Results 1-20 of 10,538 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien in 'Written Answers'

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Emergency Accommodation (29 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department's role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of local authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless services rests with individual local authorities. My Department does not fund any homeless service directly...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (29 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing First provides a comprehensive and holistic approach to addressing homelessness for individuals experiencing mental health, physical health, substance misuse, social, behavioural, and other challenges. The Housing First approach to addressing homelessness places direct access to housing first and foremost for vulnerable individuals using homeless services consistently or...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Budgets (29 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The capital expenditure provision for my Department in 2024, as set out in the Revised Estimates for Public Services 2024 published by the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (DPENDR) and available at www.per.gov.ie/en/rev/ is €3,888m. The breakdown of this capital allocation by Programme is set out below: PROGRAMME 2024 GROSS CAPITAL...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (29 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Tackling vacancy is a key priority for this Government and Pathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock. The Vacant Homes Action Plan Progress Report, which I recently published on my Department's website, outlines the significant progress that has been made in addressing vacancy, along with the actions that are...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (29 May 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 enhanced grant scheme was legislated for following extensive consultation with all relevant stakeholders. At the time of the Scheme launch, I established an...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (29 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Schemes provide for the purchase, by eligible tenants, of local authority properties which are available for sale under the terms of the particular scheme. All applications must satisfy the requirements outlined in the relevant legislation. However, the schemes only provide for the purchase of local authority properties, and do not extend to properties owned...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Septic Tanks (29 May 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 grants are focused on the areas of greatest environmental priority and are available only in circumstances relating to risks to water quality and/or...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (29 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Since the publication of the current Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines in 2005 (which continue to have effect in addition to subsequent clarifications and national policy changes in the NPF) there have been important changes to our planning system. Most notably, obligations under European Directives and international agreements relating to the management and protection of the environment...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (29 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department recognises that continued investment in water infrastructure is required across urban and rural Ireland. With regard to our rural communities, my Department is committed to support take-up of Uisce Éireann’s Small Towns and Villages Growth Programme to provide water and wastewater growth capacity in smaller settlements and also to continued non-Uisce Éireann...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (29 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: There are a number of housing estates across the country that rely on developer provided infrastructure for their water services networks. These estates have not been taken-in-charge and their water services networks are not, currently, connected to the public (Uisce Éireann) network. The water services infrastructure, provided by the developer of such estates, is more commonly called...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (29 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department’s grant scheme for the renewal or repair of a thatched roof provides funding of up to €6,350 or up to 80% of the approved cost, whichever is the lesser, in respect of necessary works to renew or repair the thatched roofs of private houses situated on the mainland where the private owner holds a medical card. A higher level of assistance of up to €8,252 is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (28 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 260, 261 and 292 together. Tackling vacancy is a key priority for this Government and Pathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock. The Vacant Homes Action Plan Progress Report outlines the significant progress that has been made in addressing vacancy, along with the actions that...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Reviews (28 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Housing Act 1966 provides for the charging of rent by local authorities on social housing tenancies. Rents are based on household income levels, with those on lower incomes paying lower rents. This system is known as the ‘differential rents’ system. It is a critical piece of State’s welfare apparatus, subsidising housing costs and supporting households who...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (28 May 2024)

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 regulations prescribe maximum net income limits for each local authority, in different bands...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (28 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 264 and 265 together. A flagship element of Project Ireland 2040, the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) was one of four new funds established under the National Development Plan (NDP) 2018 – 2027. Launched in 2018 with committed Exchequer funding of €2 billion, the review of the NDP in 2021 extended the URDF to 2030. To date,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (28 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: In accordance with Section 58 of the Housing Act, 1966 Local Authorities are legally responsible for the management and maintenance of their housing stock including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, the implementation of a Planned Maintenance Programme and carrying out of responsive repairs. Local authorities also have a legal obligation to ensure that all of their tenanted properties...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Measures (28 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Applicants for permission to build one-off housing are not required to partake in pre-application consultations. However, any such person may request a pre-application consultation under section 90(1) of the Planning and Development Bill 2023 (as amended). Where the applicant makes this request and provides any documentation or information required by the planning authority under section...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (28 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department assesses, approves and records local authority social housing delivery on a project basis, rather than on the basis of individual unit types. I refer to my answer to Question No. 689 on 9 April 2024 which sets out the average cost of social homes delivered by SHIP, CAS, CALF and via Part V arrangements in 2023.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (28 May 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: In the case of support for affordable purchase homes, subventions of €50,000, €75,000 and €100,000 from the Affordable Housing Fund per home are in place towards the development costs of affordable homes. The higher subsidy funding (€100,000) relates to schemes involving high density development and typologies in urban areas (which tend to have higher construction...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (28 May 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). The table below sets out the Build and Leasing targets for Kerry County Council. ...