Results 16,541-16,560 of 25,999 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Road Projects (28 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Kildare County Council has received approval for exchequer grant funding of €10,800,000 under the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) to support its completion of the Maynooth Eastern Relief Road and Bridge Crossing Railway and Royal Canal. LIHAF is primarily designed to fund the provision of public off-site infrastructure to relieve critical infrastructure...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Sites (28 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department proactively engages with local authorities with a view to ensuring that the vacant site levy achieves its full potential in terms of bringing concerned sites into productive use. In this regard, the Department issued Circular Letter PL 08/2020 on 9 June 2020 requesting the submission of a further progress report on the implementation of the levy by each local authority. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (28 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: While the funding of the maintenance and repair of weirs is not a matter that falls within the remit of this Department, and it has no specific funding line for such projects, it is appreciated that this is a very important project for Cork County Council and the community of Fermoy, in particular. In view of the strategic importance of this project from an economic, social...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (28 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: Rural Resettlement Scheme (28 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Programme for Government provides for a package of social housing reforms, including the introduction of a social housing passport to allow households move from one local authority list to another.    It should be noted that the four Dublin local authorities already co-operate in arrangements that enable social housing applicants to apply for housing in one or two...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payment (28 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 325 and 356 together. The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Scheme is deemed to be a social housing support under the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014. As a long term housing support, an assessment of housing need must be completed in order for a household to qualify for HAP. Any household with an identified housing need is eligible for HAP. In order...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (28 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The oversight and management of the lists of qualified households awaiting accommodation, including the allocation and transfer of tenancies, is a matter for the relevant local authority in accordance with Sections 20 and 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and associated Social Housing Assessment and Allocation Regulations, respectively. Under Regulation 28 of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Mica Redress Scheme (28 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Regulations underpinning the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme do not stipulate that a management company must be in place for qualifying multi-occupancy dwellings. However, applications for such dwellings can only be dealt with collectively, with the cooperation and involvement of all owners. The administration of the grants scheme, including the assessment, approval and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payment (28 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a social housing support under the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014. In order to be eligible for HAP support, a household must first qualify for social housing support through the relevant local authority, in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Issues (28 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 329 and 352 together. 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’.  We will put affordability at the heart of the housing system through the progression of State-backed...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (28 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 level.  Irish Water as a single national water services authority is taking a strategic, nationwide approach to asset planning and investment, and meeting customer requirements.  In relation to overall funding, my...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (28 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The statutory basis for the delivery of affordable housing for purchase in the State is Part 5 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009.  Whilst there is no universally applicable definition of affordability, the legislation provides for this assessment by considering whether the mortgage repayments on a home that meets the accommodation needs of a household would exceed 35% of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Accommodation Scheme (28 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: As of 31 December 2019, there were 18,154 active tenancies supported under the Rental Accommodation Scheme.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Estates (28 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department issued Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable Residential Development in Urban Areas and an accompanying Design Manual in 2009.  These are available on my Department’s website at the following links: . These guidelines put in place a framework for planning authorities to consider residential development applications.  The design manual criteria...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (28 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: In 2018, 4 year overall social housing delivery targets were set for each local authority to end 2021. These targets, broken down by local authority, can be accessed at the following link: . Since coming into Office I have met collectively with the Chief Executives of local authorities and I have established a Top Level Group of social housing delivery partners, including...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: EU Directives (28 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is currently undertaking a focused review of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines in line with the “preferred draft approach” which was announced in June 2017 by the then Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, in conjunction with the then Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment. The review is addressing a number of key...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (28 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The “Call for Housing 2020” was launched on 21 July 2020 as a short-term intervention, to stimulate interest in social housing delivery, primarily through acquisitions and leasing from opportunities arising in the property market. In particular, 1 bedroom units required to support single homeless households, larger family homes and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Home Loan Scheme (28 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Covid-19 situation has had an unprecedented economic impact and unfortunately some applicants for the RIHL have been affected. In order to address this issue, my Department has issued guidance to local authorities on the process for dealing with applicants already in the application/approval process whose economic circumstances have changed for the worse. These options could...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (28 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 338 and 339 together. The Part V requirement arises where a development plan objective requires that a specified percentage of any land zoned for residential use be made available for social and affordable housing. Paragraph 2.1 of the 'Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 Guidelines' issued in January 2017 outlines the circumstances whereby the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (28 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Under the voids programme, my Department supported Clare County Council in their efforts to return 43 units to productive use in 2018 and 62 units in 2019. This figure does not include homes which were returned to productive use by local authorities using funding from their own resources. In relation to data requests for individual addresses, that information should...