Results 641-660 of 7,010 for speaker:James Browne

Housing Crisis: Motion [Private Members] (19 Feb 2025)

James Browne: I am here.

Housing Crisis: Motion [Private Members] (19 Feb 2025)

James Browne: I am here.

Housing Crisis: Motion [Private Members] (19 Feb 2025)

James Browne: I thank everybody who has contributed to this very important debate. As my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Troy, stated at the outset, this Government is absolutely committed to building more homes in Ireland. We are working continuously to meet the challenge to design and implement policies that shift the dial on delivery and to review and improve our approach where we identify...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Energy Conservation (19 Feb 2025)

James Browne: Under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the 2000 Act), all development, unless specifically exempted under the Act or associated Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended (2001 Regulations), requires planning permission. Section 4 (1) (h) of the 2000 Act provides that “development consisting of the carrying out of works for the maintenance, improvement or...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (19 Feb 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, 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...

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

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

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

James Browne: In December 2023, Minister O'Brien approved funding for a number of projects including in the villages of Broadford and Cooraclare, 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. Following the approval of funding my Department wrote directly to each local authority...

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

James Browne: My Department provides Exchequer funding to local authorities under the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and Disabled People scheme, to assist people in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. The grants include the Housing Adaptation Grant for Disabled People, the Mobility Aids Grant and the Housing Aid for Older People Grant, which are funded by...

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

James Browne: The Capital Advance Leasing Facility (CALF) Scheme is the main funding source for the Approved Housing Body sector to provide social housing in Ireland. As at 17 February 2025, the number of CALF applications under consideration by my Department was forty two. As with all Exchequer-supported projects, my Department, as approving authority, assesses each project application for...

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

James Browne: The Capital Advance Leasing Facility (CALF) Scheme is the main funding source for the Approved Housing Body (AHB) sector to provide social housing in Ireland. Pursuant to Housing for All, targets for AHB delivery of social housing units are contained in Local Authority Housing Delivery Action Plans. Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) funding is available to AHBs to provide affordable rented...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Compulsory Purchase Orders (19 Feb 2025)

James Browne: While local authorities are empowered under a number of statutes to acquire land, by agreement or compulsorily, for the purposes of performing any of its functions, the number of derelict sites acquired within their functional area under the provisions of the Derelict Sites Act 1990 (the Act) are submitted to my Department as part of their annual return on the operation of the Act. The number...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (19 Feb 2025)

James Browne: 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. Data in relation to vacant properties is available from a number of sources such as Census and GeoDirectory publications. More recently the CSO has developed an indicator of residential vacancy using electricity consumption data and my...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Approved Housing Bodies (19 Feb 2025)

James Browne: The origin of Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) in Ireland is as philanthropic bodies of the nineteenth and twentieth century which built housing for the then working classes. The role of AHBs has been increasingly recognised in national housing policy documents. The publication of the Housing Policy Statement in 2011 committed to expand the role of the AHB sector. This policy intention...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Flexible Work Practices (19 Feb 2025)

James Browne: My Department launched its blended working policy in June 2022, based on the centrally agreed blended working Framework. A phased rollout of blended working arrangements took place from September 2022 to March 2023. Staff with suitable roles, performance and remote workstations are eligible to apply for blended working. The current blended working model is 3 days per week in the office...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Ministerial Responsibilities (18 Feb 2025)

James Browne: As Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage I have a formal role as a prescribed body for heritage under planning legislation. The role of prescribed bodies for the purposes of heritage are set out in primary legislation in the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended). The various prescribed bodies are then listed in secondary legislation, the Planning and Development...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (18 Feb 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 407, 408, 410, 414, 421, 449 and 473 together. The Tenant in Situ Acquisitions Programme was introduced by way of Government decision in 2023. It was originally intended 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...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Development Contributions (18 Feb 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 409, 411, 426, 429, 430, 434, 440 and 451 together. I refer to my reply to Dáil Question No. 211 of the 13 February 2025. The position remains unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (18 Feb 2025)

James Browne: The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive (Directive 2011/92/EU), as amended by Directive 2014/52/EU), and the UNECE Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (the Espoo Convention) each set out the obligations of Member States/Parties to assess the environmental impact of certain activities or proposed development at an early stage of planning. They...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (18 Feb 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. Research has been...