Results 1,121-1,140 of 9,065 for speaker:James Browne

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Emergency Accommodation (3 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 260 and 261 together. 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 local authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Compulsory Purchase Orders (3 Jul 2025)

James Browne: Local authorities are empowered under a number of statutes to acquire land, by agreement or compulsorily, for the purposes of performing any of their functions. My Department does not hold data in respect of CPO applications made generally, apart from CPOs related to the Derelict Sites Act 1990. Specifically, the number of derelict sites acquired within their functional area by local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Staff (3 Jul 2025)

James Browne: There are currently eight staff assigned to my Department's Vacant Homes Unit, broken down by grade as follows. Grade No. Principal Officer 1 Assistant Principal Officer 2 Administrative Officer 1 Higher Executive Officer 1 Executive Officer 1 ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (3 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: Housing Schemes (3 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The clear focus of Government is to increase the supply of new build social and affordable homes. This is key to addressing the housing challenge and in particular preventing and ultimately eliminating long term homelessness, and that unquestionably must be the priority for all local authorities including Cork City Council. My Department is continuing to provide substantial financial...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Approved Housing Bodies (3 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) funding provides up to 100% capital funding to Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) for the construction and targeted acquisition of housing for priority needs categories to include homelessness, persons with a disability, age-friendly and care leavers. Funding provided under the CAS programme to AHBs in each of the past five years is set out in the table...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Planning Framework (3 Jul 2025)

James Browne: On 20 June 2023, Government gave approval to commence the process of undertaking the First Revision of the National Planning Framework. The National Planning Framework (NPF), is the whole-of-Government strategy for strategic planning and sustainable development of our urban and rural areas to 2040, with the core objectives of securing balanced regional development and a sustainable...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (3 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 269 and 270 together. Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he or she is responsible. My Department oversees workforce planning for the local government sector, including the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (2 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The local authority Development Plan is the principal planning strategy document which sets out the relevant policies and objectives to guide the physical development of each city and county over a six-year period and is required to be consistent with the National Planning Framework (NPF) and the relevant Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy. The Revised NPF was approved by Government...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Waterways Issues (2 Jul 2025)

James Browne: Waterways Ireland is a North South Implementation Body established under the British Irish Agreement of 10 April 1998. It is funded by my Department and the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland. The detailed information requested in relation to the proposal to extend the Shannon Navigation from Lough Allen to Dowra is not held in my Department. However, arrangements have been...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (2 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The oversight and practical management of housing waiting lists, including the allocation and transfer of tenancies, is a matter for the relevant local authority in accordance with the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, and associated regulations. Decisions on the qualification of households for social housing support, the most appropriate form of such support, and the allocation of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Conservation (2 Jul 2025)

James Browne: Corncrake LIFE is a five year (2021-2026) €5.9m project improving the conservation status of one of Ireland’s most iconic farmland bird species. Led by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department, in collaboration with project partners, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), Fota Wildlife Park, Atlantic Technological University and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wild Fires (2 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Act 1981 & 2003. My Department supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (2 Jul 2025)

James Browne: In line with a commitment in Housing for All, a review of the Private Rental Market was undertaken by my Department and published in July 2024. One of its recommendations was that a comprehensive examination of the current RPZ system should be undertaken. The key focus of the review, which was undertaken by the Housing Agency, was to assess the operation of Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs)...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (2 Jul 2025)

James Browne: There is currently no such obligation on any party, namely, Landlords, Local Authorities or Tenants to engage with the tenant-in-situ scheme.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (2 Jul 2025)

James Browne: While the Planning and Development Act 2024 (Act of 2024) was enacted in October 2024, it is in the process of being commenced. The provisions of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (Act of 2000), and associated Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (Regulations 2001) remain in force until the relevant sections of the Act of 2024 are commenced and the corresponding sections...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (2 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The local authority Development Plan is the principal planning strategy document to guide the physical development of each city and county over a six-year period. The relevant statutory provisions governing the preparation, adoption and variation of development plans are currently primarily found in sections 9 to 13 of Planning and Development Act 2000. Section 9(1) of the Act requires...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (2 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The First Home Scheme, which launched in July 2022, is a shared equity scheme, designed to help bridge the gap for eligible first-time buyers, eligible homebuyers, and self-builders, between their deposit and mortgage, and the price of their new home (within price ceilings established across the country). Full details are available on the First Home Scheme website, www.firsthomescheme.ie. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: State Bodies (2 Jul 2025)

James Browne: An Coimisiún Pleanála is the national independent statutory body with responsibility for the determination of planning appeals and direct applications for strategic infrastructure and other developments under the Planning and Development Act 2024, the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and certain other Acts. There is sanction in place for up to 313 posts at An...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (2 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The Land Development Agency (LDA) was established with a focus on managing the State’s lands to develop new homes and regenerate underutilised sites. The Agency has also been tasked with unlocking stalled, private, planning-consented developments in the shorter-term through Project Tosaigh, its market engagement initiative. The LDA is targeting 8,000 new homes over the course of...