Results 8,761-8,780 of 9,174 for speaker:James Browne

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Childcare Services (29 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The Revised National Planning Framework (NPF) was approved by Government and the Oireachtas in April 2025. The revised NPF recognises that investment in high quality, affordable early learning and childcare is critical both as an educational support for children, and as an enabler of parental labour market participation. National Policy Objective 41 of the NPF in particular prioritises...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (29 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1725 and 1726 together. The standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 and specify requirements in relation to a range of matters, such as structural repair, sanitary facilities, heating, ventilation, natural light, fire safety and the safety of gas, oil and electrical supplies. These...

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

James Browne: Local authorities will always have a level of vacancy in their housing stock. This will fluctuate over time, as tenancy surrender and re-letting of stock is an ongoing process. Statistics in relation to social housing stock, at a point in time, are published by the National Oversight and Audit Commission (NOAC) in their Annual Reports on Performance Indicators in Local Authorities. The...

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

James Browne: Addressing vacancy and making efficient use of existing housing stock is a key priority for Government, as set out in Pathway 4 of Housing for All. The Vacant Homes Action Plan, published in January 2023, built on Pathway 4 and set out the various actions that were being pursued to return vacant properties back into use as homes. In March I published the 2025 Progress Report which shows...

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

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1730 and 1738 together. The Government is acutely aware of the housing challenges faced by many sectors of society including older people. 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 for our...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation (29 Jul 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 housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless services rests with individual housing authorities. My Department does not fund any homeless service...

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

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1733 and 1741 together. The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (Extension of Notice Periods) Bill 2021 is a Private Members’ Bill which lapsed with the dissolution of the previous Dáil on 8 November 2024.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (29 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The First Home Scheme, which was launched in July 2022, is a shared equity scheme for eligible first-time buyers, eligible homebuyers, and self-builders. The Scheme is designed to help bridge the gap between their deposit and mortgage, and the price of their new home. The price of the new home must be within price ceilings established across the country. The First Home Scheme Designated...

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

James Browne: A strong pipeline of affordable purchase housing opportunities is now in place, and under continuous development, across all partners and delivery streams, inlcuding local authorities, the Land Development Agency and the First Home Scheme, a strategic partnership between the State and retail banks. Statistical reports detailing affordable housing delivery within each local authority area...

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

James Browne: The Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended, prescribe maximum net income limits for each local authority in different bands according to the area concerned, with income defined and assessed according to a standard Household Means Policy. The Policy provides for a range of income disregards and local authorities have discretion to disregard income that is temporary,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Reports (29 Jul 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: Departmental Policies (29 Jul 2025)

James Browne: In January 2024, Government approved the priority legal drafting of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024 which includes, inter alia, provisions to amend Section 20 of the 2009 Act to provide for legal and habitual residence as an eligibility criterion for social housing support. The pre-legislative scrutiny report contained a recommendation that an independent appeals...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (23 Sep 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 362, 371, 372 and 373 together. The Residential Tenancies Acts 2004 to 2025 (the RTA) regulate the landlord-tenant relationship in the rented residential sector and sets out the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants. The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as an independent statutory body under the RTA to operate a national tenancy...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (23 Sep 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 364, 375 and 382 together. My Department formally wrote to all local authorities on 15 September 2025 in relation to the funding of the Second-hand Acquisitions Programme for the remainder of 2025 and into 2026. The Programme provides funding to local authorities to acquire second-hand properties to address the following areas:Tenancy Sustainment - Tenant...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Middle East (23 Sep 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 365 and 366 together. I can confirm that my Department has not purchased or acquired any product or service from Israel, the Occupied Territories or the Occupied Palestinian Territory in the past two years.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (23 Sep 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 370 and 377 together. Under the Local Government Act 2001, as amended, each local authority has an elected council. The elected council is the policy-making arm of the local authority, who act by what are termed 'reserved functions'. These comprise mainly decisions on important matters of policy and finance. The day-to-day management of each local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (23 Sep 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 www.gov.ie/en/collection/62486-summary-of-social-housing-ass essments/...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (23 Sep 2025)

James Browne: The Local Authority Home Loan is a Government-backed mortgage for creditworthy applicants who cannot get sufficient funding from commercial banks to purchase or build a home. It has been available nationwide from local authorities since 4 January 2022 for first-time buyers and fresh start applicants. The loan can be used both for new and second-hand properties, or to self-build. Under the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (23 Sep 2025)

James Browne: My Department undertakes the Lead Government Department role, as set out in the Strategic Emergency Management (SEM) Framework (2017), in relation to the coordination of national level responses to severe weather and flooding emergencies, where warranted. My Department's National Directorate for Fire & Emergency Management undertakes this role and works closely with local authority...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (23 Sep 2025)

James Browne: On 25 April 2023, the Government approved additional measures under the Housing for All Action Plan to incentivise the activation of increased housing supply and help reduce housing construction costs, including the introduction of temporary time-limited arrangements for the waiving of local authority “section 48” development contributions and the refunding of Uisce Éireann...