Results 1-20 of 22,388 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

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. ...

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

Darragh O'Brien: My Department does not hold the detailed information requested related to payment process management within the local authority sector. I understand that the transition to a fortnightly pay cycle is being coordinated by the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) with the local authorities. Each local authority is working with an ICT systems supplier to implement the fortnightly payment...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as a quasi-judicial independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2022, to operate a national tenancy registration system and to facilitate the resolution of disputes between landlords and tenants. My Department does not hold the details sought. However, arrangements have been put in place to facilitate the...

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

Darragh O'Brien: 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 the local authority to determine what action is necessary and...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Section 12A(1)(a) of the Local Elections (Disclosure of Donations and Expenditure) Act 1999 sets out the aggregate total of election expenses which may be incurred by candidates at a local election. In addition, section 19C(1) of the Act provides that the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage may by order vary, among other matters, the amounts set out in section 12A having...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The Government’s housing plan to 2030, Housing for All, supports the need to fully consider the housing needs of island communities as part of the objective to drive social sustainability and foster sustainable communities. The National Planning Framework (NPF) also identifies the need to sustain vibrant rural communities on our offshore islands. It is a National Policy Objective of...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 286 and 287 together. The Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme (EERP) aims to retrofit a local authority home to a BER of B2/Cost Optimal Equivalent. It is expected that 36,500 local authority owned homes will be retrofitted under this programme out to 2030. €90m is available to the programme this year and the table below indicates the increase in...

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

Darragh O'Brien: The detailed administration of each affordable purchase scheme is a matter for the relevant local authority in line with Part 2 of the Affordable Housing Act 2021. My Department liaises closely with all relevant local authorities in relation to the ongoing development and delivery of their affordable housing delivery programmes. I understand that the affordable purchase scheme in...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Under electoral law, a nomination paper must state the name, address and occupation (if any) of a candidate at a local election. A ballot paper must contain the name and description of the candidate standing nominated, as shown in the nomination paper. This requirement is intended as a means of identifying a candidate and ensuring the transparency of elections. In ruling on the validity of a...

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

Darragh O'Brien: Following the TRIS 2022/376/IRL and 2022/184/IRL, my Department, over the course of 2023, engaged extensively on the Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the transparency and targeting of political advertising as that proposal progressed through the inter-institutional negotiations. In this context, Regulation (EU) 2024/900 of the European Parliament...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 293 to 295, inclusive, together. 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. Under section 11 of the Act, the Government can increase or decrease the overall grant scheme cap of...

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

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 299 to 302, inclusive, together. 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...