Results 441-460 of 7,010 for speaker:James Browne

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

James Browne: Tenant in Situ Acquisitions were introduced by way of Government decision in 2023 as a short term response to the reported uplift in sales by landlords of homes which were within the HAP and RAS schemes in order to prevent potential homelessness where other solutions could not be found for the affected tenants. A further Government decision extended such acquisitions into 2024 with...

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

James Browne: Under the Programme for Government published in January 2025, the Government committed to introduce a new, all of government, national housing plan to follow Housing for All. My Department is currently examining that commitment, its implementation and the potential timeframe. While work is being undertaken to progress a new plan, which will build on progress to date, the measures detailed...

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

James Browne: Uisce Éireann has statutory responsibility for all aspects of public water services including planning, delivery and operation across national, regional and local levels. My Department does not hold data on the impact of water usage by data centres on water supplies, in addition my Department does not hold any data on water usage by local authority area. I understand from previous...

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

James Browne: The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2015 provided for the development of a deposit protection scheme to be operated by the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB). However, significant changes have taken place in the rental market since this legislation was passed. It should be noted that, unlike many other jurisdictions examined, Ireland already has a well-established quasi-judicial dispute...

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

James Browne: The Government is committed under Housing for All to developing a roadmap to implement minimum Building Energy Rating (BER) standards, where feasible, for the private rental sector. This action is aimed at both improving the quality of housing stock available to rent and contributing to meeting our overall national climate targets in relation to emissions reduction. The Economic and...

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

James Browne: My Department has been in touch with Kerry County Council to clarify the circumstances of this case and assist with this matter. However, the administration of the HAP scheme is a matter for the relevant local authority and your constituent should remain in contact with the housing section of their local authority to resolve the matter.

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

James Browne: The most recent Basic Unit Costs (BUCs) and Acquisition Cost Guidelines (ACGs) were issued in Q2 2024. The next update to both is due in Q2 2025. BUCs and ACGs are only applicable to social housing units. A copy of both can be made available on request. CREL projects must achieve at least a 25% discount to open market rents for their cost rental units in the relevant area where they are...

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

James Browne: Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) funding is available to AHBs to provide affordable rented accommodation to those on middle incomes. The nature of the cost rental model means that cost rental homes are made available at a certain rent level, which is needed to cover the costs of delivery and provision, and must be at least 25 per cent below prevailing market rents. Applications for CREL are...

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

James Browne: Including additional funding made available as part of a Supplementary Estimate last year, the total 2024 budget provision for the Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) scheme was €435m, all of which was expended. 2024 Housing expenditure is currently being finalised as part of the annual audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General and details of final out-turns will be published in due...

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

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 968 to 970, inclusive, together. CALF funding is capital support provided to Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) by local authorities to facilitate the funding of construction and purchase of new social housing homes. This loan facility can support between 25% and 30% of the eligible capital cost of the housing project, with the remaining finance sourced by the...

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

James Browne: The Government is fully committed to working with all stakeholders to deliver social homes at scale, as well as new affordable and cost rental homes and we have a record level of investment being provided for the delivery of Housing in 2025 with a capital funding provision of €6.5 billion supplemented by current funding of €1.65 billion. The number of new build social homes...

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

James Browne: In 2024, the Budget allocation for the Capital Assistance Scheme was initially €140m but due to strong activity under the scheme, an additional €20m was provided as part of the Supplementary Estimates process. Ultimately, the full year spend under the scheme for 2024 was €152.2m. The final social housing build delivery data for Q4 of 2024, including delivery under the...

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

James Browne: Data for the Q4 2024 social and affordable housing delivery figures is currently being collated and validated and is due be published at the end of this quarter in line with previous years. My Department publishes comprehensive programme-level statistics on a quarterly basis on social and affordable housing delivery activity by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) in each...

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

James Browne: 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. The Planning and Development Act 2024, extended the operation of these rent controls until 31 December 2025. The Residential Tenancies Board and the ESRI...

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

James Browne: Promoting the efficient and sustainable use of water is a central component of effective water policy. The Water Services Policy Statement 2024-2030 sets out the range of policy objectives across the key thematic areas of quality, conservation and future proofing that will be pursued between now and 2030. While water sustainability systems (e.g. rain water recovery systems, grey water...

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

James Browne: Uisce Éireann has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. The scope, prioritisation and progression of individual projects is a matter for Uisce Éireann and is approved through its own internal governance structures. As Minister, I have no role in operational matters. Uisce Éireann...

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

James Browne: Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) play a critical role in the management of urban water run-off, protecting surface water quality and controlling the volume of water entering urban drainage networks and water bodies during heavy rainfall. This is particularly important given changing weather and rainfall patterns driven by climate change. SUDs also play a key role in place making...

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

James Browne: The Local Government Reform Act 2014 provided for the introduction of municipal districts in 25 of the 31 local authorities at sub-county level, while area committees would operate in the 3 city authorities of Cork, Dublin and Galway, and the 3 Dublin county authorities. The Programme for Government 2025 - Securing Ireland’s Future contains a commitment to convene a Local...

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

James Browne: Uisce Éireann has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. The scope, prioritisation and progression of individual projects is a matter for Uisce Éireann and is approved through its own internal governance structures. As Minister, I have no role in operational matters. Uisce Éireann...