Results 661-680 of 9,065 for speaker:James Browne

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Capital Expenditure Programme (29 Jul 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: Capital Expenditure Programme (29 Jul 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: Water Services (29 Jul 2025)

James Browne: My Department's Multi-annual Rural Water Programme for the period 2024-2026 was launched in 2024. In November 2024, funding of over €3 million was provided for the Kilteel Group Water Scheme under the Programme. My Department wrote to Kildare County Council at the time advising it of the funding details. The administration and implementation of the Programme is devolved to local...

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

James Browne: I am aware that non-domestic customers have experienced significant tariff increases in recent years, in some cases due to the transition from varied local authority tariff systems to the Uisce Éireann unified national tariffs system and, more generally, increases reflecting CRU’s regulatory determinations to move towards fully cost-reflective tariffs. The Water Framework...

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

James Browne: The Government is acutely aware of the housing challenges faced by many sectors of society. Housing for All, Ireland's housing plan to 2030, is the most ambitious and comprehensive housing plan in the history of the State. The Plan contains a suite of actions that have and continue to increase the provision of housing through accelerating supply and increasing the affordability of homes for...

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

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1614 and 1664 together. Details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority administrative area is provided in the annual statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA). The SSHA for all counties for the years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 respectively, can be accessed on my Department’s website...

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

James Browne: In 2019 Ireland's coverage of the maritime area by protected sites stood at a little over 2%. Recent designations and proposals under the Birds and Habitats Directives have increased the coverage to approximately 10%. As part of the Marine Protected Area (MPA) process initiated in October of that year, a great deal of work has been undertaken to advance comprehensive marine protected...

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

James Browne: The detailed administration of social housing acquisitions including those for tenants in situ, is delegated to the local authorities. Tenant in situ acquisitions are a policy response which continues to be available to local authorities as a last resort to prevent households in HAP/RAS who have been served with a no fault notice to quit in order to prevent such households falling into...

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

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1617 to 1619, inclusive, together. Local Authorities (LA's) and Approved Housing Bodies (AHB's) are supported by my Department to purchase and renovate vacant/derelict properties (including former commercial units) to be upgraded as new, value-for-money social homes. The Buy & Renew Scheme allows LA's and AHB's to acquire and refurbish such...

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

James Browne: The Planning and Development (Amendment) Regulations 2018, S.I. No. 30/2018, currently provide for an exemption from the need to obtain planning permission for the change of use of certain vacant commercial buildings, including vacant above ground floor premises, to residential use such as ‘above shop’ living. These Exempted Development Regulations were extended in 2022, to also...

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

James Browne: The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) published a research paper in February 2025, which explores the investment requirements for energy efficiency upgrades in the private rental sector. The research was funded by my Department, under a joint programme the Department operates with the ESRI. Based on the data sets available, the ESRI paper explores the energy efficiency...

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

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1623, 1732 and 1739 together. The Housing Commission was established to consider housing policy post-2030 and make proposals building on Housing for All. It was also tasked with advising Government on the critical factors to be considered regarding a referendum on housing and, if appropriate, to recommend wording for a constitutional change. This was not...

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

James Browne: Supporting individuals and families experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness is a priority for Government. Critical to addressing homelessness is increasing the supply of housing. A record level of capital investment is being provided in 2025 with overall capital funding available of almost €6.8 billion to support the delivery of social, affordable and cost rental...

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

James Browne: Local Authority (LA) gross expenditure is published annually by Local Authorities in their Annual Financial Statements (AFS) and the information is generally available on the individual Local Authority’s website. Each local authority is required to prepare an AFS by the end of March following year end and to publish it by the end of June. These financial statements undergo an...

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

James Browne: Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) are independent, not-for-profit organisations providing affordable rented housing for people who cannot provide housing from their own means and for particular groups, such as older people, disabled people or homeless people. The ongoing management and maintenance of Approved Housing Body properties is a matter for each individual AHB to decide and fund...

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

James Browne: The Night Time Economy (NTE) Implementation Group is led by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport (DCCS) and aims to develop an innovative approach to supporting and developing a vibrant, diverse, and sustainable night-time economy in Ireland. As part of this group my Department is currently leading on Action 6 of the Night Time Economy Strategy to “examine the practical...

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

James Browne: There were 1,795.57 FTE staff serving in my Department at the end of June 2025. The information requested is broken down by grade stream as set out in the table below. Grade Stream Grade Equiv. Grade FTE General Service SECRETARY GENERAL 1.00 ASSISTANT SECRETARY 8.00 ...