Darragh O’Brien

UK-Ireland summit: How it sought to repair diplomatic damage of recent years

The two governments on message as joint initiatives on everything from wind energy to security abound at convivial UK-Ireland summit

Energy bills: Jack Chambers rules out once-off supports for households in budget despite rising prices

Bills remain 90% higher for gas and 60% higher for electricity compared with pre-energy crisis prices

New supports needed as energy bills set to rise further, officials warn

Official source notes 10% and 24% of electricity and gas customers respectively in arrears

State investor appoints receivers to Green Generation

Biofuel producer’s backers blame fraud and policy for challenges

State-led offshore LNG facility will only be used following supply disruptions, says Minister

Opposition accuses Government of failing to consider independent analysis of zero-carbon energy backup options

Plans to extend widow’s and widower’s pensions to non-marital surviving partners to go to Cabinet

Changes to triple lock for troop deployments, €100 million for Ukraine and proposal for LNG facility also due to be discussed by Ministers

Driving test waiting list rose by 10,000 in last three months

More than 72,000 in queue, with 22 weeks average and longest at 35 weeks in Navan, Co Meath

State must focus on building the right homes in the right places

Rush to deliver large-scale apartment schemes in response to crisis runs risk of creating ‘modern-day slums’

EV home charging pilot fails to address critical issue

Concern to persist among motorists about switch to EVs in absence of comprehensive fast–charger network

Fianna Fáil interventions on housing prompt puzzlement in Fine Gael

Mood ahead of first Cabinet housing subcommittee more taut than might have been expected, following interventions by Taoiseach Micheál Martin

North-south electricity interconnector delayed by a further three years until October 2031

Seen & Heard: CHQ building food hall plans; Government plans tax breaks for homebuilders; Erisbeg takes majority stake in CHM Group, and Dingle Distillery invests in upgrade

How using a Deutsche Bank projection landed Government in hot water on housing completions

The only 40,000 estimate for completions last year, which was often quoted in the general election campaign, came from Deutsche Bank

More than €700m for new road projects as Healy-Raes claim ‘the people want tar’

Projects to benefit include Shannon Crossing and Killaloe bypass project and Coonagh to Knockalisheen distributor road in Limerick

Owners of defective apartments face further delays to grants after Housing Agency oversight

Legal advice revealed ‘pathfinder’ scheme was not fully compliant with law

Issue of ‘ghost buses’ on agenda for Minister’s first meeting with National Transport Authority

Darragh O’Brien to raise complaints about listed services not appearing or abruptly being cancelled

Darragh O’Brien pressed to block Bord na Móna wheelie bin sale

Siptu claims KWD Recycling deal is ‘economic vandalism’

Properties remain derelict after collapse of social housing deals with McVerry trust

Derelict and vacant sites left 'languishing' following withdrawal of trust from construction schemes

When your chance of owning a home depends on whether your parents do, the system is rigged

A third of first-time buyers receive help from their home-owning parents, so it feels like the system perpetuates privilege

Elderly man died after medical equipment failed during Storm Éowyn, Dáil told

Father had died in front of his family, says Sinn Féin’s Rose Conway-Walsh, adding ‘That is the tragedy of it. That is how urgent this is’

Ireland to set up new trade advisory bodies amid Trump EU tariff threats

Cabinet expected to approve new ‘resilience plan’ for ESB to ensure the State’s energy grid is better equipped to withstand extreme weather events

Irish hauliers ‘really angry’ with delay to meeting with new Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien

Drivers claim O’Brien is not following through on compensation promised by his predecessor over the closure of Holyhead

The Irish Times view on the new Government: new cabinet, old energy

As so often in politics, many ministers have been appointed not on the basis of ability or record, but due to where they live or how many votes they won

Who’s in the Cabinet? All the Ministers appointed by Taoiseach Micheál Martin and their roles

Simon Harris takes Foreign Affairs, while Helen McEntee moves to Education, making way for Jim O’Callaghan at Justice

Chaos in the Dáil - as it happened: McDonald accuses Government of ‘incredible arrogance’ as Opposition says it will not back down over speaking demands

What was essentially a pro forma day has descended into a fiasco

Peter McVerry Trust in talks with Government to give up ownership of part of property portfolio

Housing charity seeks ministerial consent for transfer of properties to relevant local authority

Ministers to be unveiled today as almost all departments set to change

Fianna Fáil’s Mary Butler and Fine Gael’s Martin Heydon are among TDs tipped for promotion

Ireland’s next Cabinet: Who are the frontrunners and how do they rank?

Who is likely to end up where after the confabulations are done and dusted?

Only certain ministerial job appointments so far are the five Independent TDs

Speculation intensifying six days ahead of formal appointment of new Cabinet next Wednesday

Housing commencements surge to over 60,000 in 2024

Levels notified mark 84% increase on previous year

Number of homeless people passes 15,000 for first time since records began

Some 4,658 children are in emergency accommodation as Darragh O’Brien says addressing crisis is ‘an absolute priority’

Shortage of planners affecting efforts to address infrastructure gaps, says industry group

Case not yet been made to add planning officials to Critical Skills Occupation List, says Department of Enterprise

Housing Agency buys 120 homes with tenants in situ for up to €645,000 each

State scheme aims to buy houses from landlords in cases where their plans to sell up could result in homelessness for tenants

High Court to hear challenge to accommodation for 1,000 asylum seekers in Athlone

Incoming Independent TD for Longford-Westmeath Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran among group of local representatives backing challenge

Judge halts man’s challenge to law enabling expedited development of asylum seeker housing

Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien introduced regulations last year allowing some asylum seeker accommodation to be classed as exempt development

Dublin Fingal East: Darragh O’Brien (FF)

Fianna Fáil's outgoing Minister for Housing has been in politics for the last 20 years

Dublin Fingal East constituency candidates list: Three incumbents will prove hard to shift in new three-seater

Election 2024: Sinn Féin’s Ann Graves will have an uphill battle if she is to take a seat in the constituency

Co-living can be used for Airbnb-style short lets due to loophole

Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council drops planning enforcement case against developer Bartra following legal advice

Dublin City Council ‘excrement’ on shoes of government officials, FG councillor claims

HSE has ‘completely disrespected’ Dublin Fire Brigade ambulance service, council chief Richard Shakespeare says

‘Game on for this election’, McDonald says, as Sinn Féin gains momentum

Latest Irish Times/B&A Ipsos poll shows sharp drop in support for Fine Gael and modest boost for Sinn Féin

General election 2024: What are the issues in housing?

Housing is a central issue in this election, from building targets and government supports for prospective house buyers to rising rents and building defects

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