Results 16,161-16,180 of 25,999 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Planning and Local Government (Revised) (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The report from the fourth quarter of last year showed that a significant number of mortgages were in distress due to mortgage arrears. There is an issue with the mortgage to rent scheme that concerns both my Department and the Department of Finance. We are committed to expanding the scheme and there is money in the Estimate for this year for that purpose. However, we can do a lot better....

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Planning and Local Government (Revised) (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for her questions and will try to answer all three points. I am glad she raised the first issue because it has been brought to my attention that house calls are not happening in some local authority areas. That should not be the case. Adaptation work is deemed to be essential work and the workers carrying it out are essential workers. It goes without saying that it...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Planning and Local Government (Revised) (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Deputy can do that later.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Planning and Local Government (Revised) (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: We can do that later.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Planning and Local Government (Revised) (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Will I come back in now or take Deputy Gould's questions?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Planning and Local Government (Revised) (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I can come straight back in because Deputy Ó Broin asked a few quick questions. With regard to underfunding and Covid losses not related to rates, we are working on that right now. We are in detailed negotiations with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. I recognise that local authorities will have spent more because of bringing in Covid measures relating to the public...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Planning and Local Government (Revised) (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I will be very quick as well because I was not trying to exclude Deputy Gould in any way. The homelessness task force has been very useful. I will report to the committee and we publish minutes of those meetings as well. We are tracking those numbers but we know that behind each number is a person and family. We are tracking it weekly and there is a monthly report. It has been very...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Planning and Local Government (Revised) (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy and accept the point he makes on one-bedroom units but some of our focus in that context relates to homeless individuals who want single person accommodation. He has a point with regard to family breakdown where people might need extra space. The provision of one and two-bedroom units as well as larger homes is a big problem. I have already said to our partners,...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Planning and Local Government (Revised) (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I will answer very quickly on the national planning framework. Obviously we have to look at how it is being implemented on the ground. I have written to the local authorities and the planning authority about that. I have no oversight over the granting of permission for specific planning applications but if the Deputy writes to me-----

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Planning and Local Government (Revised) (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Perhaps he could write again or I will seek out his letter. I get a few letters every day but I will track his down.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Planning and Local Government (Revised) (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I welcome that and that it is put forward in a constructive way. I will respond to each item. On voids, I have been around a while, including on local authorities, and have found that having a specific target for each local authority and allowing them make submissions has really focused delivery on that. I take the point and will respond to the other items, including dereliction.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Planning and Local Government (Revised) (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: In the small bit of spare time I have I chair a regional drugs and alcohol task force in north Dublin. I have seen the benefits of the Housing First approach, particularly for many homeless people who have addiction and also mental health issues. Housing First gives the wraparound supports to help people through homelessness. The programme for Government commits to a housing-led health...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Planning and Local Government (Revised) (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: That is true.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Planning and Local Government (Revised) (6 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I agree that it is an issue.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Weather Events (1 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department undertakes the Lead Government Department role, as set out in the Strategic Emergency Management (SEM) Framework (2017), in relation to coordination of national level response to flooding emergencies, where warranted. This includes preparation of review reports into the response to flooding emergencies where national level coordination is activated, including the Review...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Licence Applications (1 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 144 and 145 together. Applicants for deer hunting licenses are always advised to apply before July to ensure that they get their licenses before the beginning of the deer hunting season. At this stage all applicants who had applied before July will have received their licenses. Over 3,100 licenses have been issued since 1 August this year. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Property Registration Authority (1 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I am informed that the Property Registration Authority (PRA) is currently operating a high level of service.  In this regard, applications for registration can be lodged as usual through the post or DX and are being processed in order of priority.  Urgent applications are processed expeditiously upon request, on a case by case basis. For the month of August 2020, the following is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (1 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Local authorities receive central government funding for both current and capital expenditure by means of Government grants and subsidies.  This information can be seen in the audited annual financial statements (AFS) of each authority. The table below details the total payments to each authority from central government covering the years 2014 to 2018. 2019 data is not yet...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Waterways Ireland (1 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 148 and 166 together. The protocol for the closure of sluice gates in Athone is determined by the ESB. If the sluice gates are closed in Athlone, Waterways Ireland will carry out an appropriate sluice operation in the Meelick area. Waterways Ireland as the Inland Navigation Authority, operates the sluices and weir boards in the Meelick area. There are 30...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Heritage Promotion (1 Oct 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 149 and 150 together. The Heritage in Schools programme is not run by my Department but rather it is administered by the Heritage Council, which is funded by my Department. The scheme provides a panel of 160 heritage specialists who visit primary schools throughout the country.   The aim of the Scheme is to encourage awareness of the natural...