Results 14,921-14,940 of 26,971 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (16 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) has not been discontinued and remains a significant part of the suite of social housing options currently available across the country. It has been an important contributor to social housing supply since its introduction on a pilot basis in 2005 and continues to be delivered by all local authorities, who source accommodation from the private market and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (16 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 specify requirements in relation to a range of matters, such as structural repair, sanitary facilities, heating, ventilation, natural light and safety of gas, oil and electrical supplies. With very limited exemptions, these apply to all private rented accommodation. All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Budgets (16 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department's Appropriation Accounts which are published by the Comptroller and Auditor General set out the full details of expenditure for the relevant years and can be found at by clicking on "Appropriation Accounts". Summary details of the Allocations and Final outturn of expenditure for the years 2017-2020 are set out below: Vote 34 - DHLGH REV Allocation ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electric Vehicles (16 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The information requested by the Deputy in respect of my Department is set out in the following table. Year Electric Vehicles Purchased Hybrid Vehicles Purchased 2020 2 0 2021 0 0

Pyrite and Mica Redress Issues: Motion [Private Members] (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Ba mhaith liom mo chuid ama a roinnt leis an Teachta Calleary. I welcome this important debate. Decent people who bought a house in good faith, in which to live and raise their family in their local community, have found themselves in an impossible situation through no fault of their own. Crumbling walls have turned bright dreams into darkness. Mica is a blight on these communities and it...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Forestry Sector (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 549 and 550 together. 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 the Minister for Public Expenditure and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: State Properties (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: While the State Property Act 1954 is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I understand that the Minister has approved the granting of a State Property Lease pursuant to that Act to this club for a term of 35 years. The Chief State Solicitors Office and legal representatives acting on behalf of the club are currently finalising the conveyancing and legal...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Both the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan website and call centre are managed by the Housing Agency. Due to remote working, phone contact through the call centre is currently suspended. However the website chat function is available. The Housing Agency has advised that under GDPR the user must activate the Zendesk permissions offered in order to initiate this chat function. Visitors to the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as an independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2021 to operate a national tenancy registration system and to facilitate the resolution of disputes between landlords and tenants. Since 2004, the RTB has replaced the courts in dealing with the majority of disputes between landlords and tenants through its Dispute...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Despite the challenges faced throughout 2020 due to the Covid emergency measures, local authorities and the Housing Assistance Payment Shared Service Centre (HAP SSC) have continued to provide a critical service to all HAP customers. This is evident in the high number of HAP tenancies that have continued to be set-up. Measures that were required to be taken in the context of Covid-19 did,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 558 and 559 together. The local authority has responsibility for the detailed administration of the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme. This includes the assessment of applications for eligibility and payment of grants to successful applicants under the specific remediation option approved. While an engineer's report informs a local authority's...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 560 and 619 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 (former Chief Executive of Waterford Co Co) and it included representatives nominated by the National...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Donegal County Council is an independent legal entity whose leasing activities are outside the remit of my Department. It is a matter for Donegal County Council to satisfy themselves that leased properties are structurally sound and fit for purpose. Local authorities have powers available to them under various legislative provisions to enable them to deal with the saferty of structures and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The local authority has responsibility for the detailed administration of the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme. This includes the assessment of applications for eligibility and payment of grants to successful applicants under the specific remediation option approved. The scheme only opened for applications at the end of June 2020 and applications received to date are being...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Quality (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Monitoring at Kilkee Beach shows that it has excellent water quality. However, as a result of the recent increase in people swimming and beach users generally, I have tasked the Bathing Water Expert Group with examining potential increases to the frequency of bathing water monitoring and improving the dissemination of results to improve information for people swimming. I have also...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (15 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department received correspondence from Clare County Council in October 2020, requesting the extension of the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme to County Clare. A comprehensive reply was subsequently issued to the Council in November 2020. My Department informed the Council that before any extension of the scheme can be considered, the same rigorous analysis as that put in place...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Increased rent limits for the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) and the Rent Supplement Scheme were introduced in 2016. These limits were agreed in conjunction with the Department of Social Protection (DSP). In reviewing the rent limits, my Department worked closely with DSP and monitored data gathered from the Residential Tenancies Board and the HAP Shared Services Centre. The HAP rent...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The minimum standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019. All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties comply with these Regulations. Responsibility for enforcement of the Regulations rests with the relevant local authority. Given the need for inspectors to enter tenants’ homes,...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Responsibility for the development and provision of services to support victims of domestic violence rests with my colleague the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and I understand that the delivery of these services is managed by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. A protocol to assist victims of domestic violence has been established between the Department...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The right of local authorities to set and collect rents on their dwellings is laid down in section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. The setting and collecting of rents and the management of arrears are executive functions and are subject to broad principles set out by the Department. Information on rent accrued, rent collected and arrears is contained in the Annual Financial Statement prepared...