under the programme with a total exchequer spend of €161 million. The Programme for Government commits to retrofitting 500,000...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into force on 25 May 2018.  My Department appointed a Data Protection Officer (as is required under Article 37 of the GDPR) and set up a dedicated Data Protection Unit that year The table below sets out the number of data breaches identified by my Department since the introduction of the GDPR. All breaches were dealt with in line...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department operates a number of funding programmes that assist local authorities to work in partnership with Approved Housing Bodie's (AHBs) to construct, purchase and lease new homes and make them available for social housing. The Capital Advance Leasing Facility (CALF) funding is capital support provided to AHBs by local authorities to facilitate the funding of construction,...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The design and construction of buildings is regulated under the Building Control Acts 1990 to 2020. The Act provides for the making of Building Regulations and Building Control Regulations. The Building Regulations set out the minimum legal performance requirements for the construction of new buildings and certain works to existing buildings. They do not prescribe...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The allocation of local authority dwellings, including for specific groups such as older people,  is, in accordance with relevant regulations, a matter for individual local authorities. As such I have no function relating to such allocations, nor does my Department collate information from local authorities in relation to their allocations.  Details on the number of...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Limerick City and County Council provide a highly effective HAP transactional shared service on behalf of all local authorities. The HAP Shared Services Centre (HAP SSC) manages all HAP related rental transactions for the tenant, local authority and landlord but does not capture further details of closed tenancies that transfer to other forms of social housing. The management of individual...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (SHCEP) supports the delivery of social housing by providing financial support to local authorities for the long term leasing of houses and apartments from private owners and Approved Housing Bodies. At end 2020, a total of 273 leased properties were supported under SHCEP across all leasing delivery programmes in Kildare County Council. A...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM) was established within my Department in 2009 to provide central direction and leadership for fire and emergency management services, to develop national policies and national standards and to support and oversee their implementation at local level.  It is widely recognised that the NDFEM Management Board...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides funding to local authorities in respect of the Housing Adapatation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, to assist eligible people in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable to their needs. Separately, the Disabled Persons Grant Scheme (DPGs) is funded by my Department to carry out works on social housing stock to address...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 403, 404, 405, 406 and 407 together. 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.  Details on the number of grants paid and the amount spent for the past five...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides funding under the suite of Housing Adaptation Grant Schemes for Older People and People with a Disability, in respect of adaptations to private houses. The detailed administration of the schemes, including the assessment, approval and payment of individual grants to applicants, is the responsibility of the relevant local authority. Local authorities, in...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 409 to 411, inclusive, together. My Department has a wide and diverse business agenda, covering a broad range of functions, and in order to achieve its business objectives, the Department allocates significant resources across a number of sectors.  These include local authorities, State agencies and other bodies including a range of organisations...

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Second Stage (17 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: At its heart this Bill is about the State stepping up to provide affordable homes for purchase and rent using all means at its disposal to tackle the housing crisis. The ongoing affordability crisis has reduced home ownership rates to historic lows. It has increased the age of the average first-time buyer by almost a decade to 35 years of age. Ireland has plummeted from a world leader to...

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Second Stage (17 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I apologise.

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Second Stage (17 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: On a point of order, I am assuming the Senator is not accusing me of lying. Is she? If she is, I ask her to withdraw it immediately.

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Second Stage (17 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Senator might, in her own party, be used to bullying people, but she will not bully me. She needs to withdraw that. I have lied to no one.

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Second Stage (17 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Does the Senator withdraw it?

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (13 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Property Registration Authority (PRA) maintains and operates a public register of property ownership, subject to relevant legislation. Details of properties can be viewed through the PRA’s online service (landdirect.ie). Further information is available on the payment of a prescribed fee. As a public register, that information is available to all. Under the same principles and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Communications (13 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Officials from my Department have previously both corresponded with and met representatives from the company in question. My Department subsequently received e-mail correspondence from that organisation, to which a response will be issued directly.