Results 16,501-16,520 of 25,999 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the Housing (Private Water Supply Financial Assistance) Regulations 2020, the grant scheme to support improvement works for a private water supply has been revised.  This revised scheme forms part of the funding investment under Measure 8 of the Multi-Annual Rural Water Programme 2019 to 2021. Following an examination of the previous arrangements, consultation with stakeholders...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Issues (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing development within in its area of responsibility, is a matter for Cork County Council, in the first instance, as a planning and housing authority. My Department is supporting housing delivery in Midleton via the Serviced Sites Fund and the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund. I understand that Cork County Council has confirmed that the Water Rock Urban Expansion Area...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: No funding proposal has been made to my Department in respect of the project referenced. The advancement of social housing proposals is a matter, in the first instance, for local authorities.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: An examination of records indicates that my Department has not made any payments for goods or services to the company in question since 2015.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: As stated in the reply referred to by the Deputy, Part 5 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 was commenced in June 2018 to provide a new statutory basis for affordable dwelling purchase arrangements. Initial Regulations in relation to schemes of priorities were made subsequently and further Regulations are being developed regarding eligibility and other matters. Under the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Estates (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The most recent amendments to the taking in charge provisions of the planning code were made in section 37 of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2018 with a view to further strengthening and streamlining the taking-in-charge process. Residential developments consisting of two or more dwellings that have been granted planning permission under section 34 of the Planning and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Guidelines (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Development Management Guidelines: Guidelines for Planning Authorities, which issued in June 2007, are currently being reviewed by my Department.  This review is aimed at further enhancing best practice for all parties involved in the development management process i.e. planning authorities, applicants, agents and the wider public who interact with the planning process. It further...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Advertising (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The information requested by the Deputy is currently being compiled and will be forwarded to him in accordance with Standing Orders. 

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Foreshore Issues (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Both the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, hold responsibilities in relation to the regulation of developments in the foreshore. The appropriate Minister may grant a lease or a licence in respect state-owned foreshore, where it is in the public interest to do so. Regulation of boats does not come within my remit as...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (30 Jul 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 Funding (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: There is a strong and clear commitment in the Programme for Government to increase our social housing stock by over 50,000 over the next five years with an increasing emphasis on homes being built by local authorities, approved housing bodies and State agencies. The Programme for Government also commits us to progressing a State-backed affordable home purchase scheme....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: To support the costs associated with its intended construction of a Naas Inner Relief Road, in October 2017 Kildare County Council was approved for exchequer grant funding of up to €4,500,000 under the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF).  LIHAF funding supports the provision of infrastructure to facilitate residential land banks and allow for the delivery of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (30 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department currently has no funding allocated or project agreement in place with Kildare County Council to facilitate an inner and outer relief road or a second bypass bridge in Celbridge. Overall responsibility for roads policy and funding is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Service (29 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: As previously advised in response to Parliamentary Question No. 1193 of 3 June 2020, I have no objection, in principle, to the recommendation of the Workplace Relations Commission to increase the retirement age of retained firefighters from 58 to 60 years of age.  However, such an increase would require, inter alia, the amendment of primary legislation, namely, the Public Service...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Horticulture Sector (29 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I am aware of the recent Supreme Court judgment to which the Question refers, concerning the leave to apply for substitute consent system under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and its compatibility with the EU Environmental Impact Assessment Directive. The judgment and its implications for the planning system are currently being examined by my Department, in...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 143 and 144 together. The Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, commits to improving security and affordability for renters. To achieve that, we will develop a Cost Rental model for delivery of housing that creates affordability for tenants and a sustainable model for construction and management of homes. Cost Rental is housing where the rents charged...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Freedom of Information (29 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Thirteen freedom of information requests are currently being processed in my Department. Two of these have had the deadline for reply extended; one formally, in accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act due to the volume of records involved and one informally, by agreement with the requester. No requests are therefore overdue.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Service (29 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 146 and 147 together. Over the course of 2014/ 2015, an External Validation Group (EVG) commissioned by the Management Board of the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM), visited each of the 27 fire services in the country. External validation was a new feedback/ review process, introduced by the “Keeping Communities...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Following engagement at sectoral level with local authorities regarding the nationwide voids programme under the July stimulus the call for detailed proposals will issue imminently to individual local authorities.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Irish Water (29 Jul 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. In relation to the July Jobs Stimulus Package, the additional capital funding is to be provided to Irish Water to will allow for an acceleration of the leakage reduction programme. Funding for the leakage reduction...