Results 101-120 of 9,281 for speaker:James Browne

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (4 Nov 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. The scheme is now open to applications in five counties: Clare, Donegal, Limerick, Mayo and Sligo with comprehensive information of all aspects of the Scheme available on...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (4 Nov 2025)

James Browne: My Department provides funding under the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and Disabled People, to assist those in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. The suite of grants, which include the Housing Adaptation Grant for Disabled People, the Mobility Aids Grant and the Housing Aid for Older People Grant, are funded by my Department with a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (4 Nov 2025)

James Browne: Applications for social housing support are assessed by the relevant local authority, in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended. The allocation of local authority dwellings, including the prioritisation of certain households, is a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (4 Nov 2025)

James Browne: Applications for a Local Authority Home Loan are made through the individual Local Authorities and the final decision on loan approval is a matter for the relevant local authority and its Credit Committee on a case-by-case basis. Decisions on all housing loan applications must be made in accordance with the Regulations establishing the scheme and the Credit Policy that underpins the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (4 Nov 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1138 and 1139 together. Fingal County Council has fully drawn down its €20 million allocation under the 2025 Second Hand Acquisitions Programme, with claims for reimbursement submitted for around €23 million to date. Some 63 acquisitions have been completed by the council so far this year as follows -61 acquisitions for tenancy sustainment...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Urban Development (4 Nov 2025)

James Browne: The relevant sponsoring agency is responsible for the composition of applications for funding under the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF), and decides, in the first instance, on which suitable projects it wishes to have considered for URDF funding. In that context, Cork City Council did not submit an application under previous funding calls of the Urban Regeneration and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (4 Nov 2025)

James Browne: The Apartments and Duplex Defects Remediation Scheme is expected to be established shortly after the passage of the legislation, the timeline for which is subject to Oireachtas process. The General Scheme of the Bill will be made available to undergo pre-legislative scrutiny and I anticipate this happening in the Dáil autumn term. The Scheme will provide supports for the remediation...

Office of the President: Motion [Private Members] (22 Oct 2025)

James Browne: I thank the Deputies for raising these important matters. I welcome the opportunity to update the House on behalf of the Government. The Government is not opposing this motion. However, I would like to make a number of points in respect of each of the proposals raised in the motion, which might warrant further consideration by the House. In relation to voting rights, it should be...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Contracts (22 Oct 2025)

James Browne: The information sought is not readily available and its compilation would involve a disproportionate amount of time and work. In accordance with the Freedom of Information publication scheme, my Department maintains a contracts register for contracts with a value in excess of €25,000 (excl. VAT). The register is published on an annual basis at:...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (21 Oct 2025)

James Browne: As the Deputy is aware the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (the Act) on 22 June 2023 which contains the enhanced grant scheme and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023. The Grant Scheme applies to the owners of dwellings located in designated local authorities, which are damaged due to the use of defective concrete blocks. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Process (21 Oct 2025)

James Browne: On 29 July 2025, the Government approved the drafting of proposed amendments to the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022 to limit the eligibility of certain properties for the Accommodation Recognition Payment and to amend the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004 to 2025 (RTA) to provide for necessary data sharing between the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB ) and the Department of Social...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Social Welfare Payments (21 Oct 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: Defective Building Materials (21 Oct 2025)

James Browne: The Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (the Act) commenced on 22 June 2023 which contains the current grant scheme and the related Regulations were adopted on 29 June 2023. The Act defines a relevant owner as an individual who owns, whether jointly or not, a relevant dwelling and:became an owner of the dwelling prior to 31 January...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Budget 2026 (21 Oct 2025)

James Browne: I refer to the reply to Question No. 603 of 14 October 2025 which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (21 Oct 2025)

James Browne: Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) are making an important contribution to social housing delivery, as envisaged under current Government policy. My Department operates a number of funding programmes that assist local authorities to work in partnership with AHBs to construct, purchase and lease new homes and make them available for social housing. One such programme that AHBs progress...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (21 Oct 2025)

James Browne: My Department is working, in line with Programme for Government commitments, to introduce a new voids programme. I am focussed on building on the strong progress made over recent years to tackle local authority vacancy levels. This progress has been enabled by significant funding from my Department over the last 10 years, with over €360m recouped to local authorities under the voids...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (21 Oct 2025)

James Browne: The Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (the Act) commenced on 22 June 2023 which contains the current grant scheme and the related Regulations were adopted on 29 June 2023. The Act defines a relevant owner as an individual who owns, whether jointly or not, a relevant dwelling and:became an owner of the dwelling prior to 31 January...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Contracts (21 Oct 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 (21 Oct 2025)

James Browne: Social and affordable housing is specified in accordance with the requirements of the Building Regulations. The Building Regulations apply to the design and construction of a new building (including a dwelling) and certain works to an existing building. The minimum performance requirements that a building must achieve are set out in the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations. These...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (21 Oct 2025)

James Browne: Applications for social housing support are assessed by the relevant local authority, in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended. The requirements in relation to the documentation required to support an application is set out in the...