Results 321-340 of 8,310 for speaker:James Browne

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The First Home Scheme, which launched in July 2022, is a shared equity scheme, designed to help bridge the gap for eligible first-time buyers, eligible homebuyers, and self-builders, between their deposit and mortgage, and the price of their new home (within price ceilings established across the country). Full details are available on the First Home Scheme website, www.firsthomescheme.ie. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: My Department publishes comprehensive programme-level statistics on social housing delivery activity in all local authority areas on the statistics page of its website. Data in relation to the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), including funding provided to end 2024, can be found on my Department’s website at this link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provis...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: My Department does not hold data in relation to the average waiting time for social housing allocation. However, details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority administrative area is provided in the annual statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments. The most recently published summary for all counties, conducted in November 2024, is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: Addressing homelessness is a priority for this Government. The Programme for Government includes a number of commitments to address homelessness, including ensuring that there is sufficient emergency accommodation for those who require it with special supports for children impacted by homelessness. Funding of €303 million is available for the delivery of homeless services in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: My Department does not have direct involvement in executive functions carried out by a local authority, such as the requirement to publish purchase orders over €20,000. Under Section 149 of the Local Government Act 2001, the Chief Executive of a local authority is responsible for the executive functions of the local authority, and for that purpose to manage and control generally, the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Land Issues (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The Land Development Agency (LDA) is working with key landholders across the public and commercial State sectors to transfer lands that are surplus to their operational requirements and suitable for residential development to the LDA in a managed process. The Land Development Agency Act 2021 requires the LDA to establish and maintain a Register of Relevant Lands and to furnish Government...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: Since the publication of the current Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines in 2005 (which continue to have effect in addition to subsequent clarifications and national policy changes in the National Planning Framework) there have been important changes to our planning system. Most notably, obligations under European Directives and international agreements relating to the management and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The information requested is not held by my Department An Coimisiún Pleanála (the Board) is the national independent statutory body with responsibility for the determination of planning appeals and direct applications for strategic infrastructure and other developments under the Planning and Development Act 2024, the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and certain...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I refer to the reply to Question No. 148 of 2 July 2025 which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: My Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of local authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with individual local authorities. My Department...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The Planning and Development Act 2024 (Act of 2024) was enacted on 17 October 2024. Given its scale, the Act of 2024 is being commenced on a phased basis to facilitate the transition from arrangements under the current Planning and Development Act 2000 (Act of 2000) to the new legislative framework. A comprehensive Implementation Plan has been published that includes a detailed commencement...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Waterways Issues (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 520 and 523 together. Waterways Ireland proposes to update the Shannon Bye-laws and Canal Bye-laws which are more than 30 years old. The needs of users have changed, environmental landscape and health and safety considerations have developed significantly and the waterways themselves have been transformed over the past thirty years. The purpose of updating...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Grant Payments (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: My Department provides Exchequer funding to local authorities under the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and Disabled People scheme, to assist people in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. The suite of grants, which include the Housing Adaptation Grant for Disabled People, the Mobility Aids Grant and the Housing Aid for Older People Grant, are...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: Cost Rental housing is a key tool in the Government's efforts to make rents more affordable and renting more secure. It is a new form of tenure in Ireland, established in 2021, where the tenant pays a rent which is set to cover the cost of delivering, managing, and maintaining the home. Cost Rental is targeted at people within the middle-income cohort, who do not qualify for social housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Programme (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 524 and 539 together. Under the Programme for Government, my Department will take responsibility for the Multi-Unit Development Act to streamline support for Owner Management Companies and improve oversight. A timeline for the transfer of this function from the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration is being advanced and engagement between the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The Retail Planning Guidelines were issued as Ministerial Guidelines under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act in 2012. Section 28 of the Act provides that planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála (now An Coimisiún Pleanála) are required to have regard to the Guidelines in the performance of their functions. The Guidelines aim to ensure that the planning system...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: Under Section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he/she is responsible. The salary scale for an archaeologist in the local government sector is linked to the Executive Engineer Grade and ranges from €59,067 to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Energy Infrastructure (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Act, 1981. The National Directorate for Fire & Emergency Management (NDFEM), which is a section in my...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Turf Cutting (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The Cessation of Turf Cutting Compensation Scheme was established in 2011 for active domestic turf cutters arising from the restrictions on turf cutting on 53 raised bog special areas of conservation and was extended in 2014 to include 36 raised bog natural heritage areas. Eligible applicants on raised bog Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) where turf cutting ceased in 2011 will...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 529 and 530 together. My Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of local authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons...