Results 14,521-14,540 of 25,979 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Staff (22 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 55 to 57, inclusive, together. My Department oversees workforce planning for the local government sector, including the monitoring of local government sector employment levels. To this end, my Department gathers aggregate quarterly data on staff numbers in each local authority on a whole time equivalent basis. However, granular data, in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (22 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: It is open to anyone to apply for social housing support, applications for which 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Data (22 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on social housing delivery activity. The data is available to the end of 2020 and is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website, at the following link: . Targets were issued to each local authority for delivery across Build, Acquisition and Leasing. The table below includes the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Mica Redress Scheme (22 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: There is no scheme or grant aid available from my Department to cover the cost of the 10% homeowner contribution which applies under the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme.  Under the Defective Concrete Blocks grant scheme my Department provides funding to cover 90% of the costs of eligible homeowners subject to the funding caps in place. These funding...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Transport Policy (22 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is committed to providing a healthy and safe working environment, and to improving the quality of working life of staff through the integration of wellbeing in work activities and practices. This commitment involves encouraging and facilitating staff participation in sustainable and active travel measures under the Workplace Travel Plan. This Plan promotes staff use of such...

Planning and Development Act 2000 (Exempted Development) (No. 3) Regulations 2021: Referral to Joint Committee (21 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I move: That the proposal that Dáil Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft: Planning and Development Act 2000 (Exempted Development) (No. 3) Regulations 2021, a copy of which has been laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on 14th April, 2021, be referred to the Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage, in accordance with Standing Order...

Planning and Development (Street Furniture Fees) Regulations 2021: Referral to Joint Committee (21 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I move: That the proposal that Dáil Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft: Planning and Development (Street Furniture Fees) Regulations 2021, a copy of which has been laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on 14th April, 2021, be referred to the Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage, in accordance with Standing Order 95(5), which, not...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes (21 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 668 and 748 together. My Department received a submission from Mayo County Council on 22 February 2021 in relation to the Community Water Connection (''the project'') mentioned in the details supplied. Arising from my Department's examination of the submission, the local authority have been asked to consider further the details of the estimated costs of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant (21 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides funding to local authorities so as to enable them administer the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability scheme. These schemes assist eligible applicants living in privately owned homes to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. The grants available operate on a sliding scale with the highest percentage grants available...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Covid-19 Pandemic (21 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Increasing the supply of public, social and affordable homes is a central commitment in the Programme for Government. In Budget 2021, we backed this objective with funding of €3.3 billion for the delivery of housing. Subject to the impact of COVID, the funding will support the delivery of 12,750 new social homes, including 9,500 new build homes. As part of the Government...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (21 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: In 2020, Kerry County Council received funding of some €1.5m in relation to 88 units remediated. My Department will continue to support local authorities in their work remediating vacant social housing properties in 2021. In preparation for this year’s programme correspondence issued to all local authorities requesting they provide figures on the total number of vacant units...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (21 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 675 and 676 together. Dublin City Council applied for funding approval for improvement works at Canon Mooney Gardens under the Precinct Improvement Program (PIP) in 2010. The PIP was part of the Inner City Flat Complex program which ran from 1997-2012. The Cost Benefit Analysis and Capital Appraisal referred to by the Deputy were requested by my...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (21 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 677, 678 and 679 together. The Programme for Government, ‘Our Shared Future’, clearly lays out our commitment to putting affordability at the heart of the housing system. Government approved priority drafting of the Affordable Housing Bill 2020 on 22 December 2020, the General Scheme of which I published on the 20th of January last. The Bill...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (21 Apr 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 the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (21 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: In relation to the Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme, applicants must demonstrate that they have an income that is long-term and sustainable in nature. This ensures that the tenant purchasing the house is in a financial position, as the owner, to maintain and insure the property for the duration of the charged period, in compliance with the conditions of the order transferring the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commercial Rates (21 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Commissioner of Valuation is independent in the exercise of his duties under the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2020 and the making of valuations for rating purposes is his sole responsibility. As Minister, I have no function in decisions in this regard. Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commercial Rates (21 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The making of valuations for rating purposes is the sole responsibility of the Commissioner of Valuation who is independent in the exercise of his functions under the Valuation Acts 2001-2020. I, as Minister, have no function in decisions in this regard. Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (21 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: In general, the regulation of professions is in the first instance a matter for industry representatives working in consultation with relevant industry stakeholders. My Department is engaging with the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT) in relation to the registration of Architectural Technologists. In this regard, CIAT has identified that its preferred route is to set...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (21 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: In line with the commitment to put affordability at the heart of the housing system in the Programme for Government, ‘Our Shared Future’, Government approved the priority drafting of the Affordable Housing Bill 2020 on 22 December 2020, the General Scheme of which I published on 20 January last. The Bill includes provisions to underpin three schemes delivering on the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Disability Services Provision (21 Apr 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides funding to local authorities in respect of the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, to assist eligible people in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. The suite of grants include the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability (max grant €30,000), the Mobility Aids Grant (max grant...