Results 1,181-1,200 of 1,114,115 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Peter Burke OR speaker:Barry Cowen OR speaker:Matt Shanahan OR speaker:Alan Farrell OR speaker:Niall Collins OR speaker:Maurice Quinlivan OR speaker:Christopher O'Sullivan OR speaker:James Lawless OR speaker:Verona Murphy OR speaker:Gary Gannon OR speaker:Pearse Doherty OR speaker:Michael Healy-Rae OR speaker:Eoin Ó Broin OR speaker:Kieran O'Donnell OR speaker:Pa Daly OR speaker:Helen McEntee OR speaker:Brendan Smith OR speaker:Seán Canney OR speaker:Michael Moynihan OR speaker:Darragh O'Brien OR speaker:Matt Carthy)

Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for tabling this amendment. Regarding extending parent’s leave and benefit, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has responsibility for parent’s leave policy and I have responsibility for the associated benefit payment. Parent’s leave and benefit are available to eligible parents within the first two years following...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Gabhaim buíochas leis an gcoiste as an gcuireadh teacht anseo tráthnóna inniu. I very much welcome the opportunity to discuss with the select committee my Department’s Supplementary Estimate for 2024. I am joined by the following officials from my Department: Mr. David Kelly, assistant secretary in the homelessness, rental and social inclusion division, and Ms Sinead...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: To answer the Deputy's first question on revised housing targets, I expect the Cabinet subcommittee on housing to meet in the coming weeks. I will bring forward proposals to that subcommittee and we will discuss them among the three parties. That is based on the work that has been done by a number of bodies, including the ESRI and the Housing Commission. That will feed into the revised...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Deputy McAuliffe is referring to the Local Government Fund as opposed to what we give from a capital perspective. That is something on which there is and should be clarity, in particular for councillors in advance of setting their own budgets. I know many councils are preparing to set their budgets for next year.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes, sure.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Eoin Ó Broin: I have some very specific questions for the Minister to help me understand the Estimate. I will start with capital and A3. Of the additional €552 million, some €255 million of that is for the development levy waiver. That means there is about €297 million left for social housing. Is the bulk of that to fund the tenant in situ scheme or have there been increased costs...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Eoin Ó Broin: That means there is €297 million for the housing element of it, rather than the development levy waiver, and €97 million for the tenant in situ scheme. I looked at the statement from the previous Estimates. I am not clear on where the €200 million has gone. I say that in the sense that the €200 million was not in the original Revised Estimate, but it is in...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: There have, unquestionably, been additional costs, but we endeavour to manage them as best as we can. I am sure Deputy Ó Broin knows from talking to our delivery partners that the costs are managed within it. For clarity's sake, I do not know if Deputy Ó Broin has the information, but in June when there was a temporary reallocation, it was €40 million to subhead A3, which...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: We will exceed our target on CREL. Since we changed the cost-rental equity loan and brought in the equity amount, and increased the amount to 55%, we have seen a substantial increase in applications in a very strong delivery for this year and into next year. On the capital assistance side, we are looking at an additional €20 million. We expect CREL to-----

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Eoin Ó Broin: There is a big increase for CREL. It is €225 million. Is the Minister saying he believes that this year more than 800 cost-rental units will be delivered by AHBs?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes, overall. I do not have the final numbers on it but I believe we will exceed our cost-rental target this year.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Eoin Ó Broin: I am asking specifically about the CREL approved housing body cost-rental target. I would have thought a lot of that €225 million would be a mixture of construction sector inflation and the increase in the CREL to 55%.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: There will be. The increase in the CREL includes an increase in what we spend on it, but there is construction price inflation as well. On the approval of our schemes, we are looking in particular at cost containment as well, especially on the management costs of those. We have been very strict on that. Schemes have not been approved straight away but have been sent back in particular on...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Eoin Ó Broin: Of the overall capital increase of €1 billion, some €200 million of that is not new money into the Department. It is the reversal of a temporary reallocation. Is it then the case that the other €800 million is all additional money coming into the Department, or is there other money that has been moved around programme level expenditure allocations?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: It is additional moneys. Deputy Ó Broin is correct about the €200 million that is a reallocation and is being moved back. The development levy waiver in particular and the Uisce Éireann connection charge were policy decisions the Government made after we settled our ceilings. They were additional, as was the expansion of the tenant in situ purchases. I got agreement at...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Eoin Ó Broin: Okay. I will ask my final two questions. There is a very big jump in LIHAF funding. Last year, only €20 million was spent on it and this year's allocation was €10 million. There is an extra €225 million in there. That is a very considerable change, and if there is any explanation for that, I would be interested in it. There were two areas of expenditure announced on...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: There was a mistake there.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Eoin Ó Broin: Likewise, with the disability and adaptation grants, there seemed to be a suggestion in the press conference that there was an extra €25 million, but the budget book across the two subheads was the same as last year, so it is just to clarify.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: With regard to the defects, the allocation is actually €100 million. That was actually a mistake in the booklet that was printed.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: It was corrected online as well. The same pertains to the disability and adaptation grants.