Results 16,101-16,120 of 25,999 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: With effect from 1 August 2020, the Residential Tenancies and Valuation Act 2020 introduces protections for those tenants who are facing rent arrears and, as a result, are at risk of losing their tenancy. If a tenant’s ability to pay rent has been impacted by Covid-19 and the tenant meets specific criteria, new procedures and protections apply. Tenants who follow these procedures...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 81 and 89 together. Section 5.0 of Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New Apartments Guidelines for Planning Authorities, published by my Department in 2018, addresses the ‘Build-to-Rent’ and ‘Shared Accommodation’ sectors. Paragraphs 5.13 to 5.24 including Specific Planning Policy Requirement (SPPR) 9 of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Enabling thriving housing supply, complimented by a commitment to deliver more than 50,000 social homes over the coming five years are central to ensuring affordability for families. Housing supply has increased year on year in recent years and the number of families on waiting lists for social housing has reduced by 25% between 2016 and 2019. I am acutely aware that middle-income...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Act 2020 provided for a temporary moratorium on tenancy terminations, other than in exceptional and limited cases, and on all increases in rent during the emergency period from 27 March to 1 August 2020. The emergency measures aimed to urgently assist in restricting the movement of people to suppress the spread of Covid-19 and applied...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Land Development Agency (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Land Development Agency (LDA) was established on an interim basis in September 2018, by way of an Establishment Order made under the Local Government Services (Corporate Bodies) Act 1971, pending the enactment of primary legislation when it will be established as a commercial State agency. I have already considered the function and remit of the LDA to ensure its compliance with the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Ministerial Communications (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Regeneration is urgently needed to bring people back into the Moore Street area. The Moore Street Advisory Group, which includes 1916 Relatives, public representatives and street traders, has welcomed the proposals of the developer referred to by the Deputy for the regeneration of the area and has characterised them as ‘a significant and welcome advance on the previous plan with...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Act 2020 provided for a temporary moratorium on tenancy terminations, other than in exceptional and limited cases, and on all increases in rent during the emergency period from 27 March to 1 August 2020. The emergency measures aimed to urgently assist in restricting the movement of people to suppress the spread of Covid-19 and applied...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Postal Voting (6 Oct 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, - whole-time members of the Defence Forces, - members of An Garda Síochána, - electors living at home who are unable to vote because of a physical illness or a physical disability, - certain election staff...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Regeneration Projects (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The detailed advancement of housing and other works under the Limerick Regeneration programme is a matter in the first instance for Limerick City and County Council. The Limerick Regeneration Framework Implementation Plan (LRFIP) published in 2013, heralded a move away from demolitions and towards a prioritisation of the refurbishment option along with the delivery of some targeted, high...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Protection (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 320, 322, 329, 330 and 361 together. Neither I nor my Department has any plans to undertake a cull of seals, nor would I agree to it. Both species of seal in Irish waters - the Harbour or Common Seal and the more numerous Grey Seal - are protected under the EU Habitats Directive. Ireland is obliged to maintain their populations at favourable conservation...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable Rural Housing 2005, planning authorities are required to frame the planning policies in their development plans in a balanced and measured way that ensures the housing needs of rural communities are met, while avoiding excessive urban-generated housing. The National Planning Framework (the NPF) provides an important strategic...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: River Basin Management Plans (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department recognises the positive role that farming can play in managing and restoring biodiversity. The National Parks and Wildlife Service Farm Plan Scheme operates nationally, targeting various habitats and species by working proactively with farmers. While there is no specific ‘Shannon Callows Farm Plan Scheme’, a number of farmers in the Shannon Callows have...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Land Issues (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I am advised that with regard to the description of registered land on the current Property Registration Authority map and also for all registrations mapped on historical 25” Ordnance Survey maps predating the digitisation of the map record, Section 85 of the Registration of Title Act 1964, as amended by Section 62 of the Registration of Deeds and Title Act 2006, provides as follows: ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Under Call 2 of the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF), seventy six proposals were received, with every local authority submitting at least one application for URDF support. Dublin City Council submitted four applications, including the proposal for Clongriffin/Belmayne. Because of the nature of the URDF programme the proposals are very complex, and each will require detailed...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Emergency Accommodation (6 Oct 2020)

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 statutory role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. My Department does not fund any homeless service directly but provides funding to housing authorities towards these costs. Under the funding arrangements, housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: EU Directives (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: No fines have been issued to the State in relation to conservation of the Irish hare or under the Habitats Directive, in that respect.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Data (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department publishes information on the overall number and value of (i) local authority loan approvals and (ii) local authority loan drawdowns. Local authority approval means that an official letter of offer has been sent to a borrower (and therefore relates to a specific property and loan amount). My Department has issued data requests for the first two quarters of 2020 and figures for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: In light of the temporary ‘stay at home’ measures introduced earlier this year in response to the Covid-19 emergency, the Government, on 29 March 2020, made an Order under section 251A of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the 2000 Act) which resulted in the extension of time for a range of specified or appropriate periods and timelines in the Planning Acts and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Officials of the National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department are actively continuing with their criminal investigations into this concerning and very serious incident. There are no further updates since the matter was last raised in the House.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: To date in 2020, two of the six National Parks were affected by significant illegal fires. These were Killarney National Parkand Wicklow Mountains National Park. Significant environmental damage is caused by wildfires and the setting of such fires is particularly irresponsible during 2020 as it creates an unnecessary draw on our emergency services. While the primary responsibility in terms of...