Results 15,741-15,760 of 27,055 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Covid-19 Pandemic (31 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 452 and 499 together. The Government announced that additional public health restrictions would apply under Level 5 of the Plan for Living with COVID-19 on 6 January 2021. The additional restrictions required all construction activity to cease from 6pm on Friday 8 January, with a number of exceptions. These measures are set out in The Health Act 1947...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: House Purchase Schemes (31 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: In line with the commitment to put affordability at the heart of the housing system in the Programme for Government, ‘Our Shared Future’, Government approved the priority drafting of the Affordable Housing Bill 2020 on 22 December 2020, and I published the General Scheme on 20 January last. The Bill includes provisions to underpin three schemes delivering on the Programme...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Accommodation Scheme (31 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 456 and 457 together. The Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 gives legislative recognition to rental accommodation availability agreements, which underpin the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) as a form of social housing support. Consequently, since 1 April 2011, RAS tenants are considered to be in receipt of social housing support and should not...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Accommodation Scheme (31 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 458 and 459 together. The Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) is based on a three-way relationship between the local authority, the landlord and the tenant. Under RAS, local authorities draw up contracts with landlords to provide housing, for an agreed term, to people with a long-term housing need. The local authority pays the rent directly to the landlord...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (31 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF), which was launched in 2018, is providing part-funding for local authority led projects that will enable a greater proportion of residential and mixed-use development to be delivered within the existing built-up footprints of our cities and large towns, while also ensuring that more parts of our urban areas can become attractive and vibrant...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Irish Water (31 Mar 2021)

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. Staffing and contractual arrangements in relation to the Find and Fix scheme, are an operational matter for Irish Water and local authorities within the context of the Service Level Agreement arrangements currently in place...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (31 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Budget 2021 provides funding of €20 million to fund the operation of the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme for the counties of Donegal and Mayo only. The number of homes which will be remediated in 2021 is dependent on a number of issues, for example, the break-down of applications and the time to progress through the approval stages. The works required can range from the lower...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: House Purchase Schemes (31 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: In line with the commitment to put affordability at the heart of the housing system in the Programme for Government, ‘Our Shared Future’, Government approved the priority drafting of the Affordable Housing Bill 2020 on 22 December 2020, and I published the General Scheme on 20 January last. The Bill includes provisions to underpin three schemes delivering on the Programme...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Home Loan Scheme (31 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Single applicants are permitted to apply for the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan. The property being purchased must have clean title. Once the sole borrower has purchased a property with a Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan, he/she must occupy the property as their normal place of residence. A married or other couple may reside within the property with the sole borrower but they cannot have any...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rights of Way (31 Mar 2021)

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 the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (31 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 469 and 474 together. The Programme for Government states that the issue of the environment, including water, and its place in the constitution is to be referred to the relevant Joint Oireachtas Committee for consideration. This issue, particularly in relation to water, is also relevant to the broader water sector transformation programme. In this regard the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Legal Cases (31 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I am not aware of instances of litigation or the threat of litigation arising from the inclusion of social clauses in public procurement contracts awarded by my Department during the period in question.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (31 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: This Government is committed to bringing vacant and partially vacant properties back into use. The primary benefit of bringing vacant buildings back in to use is the increased supply of quality and sustainable housing for the individuals and families. Revitalising our main streets through well designed refurbishment of residential units, particularly above shops, could help to rejuvenate...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (31 Mar 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (31 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority administrative area are provided in the annual statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA). The most recent summary, conducted in November 2020, shows that 61,880 households were assessed as qualified for and being in need of social housing support. This represents a decrease of 6,813...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (31 Mar 2021)

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 a local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless services rests with individual housing authorities. Section 10 of the Housing Act 1988 sets out the purposes...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Land Transfers (31 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The Property Registration Authority (PRA) has established a dedicated unit to investigate issues raised with them. While the required investigations can take some time to complete, the PRA expedites processing where they are notified of urgency relating to a case. The specified application has been expedited and will be processed without delay. In relation to any specific cases with the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (31 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides funding to local authorities in respect of the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, to assist eligible people in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. The suite of grants include the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability (max grant €30,000), the Mobility Aids Grant (max grant...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (31 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides funding to local authorities under the Disabled Persons Grants scheme to carry out works on social housing stock to address the needs of older people or people with a disability. The programme is 90% funded by the Department and a 10% contribution from the Local Authority. Typical works include adaptations such as stairlifts, level deck showers, ramps and grab rails,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Staff (31 Mar 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The information requested is set out in the table at the link.