Results 8,141-8,153 of 8,153 for speaker:James Browne

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Waterways Issues (16 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The restoration of the Ulster Canal restoration is a major cross-border project funded by the Government, with the majority of funding coming from the Shared Island Fund and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The project is being delivered by Waterways Ireland, in three phases, two of which are now complete:Phase 1 from Upper Lough Erne to Castle Saunderson (completed...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: European Investment Bank (16 Jul 2025)

James Browne: As Public Private Partnership (PPP) is an availability-based model where a private sector consortium designs, builds, finances, and maintains the homes in return for a monthly unitary payment, no state body borrows for delivery. Any financing of the delivery of the Social Housing PPP Bundles is a matter for the private sector consortium. Legal proceeding have issued in relation to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Energy Conservation (16 Jul 2025)

James Browne: Under my Department's 2025 Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme (EERP), €90m has been made available to Local Authorities to upgrade approximately 2,500 homes. It is expected that 36,500 local authority owned homes will be retrofitted under this programme by the end of 2030, achieving a minimum BER rating of B2. In certain circumstances, my Department supports the installation of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (16 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 140 and 141 together. Statistics in relation to local authority social housing stock are published by the National Oversight and Audit Commission (NOAC) in the annual Local Authority Performance Indicator Report. These reports provide a range of information in relation to social housing stock, including the number of social housing units in local authority...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks (16 Jul 2025)

James Browne: This Government is committed to ongoing investment in Ireland’s Heritage, including the development and protection of our Natural Heritage. In 2020, core funding to the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) – the part of my Department charged with protecting our Natural Heritage – was €28.7million. In 2025, this Government allocated €78 million in core...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Monuments (16 Jul 2025)

James Browne: Last week, my colleague, Minister of State Christopher O'Sullivan, announced the publication of the Strategy for World Heritage in Ireland 2025-2035. This is a landmark step in how Ireland protects, promotes and passes on our most treasured cultural and natural heritage to future generations. The vision of the Strategy is the exemplary protection and management of our World Heritage...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (16 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 145 and 146 together. 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 2024, is available on my Department's website, along with all...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (16 Jul 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 2024, is available on my Department's website at The 2024 Summary shows that there were 59,941 households...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Regulations (16 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 148, 149, 150, 151 and 152 together. The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department has primary responsibility for nature conservation, wildlife protection and the presentation and preservation of our National Parks and Nature Reserves. The mission of the NPWS, as stated in its Strategic Plan 2023-2025, is to Protect Nature. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (16 Jul 2025)

James Browne: My Department provides funding under the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and Disabled People, to assist those in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. The suite of grants, which include the Housing Adaptation Grant for Disabled People, the Mobility Aids Grant and the Housing Aid for Older People Grant, are funded by my Department with a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Animal Welfare (16 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department is responsible for the regulation, inspection and licensing of zoos in Ireland. The European Communities (Licensing and Inspection of Zoos) Regulations 2003 provide the legislative basis for the inspection and licensing of zoos in Ireland. These Regulations give effect to EU Directive 1999/22/EC (the Zoo Directive). The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (16 Jul 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: Building Regulations (16 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The Planning Design Standards for Apartments Guidelines for Planning Authorities, 2025 “the Guidelines” were issued under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended). Section 28 of the Act provides that planning authorities and An Coimisiún Pleanála shall have regard to Ministerial guidelines in the performance of their functions. Where the...