Results 41-60 of 9,144 for speaker:James Browne

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (14 Oct 2025)

James Browne: In March 2022, Dublin City Council approved an application for the first phase of homes at the former Glass Bottle site. My Department has been working with Dublin City Council and the developers of the Poolbeg SDZ area to progress the delivery of social and affordable housing in this first phase of housing delivery, subject to agreement on the SDZ requirements and all the normal and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (14 Oct 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 582 and 583 together. Government is fully committed to delivering housing at scale, and continuing to accelerate housing supply across all tenures. Overall, over 14,500 affordable housing solutions have been delivered by our range of delivery partners since the launch of Housing for All, including 113 in Sligo and 58 in Leitrim. All local authorities...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (14 Oct 2025)

James Browne: Acquisitions carried forward from one year to the next are generally reimbursed in accordance with the terms and conditions of the earlier year's Second Hand Acquisitions Programme. This means acquisitions under negotiation or agreed for purchase or under conveyance at end 2024, and which are closed and submitted for drawdown this year, will be reimbursed per the terms and conditions of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Derelict Sites (14 Oct 2025)

James Browne: Addressing vacancy and dereliction is a key priority for Government. The Vacant Homes Action Plan, published in January 2023, set out the various actions being pursued to return vacant properties back into use as homes. In March, I published the 2025 Progress Report which shows the significant progress that is being made and it is available on my Department's website at the following link:...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (14 Oct 2025)

James Browne: National Strategic Outcome No. 1 of the National Planning Framework (NPF), which was first published in 2018 and revised in 2025, relates to ‘Compact Growth’, a core objective of the strategy, which seeks to address the impacts of sprawl that characterised Ireland’s patterns of development in recent decades. In support of the NPF ‘compact growth’...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (14 Oct 2025)

James Browne: Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) is a collective term which describes innovative construction alternatives to traditional construction. The Programme for Government contains a range of initiatives to support MMC. These include an MMC Innovation Fund to directly fund new and existing factories, as well as targets for MMC use in at least 25% of all State-backed housing, resourcing the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (14 Oct 2025)

James Browne: This Government is committed to tackling vacancy and dereliction. The Vacant Homes Action Plan, published in January 2023, set out the range of measures and actions being pursued to return vacant and derelict properties back into use as homes. In March, I published the 2025 Progress Report which shows the significant progress that is being made and it is available on my Department's website...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Construction Industry (14 Oct 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 596 and 600 together. The delivery of new housing is multifaceted and relies on many different factors such as the supply of zoned serviced land, an efficient planning system, timely delivery of infrastructure, the availability of adequate development funding at a reasonable price, the cost of construction, adoption of efficient technologies and practices,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (14 Oct 2025)

James Browne: The Housing Need and Demand Assessment (HNDA) provides Local Authorities with evidence-based insights into housing needs across all tenures analysing demographic trends, affordability data and housing stock pressures. This framework allows local authorities to make informed decisions about future housing requirements, and provides evidence to inform revised housing strategies and plans. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (14 Oct 2025)

James Browne: The Government has committed to introduce a new national housing plan to follow Housing for All, including a Starter Home programme to promote home ownership and secure long-term rental. Delivering on that Programme for Government commitment will form part of our new housing plan. While work is being undertaken to progress a new plan which will build on progress to date, the measures...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (14 Oct 2025)

James Browne: The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, introduced in July 2022, provides a grant of up to €50,000 for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation as a principal private residence and for properties which will be made available for rent. A top-up grant of up to €20,000 is available where the property is confirmed to be derelict, bringing the total grant available for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (14 Oct 2025)

James Browne: My Department provides funding under the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and Disabled People, to assist those in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. The suite of grants, which include the Housing Adaptation Grant for Disabled People, the Mobility Aids Grant and the Housing Aid for Older People Grant, are funded by my Department with a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (14 Oct 2025)

James Browne: The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, introduced in July 2022, provides a grant of up to €50,000 for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation as a principal private residence and for properties which will be made available for rent. A top-up grant of up to €20,000 is available where the property is confirmed to be derelict, bringing the total grant available for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (14 Oct 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. Government approval was granted for the priority drafting of the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks (Amendment) Bill which will...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (14 Oct 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 cap and rates are informed by...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Contracts (14 Oct 2025)

James Browne: My Department maintains high standards in the management of the public funds entrusted to it and is fully committed to transparency, fairness and accountability in all its purchasing activities. My Department publishes a range of procurement related information in accordance with the Freedom of Information Publication Scheme on its website at...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (14 Oct 2025)

James Browne: Critical to supporting households to exit homelessness is our continued investment in the social housing programme. Budget 2026 has continued the record level of investment in social housing, with €2.9bn in capital allocated to support the delivery of social homes by local authorities. This continued investment in the social housing programme will increase the supply of stock...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (14 Oct 2025)

James Browne: The Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (the Act) was commenced on 22 June 2023 which contains the enhanced grant scheme and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023. The scheme is now open to applications in five counties: Clare, Donegal, Limerick, Mayo and Sligo with comprehensive information of all aspects of the Scheme available on...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (14 Oct 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 616, 642 and 643 together. On 10 June 2025, the Government approved policy measures including modifications to rent controls to come into effect on 1 March 2026 in order to boost investment in the supply of homes available for rent and keep existing landlords in the market. The changes agreed will also provide significantly stronger tenancy protections and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Reports (14 Oct 2025)

James Browne: The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.