Results 16,121-16,140 of 25,999 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

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

Darragh O'Brien: 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 income limits for each local authority, in different bands...

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

Darragh O'Brien: 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 now considered to be in receipt of social housing support and should not generally remain on main housing waiting lists for new...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Section 24A(6) of the Residential Tenancies Acts provides that ‘Where a local electoral area is prescribed by order as an RPZ and, subsequently, any local electoral areas are duly amended in a manner that affects the area of the local electoral area so prescribed, then the order shall continue to have effect as if the local electoral area concerned had not been so amended.’...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department has operated an Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Programme for local authority social housing since 2013. The programme improves the insulation standards and overall energy performance of local authority housing stock, which can benefit those at risk of fuel poverty and also improve the health and comfort of the occupants of local authority homes. The programme is open to...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 338 and 339 together. Under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 as amended, a planning authority must notify the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (currently the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts , Gaeltacht, Sports and Media) and Údarás na Gaeltachta, to invite their views in relation to planning...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Fines have arisen in relation to two cases that involved transposition issues and the details of these cases are set out in the following table: Year Case Ref. Directive Details of Fine Amount Payment Details 2013 C-374/11 Council Directive 75/442/EEC of 15 July 1975, as amended €2...

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

Darragh O'Brien: In 2018, the then Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform initiated an Inter-Departmental review of Local Property Tax (LPT). The purpose of the review was to inform the Minister in relation to any actions he may recommend to Government concerning the overall yield from LPT and its contribution to total tax revenue. As the LPT review did not primarily concern itself with...

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

Darragh O'Brien: This Government is absolutely committed to ensuring that affordable, quality housing solutions are available to everyone in Irish society and this is reflected in the Programme for Government, "Our Shared Future". The Programme commits to putting affordability at the heart of the housing system through the progression of State-backed affordable housing. In terms of affordable housing...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Under the Water Services Acts 2007 (as amended) and2012 (Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems) Regulations 2012, the owner of a domestic waste water treatment system is responsible for its maintenance and renewal and shall ensure that its parts and components are fit for purpose, operational where appropriate and kept in good order and repair so as to prevent a risk to human health or...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The National Planning Framework (NPF) sits at the top of a hierarchy of statutory spatial development plans, the purpose of which is to ensure the sustainable development of urban and rural areas, secure balanced regional development and to support and co-ordinate proper planning and development throughout Ireland. This national-level planning policy is implemented at the regional level...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 345 and 349 together. The regular management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, is a matter for each relevant local authority, and it is open to each authority to address maintenance or improvements to their housing stock from within their own resources. However, my Department does support local authorities in improving their social housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Residential Tenancies Board (6 Oct 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. The Clerk of the Dáil requested that arrangements be put in place to facilitate the provision of information by State Bodies...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Quality (6 Oct 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 levels, including the delivery of water services capital infrastructure, while the local authorities remain responsible for private water supplies. Under the Drinking Water Regulations 2014, as amended, the Environmental...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Community Monuments Fund is a new initiative introduced as part of the July Jobs Stimulus Package. It will invest significant new capital in our valuable archaeological heritage for the conservation, maintenance, protection and promotion of local monuments and historic sites. The Community Monuments Fund will: - enable conservation works to be carried out on monuments which are deemed to...

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

Darragh O'Brien: A second call for proposals under the URDF was launched earlier this year. Seventy six proposals were received, with every local authority submitting at least one application for URDF support. Because of the nature of the URDF programme the proposals are very complex, and each will require detailed assessment. The assessment process is presently under way. It is intended that a...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The detailed administration of the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme, including the assessment, approval and payment of individual grants to applicants, is the responsibility of Donegal County Council and Mayo County Council. Details of the application process in each local authority area can be found at the following links: and . An overview of the application process for the scheme can...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 352 to 356, inclusive, together. 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...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Local authorities have a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes. An initial three-month waiver of rates for businesses forced to close business due to COVID-19, was announced in May. In order to enhance the supports available for enterprise, and in recognition of the fact that not only were many ratepayers forced to close business due to the public...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Supporting individuals and families facing homelessness is a priority for my Department. The Programme for Government "Our Shared Future" commits to reducing and preventing homelessness and provides detail on how the Government will approach this challenge. Upon my appointment as Minister, I established a High Level Homelessness Taskforce, to provide a forum for engagement with key...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The establishment of an Electoral Commission is a key commitment in the Programme for Government - Our Shared Future, with the aim of a Commission being in place by the end of 2021. An Electoral Commission will bring together several electoral functions in an independent, dedicated public body. The Electoral Commission’s establishment is guided by a number of recent reports and public...