Results 9,121-9,140 of 9,174 for speaker:James Browne

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (14 Oct 2025)

James Browne: State bodies under the aegis of my Department are independent in the performance of their functions and my Department does not collate or hold the specific information requested. My Department does however engage in a number of ways with the bodies under its aegis regarding the requirement to comply with all relevant business and financial reporting requirements. For example, an annual...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (14 Oct 2025)

James Browne: I refer to my reply to Question No. 269 of 7 October 2025 and advise the position remains unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (14 Oct 2025)

James Browne: A cross-departmental steering group lead by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland was established in 2024 to develop embodied carbon methodology and to establish structures in line with the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive to reduce carbon in construction materials for all new buildings. Following a stakeholder workshop and public consultation during the summer the final...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (14 Oct 2025)

James Browne: Under the National Adaptation Framework, my Department agreed to complete a Built Environment and planning scoping document. The National Climate Change Risk Assessment (NCCRA) was published by the EPA in June 2025 and the recommendations from this report have been included in the draft scoping document. Work to complete the document is continuing. Along with the Built Environment and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (14 Oct 2025)

James Browne: The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EU/2024/1275) (EPBD) is the European Union’s main legislative instrument aiming to promote the improvement of the energy performance of buildings. The recast Directive, which was adopted by the European Parliament and Council, came into force in May 2024. The Directive requires transposition of the relevant Articles by 29th May 2026. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Quality (14 Oct 2025)

James Browne: Ireland’s second statutory National Adaptation Framework was published by the then Department of Environment, Climate and Communications in June 2024, and was developed under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act of 2015, which was subsequently amended in 2021. As statutorily required by the National Adaptation Framework my Department has developed a sectoral adaption...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (15 Oct 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: Local Authorities (15 Oct 2025)

James Browne: The Local Authority Home Loan is a Government-backed mortgage for those 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. An exemption to the First...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Reviews (15 Oct 2025)

James Browne: Storm Éowyn was named by the UK Met Office Tuesday 21 January 2025, the fifth named storm of the 2024-25 windstorm season. Widespread red and orange weather warnings were issued across Ireland and the UK ahead of the rapidly strengthening storm. Ireland experienced one of its most damaging, dangerous and destructive weather events with gale force/storm force winds, including severe...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Artificial Intelligence (15 Oct 2025)

James Browne: My Department does not currently use any Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies including agentic AI. My Department recently completed a proof of concept with EY on the viability of using AI, using Microsoft Co-Pilot on housing data. This was completed at no cost to the Department. The lessons learned from this pilot project will be utilised in the future. At present, my Department is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (15 Oct 2025)

James Browne: In relation to Lady’s Island Lake, my colleague, Minister of State, Christopher O’Sullivan along with Department officials have met with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) along with Wexford County Council, National Parks and Wildlife (NPWS) and Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) to establish an oversight group for Lady’s Island. This group...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (15 Oct 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 202 and 206 together. I understand the housing estate in question includes both private and social housing (Housing Assistance Payment) supported tenancies, with the majority of households renting privately. In the first instance, and regardless of the type of tenancy, any household at risk of homelessness should engage directly with the housing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (15 Oct 2025)

James Browne: The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, introduced in July 2022, provides a grant of up to €50,000 for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation as a principal private residence and for properties which will be made available for rent. A top-up grant of up to €20,000 is available where the property is confirmed to be derelict, bringing the total grant available for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (15 Oct 2025)

James Browne: My Department publishes comprehensive programme-level statistics on a quarterly basis on social housing delivery activity by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies in each local authority. This data is available to the end of Q1 2025 and is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website at the following link:...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (15 Oct 2025)

James Browne: The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a flexible and immediate housing support that is available to all eligible households throughout the State. Under HAP, a tenant sources their own accommodation in the private rented market. At the end of Q1 2025, almost 127,000 HAP tenancies had been set-up since the scheme commenced, of which there were 52,657 households actively in receipt of HAP...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (15 Oct 2025)

James Browne: Increasing the supply of new homes is key to meeting need and addressing many of the challenges currently facing the housing market. A continued increase in supply will help dampen house price growth further and ease affordability challenges. Supply has increased significantly in recent years. Some 140,000 new homes have been delivered since July 2020, with 92,400 of these delivered between...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (15 Oct 2025)

James Browne: The Cork North West Quarter Regeneration (CNWQR) Masterplan was published in 2011, with a proposal to carry out wholesale demolition of the housing stock in Knocknaheeny. Knocknaheeny is the subject of significant social housing capital funding as part of the CNWQR. Over €85m has been allocated to projects that are either completed or on-site under the CNWQR programme. The current...

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

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 249 and 250 together. I refer to my reply to Question No. 639 of 14 October 2025 which sets out the position in the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Budget 2026 (16 Oct 2025)

James Browne: Funding for the Second Hand Acquisitions Programme will be agreed later this year, with individual local authority allocations notified to local authorities as soon possible thereafter. That said, I expect the 2026 programme to maintain support for tenant in situ acquisitions as a last resort policy tool available to local authorities to prevent social housing supported households in the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (16 Oct 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 252 and 253 together. The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a flexible and immediate housing support that is available to all eligible households throughout the State. Under HAP, a tenant sources their own accommodation in the private rented market. At the end of Q1 2025, almost 127,000 HAP tenancies had been set-up since the scheme commenced, of which...