Results 1,081-1,100 of 9,174 for speaker:James Browne

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Priorities of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I agree the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again. That is why we are bringing radical change to how we deliver housing in this country and in particular how we facilitate the private sector. Right now the State is delivering 50% of all homes, more or less. We are delivering-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Priorities of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I am addressing Deputy Ó Broin's full question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Priorities of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I will give context to the question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Priorities of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I know Deputy Ó Broin does not like it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Priorities of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I know Deputy Ó Broin does not like it, but he has to listen to me.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Priorities of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: If Deputy Ó Broin wants to hear me, he has to listen.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Priorities of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: We are bringing radical change to how we deliver housing. If we are going to go from 30,000 to 50,000 or 60,000 homes, we have to activate the private sector. That is what we have been doing. We have extended existing planning permissions. The Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, is undertaking work on planning exemptions to free work up. In terms of the savings, we are going to see a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Priorities of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: By being able to provide more units onto the existing footprint of an apartment block.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Priorities of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: We are doing a lot more than that and Deputy Ó Broin is aware of that. It is not simply based around the square meterage of studios. We are also removing the mandatory mix that has been there. This will allow more units onto a square footage. We are also addressing the areas around lifts and hallways. When you add it all up, including staircases, the number of lifts, etc., you will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Priorities of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The key thing here is it addresses the viability piece and therefore we will be able to increase-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Priorities of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I am well able to explain it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Priorities of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The Deputy does not have to believe me.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Priorities of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: Of course.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Priorities of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: We have data. We have worked on that data. That is from where we have come up with the figures. We have done an analysis of the data-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Priorities of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I have no difficulty with sharing the data.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Priorities of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I have no difficulty with sharing that data. That is what we will do.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Priorities of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: We will arrange for that data to be shared.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Priorities of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: Not in the middle of a session. I am not doing that, no.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Priorities of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: We will happily provide that data. We will publish it. There is no difficulty with that. That data will be made available.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Priorities of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (8 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I thank the Deputy. As a TD who comes from a rural constituency, I am acutely aware of the necessity for providing water supports in rural Ireland for our villages and provincial towns. We are providing record funding to Uisce Éireann this year. It has increased from €300 million a year to €2.2 billion this year. We will be providing it with even more funding under the...