Results 14,361-14,380 of 26,886 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (27 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Contained within the Programme for Government was a commitment to extend the Serviced Sites Fund (SSF). In line with this commitment, a review of the SSF progress and projects to date was undertaken and, having regard to feedback from local authorities, a number of significant improvements to the funding scheme, now named the Affordable Housing Funding scheme, have been agreed and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (27 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 771 and 772 together. The Affordable Housing Act 2021 was enacted by the President on 21 July 2021. This Act is the first ever standalone affordable housing legislation, establishing a basis for four new affordable housing measures. These measures will deliver on the Programme for Government commitment to put affordability at the heart of the housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (27 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Affordable Housing Act 2021, which cleared all stages in the Oireachtas on the 12thJuly and which was signed in to law by the President on the 21stof July, is the State's first ever standalone affordable housing legislation. The provisions of the Act establish the basis for four affordable housing measures. These measures will deliver on the Programme for Government commitment to put...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (27 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Energy Efficiency programme for Local Authority Housing requires the retrofit of homes to achieve a B2/Cost Optimal BER rating as set out in the Climate Action Plan and Building Regulation Requirements for Major Renovations. The level and cost of deep retrofit to be undertaken in local authority housing stock to achieve this standard depends on the initial condition and type of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (27 Jul 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, developers and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs). Details on SHCEP expenditure for the years 2015-2020, broken down by local authority, and the number of SHCEP agreements...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (27 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 requires all housing authorities, as a reserved function, to make an allocation scheme determining the order of priority to be accorded in the allocation of dwellings to households qualified for social housing support and to households approved for a transfer, the allocation of which would, in the opinion of the authority, meet the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Emergency Accommodation (27 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 785 and 791 together. My Department's role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the statutory role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of emergency accommodation and related services for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (27 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 787 and 788 together. My Department assesses, approves and records local authority social housing delivery on a project basis, rather than on the basis of individual unit types. As Social Housing Investment Programme (SHIP) funded construction projects by local authorities must, like all publicly-funded construction programmes, comply with the Public Spending...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (27 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Increasing the supply of public, social and affordable homes is priority of this Government. The Programme for Government includes a commitment to deliver 50,000 new social homes with a focus on new build homes. This commitment was underpinned by investment of €3.3bn towards housing programmes in Budget 2021. The focus of the Government is to reduce and prevent homelessness to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (27 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department does not hold data on the number of vacant properties or the numbers that might be suitable for social housing. However, my Department is providing full funding support to all the local authorities for the acquisition of suitable properties for social housing use. The extent to which this is availed of by the local authorities can depend on the opportunities that exist to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (27 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Under Call 2 of the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF), a total of €32,005,146 has been provisionally allocated  for Kerry County Council's successful Call 2 projects; Destination Killarney was allocated €16,068,429 while Positioning Tralee as a Regional Economic Driver & Destination Town was allocated €15,936,717. In the coming weeks, my...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (27 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department publishes a Social Housing Construction Status Report each quarter, which contains details of all social housing developments completed, under construction or at the planning and design stage in each local authority area including Kerry. The report provides details of the location of each project, the status and the number of units approved. Information on the number and type...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (27 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) was launched in 2018 to support more compact and sustainable development.  The Fund is providing part-funding for projects that will enable a greater proportion of residential and mixed-use development to be delivered within the existing built-up footprints of our cities and large towns, while also ensuring that more parts of our urban...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Policies (27 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: A framework exists for the protection of Ireland's marine ecology, coastline and water quality through the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). It is overseen by my Department while the National MSFD Steering Group made up of my Department along with other Departments, agencies and representatives of civil society coordinates its implementation. In tandem with this, Ireland's...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (27 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing Circular 41 of 2019, issued 20 December 2019, provided local authorities with revised guidelines for the operation of the Housing Adaptation Grant for Older People and People with a Disability scheme, in respect of private houses. This circular also included a revised single application form for use by all local authorities. The new form and guidelines cover the operation of the...

Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Leas-Chathaoirleach. I thank all or most Senators for their contributions this afternoon. I thank Senator Boyhan for his amendment. It is well-researched and he has put forward an argument. He has gone through it and it is based on fact unlike a couple of the other contributions that supported his amendment. I know from the Senator and from the work he has...

Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I must leave the debate to attend a Cabinet sub-committee meeting.

Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, is coming in.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Animal Welfare (15 Jul 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The control of live hare coursing, including the operation of individual coursing meetings and managing the use of hares for that activity, is carried out under the Greyhound Industry Act 1958, which is the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. My responsibility relates to the conservation status of the hare. While the regulation of hare...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is committed to ensuring that tenants in social housing are provided with adequate housing that meets the standards most recently laid down in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019. My Department is actively engaging with the local authority sector to promote the preventative maintenance of local authority housing stock and provides significant funding...