Results 1-20 of 9,144 for speaker:James Browne

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...

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

James Browne: The documents referred to in the question are prepared and published by the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation. It should be noted that the Abridged Estimates for Public Services (AEV) are published as part of the Budget 2026 Expenditure Report with allocations at programme level. As such the subhead allocations are draft only and may...

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

James Browne: 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 and are finely balanced between the interests of tenants and the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: EU Funding (16 Oct 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: Defective Building Materials (16 Oct 2025)

James Browne: The Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (the Act) commenced on 22 June 2023 which contains the current grant scheme and the related Regulations were adopted on 29 June 2023. The 2022 Act sets out the role of the Housing Agency which acts as agent on behalf of the local authorities under the terms of the Scheme. The Housing Agency has...

Confidence in the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade: Motion (15 Oct 2025)

James Browne: Thank you very much, a Cheann Comhairle.

Confidence in the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade: Motion (15 Oct 2025)

James Browne: First, it is essential that this conversation start with the people - Harvey and his parents Stephen and Gillian and the many more incredible advocates acting with courage on behalf of their children and all those who have been impacted. I understand the Tánaiste and the Minister for Health met a number of weeks ago with Harvey's parents and they agreed to work in partnership on the...

Reform of the Defective Concrete Redress Scheme: Motion [Private Members] (15 Oct 2025)

James Browne: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "That Dáil Éireann notes that" and substitute the following: "— the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 underpins an enhanced Grant Scheme which provides grant funding to people whose homes have been affected by Defective Concrete Blocks (DCB) and replaced a previous scheme;...

Reform of the Defective Concrete Redress Scheme: Motion [Private Members] (15 Oct 2025)

James Browne: Government funding for this work continues to be provided, with a record €175 million allocated to fund the scheme in 2026. That is more than double the amount allocated to the scheme this year and reflects the strong take-up of the scheme as it begins to take hold, particularly in the north west of the country. In line with the commitment to keep the scheme under review and to...

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...