Results 761-780 of 7,010 for speaker:James Browne

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Renewable Energy Generation (11 Feb 2025)

James Browne: My Department notes the commitment in the recently published Programme for Government 2025 – Securing Ireland’s Future to introduce planning guidelines for solar energy developments. In light of this commitment, my Department has begun an initial scoping process to identify the component factors relevant to the preparation of planning guidelines for solar energy...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Gaeltacht Policy (11 Feb 2025)

James Browne: The Planning and Development Act 2000 as amended, sets out mandatory objectives for local authorities, which must be addressed in the drafting of their Development Plan governing local development policies. Section 10(2)(m) of the Planning and Development Act includes a requirement that, where there is a Gaeltacht area within the planning authority’s administrative area, the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Safety (11 Feb 2025)

James Browne: The Interim Remediation Scheme for Fire Safety Defects in Eligible Apartments and Duplexes (‘Scheme’) provides for the funding, through Owner Management Companies (OMCs), of emergency fire safety defect works in order to provide an acceptable level of fire safety in affected buildings pending completion of the full remedial works. As of 31 January 2025, 195 applications to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (11 Feb 2025)

James Browne: In line with a commitment in Housing for All, my Department carried out a review of the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) to consider the role of RAS in the private market, taking account of the impact of HAP and AHB participation. The review was carried out in consultation with key stakeholders (including all local authorities) and is published at the link below:

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (11 Feb 2025)

James Browne: The Housing Commission was established to consider housing policy post-2030 and to make proposals building on Housing for All. My Department is currently assessing the Report of the Housing Commission, which was published by Government in May last year. The assessment is complex given the breadth of housing policy areas covered in the Report, the quantum of recommendations and actions...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Estimates Publication (11 Feb 2025)

James Browne: The Gross Total allocations for my Department for 2025 are set out in the Revised Estimates for Public Services published by the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation on 19 December 2024 and are available at: www.gov.ie/en/collection/e20037-revised-estimates/?referrer= http://www.per.gov.ie/en/rev/#about-the-rev The allocations for A.7...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (11 Feb 2025)

James Browne: The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Schemes are open to eligible tenants of local authority homes that are available for sale under the various schemes. The Acts and Regulations underpinning these schemes remain in force at this time and the schemes have not been suspended by my Department. Information regarding the schemes may be located may be located on my Department’s website...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Ministerial Responsibilities (11 Feb 2025)

James Browne: As set out in Government Decision S180/20/2948 the following Ministers of State have been appointed to my Department : John Cummins, T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage with special responsibility for Local Government and Planning; Christopher O'Sullivan, T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: State Properties (11 Feb 2025)

James Browne: The 1st Report on Relevant Public Lands, published by the Land Development Agency (LDA) in 2023, identified state owned land with potential for housing development in the five cities and five key growth towns. That potential identified is assessed by Government in light of existing and proposed uses and ongoing developments on those sites. Suitable sites for housing development that are...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: House Sales (11 Feb 2025)

James Browne: My Department does not collect data in respect of homes that are sale agreed. That said, data on the number of residential properties purchased are published monthly by the CSO and can be accessed on its website at . These data are disaggregated by type of dwelling (new or existing) and by buyer type (first-time buyer owner-occupier, former owner-occupier, household non-occupier, and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Urban Development (11 Feb 2025)

James Browne: A flagship element of Project Ireland 2040, the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) was one of four new funds established under the National Development Plan (NDP) 2018 – 2027. Launched in 2018 with committed Exchequer funding of €2 billion the review of the NDP in 2021 extended the URDF to 2030. To date, there have been three rounds of funding provided under...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (11 Feb 2025)

James Browne: A hierarchy of settlements in Ireland is defined through planning policy at national, regional and local levels as part of the plan-led planning system operated under the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) and reinforced through Planning and Development Act 2024. The National Planning Framework (NPF) is a high-level framework for the planning and development of Ireland to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (11 Feb 2025)

James Browne: The Local Authority Home Loan is a Government backed mortgage scheme for creditworthy applicants who cannot get sufficient funding from commercial banks to purchase or build a home. It has been available nationwide from local authorities since 4 January 2022 for first-time buyers and fresh start applicants. The loan can be used both for new and second-hand properties, or to self-build. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (11 Feb 2025)

James Browne: Local authorities set and collect rents on their dwellings in accordance with section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. The making or amending of such rent schemes is generally a matter for local authorities within broad principles set out by my Department, including that rent levels should be based on income and reflect tenants’ ability to pay. Local discretion and flexibility are...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Grant Payments (11 Feb 2025)

James Browne: I refer to the reply to Question No. 768 of 22 January 2025 which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (11 Feb 2025)

James Browne: The Local Government Reform Act 2014 saw the introduction of 95 municipal districts in 25 of the 31 local authorities at sub-county level, while area committees would operate in the 3 city authorities of Cork, Dublin and Galway, and the 3 Dublin county authorities. The Programme for Government 2025 - Securing Ireland’s Future contains a commitment to convene a Local Democracy...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (11 Feb 2025)

James Browne: I fully acknowledge the distress caused to those who were severely impacted by the recent storm and subsequent power outages and in particular those who were impacted for long periods of time. Issues regarding the development of the national electricity grid rest with EirGrid and ESB Network and they are independent in the exercise of their respective functions. ESB networks is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (11 Feb 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. A review mechanism is provided within the Act, which provides for an increase or decrease the overall grant scheme cap a year after the Act has been commenced by no more...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Sports Facilities (6 Feb 2025)

James Browne: The Cork Event Centre 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 quality of life, balanced regional development, and the regeneration and development of Cork City Centre. To comply with the requirements of the infrastructure...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Weather Events (6 Feb 2025)

James Browne: The Met Éireann briefings presented at the National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NECG) meetings are designed to support the decision making of emergency response stakeholders including government departments and agencies. The weather information presented at the NECG meetings is all available on Met Éireann’s website and mobile applications as well as more detailed,...