Results 16,721-16,740 of 27,055 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Data (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 384 and 385 together. My Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on all social housing delivery activity under Rebuilding Ireland. This is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website, at the following link: . The "Breakdown of Social Housing by Local Authority" tables will provide the Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Data (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The granting, modification or refusal of local authorities ‘Own Development’ under Section 179 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, is a reserved function of the elected members. I am specifically precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to any particular case with which a planning authority or the Board is or may be concerned. My Department...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Data (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 387 and 388 together. My Department does not collect information on the number of Rebuilding Ireland Home Loans applications on hand and awaiting approval as requested by the Deputy. However, my Department does publish information on the overall number and value of (i) local authority loan approvals and (ii) local authority loan drawdowns. Local authority...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 389 and 390 together. The Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) was designed to support housing supply by relieving critical infrastructure blockages. 30 projects were approved with an overall budget of €195.7m, €146.8m Exchequer funded and the remainder funded by local authorities. Full details of the approvals are available...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The relevant details are being compiled and will be provided to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Recognising the difficulties faced by businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Programme for Government – “Our Shared Future” committed to set out how commercial rates would be treated for the remainder of 2020. One of the earliest priorities of Minister O'Brien and I was to secure funding to provide a waiver of commercial rates for businesses impacted by the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme came into operation on 1 January 2016. The Scheme is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the Scheme. To be eligible, tenants must meet certain criteria, including having a minimum reckonable income of €15,000 per annum and having been in receipt of social housing support...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Stations (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The existing five-year Fire Services Capital Programme managed by my Department comes to an end this year. That programme has seen more than €60 million invested in fire appliances and specialist equipment, building or upgrading of prioritised Fire Stations, upgrading Communications and Mobilisation systems and improvements to Training Centres. A new capital programme for the period...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: In Budget 2021, the total funding made available for the delivery of housing programmes was €3.3 billion. This represents an increase of €641m or 24% on 2020 and the single biggest spend on housing by any Government, and will be the largest build programme in the history of the State. From this sum, €110 million was ring-fenced for two new national schemes to deliver...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Student Accommodation (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Acts 2004 - 2020 do not prescribe specific terms and conditions regarding the payment of rents or deposits for inclusion in individual letting agreements in the private rental market including the student-specific accommodation sector. Contract law governs such arrangements. The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2015 provided for, among other things, the establishment...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Residential Tenancies Board (24 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as an independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2020, to operate a national tenancy registration system and to facilitate the resolution of disputes between landlords and tenants. Additional powers and functions were conferred on the RTB by provisions in the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) 2019 Act, which...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payment (19 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 161, 163 and 164 together. The management of social housing, including the Housing Assistance Payment, in each area, is a matter for the relevant local authority, taking account of local circumstances and needs.  Maximum rent limits for the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme are set for each housing authority area by the Housing Assistance Payment...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme (19 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme came into operation on 1 January 2016.  The Scheme is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the Scheme. To be eligible, tenants must meet certain criteria, including having a minimum reckonable income of €15,000 per annum and having been in receipt of social housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (19 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on all social housing delivery activity. This is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website, at the following link:  The statistical returns process has been completed for Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 2020 and the table below provides a detailed breakdown of the delivery in Cavan and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Contracts (19 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department does not maintain the requested information in respect of the State bodies under its aegis.  These State bodies may be contacted directly by e-mail by members of the Oireachtas, as set out in the table below. State Body Contact E-mail Address An Bord Pleanála oireachtasqueries@pleanala.ie An Fóram Uisce...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Private Rented Accommodation (19 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 specify requirements in relation to a range of matters, such as structural repair, sanitary facilities, heating, ventilation, natural light and the safety of gas, oil and electrical supplies. With very limited exemptions, these apply to all private rented residential accommodation. All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Programme for Government (19 Nov 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: Local Authority Housing (19 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The oversight and practical 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (19 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Details of locations where hares have been released by coursing clubs have not in fact been published on the website of the National Parks and Wildlife (NPWS) of my Department since the beginning of the 2018/19 coursing season.  Not only did my Department not make public the locations where hares were released by coursing clubs over the weekend of 7th and 8th November, it was not made...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Valuation Office (18 Nov 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The application referred to in the Deputy’s question is a matter for the Commissioner of Valuation, who is independent in the exercise of his functions under the Valuation Act 2001 to 2020. I, as Minister, have no function in decisions in this regard. Notwithstanding this, I am informed by the Commissioner of Valuation that the application is receiving attention and will be...