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Sunday 28 May 2023 Dublin: 10°C

# Darragh O'Brien

Last week
21st May 2023 - 27th May 2023
# Housing
O'Brien seeking to convert vacant office blocks into apartments to tackle housing crisis
The Housing Minister today confirmed that he was engaging with Enterprise Minister Simon Coveney on the matter.
This month
May 2023
# outdoor dining
No restaurant street furniture fees for another year as regulations extended
Government to remove fees charging restaurants €125 per table for street dining.
# Housing
Construction cost review finds it costs less to build the same house in Birmingham as in Dublin
Taoiseach says we build to higher standards than some other countries.
Last month
April 2023
# Peter McVErry
Peter McVerry issues apology over claim Taoiseach overruled minister on eviction ban
This evening, the Taoiseach said an apology was not needed from McVerry.
# eviction ban
Tánaiste denies Varadkar overruled housing minister on eviction ban; McVerry stands by claim
Father Peter McVerry had said that Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien had sought to maintain the eviction ban, only to be overruled by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.
# Leo Varadkar
'100% incorrect': Taoiseach denies claim he overruled Housing Minister to end the eviction ban
The mood music from Government right up to the decision to lift the ban was that it would be extended.
March
March 2023
# airbnb
Plan to bring 12,000 short-term lets back into rental market delayed by EU Commission decision
The legislation required cannot be enacted until the end of the year.
THE MORNING LEAD
FactCheck: Did the Government miss its social housing targets for three years in a row?
A report by
Stephen McDermott
The claim was made in a Dáil debate on the eviction ban.
# Debate
Ending eviction ban will see 'levels of homelessness nobody thought possible', Dáil told
The Dáil is debating a Sinn Féin motion which is calling for the eviction ban to be extended until January next year.
# eviction ban
Landlords selling property will have to give tenant option to buy under new scheme
The First Home Scheme is to be amended to include tenants who wish to buy the property when their landlord is selling up.
# Housing
Varadkar defends ending eviction ban as Opposition TDs slam 'heartless' decision
The three coalition party leaders met with the housing minister yesterday evening, with Cabinet now discussing the measure.
Coalition leaders and the Housing Minister decided at a meeting last night to lift the eviction ban as planned on 31 March.
Opposition politicians and housing activists have condemning the move.
Sinn Féin's Eoin Ó Bróin said the decision 'will mean more adults, children & pensioners will become homeless from April'.
This year
2023
# rental crisis
'Demonised' landlords should get tax breaks if linked to better renters' rights, says Varadkar
A number of bodys have recommended changes to the tax treatment of landlords.
# Landlords
Housing Minister denies that rent subsidies are a ‘cash bonus for landlords’
Labour leader Ivana Bacik had criticised the amount of money spent on private-sector provision of housing.
# Mortgages
Government-backed mortgage offers are set to get bigger from March
Houses valued up to €360,000 in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, South Dublin, Dublin City, Fingal, Wicklow and Kildare will soon be eligible for the loan.
# Nursing Home
Release of documents on illegal nursing home charges to be discussed by government
A Dáil debate on the nursing home refunds controversy has been delayed by week.
# Minister for Housing
Government haven't yet decided to extend eviction ban despite record homelessness, says O'Brien
A new record high of 11,632 people are homeless, according to the latest official figure.
# Planning
Housing Minister appoints new Deputy Chair of An Bord Pleanála
Chris McGarry replaces Paul Hyde as the deputy chairperson.
# digs
Housing Minister rules out introducing regulations on people renting out spare rooms
Darragh O’Brien said that additional rules would likely reduce the supply of digs for students.
# Housing Crisis
Landlord tax breaks 'not off the table' as judgement call to be made before end of March
At a summit with housing stakeholders held yesterday in Government Buildings, a number of proposals are understood to have been put forward to benefit landlords.
Last year
2022
# Housing Crisis
Taoiseach to meet experts in housing in the coming weeks as Govt attempt to kick-start acceleration plan
So are we heading Housing for All 2.0?
# Landlords
Housing minister: 'I'll be frank, we've got to revisit the tax treatment for small landlords'
In an interview with The Journal, the housing minister said tax measures is one way to keep landlords in the market.
In an interview with The Journal, Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien said the tax treatment of landlords is something the government will discuss further.
Small landlords are continuing to leave the market, said the minister.
Pressure will be put on local authorities to ramp up their delivery of homes next year.
Dublin property price ceilings under First Home Scheme to increase to €475,000
Government criticised over €700 million capital underspend in housing budget
# PLANNING LAW REFORMS
Taoiseach says overhauling planning laws 'essential' to delivering climate and housing targets
TDs also raised concerns about the Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill today.
# planning overhaul
Q&A: New planning laws and the controversy over residents groups
A potential coalition clash is brewing, with a number of Green Party members uneasy with the proposed changes.
# Housing
Councils to secure proportion of any land value increase arising from residential zoning decisions
Land value increases when planning decisions are made to zone land, with the uplift going to the landowners or developers, but not to the State.
# Housing Crisis
Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien wins Dáil confidence vote by 86 votes to 63
A motion of no confidence was tabled by People Before Profit-Solidarity.
# planning reform
Strict timelines on judicial review times and who can take them in major planning overhaul
The draft bill will also see An Bord Pleanála reformed and changed to An Coimisiún Pleanála.
# tented accommodation
Moving asylum seekers from tents during cold snap should be 'watershed' moment
A local TD said it was ‘inhumane to have people in tents’ during wintertime.
# objections
Minister says there should be 'clarity' about who is taking cases against planning decisions
Darragh O’Brien denied that resident groups are being targeted by a new bill.
# Housing
Property price ceilings under First Home Scheme likely to be increased in a number of counties
A recommendation is due to go to Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien next week to increase caps.
# Housing
Housing minister to face motion of no confidence in the Dáil next week
The motion being tabled by People Before Profit-Solidarity will take place just days before the Cabinet reshuffle.
# short-term lets
Cabinet approves new short-term let register aimed at bringing 12,000 properties back into use
Property owners face fines of €300 if they advertise their property without a valid registration number.
# coalition woes
The Green Party convention takes place in Athlone - and it has a decision to make on housing
Housing will be the main issue of the next election – the Green Party should know this.
# Housing Crisis
Councils that can deliver rapid-build houses on sites will have land debt paid off
Local authorities are currently carrying around €309 million of land legacy debt.
# narrow water bridge
'Symbolic' cross-border bridge linking Louth to Down put out to tender
The Narrow Water Bridge will link the Mourne Mountains in Co Down and the Cooley Peninsula in Co Louth.
# Housing
Housing minister admits not enough homes being built in cities
Darragh O’Brien said that housing supply was ‘going in the right direction’.
# Housing
Taoiseach says housing plan is working, as McDonald calls it a 'social catastrophe'
Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien was criticised for comments he made during a Tonight Show debate yesterday.
# Homelessness
New pilot scheme will see shared social housing used to prevent youth homelessness
Government to pilot the use of social housing as shared accommodation for young people under new youth homelessness strategy.
# Housing
Housing Minister 'confident' overall social housing targets will be met by end of the year
Darragh O’Brien said there has been a “step change” in housing delivery this year compared with the previous 10 years.
# Voter Registration
16 and 17 year olds can now pre-register to vote and process can be done online at any time
The ‘Check the Register’ campaign aims to highlight improvements to the voter registration process.
# Housing Crisis
Government to review private rental market as housing targets set to be exceeded
The review of the rental market is expected to be completed before Budget 2024.