Results 601-620 of 9,065 for speaker:James Browne

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks (29 Jul 2025)

James Browne: As part of its role in protecting nature, the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) manages the network of National Parks and Nature Reserves within Ireland. In keeping with the aims of the Programme for Government, it occasionally purchases land for strategic and conservation purposes. Such acquisitions are always considered carefully on a case by case basis. In light of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (29 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I acknowledge that the Bray to Greystones Cliff Walk is an important piece of infrastructure, both from a tourist perspective and for the benefit of the people living in Bray and Greystones, and that prior to its closure for safety reasons, the annual usage of the walk peaked at over 292,000. I note that the Council will be seeking tenders for Consultants to carry out an assessment of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (29 Jul 2025)

James Browne: Part V of the Local Government Act 1991, as amended, contains provisions relating to local authority boundary alterations, including procedures in relation to proposals for such alteration; provision for the establishment of a boundary committee to review boundaries; and power for the Minister, subject to specified conditions, to alter boundaries by order. There are currently no proposals...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (29 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The funding system for local authorities is a complex one, as authorities derive their income from a variety of sources including commercial rates, charges for goods and services, Local Property Tax (LPT) as well as funding from Government Departments and other bodies. Central Government funding of local authorities similarly presents a complex picture, with transfers, both current and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (29 Jul 2025)

James Browne: Government is fully committed to delivering affordable housing at scale, and continuing to accelerate housing supply across all tenures. Under the Programme for Government published in January 2025, the Government has committed to introduce a new national housing plan to follow Housing for All. While work is being undertaken to progress a new plan, building on the progress already made to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (29 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1537, 1538 and 1549 together. My Department's latest round of formal workforce planning is currently underway. The outcome of this process will determine the estimated number of vacancies in the Department including the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) across all grades, administrative, professional/technical and industrial, due to arise going...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Sites (29 Jul 2025)

James Browne: Under the Vacant Site Levy provisions contained in the Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015 (the Act), planning authorities were empowered to apply a vacant site levy of 3% of the market valuation of relevant properties which were listed on local authority Vacant Site Registers in 2018, which relevant owners were liable to pay in January 2019. The rate of the levy increased to 7% for sites...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (29 Jul 2025)

James Browne: Tackling vacancy is and will continue to be a key priority for this Government. Pathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Gorse Burning (29 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Acts, 1981 & 2003. My Department supports fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Policies (29 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The Programme for Government – Securing Ireland’s Future includes a number of commitments to deliver “Practical Housing Options for Positive Ageing”. These commitments build upon the policy objectives in 'Housing for All', which commit to increasing the housing available to older people to facilitate ageing in place with dignity and independence. This includes a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (29 Jul 2025)

James Browne: Applications for a Local Authority Home Loan are made through the individual Local Authorities and the final decision on loan approval is a matter for the relevant local authority and its Credit Committee on a case-by-case basis. Decisions on all housing loan applications must be made in accordance with the Regulations establishing the scheme and the Credit Policy that underpins the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (29 Jul 2025)

James Browne: Pathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock. The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, introduced in July 2022 under the Croí Cónaithe, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Archaeological Sites (29 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The scope of this question is very broad and would amount to a disproportionate number of days of work to produce all of the information requested including reading large numbers of reports to extract and summarise the information sought. I can however provide a breakdown by year of the number of licenses granted for archaeological excavations in Cork from 2020 -2025. On foot of a new...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (29 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1547 and 1633 together. Addressing vacancy and making efficient use of existing housing stock is a key priority for Government, as set out in Pathway 4 of Housing for All. The Vacant Homes Action Plan, published in January 2023, built on Pathway 4 and set out the various actions that were being pursued to return vacant properties back into use as...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Heritage Sites (29 Jul 2025)

James Browne: Following clarification with the Deputy, in responding to this question I am taking heritage sites to mean buildings of architectural merit that are listed on the Register of Protected Structures (RPS) under the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) rather than other forms of heritage sites, such as archaeological sites or monuments, cultural locations, or other forms of heritage...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Student Accommodation (29 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1550, 1551 and 1552 together. Information relating to the various sources of accommodation for students studying English language courses is is not available in my Department. Access to affordable and secure student accommodation is now the single biggest non-academic barrier for students seeking to attend higher education. Student demand for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Land Issues (29 Jul 2025)

James Browne: Tailte Éireann is an independent Government agency under the aegis of my Department. Tailte Éireann provide a property registration system, property valuation service, and national mapping and surveying infrastructure for the State. Under Section 8(6) of the Tailte Éireann Act 2022, Tailte Éireann is independent in the performance of its functions. It is understood from...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (29 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The information requested is outlined in the table below and reflects the essential duties and training carried out by staff across sixty-five (65) locations domestically, as well as, our EU/Non EU obligations. My Department has grown from 1,205 to 1,795 staff during this period and has spent the following on travel and subsistence in 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025: ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Údaráis Áitiúla (29 Jul 2025)

James Browne: Tá an Roinn Forbartha Tuaithe, Pobail agus Gaeltachta freagrach as comhordú agus maoiniú chur chun cinn na Gaeilge, agus comhordaíonn sí an Straitéis 20 Bliain don Gaeilge 2010-2030. Níl aon ról agam sa mhéid seo. Is eintitis chorparáideacha neamhspleácha iad údaráis áitiúla a bhfuil lánfhreagracht orthu faoin...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Land Development Agency (29 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The Land Development Agency (LDA) is a statutory body under the aegis of my Department and in line with section 12(4) of the Land Development Agency Act 2021 is independent in the performance of its functions. Arrangements have been put in place by my Department to ensure that public bodies under its aegis have a dedicated email address in place to facilitate the provision of information...