Results 15,521-15,540 of 25,999 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (1 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 268, 280, 290 and 299 together. I have indicated in a circular letter dated 23rdNovember 2020 to all local authorities, An Bord Pleanála and the Office of the Planning Regulator, that my preferred approach is to restrict commercial co-living development, through an update of the Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New Apartments, Guidelines...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Referendum Campaigns (1 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 270 to 272, inclusive, together. As I outlined to the House on the 6thOctober last, the commitments in relation to Constitutional reform in the Programme for Government provide for the holding of a referendum on housing. My Department has begun the initial work on scoping the complex issues involved and will in due course make recommendations on how we might...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Approved Housing Bodies (1 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) are making and continue to make important contribution to social housing delivery. My Department and local authorities administer a number of funding programmes to assist AHBs with the cost of building, buying and leasing new social houses, including turnkeys. All funding is conditional on the properties being made available to households on local authority...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (1 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The 1,400 affordable units referred to in the Question relate to the 10 projects that were granted approval in principle under the first Serviced Sites Fund (SSF) call. There have been two SSF Calls for Applications to date and details of all SSF projects that received approval in principle under these calls, and the number of more affordable homes whose delivery will be supported by SSF...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Data (1 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department publishes a detailed monthly report on homelessness, based on data provided by housing authorities. The Report outlines details of individuals utilising State-funded emergency accommodation arrangements that are overseen by housing authorities. The Reports are available on my Department's website at the following link: . Under the Housing Act 1988 it is a matter for each local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Disabilities Data (1 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 276 and 277 together. People with disabilities may apply to local authorities for any of the housing supports available, including Housing Assistance Payment (HAP). The information sought in relation to the number of persons with disabilities that are in receipt of HAP, and the number of HAP units that have been assessed for accessibility is not held by my...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Approved Housing Bodies (1 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government 'Our Shared Future' commits the Government to the development of a new Cost Rental housing sector in Ireland, in which the rents charged will only cover the costs of delivering, managing, and maintaining the homes. Work is underway to deliver Cost Rental housing, with State support, through a number of delivery pathways, utilising the expertise of Local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Public Procurement Contracts (1 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Oscar Traynor Road residential project had reached a very advanced stage with the selection of a preferred bidder. The projected encompassed 853 homes with a mix of tenures. A key part of the Public Procurement process was the transfer of the City Council land to the preferred bidder to allow it to progress to finance the project, obtain planning permission and construct the development....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (1 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the very stressful circumstances which owners and residents face when their homes are affected by construction defects. In general, building defects are matters for resolution between the contracting parties involved, the homeowner, the builder, the developer and/or their respective insurers, structural guarantee or warranty scheme. Under the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation (1 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 282 and 283 together. The National Quality Standards Framework (NQSF) for homeless services is in place nationally for local authority and NGO delivered services. The Framework has been developed to ensure a consistent approach in how local authorities and service providers respond to the needs of those experiencing homelessness and to improve the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme (1 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme came into operation on 1 January 2016. The Scheme is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the Scheme. Guidance was provided to local authorities in November 2015 regarding the operation of the Scheme. Under the 2016 Scheme, maisonettes and duplex units provided in blocks...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation (1 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at the local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation (1 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 288 and 308 together. My Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and associated services for homeless...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant (1 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Local authorities are responsible for the detailed administration of the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, including the assessment, approval and payment of grants to applicants under the various measures. I understand that local authorities confirm that approved works have been completed before a grant is paid to an applicant. The responsibility...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Mica Redress Scheme (1 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Donegal County Council have to date approved 25 applications for "Stage 1: Confirmation of Eligibility" under the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme. There are a further 65 applications currently being assessed, 24 of which are awaiting further information from the applicants. Funding of €20m has been made available by my Department for expenditure under the Defective Concrete...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (1 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Legislative changes (the Planning and Development Act 2000 (Exempted Development) (No. 2) Regulations 2019) were introduced last year in relation to the regulation of the short-term letting sector through the planning code to help address its impact on the supply of private rented accommodation, particularly in urban centres of high housing demand, i.e. rent pressure zones (RPZs). The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Urban Renewal Schemes (1 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The recently launched regeneration plan Project Carlow 2040: A vision for Regenerationwas funded as a category two ‘pipeline’ project under the first call for proposals under the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) in 2018. The URDF is overseen by my Department and is one of four new funds established under PI2040, with a combined allocation of €4 billion in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (1 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: As detailed in my response to the Deputies Parliamentary Question No 94 of 11 November 2020 the following link provides details of the Serviced Site Fund projects and their locations in Limerick City and County Council which received 'Approval in Principle' in August 2019: Following receipt of this approval in principle for the outline project proposals, local authorities then begin to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (1 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government - Our Shared Future contains a commitment to realise our outstanding target of 10% marine protected area (MPA) coverage in Ireland's waters as soon as is practicable, aiming for 30% by 2030. In this regard the Government has also committed in the Programme for Government to deliver comprehensive legislation for the identification, designation and management of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Data (1 Dec 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The average costs for the delivery of social homes through the local authority capital construction programme for 2019 are set out in the table following. These averages reflect the full delivery or 'all-in' costs including the costs recouped from my Department through the Social Housing Investment Programme (SHIP) for construction costs (including site preparation), land cost, design team,...