Results 15,681-15,700 of 25,999 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government provides for a package of social housing reforms, including the introduction of a social housing passport to allow households move from one local authority list to another.    It should be noted that the four Dublin local authorities already co-operate in arrangements that enable social housing applicants to apply for housing in one or two...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The oversight and practical management of housing waiting lists, including the allocation and transfer of tenancies, is a matter for the relevant local authority in accordance with the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, and associated regulations. Section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 requires all local authorities, as a reserved function, to make an...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (19 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Details of locations where hares have been released by coursing clubs have not in fact been published on the website of the National Parks and Wildlife (NPWS) of my Department since the beginning of the 2018/19 coursing season.  Not only did my Department not make public the locations where hares were released by coursing clubs over the weekend of 7th and 8th November, it was not made...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Valuation Office (18 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The application referred to in the Deputy’s question is a matter for the Commissioner of Valuation, who is independent in the exercise of his functions under the Valuation Act 2001 to 2020. I, as Minister, have no function in decisions in this regard. Notwithstanding this, I am informed by the Commissioner of Valuation that the application is receiving attention and will be...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Brexit Issues (18 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Brexit poses an unprecedented challenge for Ireland.  Failure to reach agreement on a trade deal will be very damaging all round but even with a trade deal in place, there will be substantial challenges for supply chains and trade flows.  From 1 January 2021, every time Irish companies or individuals import from or export to Great Britain they will need, at a minimum, to complete a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Home Loan Scheme (18 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The local authority mortgage protection insurance (MPI) scheme has applied to all house purchase loans approved by local authorities after 1 July 1986, including the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan introduced on 1 February 2018.  Mortgage protection insurance is charged at the rate of 0.555%. It is obligatory for all local authority borrowers who meet the eligibility criteria to join...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (18 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Acquisition of properties for social housing purposes by local authorities are part of their delivery approach, focusing on priority situations as part of an overall strategy tailored to meet local needs effectively. Where renovation works are required, these should be carried out without delay to ensure that home is available for letting as speedily as possible. Local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme (18 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: Mortgage to Rent Scheme (17 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Mortgage to Rent (MTR) scheme introduced in 2012 is targeted at supporting households in mortgage arrears who: have had their mortgage position deemed unsustainable by their lender under the Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process (MARP); agree to the voluntary surrender of their home and are deemed eligible for social housing support. The property in question...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rights of Way (17 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: There appears to be a misapprehension regarding the dates for registering rights of ways acquired by prescription on foot of amendments made by Parts 12 and 13 of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2011 to the provisions relating to acquisition of easements and profits by prescription contained in Part 8 of the Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Act 2009.   I understand from...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Budget 2021 (17 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 353 and 366 together. Support provided by my Department towards domestic violence services is in relation to the capital cost for the development of refuges. This funding support is delivered through the local authorities to housing associations delivering such facilities, using the Capital Assistance Scheme. There is sufficient funding provision to support...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Lease Agreements (17 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Details of the number of homes delivered under the Social Housing Leasing Programme in 2019 and to end Q2 2020 are set out in Tables 1 and 2.  Leasing delivery data for Q3 2020 is being collated at present and will be published on my Department's website as soon as that process is finalised. The total expenditure for leasing in 2019 and up to end October 2020, together...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (17 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: A spending review and analysis of capital and current expenditure on housing supports has been carried out by the Irish Government Economic & Evaluation Service (IGEES) staff within the Department of Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, published in July 2018.  This report focuses on the comparative analysis of delivery streams particularly related to cost...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (17 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: There has been no policy change with regard to Part V housing and no changes have been made to the financial calculation of Part V in 2020.  A review of the Part V provisions is ongoing in light of the Programme for Government commitments in relation to the delivery of affordable homes through Part V. The Part V Guidelines issued in January 2017 under section 28 of the Planning and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (17 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 358 and 372 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (17 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government commits to increasing the social housing stock by more than 50,000, with an emphasis on new builds. In 2021, the total funding being made available for the delivery of housing programmes is €3.3bn.  This includes funding to deliver 12,750 social homes through build, acquisition and leasing.  A major focus of this investment is the delivery of new...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (17 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Section 5.0 of Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New Apartments Guidelines for Planning Authorities, published by my Department in 2018, provides guidance and policy in respect of ‘Shared Accommodation Developments’, also known as ‘Co-living’.  I have been clear in my intention to review the provisions on Co-living set out in the Sustainable...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (17 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Local authorities will always have a level of vacancy in their housing stock that will fluctuate over time as tenancy surrender and re-letting of stock is an ongoing process. The National Oversight & Audit Commission (NOAC) reviews the social housing stock level in local authorities every year, including the number of vacant local authority houses at a particular point in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Private Rented Accommodation (17 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (17 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has a wide and diverse business agenda, covering a broad range of functions including local authority housing, voluntary housing, homeless services, estate regeneration, energy efficiency retrofitting, housing grants, rural water schemes, urban renewal/regeneration, and fire services. To achieve its business objectives, my Department allocates significant resources to...