Results 41-60 of 22,169 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (30 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I commenced the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (the Act) on 22 June 2023, which contains the enhanced grant scheme and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023. The new scheme is now open to applications in four counties: Clare, Donegal, Limerick and Mayo with comprehensive information of all aspects of the Scheme available on my...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Septic Tanks (30 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to my reply to Question No. 628 of 9 April 2024 which set out the position on this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Pensions Reform (30 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Following the Government’s recent approval of an increase in the mandatory retirement age for certain members of the uniformed services, I committed to examining a similar extension to the mandatory retirement age for all fire fighters with a view to providing consistency across the uniformed services. On 12 April, I was pleased to announce that I have now secured approval for this...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Election Management System (30 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Local authorities, in their capacity as registration authorities, are responsible for the management and maintenance of the electoral register. It is the duty of each authority to ensure, as far as possible, and with the cooperation of the public, the accuracy and completeness of the register. An tÁrd Chláraitheoir, the General Register Office (GRO) provides a Death Events...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (30 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I am considering the report, entitled 'A Review Into Certain Planning Matters in Respect of Donegal County Council', by Mr. Rory Mulcahy S.C., and will bring this matter to Government for consideration in due course. The review is a scoping report and as such it does not make findings as to the truth or otherwise of allegations that have been made by an individual against named persons....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (30 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Under Housing for All, the Government will deliver 47,600 new build social homes and 3,500 social homes through long-term leasing in the period 2022-2026. Our clear focus is to increase the stock of social housing through new build projects delivered by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs). Social Housing is delivered through a range of local authority and Approved Housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Emergency Accommodation (30 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: As set out in my reply to question number 411 of 5 March 2024, decisions on which properties are suitable for progression through the Emergency Refurbishment (Ukraine) programme are made by a Technical Working Group (TWG), which works under the auspices of the Accommodation Working Group. All properties offered are subject to inspection by the relevant local authority to ensure compliance,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Communications (30 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Section 160 of the Local Government Act 2001 provides the Minister with the power to declare qualifications of such classes and descriptions as he or she thinks fit for a specified employment under a local authority or for such of the employments as belong to a specified class, description or grade. Orders made under section 160 of the Local Government Act 2001 declaring qualifications for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (30 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the scheme. The scheme is underpinned by the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 and the Housing (Sale of Local Authority Houses) Regulations 2015, as amended by the Housing (Sale of Local Authority Houses) (Amendment) Regulations...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Septic Tanks (30 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The policy of providing grant funding to households for work on Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems (DWWTS), including septic tanks, arises from the need to address damage being done to water quality in sensitive areas in particular. The three different grants available are focused on the areas of greatest environmental priority and are available only in circumstances relating to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (30 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: In order to be eligible for the Housing Assistance Payment, a household must first qualify for social housing support and be placed on a housing list. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (30 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The communal facilities grants scheme funded via the National Lottery, is for facilities to assist residents of supported housing delivered via the Capital Assistance Scheme. Facilities supported under the communal facilities grants scheme can include communal dining and kitchen areas, activity rooms, laundries, accommodation for therapy or treatment, or other facilities reasonably required...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Bodies (30 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 431 and 432 together. Tailte Éireann is an independent Government agency under the aegis of my Department. Tailte Éireann provides a property registration system, property valuation service, and national mapping and surveying infrastructure for the State. Under Section 8(6) of the Tailte Éireann Act 2022, Tailte Éireann is independent in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Bodies (30 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Tailte Éireann is an independent Government agency under the aegis of my Department. Tailte Éireann provides a property registration system, property valuation service, and national mapping and surveying infrastructure for the State. Under Section 8(6) of the Tailte Éireann Act 2022, Tailte Éireann is independent in the performance of its functions. Applications lodged...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wind Energy Guidelines (25 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department is currently undertaking a focused review of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines. The review is addressing a number of key aspects of the Guidelines including noise, setback distance, shadow flicker, community obligation, community dividend and grid connections. My Department, in conjunction with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC)...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: An Teanga Gaeilge (25 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Is é creat beartais agus reachtaíochta iomchuí a sholáthar do chóras toghcháin nua-aimseartha agus éifeachtach an phríomhfheidhm atá ag mo Roinn i gcúrsaí toghcháin. Laistigh den chreat sin, tá na Cinn Chomhairimh Áitiúla neamhspleácha freagrach as gach gné a bhaineann le reáchtáil iarbhír na...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (25 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Departments’ Multi-annual Developer Provided Water Services Infrastructure Resolution Programme (DPI Programme) provides funding to assist local authorities to resolve issues with DPI to enable the taking-in-charge of housing estates. As regards the estates referred to in the details supplied, my Department received an application for funding under the DPI Programme from Kerry...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Regeneration Projects (25 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The National Regeneration Programme ensures the most disadvantaged communities are placed at the centre of all considerations surrounding physical, social and economic regeneration. My Department fully supports a wide ambit of regeneration projects which ensures that complexes with historic disadvantages are placed at the forefront of regeneration. My Department currently funds multi-year...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Derelict Sites (25 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: On 14 November 2023, the Cabinet agreed a proposal to broaden the Local Authority Home Loan, to make finance available to purchase and/or renovate derelict or non-habitable properties. The extended Loan will be restricted to applicants who qualify for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant. This is to ensure that applicants who qualify for the VPRG can avail of financing to renovate...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Measures (24 Apr 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Seanad Electoral (University Members) Act 1937 sets out the current legislative provisions governing the election of university senators to Seanad Éireann. In a judgment last year, the Supreme Court determined that sections 6 and 7 of that Act, which provide for the election of members of the Seanad by certain university graduates, are unconstitutional because they are not consistent...