Results 561-580 of 7,753 for speaker:James Browne

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (13 May 2025)

James Browne: In December 2023, Minister O'Brien approved funding for a number of projects under my Department's Multi-annual Rural Water Programme for the waste water collection and treatment needs for villages without access to public waste water services. Details of the announcement are available at the following link www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-her...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Environmental Policy (13 May 2025)

James Browne: Significant progress has been made in recent years to support biodiversity, in particular through the efforts of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), of my Department. The NPWS manages 8 National Parks, two of which have been acquired since 2020, along with a large number of Nature Reserves to protect nature and promote biodiversity on the island of Ireland. The NPWS manages...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (13 May 2025)

James Browne: The management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, the implementation of a planned maintenance programme and carrying out of responsive repairs, are matters for each individual local authority under Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. Local authorities also have a legal obligation to ensure that all of their tenanted properties...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (13 May 2025)

James Browne: The Government has implemented several measures in recent years to ensure a balanced housing market across all tenures, including home ownership, social housing, and private rental. These measures include, inter alia, an 'owner-occupier' guarantee allowing local authorities to designate a percentage of houses and duplexes in a development for owner-occupiers. They were given effect in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (13 May 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: Energy Conservation (13 May 2025)

James Browne: In Ireland, approximately 40% of total energy produced is used in the building sector. The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive sets ambitious goals for energy efficiency and renewables in buildings by requiring Nearly Zero Energy Building or “NZEB” performance for new buildings from 31 December 2020. A nearly zero-energy building (NZEB) means a building that has a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (13 May 2025)

James Browne: The Government is providing continuing and substantial financial support to local authorities to acquire second-hand properties for priority categories of need including tenants-in-situ who have been in receipt of supports under HAP or RAS and who had received a Notice of Termination. The €325 million allocation I announced on 31 March 2025 has been made available to our local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Cúrsaí Tithíochta (13 May 2025)

James Browne: Leagtar amach san Acht um Pleanáil agus Forbairt, 2000, arna leasú, cuspóirí éigeantacha d’údaráis áitiúla, nach mór aghaidh a thabhairt orthu nuair atá a bPlean Forbartha á dhréachtú, a rialaíonn beartais forbartha áitiúla. Nuair atá ceantar Gaeltachta laistigh de limistéar riaracháin...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Process (13 May 2025)

James Browne: The Planning and Development Act 2024 (Act of 2024) was enacted on 17 October 2024. A detailed Implementation Plan has 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 of the phased transition to the new legislative framework. The Implementation Plan is a ‘living...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (13 May 2025)

James Browne: The single-stage approval process was commenced on a pilot basis in January 2016 as a new streamlined approval mechanism, for projects with a maximum all-in budget of less than €2m and no more than 15 units. The single-stage process was subsequently reviewed with the threshold increased in 2020 to a ceiling of under €6 million and no more than 25 units. The value limit was...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Regeneration Projects (13 May 2025)

James Browne: The regeneration of social housing is a matter in the first instance for the local authority. It is the responsibility of local authorities to identify an opportunity to advance Regeneration Programmes in line with Circular N11/2007 Policy Framework for the Regeneration of Local Authority Estates in their respective administrative areas. Cork City Council has informed my Department that it...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Regeneration Projects (13 May 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 777 and 778 together. The detailed advancement of housing and other works under the Cork City North West Quarter Regeneration (CNWQR) Programme is a matter, in the first instance, for Cork City Council. The CNWQR Masterplan & Implementation Report was published in 2011. The strategy outlined a departure from previous policy, with a proposal to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (13 May 2025)

James Browne: The project referred to is intended to be developed as a mixed-tenure residential scheme comprising both social and affordable housing. The Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) is available to support local authorities to deliver affordable housing and my Department welcomes proposals which respond appropriately to identified affordability needs. Subject to the outcome of the procurement process,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (13 May 2025)

James Browne: The Government is providing continuing and substantial financial support to local authorities to acquire second-hand properties for priority categories of need including tenants-in-situ who have been in receipt of supports under HAP or RAS and who had received a Notice of Termination. The other priority categories for second-hand acquisitions are properties that allow persons/families to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (13 May 2025)

James Browne: For 2025, I have made €325 million available to our local authorities for targeted social housing second-hand acquisitions, including for Tenant in Situ situations, following on from similar programmes in 2023 and 2024. The detailed administration of social housing acquisitions including those for Tenants in Situ, is delegated to the local authorities, accordingly the precise details...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Data (8 May 2025)

James Browne: The funding (capital and current) provided to Uisce Éireann from my Department's Vote (34) for the years 2020 to 2024 is set out in the table below: Year Vote 34 Funding (€m) 2020 1,303 2021 1,276 2022 €1,415 2023 €1,650 2024 ...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Land Development Agency (8 May 2025)

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

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Housing Schemes (8 May 2025)

James Browne: As detailed under Housing for All, the Government plans to deliver 54,000 affordable homes, including 36,000 affordable purchase and 18,000 cost rental homes, by 2030. A comprehensive implementation strategy is in place to support the various affordable housing schemes now being delivered by a range of delivery partners. These measures are primarily aimed at supporting affordability...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Inquiries (8 May 2025)

James Browne: The 'Fresh Start' principle forms a key element in 'Housing for All' and is applied across a number of affordable and mortgage schemes such as the Local Authority Home Loan and the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme. The ‘Fresh Start’ principle is also applied by the independently-governed First Home Scheme. ‘Fresh Start’ means that people who are...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Housing Policy (8 May 2025)

James Browne: 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 baseline income thresholds by €5,000 for all local...