Results 6,541-6,560 of 7,384 for speaker:James Browne

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Water Charges (20 Mar 2025)

James Browne: On Lismore, I do not have the information to hand. I will certainly raise the matter with Uisce Éireann, however. If the Deputy sends me the details, we will follow up on that. Of course, I am sure the situation in Cork is always kept under review by Uisce Éireann. However, I will again raise that matter with Uisce Éireann.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Policy (20 Mar 2025)

James Browne: I thank the Deputy for raising this important question on the role of accessibility officers in Dublin City Council and the oversight mechanisms that are place to ensure future housing developments meet universal design standards. These are issues in respect of which he has long campaigned, even before he came to the Dáil. Under the Disability Act 2005, each local authority is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Policy (20 Mar 2025)

James Browne: Their work should certainly not be treated as an add-on; it should be focused on ensuring compliance with the Disability Act. We have had a number of these officers in my local authority in County Wexford. They have been absolutely excellent in ensuring that the relevant requirements are met. I will certainly reach out to the local authorities to remind them of the importance of this role....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Policy (20 Mar 2025)

James Browne: I certainly agree with the Deputy. As someone who has served on a town council and a county council, I am a great believer in local democracy. We will be strengthening the role of county councillors throughout the country. We will be setting up a task force soon which will report quickly to ensure that councillors have their role to be able to hold officials to account where they are not...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (20 Mar 2025)

James Browne: Tenant in situ acquisitions were introduced by Government in 2023 in response to a reported uplift in sales by landlords under the HAP and RAS schemes. Such acquisitions have been an important measure in preventing homelessness. The Government therefore agreed to continue the programme in 2025. My Department has notified local authorities about the extension of the programme. A circular...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (20 Mar 2025)

James Browne: It is not only families.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (20 Mar 2025)

James Browne: In fairness, I think I was supposed to respond before Deputy Hearne, so if he wants to speak after me again, I have no difficulty with that. With the tenant in situ scheme, we believe that criteria need to be applied to it. It was introduced as a temporary measure. It is there as a last resort to prevent people from going into homelessness. I responded to all of this last night. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (20 Mar 2025)

James Browne: The Local Authority Home Loan is a Government-backed mortgage for creditworthy applicants who cannot get sufficient funding from commercial banks to purchase or build a home. It has been available nationwide from local authorities since 4 January 2022 for first-time buyers and fresh start applicants. It is a successor loan to the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan. The loan can be used both for new...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (20 Mar 2025)

James Browne: Tenant in Situ Acquisitions were introduced by way of Government decision in 2023 as a short term response to the reported uplift in sales by landlords of homes which were within the HAP and RAS schemes in order to prevent potential homelessness where other solutions could not be found for the affected tenants. A further Government decision extended such acquisitions into 2024 with...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (20 Mar 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 19 and 59 together. The use of Modern Methods of Construction is a key measure to support the delivery of housing under Housing for All and the Programme for Government. Modern Methods of Construction or MMC is the term used to describe a range of manufacturing and innovative construction alternatives to traditional construction. MMC has the potential...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (20 Mar 2025)

James Browne: My Department is supporting the acceleration of affordable housing delivery with funding and other practical measures, both for local authorities, and more widely, by other key partners such as Approved Housing Bodies, the Land Development Agency and via the First Home Scheme. Funding support is available to all local authorities from the Affordable Housing Fund to deliver new affordable...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (20 Mar 2025)

James Browne: Pathway 4 of Housing for All identified tackling vacancy and reusing existing property as a key priority for Government and the subsequent Vacant Homes Action Plan, published in 2023, set out the various actions being pursued to return vacant properties back into use. According to the CSO, the number of vacant dwellings recorded in Census 2022 had fallen to 8%. Other measures of vacancy...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (20 Mar 2025)

James Browne: The Programme for Government commits to delivering a revised target of 300,000 new homes between 2025 and 2030. It also commits to a new national housing plan to build on the robust platform laid by Housing for All and support delivery of the revised targets. In the meantime, we have begun work on priority actions in the Programme for Government with the potential to make the most...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (20 Mar 2025)

James Browne: The Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 commenced on 22 of June 2023 and contains the current grant scheme and the related Regulations, which were adopted on 29 of June 2023. Following updated cost reports from the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland and advice from the Expert Group established to consider the matter, a further increase was...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (20 Mar 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 25 and 79 together. Increasing the supply of new homes is key to addressing many of the challenges in the housing market. Supply has increased significantly in recent years, with some 125,000 new homes delivered since July 2020. This includes 92,500 homes delivered from 2022 to 2024, exceeding the combined target for new homes for the period by 5,500...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (20 Mar 2025)

James Browne: Tenant in Situ Acquisitions were introduced by way of Government decision in 2023 as a short term response to the reported uplift in sales by landlords of homes which were within the HAP and RAS schemes in order to prevent potential homelessness where other solutions could not be found for the affected tenants. A further Government decision extended such acquisitions into 2024 with...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (20 Mar 2025)

James Browne: As with all Exchequer-supported projects, my Department, as approving authority, assesses each project application for suitability, value for money and compliance with the various requirements of the applicable funding scheme. No applications submitted by Carlow County Council are awaiting approval. Kilkenny County Council submitted two proposals for social housing projects in late...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (20 Mar 2025)

James Browne: Under planning legislation, enforcement of planning control is a matter for the relevant planning authority, which can take action if a development does not have the required permission, where the terms of a permission have not been met, or if development has otherwise been undertaken in breach of planning control. There are extensive enforcement provisions provided for in Part VIII of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Land Development Agency (20 Mar 2025)

James Browne: It should be noted in the first instance that the zoning of land within a statutory city or county development plan or a local area plan is not broken down on the basis of individual sites or parcels of land by individual ownership. My Department therefore does not have the requested details for local authorities available. However, the Land Development Agency (LDA) has developed the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (20 Mar 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 30, 46, 49, 72, 76 and 113 together. Tenant in Situ Acquisitions were introduced by way of Government decision in 2023 as a short term response to the reported uplift in sales by landlords of homes which were within the HAP and RAS schemes in order to prevent potential homelessness where other solutions could not be found for the affected tenants. A...