Results 1-20 of 9,065 for speaker:James Browne

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (9 Oct 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 local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with individual local authorities. While...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (9 Oct 2025)

James Browne: Addressing homelessness, and in particular homeless families and children, is a priority for my Department and for the Government. Critical to supporting households to exit homelessness is our continued investment in the social housing programme. Budget 2026 has continued the record level of investment in social housing, with €2.9bn in capital allocated to support the delivery of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (9 Oct 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: Postal Voting (9 Oct 2025)

James Browne: Electoral law provides for postal voting for a number of different categories of people:whole-time members of the Defence Forces,members of An Garda Síochána,Irish diplomats serving abroad and their spouses/civil partners,electors living at home who are unable to go in person to vote because of illness or a disability,electors whose occupation, service or employment makes it likely...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Contracts (9 Oct 2025)

James Browne: The engagement of external consultants is generally for a limited time period to carry out a specific finite task or set of tasks that involve expert skills or capabilities that would not normally be available within my Department. As these skills are only required from time to time, it would generally not be efficient to retain them within my Department on a permanent basis. Due to the range...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (9 Oct 2025)

James Browne: Under the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, all local authorities prepare and submit a written report to their members by 30 April in each year, on allocations made under their allocation schemes in the preceding year. However, following the implementation of the Housing for All action to review available social housing allocation data sources, my Department commenced collecting...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Equipment (9 Oct 2025)

James Browne: My Department does not comment on operational security matters as it would be inappropriate to disclose information that may in any way assist those with malicious intent. I can say however that my Department operates processes and procedures to manage assets and that lost or stolen devices are managed appropriately. My Department also continues to work closely with the National Cyber...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (9 Oct 2025)

James Browne: My Department has not procured software or IT systems that were later deemed unfit for purpose. As part of procuring ICT systems, requirements elicitation is carried out to define the needs of stakeholders for a specific solution. This process is specifically carried out to ensure the IT system or software can be confirmed as being fit for purpose. My Department does not hold the requested...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (9 Oct 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 228, 229 and 230 together. On 10 June 2025, the Government approved policy measures including modifications to rent controls to come into effect on 1 March 2026 in order to boost investment in the supply of homes available for rent and keep existing landlords in the market. The changes agreed will also provide significantly stronger tenancy protections...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (9 Oct 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 231 and 233 together. The Government remains focused on growing the supply of much-needed rental accommodation by keeping existing landlords in the market and attracting new landlords, while ensuring strong and balanced tenancy protections for both tenants and landlords. The RTB's Profile of the Register shows that registered private tenancies and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (9 Oct 2025)

James Browne: The Government remains focused on growing the supply of much-needed rental accommodation by keeping existing landlords in the market and attracting new landlords, while ensuring strong and balanced tenancy protections for both tenants and landlords. In order to boost the supply of homes available for rent, the Government approved modifications to rent controls, to come into effect on 1...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Grant Payments (9 Oct 2025)

James Browne: Pathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock. 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...

Financial Resolutions 2025 - Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed) (8 Oct 2025)

James Browne: The Department's budget package for 2026 sees some €11.275 billion allocated across my Department, Tailte Éireann and an Coimisiún Toghcháin. Housing capital investment has reached a record €9 billion. We have introduced a 29% increase for Uisce Éireann to advance water infrastructure and facilitate housing development. We have significantly increased our...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (8 Oct 2025)

James Browne: I thank the Deputy for her question and the clarification. The Government has scaled up affordable housing delivery rapidly across all tenures since 2022 and continues to accelerate housing supply. Cost rental is a key element of the Government's strategy to improve affordability in the rental sector and to provide secure, long-term homes for moderate income households above the income...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (8 Oct 2025)

James Browne: I thank the Deputy. I know the Deputy never wants to hear good news or progress but just wants to-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (8 Oct 2025)

James Browne: -----focus on the negatives.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (8 Oct 2025)

James Browne: The Government consistently acknowledges there is a massive affordability issue in this country. That is why we have brought in significant affordable measures-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (8 Oct 2025)

James Browne: -----which Sinn Féin opposes again and again. We have an affordability problem and a viability problem in this country. We are addressing both. I was delighted to be in Balbriggan only a few weeks ago turning the sod on 817 affordable-purchase, cost-rental-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (8 Oct 2025)

James Browne: -----and social homes. They are real homes, there are shovels in the ground, and homes being built in Balbriggan.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (8 Oct 2025)

James Browne: I know the Deputy does not want to hear about that. She wants to pretend those houses do not exist, that we are not doing these things-----