Darragh O'Brien | Darragh O'Brien Latest News

Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien. Photo: Gareth Chaney.

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Whistleblower accuses housing charity of litany of safety failings

A whistleblower has accused one of Ireland’s biggest housing associations of operating developments that fall short of fire safety regulations, misusing public funds, and wrongly keeping construction sites open during a Covid lockdown.

‘Game-changer’ First Home scheme to help bridge gap for squeezed middle home buyers

Thousands of middle-income home buyers are set to benefit from a landmark affordable housing scheme.

It is expected 8,000 families will benefit from the scheme over the next four years. Photo: Stock image

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Explainer: First Home scheme may just be a ray of light for people struggling to buy a house

The Government’s First Home affordable purchase shared equity scheme is set to be launched in weeks.

The newly-elected Cabinet of the 33rd Dáil meet for their first cabinet meeting in Dublin Castle in June 2020. Photo: Julien Behal Photography

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Ministerial ratings: Two years after Cabinet was formed, who has outstayed their welcome and who deserves to be asked back?

THIS weekend marks two years since the ‘grand coalition’ of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party came to power. Micheál Martin’s Cabinet picks brought together a mix of very experienced ministers and rookie TDs. With a reshuffle scheduled for later this year, Political Correspondent Senan Molony assesses who is swimming and sinking.

Vacant home tax hits more delays as Government considers analysing electricity usage to find empty properties

The vacant home tax is set to be delayed again as the Government is now considering using data from households’ energy consumption to find out how many homes are empty.

Councils not collecting vacant site levies due

More than half of the country’s local authorities have not collected a single euro of the vacant site levy from landowners since its introduction in 2018, according to new figures obtained from the Department of Housing.

Labour Senator Rebecca Moynihan. Photo: Gerry Mooney

Rental crisis: Senator warns HAP housing support system has ‘collapsed’ as analysis shows just 820 properties available for rent

Just 820 homes in Ireland are suitable for families who are seeking accommodation and receiving Housing Assistance Payment (HAP).

Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien amended a political transparency law that will benefit his party

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Fionnán Sheahan Opinion Never mind the housing crisis – Darragh O’Brien is too busy pulling strokes for Fianna Fáil

A double sting on the bookies was pulled off in the 2007 general election by staff in Fianna Fáil HQ.

'Nothing works and everything is broken. Covid covered the first two years of this tragic government'. Pictured, Taoiseach Micheál Martin

Letters Opinion In the name of God, Martin, just go – You’re not up to it

According to RTÉ, 93pc of pledged offers of accommodation for Ukrainian refugees have been withdrawn. Newspapers report on refugees sleeping on floors in hotels.

Violet-Anne Wynne TD and one of her children. Picture by Eamon Ward

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Shane Ross Opinion Homeless TDs are a rare breed, but Violet-Anne’s family has been caught in the trap

Violet-Anne Wynne TD is an unlikely poster girl for the homeless. She forces us to ask awkward questions. Like, how on earth can a woman with an income of €101,193 a year be in such deep trouble? Did she dig a hole for herself, or is she a victim of the housing crisis?

Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien. Photo: Maxwells

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‘Old-style Fianna Fáil stroke’ as last-minute law change allows big parties to raise millions

A new law will allow the big political parties, like Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, to raise millions in funding between elections.

The last time the Department of Housing conducted a complete survey of potential building land was in 2014

Dan White Opinion Is land zoned as residential being hoarded? No one really knows for sure

Since 2011, the State’s so-called ‘bad bank’ of Nama has sold development land with the potential to build over 86,000 homes. However, fewer than 11,000 homes have actually been built on that land.

Peak homelessness rate has not yet been reached, housing minister warns as number surges past 10,000

HOUSING Minister Darragh O’Brien has suggested the peak in the numbers of people who are homeless, which currently stands at over 10,000, has not yet been reached.

Wexford council chief joins high powered housing board despite ethics breach

Wexford County Council chief executive Tom Enright has been appointed by the Government to the board of an agency overseeing billions of euro in funding for home-building – just months after he was severely reprimanded by SIPO, the political ethics watchdog.

Almost 10,000 Ukrainian refugees have sought emergency accommodation in Ireland

More than half of the 16,891 Ukrainian refugees who have arrived in Ireland have sought emergency accommodation, according to the Government’s latest update on its medical and humanitarian support to Ukraine.

