Darragh O’Brien

New €59m reservoir will enhance security and resilience of water supply across Greater Dublin Area

Uisce Éireann says €118m investment will boost supply for housing, hospitals and Dublin Airport

Fri Oct 04 2024 - 13:37

Apple tax: Taoiseach suggests funds could go towards infrastructure and housing

European Union ruled computing giant must pay €13 billion to Ireland

Wed Sept 11 2024 - 20:12

Short-term letting crackdown Bill due before Cabinet after concerns ‘boxed off’

Aim of legislation is to take up to 12,000 properties out of short-term letting sector and make them available to people seeking long-term rentals

Mon Jun 03 2024 - 07:30

Broadcast moratorium before elections is ‘ripe for manipulation’ by bad faith actors, says Darragh O’Brien

Coimisiún na Meán tells Minister review of existing ban on broadcasting election-related issues to be finalised in October

Tue May 07 2024 - 06:00

A home of your own: What is in the housing plan for under-40s?

Government Ministers insist that schemes are in place to help younger buyers, but what are they and do they work?

Wed Apr 24 2024 - 15:24

‘Not desirable’: Student housing operators criticised for offering only 51-week tenancies

Developers of two student housing blocks in Dublin told local planners tenants would be offered 40-week leases

Mon Feb 12 2024 - 06:00

Ukrainian refugees cannot face ‘cliff-edge’ in Government supports, says O’Brien

Coalition is divided over plans to time-limit accommodation for arrivals from Ukraine to 90 days

Sat Nov 04 2023 - 15:59

‘A matter for the voters’: War of words erupts between Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil over housing

Policies of both parties called into question as O’Brien challenges Ó Broin for longer-term solution to crisis

Wed Nov 01 2023 - 21:25

Phibsborough shopping centre co-living plans collapse

Scheme granted permission more than two years ago cannot go ahead due to planning rule change

Tue Oct 17 2023 - 06:00

Former bank on Dublin’s College Green may be converted to social housing

Dublin City Council is looking at purchasing the Ulster Bank premises which is on sale for €13.5m

Mon Sept 25 2023 - 05:00

Work on housing referendum delayed over disagreement on constitutional reform

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar says there is ‘a way to go yet’ on referendum with the wording still outstanding

Thu Mar 09 2023 - 02:30

Dáil resumes: Abortion, refugees and assisted dying likely to lead political agenda

New political term and a new Taoiseach: here are the key issues to look out for as the Dáil returns on Wednesday

Tue Jan 17 2023 - 05:00

Varadkar’s housing meeting without Minister ‘not helpful’, says Fianna Fáil TD

Taoiseach met Housing Commission in absence of FF’s Darragh O’Brien, who is responsible for the brief

Sun Jan 15 2023 - 16:39

Repaired apartments covered by defective funding scheme set to go to cabinet this month

Government sources say issue of ‘retrospection’ will be provided for in the scheme

Thu Jan 12 2023 - 05:00

Can these six ideas help fix Ireland’s housing crisis?

Taoiseach says he wants 2023 to be a ‘year of inflection’ in the housing crisis

Tue Jan 10 2023 - 21:09

State’s First Home Scheme ‘playing catch-up’ with rising house prices

Price ceilings under initiative to help first-time buyers rising due to increase in property prices

Mon Jan 09 2023 - 20:00

Numbers in emergency accommodation hit record high of 11,542 despite eviction ban

New data shows a 26.8% rise in number of homeless people over 12-month period

Fri Jan 06 2023 - 18:56

Right-to-housing referendum: Recommendations due this month on wording of vote

Minister expects Housing Commission to deliver its recommendations early in new year

Wed Jan 04 2023 - 05:00

State to be given sweeping powers in event of sudden oil emergency under new plans

Minister for Environment Eamon Ryan to tell Cabinet there is no current concern or risk around stocks

Wed Jan 04 2023 - 00:01

Airbnb caught off guard by introduction of short-term letting restrictions, correspondence shows

Newly released letter to Minister for Housing expresses company’s ‘surprise and serious concerns’ at new measures and complains of a lack of consultation

Mon Jan 02 2023 - 04:45

Extra 16,000 households eligible for social housing supports with new income thresholds

From next year, the upper-income threshold to qualify for social housing in the Republic will be increased by €5,000

Tue Dec 27 2022 - 05:15

100% redress for construction defects in Celtic Tiger homes to be proposed

Darragh O’Brien wants the State to fund the works, which could cost up to €2.5 billion

Tue Dec 27 2022 - 04:00

Review of An Bord Pleanála calls for urgent ‘reset’ and measures to tackle caseload

Statutory review for Office of the Planning Regulator found ‘breakdown of trust’ in key parts of organisation

Tue Dec 20 2022 - 18:25

Review recommends overhaul of pay and conditions for Ireland’s retained firefighters

‘Concerning’ that 58 per cent of firefighters say they are likely to leave within the next three years

Sun Dec 18 2022 - 13:11

Ministers’ report cards: With a reshuffle on the way, who is safe and who should be worried?

As Martin and Varadkar swap jobs, The Irish Times political team casts a critical eye over the performance of ministers since the Coalition came into power in 2020

Fri Dec 16 2022 - 13:00

Planning Bill row: Greens to seek changes to proposed judicial review curbs

Green Party unhappy with parts of reform to planning process such as curbs on judicial reviews by residents’ associations

Wed Dec 14 2022 - 05:00

Will the planning system be fixed by new law?

Major piece of legislation must survive scrutiny of its effect on areas such as judicial reviews, timelines, An Bord Pleanála and compulsory purchase orders

Wed Dec 14 2022 - 05:00

Proposed planning changes vulnerable to EU legal challenge, says civic group

Planning reforms could block residents’ groups from legal action against housing developments

Mon Dec 12 2022 - 20:36

Minister unveils further changes to contentious planning-law overhaul

Draft legislation set for Cabinet approval bars resident groups from taking High Court cases against decisions

Mon Dec 12 2022 - 15:29

‘I’m a homeless homeowner’: The apartment owner who is now couch surfing

Jeanette Brown believes there should be amendment to the Act to allow for situations such as hers

Mon Dec 12 2022 - 05:00

Resident groups to be barred from taking High Court actions against planning decisions

Darragh O’Brien push to deliver new homes to be aided by making it harder for objectors to challenge planning decisions

Mon Dec 12 2022 - 01:00

Real test for new planning system is whether it smooths the process or leads to yet more disarray

Recent history provides a salutary lesson in how planning laws can produce the opposite of desired impact