Results 16,401-16,420 of 25,999 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Data (8 Sep 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Given the diversity of state bodies and agencies and multiplicity of landholdings for a range of different purposes, there isn’t currently one central comprehensive database of all lands in state ownership. It is not, therefore, possible to conclusively identify all such lands that may be zoned for residential development or to estimate the total number of houses that could be built...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Data (8 Sep 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: At the end of Q2 2020, 78,922 Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) tenancies had been set-up since the scheme commenced, of which 56,548 households were actively in receipt of HAP support.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Data (8 Sep 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: At the end of Q2 2020, the average monthly exchequer cost for a Housing Assistance Payment tenancy was €665, or €7,980 annually. This represents the portion paid by the State after the receipt of the differential rent paid by the tenant to the local authority, additional administration costs would also apply. Costing information in relation to residents of direct provision...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (8 Sep 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Strategy for the Rental Sector set out a series of measures to be introduced to ensure the quality of private rental accommodation by strengthening the applicable standards and improving the inspection and enforcement systems. The Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 specify requirements in relation to a range of matters, such as structural repair, sanitary facilities,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (8 Sep 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: There is always a level of vacancy in local authority housing stock that fluctuates over time, as tenancy surrender and re-letting of stock takes place on an ongoing basis. My Department actively encourages local authorities to ensure all vacant properties in their stock are brought back into use as expeditiously as possible. Local authorities also provide significant funding from their own...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Property Tax (8 Sep 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The elected councils are responsible for all budgetary decisions of local authorities, including Local Property Tax (LPT) variation decisions, the Annual Rate on Valuation for commercial rates and charges associated with services provided. Adoption of the annual budget is a reserved function. LPT variation decisions must be finalised by local authorities by 30 September in order to take...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rent Pressure Zones (8 Sep 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Section 24A of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, as amended, provides that the Housing Agency, in consultation with housing authorities, may make a proposal to the Minister that an area should be considered for designation as a Rent Pressure Zone. Following receipt of such a proposal, the Minister requests the Director of the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) to conduct an assessment of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payment (8 Sep 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Increased rent limits for the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) and the Rent Supplement Scheme were introduced in 2016. These limits were agreed in conjunction with the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP). In reviewing the rent limits, my Department worked closely with DEASP and monitored data gathered from the Residential Tenancies Board and the HAP Shared Services...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (8 Sep 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 local authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. The National Quality Standards Framework (NQSF) for homeless services has been developed to ensure a consistent approach in how local authorities and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Data (8 Sep 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 role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. While responsibility for the provision of accommodation for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities, the administration of homeless services is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (8 Sep 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 and haphazard development, particularly in those areas near cities and towns that...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (8 Sep 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I understand that the Question refers to the interim recommendation made in the first progress report of the Just Transition Commissioner, published 22 May 2020, in respect of planning and licensing regulation as apply to peat extraction, in particular the need to consider a fast-track ‘one-stop-shop’ arrangement for planning, licensing and regulatory compliance and the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Stations (8 Sep 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Acts, 1981 and 2003. My Department supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a central...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (8 Sep 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I will be examining this report and will bring this matter to Government for consideration in due course. In this regard, the decisions of the Commissioner for Environmental Information (CEI/18/0019) of 13 February 2019 and the Information Commissioner (OIC-59426-Q8D7T8) of 27 February 2020 in relation to requests to publish this report will also be taken into account. Both decisions are...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (8 Sep 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 local authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. As part of the response to COVID-19, my Department is working closely with the Department of Health and the HSE along with Dublin Regional Homelessness...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation (8 Sep 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 local authorities in addressing homelessness at the local level. Under the Housing Act 1988 it is a matter for each local authority to determine whether a person is regarded as homeless; section 2 of the Act sets out...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Turf Cutting (8 Sep 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the 2000 Act), all development, unless specifically exempted under the Act or associated Regulations, requires planning permission. Under the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, peat extraction- - in a new or extended area of less than 10 hectare, or - in a new or extended area of 10 hectares or more, where the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (8 Sep 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: Seaweed Harvesting (8 Sep 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 418 and 419 together. There are currently no active foreshore licences to harvest wild seaweed. Some 23 applications to harvest seaweed are on hands. All applications for leases or licences including those to harvest wild seaweed under the 1933 Foreshore Act, when deemed complete, are published on my Department’s website: .

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Seaweed Harvesting (8 Sep 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: It would not be appropriate for me to comment directly on an individual application which might come before me for determination. However, I can confirm that my Department wrote to the applicant concerned on 13 October 2019 outlining what is required in order for the pre-application to proceed to application stage. A response in that context is awaited.