Results 2,141-2,160 of 9,065 for speaker:James Browne

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Staff (8 Apr 2025)

James Browne: In accordance with the guidance provided by the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform for the 34th Dáil I have appointed two advisers as follows - John McDonald Mr. McDonald has previously served as a Special Adviser to Minister Eamonn Ryan in the Departments of Transport and Environment, Communications and Climate, as well as serving as a Secretarial and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (8 Apr 2025)

James Browne: I am pleased that the Government is providing continuing and substantial financial support to local authorities to acquire second-hand properties for priority categories of need including tenants-in-situ who have been in receipt of supports under HAP or RAS and who had received a Notice of Termination. The other priority categories for second-hand acquisitions are properties that allow...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Energy Conservation (8 Apr 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 631 and 632 together. The Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme (EERP) aims to retrofit a local authority home to a minimum BER rating of B2. It is expected that 36,500 local authority owned homes will be retrofitted under this programme over the period 2021 to 2030 inclusive. The programme has been devised in a way to give local authorities a level of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Energy Conservation (8 Apr 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 633 and 634 together. The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) published a research paper in February 2025, which explores the investment requirements for energy efficiency upgrades in the private rental sector. The research was funded by my Department, under a joint programme the Department operates with the ESRI. The ERSI’s research is a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (8 Apr 2025)

James Browne: The Interim Remediation Scheme (Scheme) was opened in December 2023 for the funding of emergency fire safety defect works in apartments and duplexes, constructed between 1991 and 2013. The Scheme provides for the full funding of eligible interim measures in order to provide an acceptable level of fire safety in buildings, pending completion of the full remedial works. In light of their...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Waste Management (8 Apr 2025)

James Browne: Waterways Ireland is a North South Implementation Body established under the British Irish Agreement of 10 April 1998. It is funded by my Department and the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland. The detailed information requested in relation to the installation of public bins along the Grand Canal by Waterways Ireland is not held in my Department. However, arrangements have...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (8 Apr 2025)

James Browne: An Bord Pleanála (the Board) is the national independent statutory body with responsibility for the determination of planning appeals and direct applications for strategic infrastructure and other developments under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and certain other Acts. The Planning and Development Act 2024, includes a number of new provisions relating to the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (8 Apr 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 639 and 640 together. The Government is providing continuing and substantial financial support to local authorities to acquire second-hand properties for priority categories of social housing need including tenants-in-situ who have been in receipt of supports under HAP or RAS and who had received a Notice of Termination. The other priority categories for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (8 Apr 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. In November 2024 following the receipt of preliminary results from scientific research in Donegal my Department announced changes to the way the scheme works for certain...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (8 Apr 2025)

James Browne: My Department has no vacant or derelict buildings in Dublin-Rathdown.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (8 Apr 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (8 Apr 2025)

James Browne: I have made €325 million available to our local authorities for their social housing second-hand acquisitions activity in 2025. The allocation of this funding across the local authorities is as follows: Local Authority 2025 Allocation Carlow €3,500,000 Cavan €2,000,000 Clare ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (8 Apr 2025)

James Browne: An Bord Pleanála (the Board) is the national independent statutory body with responsibility for the determination of planning appeals and direct applications for strategic infrastructure and other developments under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and certain other Acts. The Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 and the Planning and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Gender Recognition (8 Apr 2025)

James Browne: My Department is currently not a member of this interdepartmental group nor has it been in communication with the Department for Social Protection in relation to it. Should we be invited to participate in the group in the future, we would be happy to provide representation and contribute to its work in any way that we can.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (8 Apr 2025)

James Browne: Under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended ( the Act of 2000), I, in my role as Minister, shall not exercise any power or control in relation to any particular case with which a planning authority or the Board is or may be concerned. A Disability Access Certificate (DAC) is a certificate granted by a Building Control Authority, which certifies that certain...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (8 Apr 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 649 and 650 together. The Residential Tenancies Board, (RTB), was established as a quasi-judicial independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2024 to regulate the rental sector; provide information to tenants and landlords; maintain a national register of tenancies; resolve disputes between tenants and landlords; and conduct...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (8 Apr 2025)

James Browne: 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 Regulations apply to all properties let or available for let....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Emergency Accommodation (8 Apr 2025)

James Browne: Addressing homelessness is a priority for this Government. The Programme for Government includes a number of commitments to address homelessness, including ensuring that there is sufficient emergency accommodation for those who require it with special supports for children impacted by homelessness. My Department's role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Strategies (8 Apr 2025)

James Browne: The status of individual developments which have been granted planning permission is a matter for the permission holder. While obtaining planning permission is an essential step in any project, there are other factors at play that may impact on the commencement of any project, such as phasing of development (having to complete an existing project before commencing another), finances,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (8 Apr 2025)

James Browne: Housing for All delivers on the Government's commitment to step up housing supply and put affordability at the heart of the housing system. It is my understanding that the mutual home ownership mode referred to refers to one where, instead of individuals owning their own homes, all the properties on a development are owned by a co-operative society. This is not a current policy of the...