Results 821-840 of 9,065 for speaker:James Browne

Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (15 Jul 2025)

James Browne: Regarding the one-stage process, local authorities will be locked into that from quarter 3, that is, the autumn. They will have to follow the one-stage process and mandatorily use the housing designs in relation to it. After engaging with the Department of public expenditure, we are satisfied in terms of how we manage that risk. We are fairly confident and happy that we can manage that....

Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (15 Jul 2025)

James Browne: It is important that we retain the density. We are looking at proposals from local authorities when they seek to regenerate flats. The purpose of regeneration is that people can have modern homes to live in. Many flats need this kind of regeneration. We also have to maintain a density so that we keep homes that people can live in as well. That is really important.

Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (15 Jul 2025)

James Browne: We will key an eye on this on a case-by-case basis. Regarding CAS, we amalgamated it with second-hand acquisitions. With the pressure that existed under the pre-approved numbers of tenant in situ, perhaps some of the projects for CAS did not get the priority they should have. I am very much aware of this and I am examining it.

Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (15 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I thank Deputy Cooney. On our overall 2025 targets, I have publicly stated that at this point it is going to be extremely challenging and probably not realistic to meet them. We are starting from much further behind than I would have expected. When the targets were drawn up we would have been expecting delivery for last year to be much higher but it was considerably lower. That was very...

Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (15 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The costs have increased significantly, and there are various reasons for that. Part of it is supply, part is input costs, financing costs and a range of other reasons. It has having a huge impact on affordability and the ability of people to purchase those homes, as well as viability so developers and builders can be able to deliver the homes as well. We are trying to address viability...

Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (15 Jul 2025)

James Browne: We need the infrastructure, the housing funding and we also need the zoned land so people can build homes on it. Some areas are very constrained. We will be writing to the local authorities under the national planning framework to set out the new numbers for those local authorities. I hope to see a significant amount of land being rezoned. I hope the local authorities and the councillors...

Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (15 Jul 2025)

James Browne: We have to understand where we are at already. About 30% of all capital is being spent by the Department. It almost €1 in €3. Other Departments have demands as well. The communities where we are building housing need schools, hospitals and roads so there is only a certain amount the Department of housing can take. We are spending record amounts of money on capital...

Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (15 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I am sure the Deputy explains to the public when he is talking to them that funding is being allocated through the national development plan. It has to be balanced. Approximately 30% of all capital going to housing is an extraordinary percentage of our State capital. However, those same members of the public also need healthcare. They need our hospitals, community healthcare centres,...

Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (15 Jul 2025)

James Browne: A total of €2.4 billion is being spent on social housing. In 2022, this money is facilitated the highest level of delivery in the State since 1975. The record was again surpassed in 2023. In 2024, 7,871 new-build social homes were delivered. We are aiming to maximise the delivery of social homes. The amount allocated in respect of affordable housing is €1.1 billion. The...

Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (15 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I will add it up for the Deputy.

Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (15 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I do not have the percentage, but it looks approximately correct.

Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (15 Jul 2025)

James Browne: In terms of delivering housing, we use every means available to us. Sometimes it is local authorities, the LDA or affordable housing bodies. Ultimately, we are dependent on local authorities to drive the delivery of social homes. It also depends sometimes on the timing of the drawdown in terms of the necessary funding. The allocation under subhead A3 for 2024 included development levy...

Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (15 Jul 2025)

James Browne: We always make an assessment of what how best to deliver housing in a particular year as quickly as possible, whether it is through local authorities, in the context of affordable housing, the LDA or whatever. I encourage local authorities to apply for further funding. We went from a four-stage to a one-stage process and increased the ceiling from €8 million to €200 million to...

Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (15 Jul 2025)

James Browne: A judicial review has been entered into in respect of the most recent PPP, so I must be very careful about any commentary I make. There is a future for PPPs. As stated previously, however, we are reviewing the model. In the context of the local authorities that have been affected, I want to see the social housing that has been committed to delivered as quickly as possible. Obviously, that...

Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (15 Jul 2025)

James Browne: As the Deputy is aware, that is a live case before the courts. I cannot comment on it.

Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (15 Jul 2025)

James Browne: These are houses that have not been occupied. They very often are not fit for occupation. We provide funding to people to allow them to acquire these properties and bring them back into use. As a result, we are making those houses affordable for allow people to acquire and live in. It is very much an affordable purchase mechanism. The output in 2024 for total affordable purchase was...

Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (15 Jul 2025)

James Browne: That is output versus target.

Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (15 Jul 2025)

James Browne: That is true, but it does make the house more affordable to purchase.

Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (15 Jul 2025)

James Browne: That money is new and additional. In recent years, the Exchequer has been the net beneficiary of the local property tax, which I understand was not the intention. When I was a local councillor, it was explained to me that this was not the intention. With the changes to the local property tax bands this year, the amount the Exchequer would have been keeping would have been egregious,...

Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (15 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The Deputy is right. One of the reasons I wanted to do it this year is that if it had continued on, in a few years it would have become so big and the Exchequer would become so used to it that it would become harder to make the change. For example, that €90 million for Dublin City Council will now be there every year until there are changes to the LPT or whatever the case may be....