Results 16,221-16,240 of 25,999 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Process (29 Sep 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government - Our Shared Future sets out a range of commitments in relation to electoral reform.  My Department is currently advancing this electoral reform agenda and this will include bringing forward legislative proposals where necessary. The issues that arose in relation to the operation of section 62 of the Electoral Act 1992 at the Dáil...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Register of Electors (29 Sep 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government – Our Shared Future – includes a number of commitments in relation to the registration of electors including the creation of a rolling register; the use of PPSNs to verify identity; simplified forms and the roll out of optional online registration. Together, these reforms will simplify and streamline the entire process of registration making it...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Architectural Heritage (29 Sep 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I am informed that the inclusion of the site mentioned on the Council’s Record of Protected Structures (RPS) is presently a matter under consideration by Dublin City Council and as such is a matter for the local authority itself.  Part IV of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, gives primary responsibility to local authorities to identify and protect the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Policy Reviews (29 Sep 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is currently drafting a new National Policy on Architecture which will support long–term planning strategies and will assist in addressing key issues including societal well-being, climate change and urban regeneration. The adaptation of existing as well as the design of new buildings will, of course, be critical to meet the targets set by the Climate Action Plan...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (29 Sep 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority area is provided in the statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA). The SSHA has been conducted on an annual basis since 2016, prior to which it was carried out once every three years. The most recent summary, conducted in June 2019, shows that 68,693 households were assessed as...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (29 Sep 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: On 21 September, I announced allocations under the new multi-annual capital investment programme for the progressive resolution of housing estates with “developer provided water services infrastructure”, to enable the taking in charge of these estates. The announcement followed an independent Expert Panel review of all valid bids. The Panel’s recommendations are based on...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (29 Sep 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 (the 2016 Act) introduced new streamlined arrangements to enable planning applications for strategic housing developments (SHDs) of 100 housing units or more, or student accommodation or shared accommodation developments of 200 bed spaces or more, to be made directly to An Bord Pleanála (the Board) for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (29 Sep 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 393 and 403 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 of the Sustainable Urban Housing document, including Specific...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Turf Cutting Compensation Scheme (29 Sep 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: An application under the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme was received by my Department from the individual referred to in the Deputy’s Question. With respect to 36 raised bog natural heritage area sites, the qualifying criteria for the scheme are that: - The applicant must have had a legal interest (ownership or a turbary right (right to cut turf)) in one...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (29 Sep 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The oversight and management of housing waiting lists, including the allocation and transfer of tenancies, is a matter for the relevant local authority in accordance with the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, and associated regulations. Section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, requires all local authorities, as a reserved function, to make an allocation...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (29 Sep 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department does not hold information on the availability of social housing on a local authority by local authority basis. However, in terms of the delivery of additional social housing my Department publishes comprehensive statistics on a quarterly basis on all additional social housing delivery activity under programmes supported by Exchequer Funding. This is published on...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Measures (29 Sep 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The oversight of Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) is currently conducted through the Voluntary Regulation Code (the Code), "Building for the Future, A Voluntary Regulation Code for Approved Housing Bodies in Ireland" which is underpinned by three standards: Financial, Governance and Performance. The Code is overseen by an interim Regulatory Committee supported by a Regulation Office which is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (29 Sep 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The main funding scheme under which my Department supports the delivery of sheltered type housing, is the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS). Under this scheme, capital funding of up to 100% of project costs may be advanced by local authorities to Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) to provide housing for specific categories of housing need, with a particular focus on housing for older...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (29 Sep 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is focused on ensuring that additional social, affordable and private housing is delivered and that existing housing stock is utilised to its fullest extent including a targeted, effective and co-ordinated approach to identifying and tackling vacancy across Ireland.  In terms of affordable housing for purchase, the statutory basis for the delivery of affordable housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Ministerial Advisers (29 Sep 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The recently published guidance issued by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on Ministerial Appointments allow for 2 Special Advisers to be appointed to each Minister by Government, in accordance with overall staffing limits.  At this stage, no Special Advisers have been formally appointed to my Department by the Government. I have, however, assigned Ciara Shaughnessy to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (29 Sep 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the Serviced Sites Fund (SSF), €310 million funding has been made available to local authorities to provide infrastructure to support the delivery of more affordable new homes on local authority lands.  With a maximum of €50,000 infrastructure funding available per home, at least 6,200 more affordable homes, to buy or rent, can be facilitated.  The funding...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (29 Sep 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: In light of the impacts of 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, which resulted in the extension of time for a range of specified or appropriate periods and timelines in the Planning Acts and associated planning regulations. Further orders were signed on 16 April 2020 and 9 May 2020, the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Tenancy Protection Scheme (29 Sep 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: With effect from 1 August 2020, the Residential Tenancies and Valuation Act 2020 protects tenants facing rent arrears from any rent increase or tenancy termination prior to 11 January 2021, subject to the tenant making an appropriate declaration. Currently I have no plans to prohibit tenancy termination, in any other circumstance, in Dublin on foot of its rating at level 3 under the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Sites (29 Sep 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The specific information requested by the Deputy is not available in my Department. The staffing arrangements, including recruitment and the detailed role and functions of the posts within a local authority, are a matter for the individual local authorities. In accordance with section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, the Chief Executive of the local authority makes such staffing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Grant Payments (29 Sep 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides funding on an annual basis under the Disabled Persons Grants (DPGs) scheme to local authorities for adaptations and extensions to the existing social housing stock to meet the needs of local authority tenants.  The scheme applies to works that are necessary to address the needs of older people or people with a disability.  This may involve...