Results 1-20 of 8,310 for speaker:James Browne

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (17 Jul 2025)

James Browne: In June 2025, the Government approved policy proposals for stronger tenancy protections to apply to new tenancies created from 1 March 2026 which will significantly enhance the current provision of tenancies of unlimited duration with the introduction of tenancies of minimum duration (TMD), involving rolling 6-year tenancies by a smaller landlord (with three or fewer tenancies) with a new...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (17 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 363, 364, 365 and 366 together. In 2021, following the second call for proposals under the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF), a provisional allocation of €11,027,500 in URDF support was announced for Mayo County Council's two successful proposals – the Castlebar Historic Core Reactivation Initiative (€8,527,500) and works to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (17 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The Cork Events Centre (CEC), which will provide a venue for concerts, conferences, community events and contribute to the economic and social development of Cork and the Southern Region, was included as a Government commitment under the revised National Development Plan in 2021. This underlines the Government’s support for urban regeneration, enhanced amenity and heritage, associated...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (17 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department is currently undertaking an important project to update wildlife legislation. This includes the Wildlife Act 1976, the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000, the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 and significant regulations made under these provisions. The project is examining closely the effectiveness of our...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (17 Jul 2025)

James Browne: My Department collects, collates and publishes data on social and affordable housing delivery on a local authority basis. Under Housing for All, each local authority was required to prepare a Housing Delivery Action Plan. This Plan sets out details of both social and affordable housing delivery as appropriate over the period 2022-2026, in line with targets set under Housing for All. Dublin...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (17 Jul 2025)

James Browne: Tailte Éireann is an independent Government agency under the aegis of my Department. Tailte Éireann provides a property registration system, property valuation service, and national mapping and surveying infrastructure for the State. Under Section 8(6) of the Tailte Éireann Act 2022, Tailte Éireann is independent in the performance of its functions. Tailte Éireann...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Correspondence (17 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I can confirm, following checks in my office, that there is no record of my Department having received the correspondence in question regarding the implementation of the Tenant-in-Situ Scheme in Fingal County Council. If a copy of the letter is re-sent it will be attended to as soon as possible. I can confirm however, that recent Parliamentary Questions numbers (85, 92, 96, 475) of 1...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Programmes (17 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The current cycle of the Multi-Annual Rural Water Programme (MARWP) runs until the end of 2026. My Department has commenced preparatory work on the next phase of the Programme. This includes a review of the current programme and engagement with stakeholders to ensure the new framework is responsive to the specific needs of the rural water sector. It is intended that the new framework...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Public Procurement Contracts (17 Jul 2025)

James Browne: My Department operates a decentralised procurement model where procurement activity is the responsibility of the budget holder, who is usually the head of the business unit. My Department does not hold a central list of procurement competitions that did not result in a contract award due to insufficient submissions, legal challenges, disqualification of bidders, or internal cancellation. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Public Private Partnerships (17 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (17 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, the implementation of a planned maintenance programme and carrying out of responsive repairs, are matters for each individual local authority under Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. Local authorities also have a legal obligation to ensure that all of their tenanted properties...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Projects (17 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The lands purchased at Dowth in December 2023 form the new National Park, Brú na Bóinne National Park. The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), in partnership with the National Monuments Service (NMS) and the Office of Public Works (OPW) are working together to prepare a Masterplan for the entire property. This comprises a suite of important archaeological monuments, Dowth...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Town Councils (17 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The Local Government Reform Act 2014 dissolved 80 town councils which represented just 14% of the population, including those in Killarney, Tralee and Listowel. The previous town council system also led to duplication both in administrative and electoral terms. Instead, the Act saw the introduction of 95 municipal districts, representing 100% of the population, in 25 of the 31 local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Contracts (17 Jul 2025)

James Browne: My Department has not procured services from the company referenced. My Department does not hold the requested information in respect of the State Bodies. Arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my Department to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. This provides a speedy, efficient and cost effective system to address...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (17 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The Tailte Éireann Act 2022, which was enacted in December 2022, led to the establishment of Tailte Éireann on 1 March 2023 following the merger of the Property Registration Authority, the Valuation Office and Ordnance Survey Ireland. Tailte Éireann is an independent Government agency under the aegis of my Department. Under Section 8(6) of the Tailte Éireann Act 2022,...

Planning and Development (Street Furniture Fees) Regulations 2025: Motion (16 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft: Planning and Development (Street Furniture Fees) Regulations 2025, a copy of which has been laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on 4th July, 2025.

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2025: From the Seanad (16 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I thank the Ceann Comhairle. I have listened to about 40 minutes of hyperbole and lots of one-liners for social media-----

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2025: From the Seanad (16 Jul 2025)

James Browne: -----being put forward and no solutions, with the exception, in fairness, of Deputy Hearne. As I have stated before, the Department of housing has asked the Department of Finance to look at a Livret A-type scheme and I have read the Deputy's proposals. There are challenges in this regard. It is not something that can be stepped up immediately but it is something we are looking at...

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2025: From the Seanad (16 Jul 2025)

James Browne: We are making radical decisions to get people out of box rooms, to get viability and to get properties built across this country. We know we have a crisis. I am treating it as an emergency. If we do not take radical measures and do so quickly, we will not get the apartments in Dublin city and across this country. That is why we are bringing forward these measures to address the issue of...

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2025: From the Seanad (16 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I am not smirking or smiling.