Results 7,461-7,480 of 8,153 for speaker:James Browne

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Process (29 May 2025)

James Browne: The Government recently published its National Counter Disinformation Strategy. The Strategy explores the challenge of disinformation in Ireland, its harmful effects on society and its complexity as a policy issue. It seeks to identify how the challenge of countering disinformation may be met. In the context of protecting the integrity of elections and referendums, the Strategy notes...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks (29 May 2025)

James Browne: Through the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) my Department manages an extensive network of natural heritage sites including 8 National Parks. Our National Parks are state-owned lands, managed for nature conservation by the NPWS, or in some cases, the NPWS along with other public authorities, with a significant degree of sustainable visitor access and engagement. The NPWS does...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Legal Cases (29 May 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: Waste Management (29 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: Defective Building Materials (29 May 2025)

James Browne: The Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (the Act) was commenced on 22 June 2023 which contains the enhanced grant scheme and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023. The scheme is now open to applications in five counties: Clare, Donegal, Limerick, Mayo and Sligo with comprehensive information of all aspects of the Scheme available on my...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (29 May 2025)

James Browne: Given the emphasis on continuing to achieve best value for Exchequer investment and in response to the continuing fluctuation in house prices, the cost guidelines for acquisitions of social housing units are updated on a regular basis (typically annually) to reflect movement in the market. My Department has very recently issued letters containing revised Acquisition Cost Guidelines (for use...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (29 May 2025)

James Browne: For 2025, Government has increased the funding available for second hand social housing acquisitions from the €60m allocated under Housing for All to €325m through the allocation of an additional €265m. The €325 million allocation has been made available to our local authorities for their social housing second-hand acquisitions activity in 2025, and this is part of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (29 May 2025)

James Browne: The Remediation of Dwellings Damage by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (the Act) commenced on 22 June 2023 which contains the current grant scheme and related Regulations were adopted on 29 June 2023. The scheme facilitates the remediation of existing houses that have been damaged by the use of defective concrete blocks. The grant awarded to an applicant under the Scheme,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commercial Rates (29 May 2025)

James Browne: Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by Tailte Éireann under the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2020. The levying and collection of rates are matters for each individual local authority. Information in relation to the collection of commercial rates is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (29 May 2025)

James Browne: An Bord 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 2000, as amended, and certain other Acts. Under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000, the Minister is specifically precluded...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Planning Framework (29 May 2025)

James Browne: The final revised National Planning Framework (NPF) was approved by Government and both Houses of the Oireachtas in April 2025. This concluded the revision process and allows the revised NPF to take effect in the planning system. Updated Rural Housing Guidelines are currently being prepared by my Department. The updated guidelines will expand on the high level spatial planning policy of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (10 Jun 2025)

James Browne: Not for existing tenancies.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (10 Jun 2025)

James Browne: Not for existing tenancies.

Housing: Statements (10 Jun 2025)

James Browne: I very much welcome the opportunity to come before the House this evening to speak on housing matters. I take this opportunity to thank all of the Members who contributed this evening to the important, worthwhile and very interesting debate. First, I echo the contributions of the Ministers of State, Deputies O'Sullivan and Cummins, earlier and reassert the Government's commitment and...

Vacant Council Housing: Motion [Private Members] (10 Jun 2025)

James Browne: I thank all Members for their contributions. I echo the comments made by the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, and reassert this Government's commitment to tackling the challenges in the housing sector. I will highlight the steps being taken by the Government to minimise vacancy and to ensure strategic and informed programmes of planned maintenance work for local authority housing are...

Vacant Council Housing: Motion [Private Members] (10 Jun 2025)

James Browne: -----submitted by a local authority does not exclude €11,000. In addition, and where turnaround times are not impacted, local authorities can also complete the suite of works applicable to the energy efficiency retrofit programme on a vacant dwelling with additional funding up to a maximum of €48,850. There is evidence to suggest, however, that while re-letting costs are...

Vacant Council Housing: Motion [Private Members] (10 Jun 2025)

James Browne: It did not have the money to put in stairs.

Vacant Council Housing: Motion [Private Members] (10 Jun 2025)

James Browne: It did not have the money to put in stairs. Is the Deputy having a laugh? This is the problem. The local authority should be putting in those stairs.

Vacant Council Housing: Motion [Private Members] (10 Jun 2025)

James Browne: The Deputy should think about what he is saying. These voids should not be there. The local authorities have the ability and wherewithal to resolve the issue.

Vacant Council Housing: Motion [Private Members] (10 Jun 2025)

James Browne: The Government has in the past given them the money to do so. The funding available from my Department under the planned maintenance voids programme is available to support minimal turnaround times, with all local authorities moving to a position of aligning works with the criteria of the relevant regulations and meeting their legal obligations as a landlord. This will limit the impact of...