Results 15,661-15,680 of 25,999 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

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

Darragh O'Brien: The detailed advancement of housing and other works under the Rebuilding Ireland programme is a matter in the first instance for Limerick City and County Council. My Department has received a submission from Limerick City and County Council in respect of a housing project at Ballygrennan Close, Moyross, Limerick. My Department is currently examining the proposal.

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has responsibility for environmental issues spanning many areas of our functional responsibilities including Water Sector Policy, Marine Environment, Foreshore, Planning Legislation and Policy, Built Environment, Climatology, Forecasting, National Parks and Wildlife Service, Built Heritage and Peatlands. My Department engages with stakeholders on such environmental issues in...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority area is provided in the statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA). The most recent SSHA, conducted in June 2019, shows that 68,693 households were assessed as qualified for and being in need of social housing support. This represents a decrease of 3,165 households or 4.4% on the last...

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

Darragh O'Brien: In terms of the delivery of more affordable homes for sale by local authorities, €310m is available for Serviced Sites infrastructure funding that will support the delivery of up to 6,200 new homes that will be made available under this scheme. The first SSF project that will be deliver affordable homes will be Boherboy Road in Cork City in early next year at prices ranging from...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 384 and 385 together. My Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on all social housing delivery activity under Rebuilding Ireland. This is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website, at the following link: . The "Breakdown of Social Housing by Local Authority" tables will provide the Deputy...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The granting, modification or refusal of local authorities ‘Own Development’ under Section 179 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, is a reserved function of the elected members. I am specifically precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to any particular case with which a planning authority or the Board is or may be concerned. My Department...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 387 and 388 together. My Department does not collect information on the number of Rebuilding Ireland Home Loans applications on hand and awaiting approval as requested by the Deputy. However, my Department does publish information on the overall number and value of (i) local authority loan approvals and (ii) local authority loan drawdowns. Local authority...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 389 and 390 together. The Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) was designed to support housing supply by relieving critical infrastructure blockages. 30 projects were approved with an overall budget of €195.7m, €146.8m Exchequer funded and the remainder funded by local authorities. Full details of the approvals are available...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The relevant details are being compiled and will be provided to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.

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

Darragh O'Brien: Recognising the difficulties faced by businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Programme for Government – “Our Shared Future” committed to set out how commercial rates would be treated for the remainder of 2020. One of the earliest priorities of Minister O'Brien and I was to secure funding to provide a waiver of commercial rates for businesses impacted by the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme (24 Nov 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. To be eligible, tenants must meet certain criteria, including having a minimum reckonable income of €15,000 per annum and having been in receipt of social housing support...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The existing five-year Fire Services Capital Programme managed by my Department comes to an end this year. That programme has seen more than €60 million invested in fire appliances and specialist equipment, building or upgrading of prioritised Fire Stations, upgrading Communications and Mobilisation systems and improvements to Training Centres. A new capital programme for the period...

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

Darragh O'Brien: In Budget 2021, the total funding made available for the delivery of housing programmes was €3.3 billion. This represents an increase of €641m or 24% on 2020 and the single biggest spend on housing by any Government, and will be the largest build programme in the history of the State. From this sum, €110 million was ring-fenced for two new national schemes to deliver...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Acts 2004 - 2020 do not prescribe specific terms and conditions regarding the payment of rents or deposits for inclusion in individual letting agreements in the private rental market including the student-specific accommodation sector. Contract law governs such arrangements. The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2015 provided for, among other things, the establishment...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as an independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2020, to operate a national tenancy registration system and to facilitate the resolution of disputes between landlords and tenants. Additional powers and functions were conferred on the RTB by provisions in the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) 2019 Act, which...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payment (19 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 161, 163 and 164 together. The management of social housing, including the Housing Assistance Payment, in each area, is a matter for the relevant local authority, taking account of local circumstances and needs.  Maximum rent limits for the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme are set for each housing authority area by the Housing Assistance Payment...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme (19 Nov 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. To be eligible, tenants must meet certain criteria, including having a minimum reckonable income of €15,000 per annum and having been in receipt of social housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (19 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on all social housing delivery activity. This is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website, at the following link:  The statistical returns process has been completed for Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 2020 and the table below provides a detailed breakdown of the delivery in Cavan and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Contracts (19 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department does not maintain the requested information in respect of the State bodies under its aegis.  These State bodies may be contacted directly by e-mail by members of the Oireachtas, as set out in the table below. State Body Contact E-mail Address An Bord Pleanála oireachtasqueries@pleanala.ie An Fóram Uisce...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Private Rented Accommodation (19 Nov 2020)

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 ensure that...