Fast-track plans were lodged for a 1,007 unit scheme for a site at Baldoyle, Dublin 13

Objections to housing developments over lack of school places is ‘less than ideal’, concedes Harris

Higher Education Minister Simon Harris has admitted it is “less than ideal” for state officials to object to new housing schemes over concerns about school places.

Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien said "we will do everything we can to make sure that closures of sites don’t happen”. Photo: Conor Healy

Building height restrictions and construction costs hampering housing delivery, Oireachtas committee to be told

Building height restrictions and soaring construction costs are hampering housing delivery, TDs and senators will be told.

Sinn Féin housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin was critical of the scheme. Photo: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Backlash as €100k earners qualify for affordable homes scheme

Buyers on incomes of €100,000 will be eligible for a government affordable homes scheme that will give them interest-free subsidies, the Irish Independent can reveal.

Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien. Photo: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos

Cost-rental homes face monthly hike of €200 due to rising cost of borrowing

The monthly rent for the Government’s much vaunted cost-rental housing programme may have to increase its tenancy target by €200 per month due to the rising cost of borrowing.

A 2018 march in Dublin city centre for a solution to the housing crisis

Editorial Opinion We will look back with shame on this decade of housing failure

The continued nationwide rise in the cost of rent in the first quarter of the year — an increase of more than 11pc compared to early 2021 — was met more with weary resignation than the appropriate response of anger at the ongoing crisis in a deeply dysfunctional housing sector.

'The problem I would have with any state building [of homes] is that it is effectively not happening at all,' said architect Mel Reynolds

Revealed: How many affordable homes will be built in each county a year

First-time buyers in Dublin’s commuter belt counties will see fewer than 50 affordable homes delivered each year, figures obtained by the Irish Independent reveal.

Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien. Photo: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Migrants from countries other than Ukraine adding to pressure on homeless supports, housing minister warns

Migrants coming to Ireland – separate from the 28,000 Ukrainian refugees – are now a strong cause in the renewed rise in homelessness, Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien has said.

Displaced people from Mariupol arrive last month at a refugee centre in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, after fleeing from the Russian attacks. Picture by Leo Correa

Editorial Opinion We must not let the Ukraine refugee crisis cause division on housing

The Government’s response to the large numbers of refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine needs to be managed carefully.

Councils to get power to fast-track housing for refugees

Local authorities are being given sweeping new powers to fast-track housing development and encourage owners to use vacant properties as part of the Government’s response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis.

Service members of pro-Russian troops drive armoured vehicles during Ukraine-Russia conflict near the southern port city of Mariupol

Political parties to be banned from accepting donations through cryptocurrencies

Parties will be banned from accepting financial donations through cryptocurrencies under new political integrity rules being drafted over fears of Russian interference in Irish elections.

Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien has given the green light for the grant to be expanded, which previously only provided partial funding for communal spaces in refuges. Photo: Gareth Chaney

State to pay for child play areas and therapy offices in domestic abuse centres

The State will foot the bill for communal facilities in domestic violence refuges such as children’s play rooms, counselling rooms and offices.

Minister for Older People Mary Butler raised concerns over the impact on pension payments and medical cards held by those in nursing homes. Photo: Gareth Chaney

Plan to cut Fair Deal income contributions to zero dropped over fears of elder abuse

Minister for Older People Mary Butler made a late-night intervention to stop a government plan to allow nursing-home residents keep all income they raise from renting their family homes.

All Government departments urged to look for housing options for Ukrainian refugees as concern sets in over capacity

The Government is in a scramble to find land and property to accommodate upwards of 100,000 Ukrainian refugees following an urgent request from the Department of Housing.

Ukrainian national Kristina Vynnyk hugs her daughter Zlata (6) after they arrived into Dublin Airport last month. Photo: Frank McGrath

Local forums will be established to harmonise community response to war refugees

Forums to co-ordinate the community response to the arrival of Ukrainian refugees are to be established in each local authority across the country.

It’s not so much a case of the heave not materialising as Martin beating back the dissidents. While the egotists conspired, he just got on with the job. Photo: Julian Behal/PA Wire

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Fionnán Sheahan Opinion Fianna Fáil rebels without a clue have been outfoxed by master of his own destiny Micheál Martin

Now the ham-fisted heave against Micheál Martin has been abandoned, does the Taoiseach get a standing ovation at the next meeting of Fianna Fáil TDs and senators? Does someone stand up at the parliamentary party and apologise on behalf of those who sought to undermine him for the past 21 months, while he led the country through a global crisis?