Results 741-760 of 9,065 for speaker:James Browne

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

James Browne: The Traveller Accommodation Expert Review report, published in July 2019, reviewed the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, and other legislation that impacts on the provision and delivery of accommodation for Travellers. The Expert Review report, has 32 recommendations across 4 categories, one of which is strengthening governance arrangements. A Programme Board was established to...

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

James Browne: The Land Development Agency (LDA) recently published its 2nd Report on Relevant Public Lands, which is a statutory report in accordance with Section 52 of the Act, and is available on the LDA's website at the following link: . This edition provides an update on the 83 parcels of land identified in the 1st report, published in 2023, which focused on the ten main urban locations (five...

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

James Browne: The ‘Sustainable Residential Development and Compact Settlements Guidelines for Planning Authorities’ were issued in January 2024 under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act, 2001 (as amended). Section 28 of the Act provides that planning authorities and An Coimisiún Pleanála shall have regard to Ministerial guidelines in the performance of their functions....

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

James Browne: The Revised National Planning Framework (NPF) was approved by Government and the Oireachtas in April 2025. The revised NPF recognises that investment in high quality, affordable early learning and childcare is critical both as an educational support for children, and as an enabler of parental labour market participation. National Policy Objective 41 of the NPF in particular prioritises...

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

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1725 and 1726 together. The standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 and specify requirements in relation to a range of matters, such as structural repair, sanitary facilities, heating, ventilation, natural light, fire safety and the safety of gas, oil and electrical supplies. These...

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

James Browne: Local authorities will always have a level of vacancy in their housing stock. This will fluctuate over time, as tenancy surrender and re-letting of stock is an ongoing process. Statistics in relation to social housing stock, at a point in time, are published by the National Oversight and Audit Commission (NOAC) in their Annual Reports on Performance Indicators in Local Authorities. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (29 Jul 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. 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 homes. In March I published the 2025 Progress Report which shows...

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

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1730 and 1738 together. The Government is acutely aware of the housing challenges faced by many sectors of society including older people. Housing for All, Ireland's housing plan to 2030, 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 our...

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

James Browne: My Department's role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless services rests with individual housing authorities. My Department does not fund any homeless service...

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

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1733 and 1741 together. The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (Extension of Notice Periods) Bill 2021 is a Private Members’ Bill which lapsed with the dissolution of the previous Dáil on 8 November 2024.

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

James Browne: The First Home Scheme, which was launched in July 2022, is a shared equity scheme for eligible first-time buyers, eligible homebuyers, and self-builders. The Scheme is designed to help bridge the gap between their deposit and mortgage, and the price of their new home. The price of the new home must be within price ceilings established across the country. The First Home Scheme Designated...

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

James Browne: A strong pipeline of affordable purchase housing opportunities is now in place, and under continuous development, across all partners and delivery streams, inlcuding local authorities, the Land Development Agency and the First Home Scheme, a strategic partnership between the State and retail banks. Statistical reports detailing affordable housing delivery within each local authority area...

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

James Browne: The Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended, prescribe maximum net income limits for each local authority in different bands according to the area concerned, with income defined and assessed according to a standard Household Means Policy. The Policy provides for a range of income disregards and local authorities have discretion to disregard income that is temporary,...

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

James Browne: In January 2024, Government approved the priority legal drafting of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024 which includes, inter alia, provisions to amend Section 20 of the 2009 Act to provide for legal and habitual residence as an eligibility criterion for social housing support. The pre-legislative scrutiny report contained a recommendation that an independent appeals...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (17 Jul 2025)

James Browne: In June 2025, the Government approved policy proposals for stronger tenancy protections to apply to new tenancies created from 1 March 2026 which will significantly enhance the current provision of tenancies of unlimited duration with the introduction of tenancies of minimum duration (TMD), involving rolling 6-year tenancies by a smaller landlord (with three or fewer tenancies) with a new...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (17 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 363, 364, 365 and 366 together. In 2021, following the second call for proposals under the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF), a provisional allocation of €11,027,500 in URDF support was announced for Mayo County Council's two successful proposals – the Castlebar Historic Core Reactivation Initiative (€8,527,500) and works to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (17 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The Cork Events Centre (CEC), which will provide a venue for concerts, conferences, community events and contribute to the economic and social development of Cork and the Southern Region, was included as a Government commitment under the revised National Development Plan in 2021. This underlines the Government’s support for urban regeneration, enhanced amenity and heritage, associated...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (17 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department is currently undertaking an important project to update wildlife legislation. This includes the Wildlife Act 1976, the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000, the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 and significant regulations made under these provisions. The project is examining closely the effectiveness of our...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (17 Jul 2025)

James Browne: My Department collects, collates and publishes data on social and affordable housing delivery on a local authority basis. Under Housing for All, each local authority was required to prepare a Housing Delivery Action Plan. This Plan sets out details of both social and affordable housing delivery as appropriate over the period 2022-2026, in line with targets set under Housing for All. Dublin...