Results 16,581-16,600 of 25,999 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Land Development Agency (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I am just going to answer Deputy Ó Ríordáin first because he took the time to table the question. With the LDA legislation, we will be open to that. I have circulated the Bill among Cabinet members for observation. We are already at that stage. It will come back to me and it will go to the joint Oireachtas committee for pre-legislative scrutiny. I certainly want to see...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Shared Accommodation (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I probably should be flattered that Deputy Ó Broin takes such a personal interest in the things I say. He never misses an opportunity to jump on a bandwagon either. I say "well done" to him. It is no surprise. I must act responsibly and I will do so as Minister with responsibility for this area. To answer Deputy Ó Ríordáin's question, which was a genuine one...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Land Development Agency (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I will read a prepared response as it is a very specific question. On its establishment, the LDA had access to an initial tranche of nine sites that have near-term delivery potential for approximately 3,600 new homes. The sites in question are the Central Mental Hospital site in Dundrum, Hampton in Balbriggan, Hacketstown in Skerries, Devoy Barracks in Naas, the former Meath Hospital in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Land Development Agency (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: In preparation for oral questions, I met my officials yesterday and raised the comments made last week by the Deputy regarding rent-to-buy. My officials will be in direct contact with him on the issue. I intend to meet him on the matter. As I stated in response to other Deputies, there are multiple ways of delivering affordable housing. We must be open to looking at other ideas. I spoke...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Land Development Agency (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: For the second time this morning, Deputy Ó Broin is piggybacking on questions tabled by the Labour Party.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social and Affordable Housing (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: We want to get to a stage where it is not a question of whether people's homes are public or private in this country but that they are simply people's homes. We want to ensure we are delivering both types of housing. If we look at the Shanganagh development in Dublin, nearly 600 units have been approved by the LDA and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and all of them will be social...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social and Affordable Housing (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Our job is to deliver homes for our people through various mechanisms and that is what we will do. Our focus has to be on driving down homelessness and continuing to focus on accommodation for singles. Approximately 60% of adults who are homeless are single and we do not have enough accommodation for them. That is why I put out a call this week to all local authorities - I assume the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Shared Accommodation (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My views on this matter are well known and I have initiated a review of the scheme. I am bound to do so and that is what I am doing. To put the issue in context, not one co-living development has been built. That said, I am aware of applications that have come in quite recently in the co-living space. I want to make sure, through the review, that there is no impact on or any unintended...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Shared Accommodation (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I am absolutely aware that some permissions have been granted. I looked for detailed figures on this and they show that out of 62,546 homes which were approved up to June this year, 600 were deemed to be shared accommodation. That is the proportion we are talking about. However, the Deputy makes a very fair point that there are applications coming in and permissions have been granted. As...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rental Sector (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: There will be some permanent measures in the Bill I intend to bring before the House next week. They will take effect from 2 August so there will be no gap between them and the current protections. There will be a seamless transition to the new provisions. The session of the Dáil beginning in September will also be important. We will need to work with the joint committee on further...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social and Affordable Housing (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Deputy Paul Murphy asks if someone is just sloganeering. I thank him for his question. I say that in jest and honestly do not mean any disrespect. The programme for Government commits the State to playing a greater part in the provision of affordable and social housing, with a focus on those earning low and middle incomes and the development of sustainable mixed-tenure communities. These...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Policy (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Sometimes the Deputy thinks he has all the answers on these matters but he does not. There are not only two mechanisms to deliver affordable homes. There are other mechanisms that can deliver. I have stated publicly the guide on prices that I want to see. Depending on the type of house in question and the area in which it is, that price would be between €160,000 and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Policy (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: To be fair, if we had moved on the Sinn Féin motion that the Deputy put forward, we would have had an inferior and unworkable affordable housing scheme that would have left more than 40% of those who need affordable housing out of the system on the basis of the arbitrary cap on earnings of €75,000 for a couple.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Policy (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I did not interrupt the Deputy once. The Sinn Féin scheme stated that a couple can apply if their gross earnings are less than €75,000. We are not going to do that.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Policy (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Tá brón orm, but I did not interrupt the Deputy once.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Policy (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Sometimes the Deputy does not like hearing the truth and that is fine. The truth may not suit the Deputy. Let us focus on the issue at hand.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Policy (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I am exercised about this matter. It is a priority for me and has been for a number of years. Others who are now questioning me are late converts to the affordable purchase scheme, including people who voted against affordable purchase just 18 months ago.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Policy (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: What I have said is true and on the record of the House. I would say to the Deputy that the public do not want to see him shouting at me and bickering with me. The public want to see an affordable purchase scheme that will deliver for them. That is what this Government intends to provide. When I have a plan, I will publish it and discuss it in an adult way. I hope that there will be...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rental Sector (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy and assure him that, whether he is on the housing committee or not, I intend to work with any Deputy who brings forward constructive measures on housing. I will absolutely do that. The matter of the composition of committees is for the Whips and the Business Committee. I cannot control it. To answer his specific question, the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004 to 2019...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rental Sector (23 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: There will be a couple of parts to the Bill that I bring forward. One relates to significant and permanent changes to tenancy protections that will endure beyond the Covid pandemic. We all want to see the pandemic conclude as soon as possible, but it will be with us for a while. I will bring forward other measures, subject to Cabinet approval, and the Bill has not been approved by Cabinet...