Results 21-40 of 10,670 for in 'Written Answers' speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (18 Jun 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, which I originally published in January 2023, built on Pathway 4 of Housing for All and set out the various actions that were being pursued to return vacant properties back into...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (18 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I commenced the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 ('the 2022 Act') on 22 June 2023, which contains the enhanced grant scheme and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023. The detailed operation of the Scheme is a matter for the designated local authorities and the Housing Agency in the first instance. Their respective roles...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (18 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Mortgage to Rent (MTR) scheme was introduced in 2012. It offers households with acute, unsustainable mortgage arrears who have little or no prospect of a significant change in circumstances, the chance to surrender a property to a lender and in turn become a social housing tenant whilst staying in their own home and community. The MTR scheme is targeted at those households in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (18 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Budget 2024 provides for continued record investment in Housing with €4.25 billion in Exchequer funding for the delivery of housing programmes, comprising capital funding of €2.6 billion and current funding of €1.5 billion. The Capital provision of €2.6 billion will be supplemented by Land Development Agency (LDA) investment and Housing Finance Agency (HFA)...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: European Court of Justice (18 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department continues to put in place the necessary measures to ensure the full transposition, implementation and enforcement of EU environmental law in Ireland. For matters that fall within the policy remit of my Department, the table below sets out detail of cases where the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has handed down judgments and imposed penalties in relation to the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Question Heading for question(s) 194 (18 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 194 and 195 together. The standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019. Responsibility for the enforcement of the Regulations in the private rental sector rests with the relevant local authority. If a property has been found to be non-compliant with the Regulations, it is a matter for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Septic Tanks (18 Jun 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. Three separate grants are available to provide financial assistance to householders to repair or upgrade their defective DWWTS. The grants are focused on...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Safety (18 Jun 2024)

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 Act, 1981. My Department supports fire authorities through setting general policy and national standards, providing a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Safety (18 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 199, 200 and 201 together. Under Section 18(2) of the Fire Services Acts, 1981 & 2003, there is a standing obligation on the “person having control” of the premises to ensure appropriate measures for fire safety are in place at all times. In addition, the design and construction of buildings is regulated under the Building Control Acts...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Safety (18 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207 and 209 together. The Building Regulations set out minimum standards for the design and construction of buildings and works to ensure the health and safety of people in and around buildings. They are subject to ongoing review in the interests of safety and the well-being of persons in the built environment, and to ensure that due...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (13 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Under Section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he/she is responsible. My Department oversees workforce planning for the local government sector, including the monitoring of local government sector employment levels. To this end,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (13 Jun 2024)

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 Service Acts, 1981 and 2003. My Department supports fire authorities through general policy setting and preparing legislation,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Straitéisí Ranna (13 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: An Interdepartmental Group (comprising my Department, the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (DTCAGSM) and Údarás na Gaeltachta) is still continuing its work in developing specific planning guidance for Gaeltacht areas. There is also a separate Working Group made up of my Department, the DTCAGSM and Údarás na Gaeltachta and the relevant local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Allotments Provision (13 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: In terms of planning, providing, enabling and supporting allotments, legislation is in place in the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) and the Local Government Act 2001 (as amended) to identify locations in development plans for allotment development, and to establish allotments as a part of local government’s role in promoting the interests of local communities. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Government Reform (13 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: There are currently no proposals under consideration to reintroduce town councils as Government policy is to strengthen the country's 95 municipal districts. The 2010 report 'Putting People First - Action Programme for Effective Local Government' recognised that town councils led to duplication of administrative work in areas such as planning, housing and roads. The Local Government Reform...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (12 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: There may be avenues available to Uisce Éireann to intervene such as back yard service replacement, first fix free, or potentially through legislative or way leave authority. However, it needs to be established if this matter falls to Uisce Éireann to regularise in the first instance. In this regard, Uisce Éireann has established a dedicated team to deal with representations...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: EU Meetings (12 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Environment policy issues are dealt with at EU level under the Environment Council. The Government is generally represented at Environment Council by the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, or a delegated representative. Matters in relation to the environment that fall within the policy remit of my Department, inter alia biodiversity or water quality, generally arise...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Flexible Work Practices (12 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department formally launched its Blended Working policy in July 2022, which was developed in line with the central policy framework for Blended Working in the Civil Service. Under the Blended Working policy, staff of my Department with suitable roles, performance and remote workstations may apply for a blended working arrangement. 92% of all staff eligible to apply for Blended Working...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Cross-Border Co-operation (12 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Tourism Industry (12 Jun 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Awaiting reply from Department.