Results 381-400 of 7,010 for speaker:James Browne

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

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 876 and 877 together. The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), under my Direction, leads on a range of multilateral agreements, including the Convention on Biodiversity (CBD). Ireland’s delegation at the recent CBD COP 16 meeting in Rome was made up of senior officials and subject matter experts from NPWS, led by its Director of International...

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

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 878 and 879 together. My Department does not compile the information sought. Each local authority is responsible for the administration of the Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems (septic tank) Grant in their area and each have a Rural Water Liaison Officer who is best placed to provide the information requested. The officer can be contacted at the...

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

James Browne: A reply has issued to Donegal County Council, from my office, regarding the recent motion passed by the Council, referred to, requesting the government to put into place regulations to ensure block manufacturers produce products fit for purpose and to protect homeowners or any buyer of concrete products.

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

James Browne: Section 205 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (Act of 2000) sets out the provisions regarding the making of Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) and provides that it is a reserved function of the elected members of a local authority. As such, the development and oversight of the implementation of TPOs is a matter for the individual planning authority in whose functional area the...

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

James Browne: The Planning and Development Act 2024 (“Act of 2024”) was enacted 17 October 2024. A detailed Implementation Plan has been published and includes a commencement schedule for the Act as well as a range of initiatives to support training and engagement for the planning sector in order to prepare for the phased transition to the new legislative framework. The Implementation Plan...

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

James Browne: The responsibility for the management of staff within my Department is a matter for the Secretary General. However, I am informed that correspondence was issued to the individual in question in 2005 and the matter is now considered closed.

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

James Browne: I can confirm that my Department has received an application for the Courthouse in Shillelagh under the Historic Structures Fund (HSF) scheme. All applications for the Historic Structures fund are currently being assessed and finalised by an expert panel. The application process for HSF grants is always very competitive, with worthy projects being submitted from across the country and...

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

James Browne: My Department does not have any contracts with the company referenced.

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

James Browne: Waterways Ireland is the North South Body responsible for the management and maintenance of more than 1000km of Ireland's inland waterways including the Royal Canal. Waterways Ireland also manages and maintains the Shannon, the Shannon Erne Waterway, the Erne System, the Barrow, the Grand Canal and the Lower Bann Navigation. Waterways Ireland has an open and proactive relationship with...

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

James Browne: The Planning and Development Act 2024 ("Act of 2024") was enacted on 17 October 2024. A detailed Implementation Plan has now been published that includes a commencement schedule for the Act and a range of initiatives to support training and engagement for the planning sector in preparation for the phased transition to the new legislative framework. The Implementation Plan is a ‘living...

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

James Browne: In terms of planning, providing, enabling and supporting allotments, legislation is in place in the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) and the Local Government Act 2001 (as amended) to identify locations in development plans for allotment development, and to establish allotments as a part of local government’s role in promoting the interests of local communities. ...

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

James Browne: Under Housing for All, each local authority was required to prepare a Housing Delivery Action Plan. This Plan sets out details of both social and affordable housing delivery as appropriate over the period 2022-2026, in line with targets set under Housing for All. The plans have been published on local authorities’ own websites. Last November, the Government approved new national...

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

James Browne: Details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority administrative area is provided in the annual statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA). The most recently published summary for all counties, conducted in November 2023, is available on my Department's website at www.gov.ie/en/collection/62486-summary-of-social-housing-ass essments/....

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

James Browne: In April 2024, the Government approved an extension for the refunding of Uisce Éireann water and wastewater connection charges in respect of residential development. The scheme applies to all residential development that:commenced on site between 25 April 2023 and not later than 30 September 2024,all valid applications are submitted to Uisce Éireann by 31 December 2024 andcommenced...

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

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 895 and 982 together. Housing for All includes a commitment to review income eligibility for social housing. From this review, completed in November 2021, it was recommended moving five local authorities from Band 3 to Band 2, ensuring the income eligibility thresholds better reflect housing costs in those counties. Government also agreed to increase the...

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

James Browne: A breakdown of the population growth of individual Local Electoral Areas from Census 2022 is available from Central Statistics Office through their website CSO.ie (www.cso.ie/en/statistics/population/censusofpopulation2022/ ). Between 2016 and 2022, Ireland's population increased by 387,274, an increase of 8.1% with 5,149,139 people in the State on 3 April 2022 (CSO Census). Natural...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (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. Following updated cost reports from the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI) and advice from the Expert Group established to consider the matter, a further increase...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (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. Mayo County Council has received an overall total of 414 applications to the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme which comprises of 348 to the previous (2020) scheme...

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

James Browne: The Marine Protected Areas Bill is at an advanced stage of drafting. It is intended to finalise this draft as soon as possible and seek government approval to publish the Bill this year. The draft Bill will need revision to reflect new Ministerial responsibilities and transfers of functions between Departments once these have taken place, however, these revisions are not expected to be...

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

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 900 and 902 together. Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) were introduced under Part 3 of the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 to moderate rent increases in those parts of the country where rents are highest and rising fastest. Rent controls are applied on the basis of the objective evidence available via the RTB Quarterly Rent...