Results 6,781-6,800 of 7,384 for speaker:James Browne

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (19 Mar 2025)

James Browne: Through a number of social housing funding programmes, local authorities are supported by my Department to purchase and renovate vacant/derelict properties to be upgraded as new, value-for-money social homes. The Buy & Renew Scheme allows local authorities to acquire and refurbish such properties and since it was introduced in 2016, in excess of 950 properties have been delivered...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (19 Mar 2025)

James Browne: I understand that the Question is referring to housing estates which have not, as yet, been taken-in-charge by local authorities and their water services are not connected to the public Uisce Éireann network but instead these locations rely upon infrastructure provided by the developers of the estate. The table under provides the information of such locations. It is important to state...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Domestic Violence (19 Mar 2025)

James Browne: Increased supply is key to meeting need and addressing the challenges in the housing market. Government is fully committed to working with all stakeholders to deliver social, affordable and cost rental homes at scale and to continue accelerating housing supply across all tenures. The overall capital funding available for housing in 2025 is now over €6.5 billion. With this...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (19 Mar 2025)

James Browne: Ongoing Data in relation to vacant local authority owned homes is not routinely collated by my Department. Local authorities will always have a level of vacancy in their housing stock. Vacancy levels naturally vary over time, as tenancy surrender and re-letting of stock is a continuous and ongoing process. Notwithstanding that, statistics in relation to social housing stock, at a point...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Artificial Intelligence (19 Mar 2025)

James Browne: In 2024 my Department consulted with Ernst and Young Business Consultants on the potential use of a Microsoft AI product, specifically Copilot for Power BI, to assess if this could enhance the flexibility and capability of the Housing For All reporting service that is available through the Insights data platform. My Department does not currently conduct any operations using artificial...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Waterways Issues (25 Mar 2025)

James Browne: The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department has engaged locally with representatives of the relevant stakeholders and positive discussions about the issues have taken place. I am aware that the scale of the works will be significant and that the site being located within a designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC) will make this more complex. The NPWS is in the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (25 Mar 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 438 and 449 together. The €1 billion in capital investment in Uisce Éireann announced as part of Budget 2025 will support the delivery of its 2025-2029 capital investment plan. This funding will enable the delivery of improved water services to both domestic and non-domestic customers. The selection of specific projects is a matter for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (25 Mar 2025)

James Browne: The Mortgage to Rent (MTR) scheme was introduced in 2012 and is administered by the Housing Agency on behalf of my Department. The scheme offers households with acute, unsustainable mortgage arrears and limited prospects of a significant change in circumstances, the chance to surrender a property to a lender and in turn become a social housing tenant, whilst staying in their own home and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Invasive Species Policy (25 Mar 2025)

James Browne: My Department's National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is responsible for the implementation of legislation around invasive alien species including the new European Union (Invasive Alien Species) Regulations 2024 which were introduced in July of last year. These new regulations give full effect to the EU IAS Regulation (1143/2014) in the national context and also update and strengthen the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Ministerial Responsibilities (25 Mar 2025)

James Browne: No functions have been formally delegated to the Ministers of State in my Department as yet. I will discuss the functions to be delegated to the Ministers of State in the coming weeks and once these are agreed the functions will then be delegated in formal Delegation of Functions Orders.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (25 Mar 2025)

James Browne: My Department publishes comprehensive programme level data on a quarterly basis on social housing delivery and spend activity. This data includes information relating to the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) and the Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (SHCEP) and can be found on my Department's website at the following link:...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (25 Mar 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 445, 450, 461, 463, 474 and 476 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. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Grant Payments (25 Mar 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: Local Government Reform (25 Mar 2025)

James Browne: The Programme for Government recognises the need to strengthen the framework and powers of municipal districts and area committees. It also commits to the establishment of town councils in large towns, on a regional phased basis, to provide a focal-point for raising concerns of towns and coordinating town-focused activities. Proposals in relation to this commitment will be considered in due...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Public Procurement Contracts (25 Mar 2025)

James Browne: The information sought is not readily available and its compilation would involve a disproportionate amount of time and work. In accordance with the Freedom of Information publication scheme, my Department maintains a contracts register for contracts with a value in excess of €25,000 (excl. VAT). The register is published on an annual basis at...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Bodies (25 Mar 2025)

James Browne: The bodies under the aegis of my Department that perform functions which could be considered to be somewhat quasi-judicial in nature are listed below.An Bord PleanálaApproved Housing Bodies Regulatory AuthorityApproved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority Appeals PanelDefective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme Appeals PanelResidential Tenancies BoardValuation Tribunal

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (25 Mar 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 453 and 454 together. Under the Vacant Site Levy provisions contained in the Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015 (the Act), planning authorities were empowered to apply a vacant site levy of 3% of the market valuation of relevant properties which were listed on local authority vacant site registers in 2018, which relevant owners were liable to pay in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (25 Mar 2025)

James Browne: Under the Derelict Sites Act 1990, local authorities are required to maintain a derelict sites register, of any land which, in the opinion of the local authority, is a derelict site. Section 8(5) of the Act, provides that "The register shall be kept at the offices of the local authority and shall be available for inspection at the offices of the local authority during office hours." There is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Capital Expenditure Programme (25 Mar 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 457 and 458 together. The overall expenditure on Housing in 2024 is currently being examined and will be available shortly. My Department's 2024 Appropriation Account is currently being finalised and is due to be submitted to the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (25 Mar 2025)

James Browne: While meeting our Irish language obligations is a responsibility for all relevant Departments and public bodies, policy responsibility for the Official Languages Acts 2003 and 2021 rests with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. Local authorities are entirely independent corporate entities having full responsibility under law for the performance of...