Results 15,101-15,120 of 26,971 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: No, the Deputy did not.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Deputies Duncan Smith and Eoin Ó Broin for their comments. I think everyone knows there is no intention that any lands such as the Phoenix Park would be used by the LDA, nor will that ever happen. The Bill deals with relevant public lands, which are lands in the ownership of public bodies in population areas of more than 10,000. Section 3 of the Phoenix Park Act 1925 confirms...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Does the Chairman want to explain this?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I will deal with these three amendments together. In the previous Oireachtas, we went through very detailed pre-legislative scrutiny on the general scheme of the previous LDA Bill. We have made sure in this Bill that there is full oversight on the part of the Comptroller and Auditor General as well as oversight from and a report to the Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I have nothing further to say. I have been very clear. Why would this agency be treated differently from any other? We have taken on board many of the concerns raised during pre-legislative scrutiny in the previous Oireachtas. It should not be forgotten that annual reports and regulations will be laid before the Oireachtas. The Minister has recourse to the Oireachtas committees. There...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The late convert.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I move amendment No. 55: In page 11, line 17, after “Agency” to insert “or a subsidiary DAC”. Amendments Nos. 55, 56 and 125 to 131, inclusive, are technical in nature. They are a response to concerns raised on Second Stage about subsidiary designated activity companies, DACs. The amendments provide for the inclusion of "or a subsidiary DAC" in a number of...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes, I am pressing it.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I move amendment No. 56: In page 11, line 23, after “Agency” to insert “and a subsidiary DAC”.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I see Deputy Boyd Barrett has his hand up.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I was wondering whether Deputy Boyd Barrett might come in one of these days and welcome something. That would be a new hand.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I will be really quick. I am not accepting the amendment as ministerial directions will always have due regard to the planning code. They have to. The Land Development Agency, LDA, will seek planning permission for its proposed developments through the appropriate procedures under the Planning and Development Acts in the same manner as any other developer. In making decisions in respect...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I do not mean to cut across Deputy Ó Broin but, to be helpful, I will have a further look at amendment No. 58 to see how to incorporate the approach I mentioned in the phrase I used to which the Deputy made reference. In no way, shape or form do we want to allow the LDA to circumvent the planning process. Its applications will go through the normal planning process. If there is...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: We do want the maximum level of transparency and oversight but we also want to make sure the agency can operate. The amendment refers to any direction at all. It is a blanket provision for any ministerial direction. There may be commercially sensitive issues discussed in such directions or it may be necessary not to publish them to protect the State's interests. We are not in a position...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (1 Jun 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Tá.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Supply (27 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: In October 2019, allocations of funding were announced under the Multi-annual Rural Water Programme 2019-2021. Details of the funding is available on my Department's website at the link under: www.housing.gov.ie/water/water-services/rural-water-programm e/circular-l219-approval-schemesprojects-under-multi-annual The day to day implementation of the Rural Water Programme is devolved to the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Energy Conservation (27 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The European Union (Energy Performance Of Buildings) Regulations 2019 set higher building energy performance standards for dwellings, in accordance with the Nearly Zero Energy Building requirements (NZEB) contained in the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. These Regulations apply to works in connection with the design and construction of a new dwelling, where the relevant works...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (27 May 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government includes a commitment that the Government will develop a scheme between local authorities and Irish Water to provide drinking water fountains nationwide to reduce plastic bottle litter. In addition, EU Directive 2020/2184 (the Drinking Water Recast Directive) as adopted on 16 December 2020 updates the obligations on Member States in relation to the quality of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (27 May 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...