Results 341-360 of 6,997 for speaker:James Browne

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (19 Mar 2025)

James Browne: As of the end of February 2025, 200 applications to the Interim Remediation Scheme (IRS) have been validated, having met the required eligibility criteria. These applications represent 19,048 residential units, located in 28 local authority areas, with circa 78% in the Dublin region. To support the implementation and increase the efficiency of the IRS, four pathfinder projects are...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Urban Development (19 Mar 2025)

James Browne: It is very welcome news that approval was received by Louth County Council on 24 February 2025 from An Bord Pleanála for the Westgate Vision project. The project is described as an Urban Regeneration project to transform the Westgate area of Drogheda and establish a positive regeneration dynamic in the broader town centre. In line with the objectives of the National Planning...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (19 Mar 2025)

James Browne: The setting of pay and pension policy for the public sector is a matter for the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform. However, my Department has general responsibility for pay and pension policy for the local government sector in consultation with that Department. Current policy is that retired employees of local authorities that are members of the Local Government...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (19 Mar 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 825 and 845 together. My Department provides funding to local authorities in respect of the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and Disabled People, to assist eligible people in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. The suite of grants, which includes the Housing Adaptation Grant for Disabled People, the Mobility...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (19 Mar 2025)

James Browne: The allocation of dwellings to qualified households is a matter for the local authority concerned, in accordance with their allocation scheme made under section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and associated Regulations. A local authority may disregard the order of priority given to a household under an allocation scheme in certain exceptional circumstances. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Development Plan (19 Mar 2025)

James Browne: In line with the objectives of the National Planning Framework and the National Development Plan (NDP), the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) provides part-funding to applicant-led projects, enabling more compact and sustainable development within the existing built-up footprints of our cities and large towns, while also ensuring that more parts of our urban areas can become...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Stations (19 Mar 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 831 and 865 together. 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 Service Acts, 1981 and 2003. My Department supports fire authorities...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (19 Mar 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 832, 841 and 893 together. 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 October 2024 a further increase to the scheme was provided bringing the Scheme Cap to €462,000...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (19 Mar 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 grant scheme covers the costs of the remediation works approved subject to the grant rates and overall grant cap of €462,000. The grant and the grant rates as...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (19 Mar 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 834 to 837, inclusive, together. The Building Regulations set out the legal requirements in Ireland for the construction of new buildings (including houses), extensions to existing buildings as well as for material alterations and certain material changes of use to existing buildings. The related Technical Guidance Documents (Parts A - M respectively)...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (19 Mar 2025)

James Browne: The Cost Rental Tenant In-Situ (CRTiS) scheme was introduced on 1 April 2023 for tenants in private rental homes who do not qualify for social housing supports but who are at risk of homelessness because a landlord has served a valid Notice of Termination due to an intention to sell the property. The Local Authority conducts the initial assessment for eligibility of the tenant for this scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (19 Mar 2025)

James Browne: My reply to Question No. 426 sets out the process in place, timelines and responsibilities for the progressive remediation of Developer Provided Infrastructure nationally. The position remains the same as set out in that reply.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (19 Mar 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 842, 843, 859, 860, 882 and 883 together. The Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998 provides that the role of my Department is to ensure that there are adequate structures and supports in place to assist housing authorities in providing accommodation for Travellers, including a national framework of policy, legislation and funding. The Act...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Staff (19 Mar 2025)

James Browne: As with most Government Departments, the vast majority of staff recruited for my Department are recruited by the Public Appointments Service who carry out their own vetting and reference checks. My Department runs a small number of recruitment competitions, mostly for specialist professional and technical roles, as needs arise. My Department checks all references in respect of candidates...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (19 Mar 2025)

James Browne: Investment in our built heritage delivers broad public benefits. It enhances the character and amenity of our villages, towns, cities, and landscapes, and sustains centuries-old craft skills which would otherwise be lost. Where re-use of a historic building avoids the need for new construction (and its associated greenhouse gas emissions), investment in built heritage can also contribute to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Derelict Sites (19 Mar 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 housing authorities in addressing homelessness at the local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities. A...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Derelict Sites (19 Mar 2025)

James Browne: Addressing vacancy and making efficient use of existing housing stock is a key priority for Government, as set out in Pathway 4 of Housing for All. The Vacant Homes Action Plan, published in January 2023, built on Pathway 4 and set out the various actions that were being pursued to return vacant properties back into use as homes. The Action Plan Progress Report was published in April 2024...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (19 Mar 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 849 to 853, inclusive, together. Government is fully committed to working with all stakeholders to deliver social, affordable and cost rental homes at scale and to continue accelerating housing supply across all tenures. This is underpinned by the recent decision by Government to provide additional capital funding of €450 million in 2025 to support...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (19 Mar 2025)

James Browne: Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) are important partners for local authorities in the delivery of social housing. My Department and local authorities administer a number of funding programmes to assist AHBs with the cost of building, acquiring and leasing new social housing units. The Capital Advance Leasing Facility (CALF) funding is capital support provided to AHBs by local authorities to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (19 Mar 2025)

James Browne: Addressing vacancy and making efficient use of existing housing stock is a key priority for Government. In Pathway 4 of Housing for All on Addressing Vacancy and Efficient Use of Existing Stock, the Government set out a blueprint to support bringing vacant and derelict properties back into use as homes. The Vacant Homes Action Plan, published in January 2023, built on Pathway 4 and set...