Results 15,621-15,640 of 25,999 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Budget 2021 provides for an unprecedented level of funding for housing, with €3.3 billion being made available for the delivery of housing programmes next year. This comprises a total of €2.031 billion in capital funding and €1.276 billion in current funding. The investment will ensure that the housing needs of over 28,500 households are met in 2021, including the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of public water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. As part of Budget 2021 the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage secured funding of over €1.4 billion to support water services. This includes €1.3 billion in respect of domestic water...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is focused on ensuring that existing housing stock is utilised to its fullest extent including a targeted, effective and co-ordinated approach to identifying and tackling vacancy across Ireland. In that context, Pillar 5 of Rebuilding Ireland set out a range of measures to assist in meeting housing needs by ensuring that our existing housing stock is used to the greatest extent...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Repair and Leasing Scheme (RLS) was developed to assist private property owners and local authorities or approved housing bodies (AHBs) to harness the accommodation potential that exists in vacant dwellings across Ireland. Subject to the suitability of the dwelling for social housing, the cost of the necessary repairs will be met upfront by the local authority or an AHB with the cost of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Gaeltacht Policy (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: As part of the broader social housing reform agenda and the ongoing work of my Department, there are various reviews underway, including a review of income eligibility for social housing support and other ongoing review and analysis of various social housing policy matters. However, there is no review of allocation schemes, nor is any change envisaged in that area at this time.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 91, 100 and 105 together. The Programme for Government confirms the priority to increase the supply of social and affordable homes. In the first instance, it is a matter for housing authorities to bring forward optimum proposals for the delivery of housing on their sites maximising the potential from the suite of delivery mechanisms and Exchequer funding...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 93 and 130 together. 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. To be eligible, tenants must meet certain criteria, including having a minimum reckonable income of €15,000 per...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Service (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: As previously indicated to the Deputy in response to PQ 17303/20 on July 21st last, my Department does not routinely collect the data in the format requested. The position is that the provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to the reply to Priority Question No [36465] on today’s Order Paper which sets out the position in relation to this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The regeneration of Poolbeg West is the next important step in transforming the Docklands area, given its strategic location east of Grand Canal Dock, with close proximity to important bridge connections to Dublin Port and North Lotts. The residential potential within the available lands is for a maximum of 3,500 additional residential units. National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) is the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 109 and 124 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Buy and Renew scheme supports local authorities in purchasing and renovating homes in need of repair which can then be made available for social housing use. The initiative particularly focuses on older, vacant homes to help tackle vacancy and dereliction. Since its introduction, local authorities have delivered some 600 additional social homes through the scheme. The scheme provides...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Under Call 1 of the Urban Regeneration and Development Kerry County Council was initially allocated €2,256,700 in respect of public realm works in Tralee Town Centre. The advancement of this URDF supported project is, in the first instance, a matter for Kerry County Council.However, my Department is in regular contact with the Council regarding this important project. The Council has...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Derelict Sites (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department can provide full funding to local authorities for sites on which they bring forward suitable new social housing construction projects, including sites acquired by compulsory purchase orders. I am keen to see our local authorities expand their ownership of suitable sites for new social housing and with the record funding levels we have secured for new social housing delivery in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Septic Tanks (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Following on from the recommendations contained in the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services report in April 2017, a Working Group was established to conduct a review of the wider investment needs relating to the rural water services. As part of its work, the Working Group recommended a number of revisions to the existing grant scheme that provided...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Constitutional Amendments (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government provides that the Government will refer the issue of the environment, including water, and its place in the Constitution, to a relevant Joint Oireachtas Committee for consideration. I and my Department will engage with the relevant Committee when work proceeds on this issue.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: As an initiative of the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) is primarily designed to fund the provision of public off-site infrastructure to relieve critical infrastructure blockages and enable housing developments to be built on key sites at scale. In 2018, 30 projects received final LIHAF approval and the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Oversight and practical management of housing waiting lists is a matter for the relevant local authority in accordance with the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, and associated regulations. Specifically, section 63(3) of the Local Government Act 2001 provides that, subject to law, a local authority is independent in the performance of its functions. Section 22 of the Housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Galway Social Housing Taskforce is continuing its work in line with its terms of reference, with five meetings to date in 2020. The Galway Councils have a combined target of just over 2,000 social housing homes to be delivered through build, acquisitions and leasing in the period 2018 to 2021. The work of the Taskforce confirms that the Councils remain strongly committed to improving and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Irish Water (24 Nov 2020)

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 in accordance with Section 7 of the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013. This includes the connection of newly built residential developments to the water services network, including Irish Water's protocols pertaining to the use...