Results 17,661-17,680 of 26,886 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Service (14 Jul 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: Pyrite Remediation Programme (14 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The pyrite remediation scheme is a scheme of “last resort” applicable to dwellings, which are subject to significant damage attributable to pyritic heave. The full conditions for eligibility under the Scheme are available on the Pyrite Board’s website at www.pyriteboard.ie. The latest figures available indicate that 2,680 applications have been received under Scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Ministerial Responsibilities (14 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 401 and 402 together. I am currently considering the matter of the delegation of particular functions to both Ministers of State who have recently been assigned to my Department. Responsibility for Heritage matters has been assigned to my Department as part of the formation of the new Government. Once the transfer of functions in respect of Heritage matters...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Members (14 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 403, 416 and 418 together. The report of the Independent Review of the Role and Remuneration of Elected Members, led by Ms Sara Moorhead SC, was brought to Government on Friday, 19 June 2020, and then published. The Report was circulated on that date to all local authority elected members and to members of both Houses of the Oireachtas. The Report is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Seaweed Harvesting (14 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I acknowledge that the Foreshore Act needs reform and my Department published in January, 2020 the finalised General Scheme of the Marine Planning and Development Management Bill, which will provide the legislative basis for Ireland’s new marine planning regime. The commitment in the Programme for Government to enact this legislation in nine months reflects the priority it has been...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Help-To-Buy Scheme (14 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Following a review of the two existing local authority home loan schemes, the House Purchase Loan and the Home Choice Loan, a new loan offering was introduced, from 1 February 2018, known as the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan. The loan enables credit worthy first time buyers to access sustainable mortgage lending to purchase new or second-hand properties in a suitable price range. Single...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homelessness Strategy (14 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I have established a Top Level Homelessness Group, to provide a forum for engagement with key organisations working to address homelessness. The Group will input on the implementation of the commitments on homelessness in the Programme for Government. I chaired the first meeting of the Group which took place on 13 July 2020.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (14 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 407 and 415 together. The Programme for Government – Our Shared Future commits to reforming and re-imagining our public life. This mission sets out a number of commitments that relate to local authority funding, including setting out how commercial rates will be treated for the remainder of 2020, as a priority action. The Programme also commits to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme (14 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 408 and 445 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payment (14 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Local authorities have discretion, on a case by case basis, based on the local rental market conditions, to exceed the maximum HAP rent limit by up to 20%. In the Dublin region for those households either in, or at immediate risk of, homelessness, the local authorities can exceed the limit by up to 50%. As at Q4 2019 approximately 42.7% of the total number of households supported by HAP were...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Data (14 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department does not hold the specific details requested by the Deputy. My Department publishes a detailed monthly report on homelessness, based on data provided by housing authorities. The Report outlines details of individuals utilising State-funded emergency accommodation arrangements that are overseen by housing authorities. The Reports are available on my Department's website at the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (14 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority area are set out in the statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA). The most recent summary, conducted in June 2019, shows that 68,693 households were assessed as qualified for and being in need of social housing support. This represents a decrease of 3,165 households or 4.4% on the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes (14 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I understand that the question relates to drinking water treatment supplies. Ensuring provision of safe drinking water is a priority for me and for the Government. The Environmental Protection Agency’s recently published report, “Drinking Water Quality in Public Supplies 2019”, shows that our water supplies are safe. Over 99% of water samples comply with safety...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes (14 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: Craughwell, Corofin and Abbeyknockmoy are three un-sewered villages in County Galway. In February 2019 my Department announced the Multi-Annual Rural Water Programme 2019-2020 (MARWP 2019-2021), the composition of this programme is based on recommendations from the Working Group established in April 2018 to conduct a review of rural water services. There is a two-strand approach to the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (14 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: As confirmed in the Programme for Government 'Our Shared Future', this Government is committed to the introduction of Cost Rental housing in Ireland. Ireland's first Cost Rental development is currently under construction at Enniskerry Road, Stepaside, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown. The project is being undertaken by two Approved Housing Bodies, Tuath and Respond, with the assistance of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes (14 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 419 to 424, inclusive, together. 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. The Return to Work Safely Protocol sets out in very clear terms, the steps that must be taken for the protection of employees while any workplace is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (14 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: The Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) is a flagship element of Project Ireland 2040. Under the stewardship of the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, the Fund was established to support more compact and sustainable development, through the regeneration and rejuvenation of Ireland’s five cities and other large towns, in line with the objectives of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (14 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 EIA Directive. The judgment and its implications are currently being examined by my Department and any measures necessary to address the findings of the judgment will be...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (14 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides Unit Cost Ceilings (UCCs) to each local authority as a key benchmark for the development and costing of new build social housing. The tables below outline the current of UCC values for houses and apartments across all local authority areas. HOUSES - 1 bed 2 bed (1 storey) 2 bed (2 storey) 3 bed 4 bed ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing (14 Jul 2020)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 428 to 430, inclusive, together. I refer to the reply to Question No. 284 of 7 July which sets out the position in this matter.