Results 221-240 of 7,615 for speaker:James Browne

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

James Browne: Water sustainability systems (e.g. rain water recovery systems, grey water usage, etc.) are not mandatory under Part H (Drainage and Waste Water Disposal) of the Building Regulations. However, these systems are being used increasingly in homes and buildings. Accordingly, my Department has ensured that appropriate standards are referenced in Technical Guidance Document H 2010. Where works are...

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

James Browne: My Department made funding available to the participating Local Development Companies (LDC) for the operation of the Community Car Initiative (CCI). The total expenditure by my Department under the CCI scheme was €1.6m across the 23 LDCs that participated in the scheme. Not all LDCs required the allocation of €118,500. Some LDCs received lesser amounts, and this variation in...

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

James Browne: The Housing Activation Office (HAO) and the recently established new Infrastructure Division in the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation respond to separate commitments in the Programme for Government. The HAO will identify and seek to address barriers to the delivery of public infrastructure projects required to enable housing...

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

James Browne: Housing for All commits to developing proposals to review the existing differential rent system and to provide for a standardised, national local authority social housing rent model. The objective is to develop and implement a model that provides the best blend between fairness, progressivity and sustainability. My Department completed an initial scoping exercise to determine the focus...

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: Housing Policy (27 May 2025)

James Browne: The Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended, prescribe maximum net income limits for each local authority in different bands according to the area concerned, with income defined and assessed according to a standard Household Means Policy. The Policy provides for a range of income disregards and local authorities have discretion to disregard income that is temporary, short-term...

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

James Browne: Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by Tailte Éireann under the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2020. The amount of rates liable on a property is determined by multiplying the valuation of the property set by Tailte Éireann by the Annual Rate on...

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

James Browne: Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by Tailte Éireann under the Valuation Act 2001, as amended. The amount of rates liable on a property is determined by multiplying the valuation of the property set by Tailte Éireann by the Annual Rate...

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

James Browne: The Programme for Government commits to the establishment of a Local Democracy Taskforce with the Local Government sector to bring forward a programme of reform on strengthening local government to ensure more effective and efficient delivery of services and implementation of Government policy for citizens. The membership of the Taskforce will include Local Authority elected member...

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

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 408, 409, 410, 411 and 412 together. An Bord Pleanála (the Board/ABP) was established as a non-commercial state body in 1977 under the Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1976 and is responsible for the determination of appeals and certain other matters under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and associated legislation,...

Biodiversity Week: Statements (21 May 2025)

James Browne: As we conclude this important discussion, I express my sincere thanks for the opportunity to mark National Biodiversity Week in the Dáil and to reaffirm my Department's enduring commitment to the protection and the restoration of Ireland's natural heritage. I acknowledge and thank all Members who contributed, both today and at last week's debate in the Seanad. The quality of debate and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (15 May 2025)

James Browne: I thank the Deputy. His question relates to the urgent review of the cut in funding for the social housing acquisition programmes, given its negative impact on key homelessness schemes such as the tenant in situ and housing first. Tenant in situ acquisitions have been an important measure in the prevention of homelessness since their introduction in 2023. The Government has therefore...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (15 May 2025)

James Browne: I take the housing first programme very seriously. I engage with my officials daily in relation to homelessness, in particular, which is an absolute priority for me, both preventing people going into homelessness and people exiting homelessness. The housing first programme for people who have particular difficulties is something I am very aware of and have dealt with both as a TD and now as...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Policy (15 May 2025)

James Browne: I thank the Deputy for his passion and determination regarding the provision of housing solutions in his county and across the country. The Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, has been working hard and has come up with significant proposals on log cabins. There will be a consultation next week, led by the Minister of State, about that matter, particularly as it is being worked on. We will...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Policy (15 May 2025)

James Browne: I thank Deputy O'Meara for raising this important issue. I am legally precluded from commenting on any particular planning cases. As already stated, the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, is leading the public consultation. That consultation will commence next month as opposed to than next week. The Minister of State has already completed the interdepartmental consultation process, so his...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Policy (15 May 2025)

James Browne: That is a different-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (15 May 2025)

James Browne: I thank Deputy Daly for raising this important question in relation to Roscommon County Council and the funding allocated for the tenant in situ scheme for 2025. I thank the Deputy for his ongoing engagement in relation to this important issue. The Government is providing continuing and substantial financial support to local authorities to acquire second-hand properties for priority...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (15 May 2025)

James Browne: I thank Deputy Daly again for raising this very important question. In relation to Roscommon County Council's acquisitions from 2020-2024, the annual acquisitions funding provided for Roscommon for that period was €1.8 million, with €2 million funding provided for them in 2025. During the period of 2020-2024, my Department provided €8.9 million to Roscommon County...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (15 May 2025)

James Browne: I thank Deputy Daly and, indeed, I am always happy to go to Roscommon. I have asked our local authorities to use the full range of options for tenants in situ who have received a notice of termination. Acquiring the landlord's property is one option but it is not the sole option. In some cases, local authorities might use the thousands of new social allocations that they make each year to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Policy (15 May 2025)

James Browne: I thank Deputy O'Meara for raising the important question around the expansion of the provision of modular housing. I thank the Deputy for his ongoing work and engagement in this important area of housing delivery. My Department, working closely with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and other relevant stakeholders, is progressing work to increase delivery capacity in the...