Results 14,841-14,860 of 26,971 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

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

Darragh O'Brien: All new dwellings must comply with building regulations, the aim of which is to provide for the safety and welfare of people in and about buildings, and in addition achieve a 60-year durability for all key elements. The building regulations apply to the design and construction of a new building (including a dwelling) or an extension to an existing building as well as for material...

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

Darragh O'Brien: 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 net income limits for each local authority, in different bands...

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

Darragh O'Brien: There are 7 employees of my Department earning less than €12.30 per hour. My Department does not hold the requested information in respect of the State Bodies under its aegis.  These State Bodies may be contacted directly by e-mail by members of the Oireachtas, as set out in the table below. State Body Contact E-mail Address An Bord...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2021: Second Stage (18 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I am grateful for the opportunity to introduce this Bill.I sincerely thank the Seanad for facilitating the urgent passage of what is very important legislation, and facilitating its passage not just here in the Seanad but starting it here for it to conclude very shortly, before the recess. For this reason I have asked the House to consider a motion to enable the President to sign the Bill...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2021: Second Stage (18 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I was listening.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2021: Second Stage (18 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I will be here.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2021: Second Stage (18 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Senator will have to make his mind up on that.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2021: Second Stage (18 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: All of the Senators who contributed, bar one, specifically referenced the value of local government members and the difficult work they have had to do right the way through this pandemic. It has been incredibly difficult. Local authorities and councillors are the tip of the spear when it comes to the State's response in the area of local democracy and its response to the pandemic in the...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2021: Second Stage (18 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: If there are any Members who have not read the Bill-----

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2021: Second Stage (18 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I advise they read it again. It is not a blanket extension. We have said that one will need to apply for it. In regard to the provisions within this Bill that I bring forward, I welcome the support and input of Members. I am open to receive any reasonable suggestions and amendments at Committee Stage. We must pass this Bill by the recess, as it is time bound. We have responded to a...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2021: Second Stage (18 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: If you like.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2021: Second Stage (18 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: There has not been a blanket use of a guillotine.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2021: Second Stage (18 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Yesterday we concluded 20 hours of Committee Stage of the Land Development Agency Bill 2021. We have done ten hours on the Affordable Housing Bill 2021. We will be doing Committee Stage on this Bill as well. I am open to any suggestions or interventions in between Stages. It is always open for people to come to me. The Senator has made suggestions with regard to the vacant site levy....

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2021: Second Stage (18 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I do not think it is a Q&A.

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

Darragh O'Brien: All the amendments in this grouping relate to the situation where an affordable dwelling has been acquired under agreement under Part V of the 2000 Act. I do not think the Senator is going to move amendment No. 1 but I will respond to all four amendments in detail because it is an important point and people should be very clear about where we are. As previously confirmed, Part V provisions...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Senators for their contributions. Senator Warfield's amendment, which was accepted, was mentioned and this discussion has been useful. Amendment No. 2 adds public-public partnerships and not-for-profit arrangements to the existing arrangements, but Senator Higgins noted that I accepted a Committee Stage amendment to section 6 to include "arrangements with co-operatives,...

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

Darragh O'Brien: That is what we are doing with the LDA in respect of State lands. Senator Craughwell spoke about the Defence Forces. Nothing precludes the military from partnering with another body.Why I mentioned that expertise is required is because when we look at approved housing bodies we have a regulator. We do not want a proliferation of different bodies involved who do not have expertise in the...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Senators for their contributions, particularly Senators Boyhan and Higgins. I have discussed this at length with my colleague, Senator Fitzpatrick. It is purely a matter of timing. It genuinely is, and perhaps I can explain that. This is detailed legislation. It is the most comprehensive item of affordable housing legislation ever brought forward. What Senators Fitzpatrick,...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I fully understand the sentiment from my colleagues and I will not repeat what has been said. We do not want this Bill to become a planning Bill. Our local authorities, An Bord Pleanála and so on are there to ensure that the appropriate location of dwellings is respected. I am confident that it will be. If we were to include this, we would run the risk that all other areas within the...

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

Darragh O'Brien: We all want to get to the same place.I am concerned there could be a distinction drawn between affordable housing versus other housing. Affordable housing is housing for families and there should be no distinction between affordable, social, or other types of tenures, such as cost-rental. It is housing for people. If we include specific defined additional measures in an affordable housing...