Results 14,781-14,800 of 26,886 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (18 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Senators for the amendments. I believe amendment No. 8 is still live and has not been withdrawn. I have a couple of things to say about amendments Nos. 8 and 9. It is good that these matters are being teased out and I know they formed a significant part of the Committee Stage debate. I am going to give a more detailed response for the record of the House. Senator Cummins made...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (17 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The regulations for the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme came in to operation on 31 January 2020. The Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks in Construction (Remediation) (Financial Assistance) Regulations 2020 provide for a grant scheme of financial assistance to support affected homeowners in the counties of Donegal and Mayo only, to carry out the necessary...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (17 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government commits to putting affordability at the heart of the housing system. Delivery on this commitment is evidenced in the new measures contained in the Affordable Housing Bill 2021, currently before the Oireachtas, which provides for three schemes that will increase the supply of affordable homes through (1) affordable homes on local authority lands, (2) the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (17 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 provides the statutory framework for the establishment of the Pyrite Resolution Board and for the making of a pyrite remediation scheme to be implemented by the Board with support from the Housing Agency. The provisions of the Act apply only to dwellings affected by significant damage attributable to pyritic heave consequent on the presence of reactive pyrite...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (17 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 281, 282 and 283 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (17 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 provides the statutory framework for the establishment of the Pyrite Resolution Board and for the making of a pyrite remediation scheme to be implemented by the Board with support from the Housing Agency. The provisions of the Act apply only to dwellings affected by significant damage attributable to pyritic heave consequent on the presence of reactive...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (17 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: In relation to the concrete blocks, the relevant suite of harmonised standard facilitating specification of masonry units is the EN 771 (series). ‘I.S. EN 771-3:2011+A1:2015’deals with aggregate concrete masonry units. In this regard, the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI), has published additional guidance in the form of ‘S.R. 325:2013+A2:2018/AC:2019...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (17 Jun 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. The prioritisation and progression of individual projects is a matter for determination by Irish Water. As part of Budget 2021, funding of over €1.4 billion was secured to support water services. This includes...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (17 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Government set out its housing priorities in the Programme for Government across numerous areas, including homelessness, affordable home ownership, public and social housing, the Land Development Agency, rent reform and planning and my Department is focused on moving those priorities forward. In addition to the housing priorities set out above, the Government will establish a Commission...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Property Registration (17 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: To acquire title by adverse possession, an applicant must establish the nature of the interest claimed in the property and show how that interest has devolved to the applicant. To do this, the applicant must show that specific persons dispossess the original owner; those specific persons must enter into possession, excluding the true owner and all others; exercise such acts of ownership, use...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (17 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 289, 290 and 291 together. The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders. The details requested in relation to bodies under the aegis of my Department are a matter for the individual bodies concerned and are not collated or retained by my Department. Arrangements have been put in place by...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Construction Industry (17 Jun 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: Climate Action Plan (17 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: As part of the Climate Action Plan, my Department is implementing a range of ambitious decarbonisation actions for housing, planning, marine and natural heritage protection and analysis of Ireland’s climate. Actions which are regulatory in nature are subject to the normal Regulatory Impact Assessment procedures and activities under the National Development Plan (NDP) are budgeted for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Policies (17 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department's website is a good source of information about activities and initiatives undertaken but by way of illustration, in addition to significant initiatives undertaken to manage the impact of COVID-19 and to prepare for Brexit, some of the key actions delivered since 27 June 2020 include: - the extension of the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan; - the extension of the Pyrite Remediation...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Equality Issues (17 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department complies with all central policy and guidance in relation to equality of opportunity in all of our employment practices. The vast majority of external recruitment for my Department is carried out by the Public Appointments Service and any additional recruitment undertaken by my Department is done in compliance with the terms of the recruitment licence issued to us by the...