Results 101-120 of 6,997 for speaker:James Browne

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

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 244, 246 and 249 together. Government is fully committed to working with all stakeholders to deliver social, affordable and cost rental homes at scale and to continue accelerating housing supply across all tenures. This is underpinned by the recent decisions by Government to provide additional capital funding of €715m in 2025 as follows: -...

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

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 245 and 247 together. To support the delivery of social, affordable and cost rental homes at scale and to continue accelerating housing supply, Government recently provided additional capital funding of €715m to my Department for 2025. This is additional to the allocations set out in the 2025 Revised Estimates Volume. Of this total, €450m is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Service (3 Apr 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 Service Acts, 1981 and 2003.My Department supports fire authorities by establishing policy, setting national standards for fire...

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

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 250 and 251 together. My Department does not provide specific financial allocations to local authorities for social housing projects, rather my Department funds the relevant local authorities as their housing projects advance and claims fall due for payment.

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

James Browne: As outlined in my reply to Question no. 445 of 4 March, since demand for grants typically exceeds the supply of funds available, Historic Structures Fund grants are awarded on a competitive basis, with applications scored and prioritised according to the declared criteria in the scheme circular. As the application in question received a relatively low score for the quality of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Artificial Intelligence (3 Apr 2025)

James Browne: I, and the officials in my Department, am very committed to providing clear and detailed responses to all questions asked. The previous question of 19 March, asks for information which is not held by my Department and is a matter for the Chief Executive of the relevant body, an independent body with its own administrative structures. Neither I, nor my Department, have a role in such...

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

James Browne: The Programme for Government commits to the establishment of a Local Democracy Taskforce with the Local Government sector to finalise a programme for the reform and strengthening of local government. The membership of the Taskforce will include Local Authority elected member representative bodies, Local Authority executive representatives, the National Oversight and Audit Commission, the...

Housing Emergency Measures: Motion [Private Members] (2 Apr 2025)

James Browne: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "acknowledges that: — Housing for All sets out an ambitious multi-annual programme that seeks to deliver more than 300,000 new homes between 2022 and 2030; — more than 133,000 new build homes were delivered between 2020 and 2024, with 92,500 of these delivered between...

Seanad: Housing: Statements (2 Apr 2025)

James Browne: I welcome the opportunity to speak to the Seanad today on the challenges we face as a country as we work to build on the progress achieved under the Housing for All plan and to secure a housing system that meets the needs of our society. I recently outlined a broad housing policy agenda in the Dáil with reference to the Government's work on the report of the Housing Commission. I...

Seanad: Housing: Statements (2 Apr 2025)

James Browne: I thank my fellow scalder, Senator Cathal Byrne, for his kind comments. I know his family are very proud of him as well for being here in the Seanad. I thank all Senators for their contributions this afternoon. As with the recent debates in the Dáil, today's engagement will help to reform our approach to the challenges we face. Before drawing this afternoon's debate to an end, I...

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

James Browne: It is assumed from the reference to 'bird sanctuary' in the question relates to the establishment of a nature reserve. Under the Wildlife Act, 1976, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage may establish a nature reserve where certain considerations are met. These are set down in sections 15 and 16 of the Act. The provisions of section 17 and 18 may also be of relevance to...

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

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 172 and 175 together. The clear focus of Government is to increase the supply of new build social and affordable homes. Increasing the overall housing supply is key to addressing the housing challenge and in particular preventing and ultimately eliminating long term homelessness. Social Housing acquisitions targets, including Tenant in Situ acquisitions,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (2 Apr 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: Fire Service (2 Apr 2025)

James Browne: The provision of a fire service in its functional area is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Acts, 1981 and 2003 and my Department has not issued any instructions specifically in relation to this matter. National policy in relation to fire safety is detailed in Keeping Communities Safe, which is based on the internationally-used systemic risk...

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

James Browne: Under the Programme for Government published in January 2025, the Government committed to introduce a new, all of government, national housing plan to follow Housing for All. My Department is currently examining that commitment, its implementation and the potential timeframe. While work is being undertaken to progress a new plan, which will build on progress to date, the measures detailed...

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

James Browne: Tenant Purchase Schemes provide for the purchase by eligible tenants of local authority properties which are available for sale under the terms of the particular scheme. All applications for the schemes must satisfy the requirements outlined in the relevant legislation. However, the schemes only provide for the purchase of local authority properties and do not extend to properties owned...

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

James Browne: My Department does not fund Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) directly, rather the funding is provided primarily to the local authorities and also to the Housing Agency, who in turn, release this funding to the AHBs in line with relevant funding scheme conditions. However, the funding provided by my Department in respect of the main range of AHB led capital and current funded schemes in 2023...

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

James Browne: I am pleased that the Government is providing continuing and substantial financial support for Tenant in Situ acquisitions in 2025, following on from similar investments in 2023 and 2024. I have made €325 million available to our local authorities for their social housing second hand acquisitions activity in 2025 and asked that they prioritise Tenant in Situ acquisitions but have...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Meetings (2 Apr 2025)

James Browne: Since my appointment as Minister I have met with the individual Management Board members, together with their senior management teams, on a number of occasions. I have also met with my colleagues, Minister Cummins, Minister O'Sullivan and Minister O'Donnell on a range of matters. The first formal Ministers and Management Board (MinMB) meeting is scheduled for 14 April. It is my...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Planning Framework (2 Apr 2025)

James Browne: The National Planning Framework (NPF), 2018 is the long-term, 20-year 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 ‘compact growth’ approach to the form and pattern of future development. The NPF, together with the National Development...