Results 7,361-7,380 of 7,385 for speaker:James Browne

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Bodies (13 May 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 748, 749, 750, 751, 752, 753, 754, 755 and 756 together. My Department does not have any non-governmental organisations operating under its aegis.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (13 May 2025)

James Browne: Local authorities set and collect rents on their dwellings in accordance with section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. The making or amending of such rent schemes is generally a matter for local authorities within broad principles set out by my Department, including that rent levels should be based on income and reflect tenants’ ability to pay. Local discretion and flexibility are...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (13 May 2025)

James Browne: The Housing First approach to addressing homelessness places direct access to housing first and foremost for vulnerable individuals using homeless services consistently or intermittently over long periods of time, and those unable or resistant to accessing homeless services and who may then become habitual rough sleepers. These individuals often have complex high support needs such as mental...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (13 May 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 a local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless accommodation and related services rests with individual local authorities. Housing First recognises...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Government Reform (13 May 2025)

James Browne: The Programme for Government recognises that local government is the beating heart of our democracy. A significant priority is the establishment of a Local Democracy Taskforce, with the Local Government sector, to finalise a programme for the reform and strengthening of local government which is ongoing. The Programme for Government commits the Taskforce to examining the principle of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (13 May 2025)

James Browne: In line with the Revised National Planning Framework, the strategic priorities outlined in Project Ireland 2040, and the key housing delivery pathways of Housing For All, supporting compact growth at national, regional and local level is central to Government's approach to investment in Irish cities. For our housing delivery partners such as Local Authorities, state bodies and the Land...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (13 May 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. My Department oversees workforce planning for the local government sector, including the monitoring of local government sector employment levels. To this end,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (13 May 2025)

James Browne: Following clarification from the Deputy, I understand that this question relates to healthcare professionals in the context of medical priority applications on housing waiting lists. I have no function in relation to these healthcare professionals.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (13 May 2025)

James Browne: My Department, working closely with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, and other relevant stakeholders, is progressing work to increase delivery capacity in the residential construction sector through promoting the adoption of Modern Methods of Construction or MMC. MMC is a collective term which describes innovative construction alternatives to traditional construction, which...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (13 May 2025)

James Browne: In December 2023, Minister O'Brien approved funding for a number of projects under my Department's Multi-annual Rural Water Programme for the waste water collection and treatment needs for villages without access to public waste water services. Details of the announcement are available at the following link www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-her...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Environmental Policy (13 May 2025)

James Browne: Significant progress has been made in recent years to support biodiversity, in particular through the efforts of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), of my Department. The NPWS manages 8 National Parks, two of which have been acquired since 2020, along with a large number of Nature Reserves to protect nature and promote biodiversity on the island of Ireland. The NPWS manages...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (13 May 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: Planning Issues (13 May 2025)

James Browne: The Government has implemented several measures in recent years to ensure a balanced housing market across all tenures, including home ownership, social housing, and private rental. These measures include, inter alia, an 'owner-occupier' guarantee allowing local authorities to designate a percentage of houses and duplexes in a development for owner-occupiers. They were given effect in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (13 May 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: Energy Conservation (13 May 2025)

James Browne: In Ireland, approximately 40% of total energy produced is used in the building sector. The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive sets ambitious goals for energy efficiency and renewables in buildings by requiring Nearly Zero Energy Building or “NZEB” performance for new buildings from 31 December 2020. A nearly zero-energy building (NZEB) means a building that has a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (13 May 2025)

James Browne: The Government is providing continuing and substantial financial support to local authorities to acquire second-hand properties for priority categories of need including tenants-in-situ who have been in receipt of supports under HAP or RAS and who had received a Notice of Termination. The €325 million allocation I announced on 31 March 2025 has been made available to our local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Cúrsaí Tithíochta (13 May 2025)

James Browne: Leagtar amach san Acht um Pleanáil agus Forbairt, 2000, arna leasú, cuspóirí éigeantacha d’údaráis áitiúla, nach mór aghaidh a thabhairt orthu nuair atá a bPlean Forbartha á dhréachtú, a rialaíonn beartais forbartha áitiúla. Nuair atá ceantar Gaeltachta laistigh de limistéar riaracháin...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Process (13 May 2025)

James Browne: The Planning and Development Act 2024 (Act of 2024) was enacted on 17 October 2024. A detailed Implementation Plan has been published that includes a commencement schedule for the Act and a range of initiatives to support training and engagement for the planning sector in preparation of the phased transition to the new legislative framework. The Implementation Plan is a ‘living...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (13 May 2025)

James Browne: The single-stage approval process was commenced on a pilot basis in January 2016 as a new streamlined approval mechanism, for projects with a maximum all-in budget of less than €2m and no more than 15 units. The single-stage process was subsequently reviewed with the threshold increased in 2020 to a ceiling of under €6 million and no more than 25 units. The value limit was...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Regeneration Projects (13 May 2025)

James Browne: The regeneration of social housing is a matter in the first instance for the local authority. It is the responsibility of local authorities to identify an opportunity to advance Regeneration Programmes in line with Circular N11/2007 Policy Framework for the Regeneration of Local Authority Estates in their respective administrative areas. Cork City Council has informed my Department that it...