Results 14,961-14,980 of 25,999 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payment (24 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: A landlord or an agent acting on behalf of a landlord is not legally obliged to enter into a tenancy agreement specifically with a Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) recipient. However, on 1 January 2016, the Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2015 introduced “housing assistance” as a new discriminatory ground. This means that discrimination in the provision of accommodation,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Covid-19 Pandemic (24 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies Act 2020 was enacted and came into operation on 24 October 2020 to help mitigate the impact of Covid-19 on tenants and to support the efforts of Government in restricting the movement of people in order to suppress the spread of Covid-19. The Act modifies the operation of the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2020 to prevent any notices of termination served by...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payment (24 Feb 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: Irish Water (24 Feb 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. My Department provided capital stimulus funding of €87 million to Irish Water in 2020 . This was composed of €43m announced in the July stimulus package (€30m Leakage Reduction Initiatives and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Nursing Homes Support Scheme (24 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government – Our Shared Future contains a commitment to reform the Fair Deal Scheme to incentivise renting out vacant properties. This commitment builds upon commitments included in the former Government's Strategy for the Rental Sector and National Vacant Housing Reuse Strategy, to examine the treatment under the Nursing Home Support Scheme’s (or Fair Deal...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Approved Housing Bodies (24 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (24 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has not incurred any expenditure on advertising in national newspapers, regional newspapers, national radio, regional and local radio stations and across social media platforms on COVID-19 awareness raising campaigns. However, in 2020, my Department spent €192,907 on public information material as part of the Government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (24 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 340 to 343, inclusive, together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Schemes (24 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Responsibility for the management and maintenance of the local authority housing stock is the responsibility of the local authority under section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. My Department supports local authorities with annual funding to support management and maintenance of their social housing stock under a number of funding programmes. The programmes include the newly revised 2021...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Flood Prevention Measures (24 Feb 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. As part of Budget 2021, I secured funding of over €1.4 billion to support water services. This includes €1.3 billion in respect of domestic water services provision by Irish Water. This overall investment...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Environmental Policy (18 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: In terms of addressing primary microplastic sources, the Microbeads (Prohibition) Act 2019 prohibits the manufacture or placing on the market of any water soluble personal care product, such as cosmetics, soaps and body washes containing microbeads. It also prohibits the sale or manufacture of household or industrial cleaning products containing plastic microbeads. Any measure or activity...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Issues (18 Feb 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 the safety of gas, oil and electrical supplies. With very limited exemptions, these apply to all private rented residential accommodation. All landlords have a legal obligation to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (18 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Details of the grant schemes for which individuals or community organisations can apply directly to the Department, are set out in the attached table. In addition to those schemes, my Department provides funding for a number of schemes that are administered by local authorities such as the Housing Adaptation Grants and Defective Concrete Block Schemes. Local authorities provide details of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Issues (18 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I understand that the site referred to is adjacent to the Regeneration area and does not form part of the Regeneration programme. The questions are therefore a matter for Limerick City and County Council. My Department has not received a submission from the Council in relation to any proposed social housing element on the site.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Home Loan Scheme (18 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan scheme is administered by the local authorities, in accordance with the Housing (Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan) Regulations 2018. The Regulations broadly set out the amount that can be lent under the scheme, the eligibility criteria for loans, the duties of borrowers and housing authorities and other administrative matters relating to the scheme. Under the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Home Loan Scheme (18 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Cost Rental developments announced on 8 February 2021 have been given approval in principle under the new Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) scheme. This scheme was allocated €35m in funding in Budget 2021, and will see the Government issue loans on favourable terms to Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) for up to 30% of the cost of new homes for Cost Rental. Following an assessment process...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes (18 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 309 of 17 February 2021. 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. Under section 16 of the Water...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Animal Welfare (18 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I trust the Deputy will appreciate that given my obligations under Section 16 of the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 to protect the identity of a person who has made a disclosure, as well as the rights of individuals named in a protected disclosure, I am unable to provide details of any particular protected disclosure. Any communication by my Department regarding a protected disclosure is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Land Development Agency (18 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Land Development Agency (LDA) was established on an interim basis in September 2018, by way of an Establishment Order made under the Local Government Services (Corporate Bodies) Act 1971, pending the enactment of primary legislation when it will be established as a commercial State agency. As part of its existing remit, the LDA is currently developing a register of all relevant public...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Covid-19 Pandemic (18 Feb 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Local Authorities continue to deliver key essential services including housing, water and waste water services, essential roads maintenance and planning. The delivery of those services requires the attendance of staff in the workplace as such services cannot be delivered on a remote basis. The safety of all staff remains the key priority for the sector and this is reflected in the detailed...