Results 6,881-6,900 of 7,384 for speaker:James Browne

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Protection (2 Apr 2025)

James Browne: It is assumed from the reference to 'bird sanctuary' in the question relates to the establishment of a nature reserve. Under the Wildlife Act, 1976, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage may establish a nature reserve where certain considerations are met. These are set down in sections 15 and 16 of the Act. The provisions of section 17 and 18 may also be of relevance to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (2 Apr 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 172 and 175 together. The clear focus of Government is to increase the supply of new build social and affordable homes. Increasing the overall housing supply is key to addressing the housing challenge and in particular preventing and ultimately eliminating long term homelessness. Social Housing acquisitions targets, including Tenant in Situ acquisitions,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (2 Apr 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: Fire Service (2 Apr 2025)

James Browne: The provision of a fire service in its functional area is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Acts, 1981 and 2003 and my Department has not issued any instructions specifically in relation to this matter. National policy in relation to fire safety is detailed in Keeping Communities Safe, which is based on the internationally-used systemic risk...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (2 Apr 2025)

James Browne: Under the Programme for Government published in January 2025, the Government committed to introduce a new, all of government, national housing plan to follow Housing for All. My Department is currently examining that commitment, its implementation and the potential timeframe. While work is being undertaken to progress a new plan, which will build on progress to date, the measures detailed...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Approved Housing Bodies (2 Apr 2025)

James Browne: Tenant Purchase Schemes provide for the purchase by eligible tenants of local authority properties which are available for sale under the terms of the particular scheme. All applications for the schemes must satisfy the requirements outlined in the relevant legislation. However, the schemes only provide for the purchase of local authority properties and do not extend to properties owned...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Approved Housing Bodies (2 Apr 2025)

James Browne: My Department does not fund Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) directly, rather the funding is provided primarily to the local authorities and also to the Housing Agency, who in turn, release this funding to the AHBs in line with relevant funding scheme conditions. However, the funding provided by my Department in respect of the main range of AHB led capital and current funded schemes in 2023...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (2 Apr 2025)

James Browne: I am pleased that the Government is providing continuing and substantial financial support for Tenant in Situ acquisitions in 2025, following on from similar investments in 2023 and 2024. I have made €325 million available to our local authorities for their social housing second hand acquisitions activity in 2025 and asked that they prioritise Tenant in Situ acquisitions but have...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Meetings (2 Apr 2025)

James Browne: Since my appointment as Minister I have met with the individual Management Board members, together with their senior management teams, on a number of occasions. I have also met with my colleagues, Minister Cummins, Minister O'Sullivan and Minister O'Donnell on a range of matters. The first formal Ministers and Management Board (MinMB) meeting is scheduled for 14 April. It is my...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Planning Framework (2 Apr 2025)

James Browne: The National Planning Framework (NPF), 2018 is the long-term, 20-year strategy for strategic planning and sustainable development of our urban and rural areas to 2040, with the core objectives of securing balanced regional development and a sustainable ‘compact growth’ approach to the form and pattern of future development. The NPF, together with the National Development...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (3 Apr 2025)

James Browne: There are a variety of schemes available which can provide support of the type described. My Department provides funding for the protection of eligible heritage buildings (principally protected structures) through two grant schemes: the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) and the Historic Structures Fund (HSF). The BHIS is a grant scheme that supports owners and custodians to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (3 Apr 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 funding provided by the State for HAP tenancies to end of Q3 2024 can be found on my Department’s website at this link: Q4 2024 figures are currently being compiled and will be published when...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (3 Apr 2025)

James Browne: The Government is acutely aware of the housing challenges faced by many sectors of society. Housing for All, Ireland's housing plan to 2030, contains a suite of actions that have and continue to increase the provision of housing through accelerating supply and increasing the affordability of homes. Cost Rental housing is a key tool in our efforts to make rents more affordable and renting...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (3 Apr 2025)

James Browne: Applications for social housing support are assessed by the relevant local authority, in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended. The determination of whether an applicant household meets the income criteria is based on a calculation of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (3 Apr 2025)

James Browne: My Department is fully supportive of increased housing delivery for one-person households and I’m pleased to see that both local authorities and approved housing bodies are increasingly delivering suitable properties in response to this need as part of the record social housing delivery we have seen in recent years. Given that the specific make-up of new public housing build...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (3 Apr 2025)

James Browne: 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 (SSHA). The most recently published summary for all counties, conducted in November 2023, is available on my Department's website at . The report provides breakdowns on households whose need has not...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (3 Apr 2025)

James Browne: I refer to my answer to Question No. 473 on 25 March 2025 which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (3 Apr 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 244, 246 and 249 together. 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. This is underpinned by the recent decisions by Government to provide additional capital funding of €715m in 2025 as follows: -...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (3 Apr 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 245 and 247 together. To support the delivery of social, affordable and cost rental homes at scale and to continue accelerating housing supply, Government recently provided additional capital funding of €715m to my Department for 2025. This is additional to the allocations set out in the 2025 Revised Estimates Volume. Of this total, €450m is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Service (3 Apr 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 Service Acts, 1981 and 2003.My Department supports fire authorities by establishing policy, setting national standards for fire...