Results 15,821-15,840 of 25,999 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (3 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 559 and 594 together. My Department has provided funding support under the Social Housing Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme to local authorities since 2013, for insulation and energy efficiency works to their social housing stock and this will continue within the context of the National Retrofitting Plan. Budget 2021 provided for funding support...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Issues (3 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: In Budget 2021, the total funding being made available for the delivery of housing programmes is €3.3 billion. This overall investment will see the social housing needs of over 28,500 households being met in 2021. As part of the overall capital funding available of €2.031 billion, local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) will deliver 12,750 new social homes...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Staff (3 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he or she is responsible. This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the employing local authority.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Covid-19 Pandemic (3 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Health Act 1947 (Section 31A - Temporary Restrictions) (Covid-19) (No. 8) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 448 of 2020) came into effect on 22 October 2020 and are expected to expire on 1 December 2020. Regulation 5 provides that a person shall not leave his or her place of residence without reasonable excuse. Regulation 5(2)(p) provides for a reasonable excuse for travelling or moving in order to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Hare Coursing (3 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 563, 606, 614 and 618 together. The control of live hare coursing, including the operation of individual coursing meetings and managing the use of hares and greyhounds for that activity, is carried out under the Greyhound Industry Act 1958, which is the responsibility of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Accordingly, I have no function in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Process (3 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Postal voting is provided for in electoral law in respect of a number of categories of electors, including: - Irish diplomats serving abroad and their spouses/civil partners which includes a person who is a member of a Permanent Mission of Ireland to an international organisation, - whole-time members of the Defence Forces, - members of An Garda Síochána, - electors living at home...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Control (3 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: There are three species of deer present in Ireland – red deer, fallow deer and sika deer. A fourth species, muntjac deer, has been reported from the wild on a number of occasions, but we have no evidence that this exotic and potentially invasive species is breeding in Ireland. Wild deer in the State are protected under the Wildlife Acts. There is an annual Open Season during which deer...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Conservation (3 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 566 and 568 together. My Department is responsible for the implementation of the Wildlife Acts and the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011, both of which underpin the legislative and policy framework for the protection and conservation of our natural heritage. In particular, the 2011 Regulations transpose two key pieces of EU...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Control (3 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 567 and 569 together. Ireland continues to remain a stronghold for the European otter. Four national surveys have been conducted to date. The first in 1980/81 found signs of otters throughout the country, at 88% of sites surveyed. There was some suggestion of declines in the survey results of 1990/91 and 2004/05 but the most recent survey (2010/11) indicated...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (3 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The draft National Marine Planning Framework (NMPF) was launched by my Department on 12 November 2019. The draft NMPF is Ireland’s first comprehensive marine spatial plan document and outlines the clear structure and direction proposed for the development, conservation and enjoyment of our maritime area. This important new text will, when finalised, stand as the marine equivalent of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes (3 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 level and my Department does not maintain a register of the sort that might contain the information which the Deputy seeks. It may be helpful to note that Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes (3 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 level including issues around the capacity of existing infrastructure. It may be helpful to note that Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives. The team can...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Private Rented Accommodation (3 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies and Valuation Act 2020 came into effect from 1 August 2020 to temporarily provide enhanced protections for those tenants who are facing rent arrears due to Covid-19 and, as a result, are at risk of losing their tenancy. The Act also provides for permanently enhanced protections which were designed to ensure that tenants and landlords engage to address any rent...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (3 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I understand that the Deputy is referring to the Multi-annual Rural Water Programme. The allocations under the current multi-annual rural water programme were announced on 15 October, 2019. All local authorities that submitted bids were informed of the outcome of their bids in a circular which included an overall and a breakdown of the allocations per county. The Deputy will find that the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Coastal Erosion (3 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 575 and 576 together. The position is as set out in to Parliamentary Questions No. 333 of 15 September 2020 and No. 143 of 13 October 2020 referenced by Deputy O’Callaghan. Given that this is a strategic scoping exercise and having regard to the early stage of the work of the Steering and Working Groups, I am not in a position to comment on, nor do...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rent Increases (3 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 577 and 619 together. The Residential Tenancies Act 2020 was enacted and came into operation on 24 October 2020 to help mitigate the impact of Covid-19 on tenants and to support the efforts of Government in restricting the movement of people in order to suppress the spread of Covid 19. The Act modifies the operation of the Residential Tenancies Acts...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (3 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 578, 592 and 593 together. Under Section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act) I am specifically precluded from exercising power or control in relation to any particular planning case with which a planning authority or An Bord Pleanála is or may be concerned. Consequently, I may not seek to influence the outcome of, or...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (3 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The response provided under Parliamentary Question No. 152 of 13 October 2020 specifically related to the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme, and did not include the Pyrite Remediation scheme. The regulations underpinning 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (3 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme provides financial assistance to support affected homeowners to carry out the necessary remediation works to dwellings that have been damaged due to the use of defective concrete blocks. The Scheme outlines five remedial options ranging from rebuilding on existing foundations to replacing of external walls. The maximum approved costs per dwelling...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (3 Nov 2020)

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. My Department is satisfied that the budget which has been made available should be adequate to meet anticipated demand in 2021.