Results 201-220 of 7,615 for speaker:James Browne

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Public Procurement Contracts (27 May 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: Public Procurement Contracts (27 May 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: Public Procurement Contracts (27 May 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: Housing Provision (27 May 2025)

James Browne: Applications for social housing support are assessed by local authorities in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations, as amended. Applicants applying on medical or disability grounds must complete the medical/disability HMD-Form 1 specifying the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Tourism Industry (27 May 2025)

James Browne: The EU Short Term Rental (STR) Regulation was adopted by the EU on 11 April 2024 and is applicable from 20 May 2026. This Regulation lays down harmonised rules on the collection and exchange of data on short-term rental services for member states, hosts providing short-term accommodation rental services, and online platforms that offer services to hosts providing short-term accommodation...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Government Reform (27 May 2025)

James Browne: The Local Government Reform Act 2014 dissolved 80 town councils which represented just 14% of the population. The previous town council system also led to duplication both in administrative and electoral terms. Instead, the Act saw the introduction of 95 municipal districts, representing 100% of the population, in 25 of the 31 local authorities at sub-county level, while area committees would...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (27 May 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 379 and 391 together. Gweedore waste water treatment was originally included in proceedings against Ireland taken by the European Commission but this was withdrawn in 2017. In July 2022, Uisce Éireann, in partnership with Donegal County Council, completed an innovative project for wastewater treatment in Gweedore. This new scheme led to a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Service (27 May 2025)

James Browne: The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Act 1981 & 2003. My Department supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Election Monitoring Missions (27 May 2025)

James Browne: Sections 98 of the Electoral Act 1992 specifies the persons who shall be admitted to polling stations while section 113 of that Act explicitly sets out who may be present at the counting of the votes. No other persons may be present without the consent of the relevant returning officer who is independent in the performance of his or her functions under the Act. Notwithstanding the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Gorse Burning (27 May 2025)

James Browne: Within my Department the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM) co-ordinate emergency responses in support of local authority fire services. The NDFEM personnel act as coordinators between the Rostered Senior Fire Officer (RSFO) and the Department of Defence in requesting the support of the Defence Forces to gorse/wildland fires. An RSFO may request the support of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (27 May 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: Wildlife Conservation (27 May 2025)

James Browne: Corncrake LIFE is a five year (2021-2026) €5.9m project improving the conservation status of one of Ireland’s most iconic farmland bird species. Led by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department, in collaboration with project partners, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), Fota Wildlife Park, Atlantic Technological University and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (27 May 2025)

James Browne: The site at Mungret, Co. Limerick is being delivered via a partnership between Limerick City County Council (LCCC) and the Land Development Agency (LDA) and has potential for over 250 affordable and social homes. The land, which is located on the grounds of the former Mungret College and is owned by LCCC, is part of the wider Mungret Framework area. The Framework aims to unlock substantial...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (27 May 2025)

James Browne: In December 2023, the Public Spending Code capital appraisal guidelines were replaced and superseded with a set of Infrastructure Guidelines, announced as part of a package of significant actions aimed at enhancing delivery of the National Development Plan (NDP). The Infrastructure Guidelines allow individual Departments to draw up their own sector specific procedures for evaluating,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (27 May 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 387 and 388 together. Further to the Government’s decision of 29 April 2025, a new Housing Activation Office (HAO) is being established within my Department, in line with a Programme for Government commitment. The HAO is tasked with identifying and addressing barriers to the delivery of public infrastructure required to enable housing development....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (27 May 2025)

James Browne: The Cost Rental Equity Loan funding Scheme is available to Approved Housing Bodies to provide affordable rented accommodation to those who meet the income eligibility requirements for cost rental homes. The nature of the Cost Rental model means that Cost Rental homes are advertised and made available at a certain rent level, which is needed to cover the costs of delivery and provision. Cost...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (27 May 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 392, 393 and 400 together. The Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan (RIHL) was launched on 1st February 2018. At launch borrowers had the option to select a variable or fixed interest rate for their loan. The interest rate charged for the loan applied nationally across all local authorities. The loan was replaced by the Local Authority Home Loan on 4 January 2022....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (27 May 2025)

James Browne: The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme is open to eligible tenants of local authority houses that are available for sale under the scheme. The scheme is underpinned by the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 and the Housing (Sale of Local Authority Houses) Regulations 2015 (as amended). The scheme was most recently amended by the Housing (Sale of Local Authority Houses)...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (27 May 2025)

James Browne: Reply not received from Department.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Protection (27 May 2025)

James Browne: All naturally occurring birds in Ireland, including the common crane, are protected under both EU and Irish law. In EU legislation, all naturally occurring wild birds are protected under the Birds Directive (Directive 2009/147/EC on the conservation of wild birds). The Directive requires Member States to set down a general system of protection for birds and to prohibit, inter alia,...