Results 21-40 of 7,753 for speaker:James Browne

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Programme (25 Jun 2025)

James Browne: The Residential Tenancies (No. 3) Bill 2024 was published on 24 July 2024, taking account of the Report of Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage on its Pre Legislative Scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Bill. The Bill lapsed on 8 November 2024 upon the dissolution of the 33rd Dáil: www.oireachtas.ie/en/bills/bill/2024/63/.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (25 Jun 2025)

James Browne: An Coimisiún Pleanála (ACP) replaced An Bord Pleanála on 18 June 2025 as 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 2024, and certain other Acts. ACP has been working to address the backlog of cases...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Waterways Issues (25 Jun 2025)

James Browne: The Water Action Plan 2024 published by my Department sets out a roadmap to restore Ireland’s water bodies (rivers, lakes, estuaries and coastal waters) to ‘good status’ or better and to protect water from any further deterioration as required under the Water Framework Directive (WFD). Currently there are 448 water bodies that are at risk of not achieving their...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Housing Schemes (24 Jun 2025)

James Browne: I refer to my reply to Question No. 310 of 19 June 2025 which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Rental Sector (24 Jun 2025)

James Browne: Section 24 of the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004 to 2025 (the RTA) defines 'market rent', in relation to the tenancy of a dwelling, to mean 'the rent which a willing tenant not already in occupation would give and a willing landlord would take for the dwelling, in each case on the basis of vacant possession being given, and having regard to— (a) the other terms of the tenancy, and ...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Meetings (24 Jun 2025)

James Browne: As noted in my reply to Question No. 614 of 8 April 2025, I met with the Acting CEO of Gas Networks Ireland on 4 March 2025. While I have no immediate plans to meet the Acting CEO in the near future, officials of my Department maintain ongoing and appropriate contact with Gas Networks Ireland.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Urban Development (24 Jun 2025)

James Browne: My Departmentrecently wrote to the Local Authorities and other key stakeholders to notify them of the commencement of Chapters 1 and 2 of Part 22 of the Planning and Development Act 2024 (Act of 2024). These legislative provisions set out the initial steps in a broader process concerning the designation of a candidate ‘urban development zone’ and ‘UDZ’, with...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Water Services (24 Jun 2025)

James Browne: I have considered the details of the application, including the recommendation received from the independent Expert Panel and made a final decision not to approve funding. The Rural Water Liaison Officer in Sligo County Council is best placed to provide specific advice and guidance to the group water scheme concerned.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Public Procurement Contracts (24 Jun 2025)

James Browne: My Department operates a decentralised procurement model, where procurement is the responsibility of the budget holder who is usually the head of the business unit conducting the procurement exercise. Heads of business units are responsible for ensuring compliance with my Department's Procurement Policy and all applicable national and EU rules and regulations and Office of Government...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Public Procurement Contracts (24 Jun 2025)

James Browne: My Department does not keep a record of the qualifications held by staff members, and accordingly there may be staff working in various roles in the Department who are qualified in this area but who have applied for different positions. The table below details the number of staff in my Department, who hold or are undertaking a formal procurement qualification or certification (based on NFQ...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Public Procurement Contracts (24 Jun 2025)

James Browne: My Department is committed to adhering to the rules and guidelines surrounding public procurement and is fully committed to transparency, fairness and accountability in all its purchasing activities. In order to fulfill reporting requirements and to facilitate Comptroller & Auditor General audit inspection, my Department maintains a central Contracts Register of all contracts awarded...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Housing Schemes (24 Jun 2025)

James Browne: The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EU/2024/1275) (EPBD) is the European Union’s main legislative instrument aiming to promote the improvement of the energy performance of buildings within the European Union. A recast EPBD was adopted by the European Parliament and Council and came into force in May 2024. The main focus of this Directive is the renovation of the entire...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Data (24 Jun 2025)

James Browne: My Department provides capital funding for the delivery of new social, affordable and cost rental homes, along with a broad range of other capital programmes which support people within their existing homes and address specific housing needs. Capital Exchequer funding for Housing is supplemented by investment through the Land Development Agency (LDA) and lending by the Housing Finance...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Data (24 Jun 2025)

James Browne: On 25 April 2023, the Government approved additional measures under the Housing for All Action Plan to incentivise the activation of increased housing supply and help reduce housing construction costs, including the introduction of temporary time-limited arrangements for the waiving of local authority “section 48” development contributions and the refunding of Uisce Éireann...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Local Authorities (24 Jun 2025)

James Browne: My Department provides Exchequer funding to local authorities under the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and Disabled People scheme, to assist people in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. The suite of grants include the Housing Adaptation Grant for Disabled People, the Mobility Aids Grant and the Housing Aid for Older People Grant, which are...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Rental Sector (24 Jun 2025)

James Browne: In 2019, my Department brought in Regulations, (SI 235/2019), to provide for new arrangements for Short Term Lets within Rent Pressure Zones (RPZ). The regulations provided for the following:Short term letting is defined as the letting of a house or apartment, or part of a house or apartment, for any period not exceeding 14 days.Homesharing (the letting of a room or rooms in a person’s...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Data (24 Jun 2025)

James Browne: The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) cleared an entrance/exit route, at the site referenced, last month, as a suitable window of weather and terrain conditions existed to undertake the maintenance. The NPWS will revisit the issue raised once lake levels reduce to facilitate access/egress and during a period of suitable conditions.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Reports (24 Jun 2025)

James Browne: There has been no systematic un-publishing or removal of information from my Department’s website. There are two separate considerations regarding the perceived unavailability of documents. My Department does not delete websites and included materials. If and when a website is deemed at the end-of-its life, it is moved to the where it remains readily accessible. The...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Regeneration Projects (24 Jun 2025)

James Browne: There is currently no active funding application with my Department for the regeneration of Oliver Bond Flats. Dublin City Council (DCC) has advised that the regeneration of Oliver Bond House Phase 1 is a priority regeneration project for its Housing Department. A consultant design team have been appointed and are currently at the technical stage in design development. My Department and I...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Regeneration Projects (24 Jun 2025)

James Browne: The project plans for the regeneration of estates and flat complexes are a matter for the Local Authority (LA) concerned. In order to support LAs in progressing such regeneration plans, my Department is making a number of funding channels available to LAs and Approved Housing Bodies (AHB):Social Housing Investment Programme (SHIP)Affordable Housing Fund (AHF)Capital Advance Leasing Facility...