Results 1,201-1,220 of 9,065 for speaker:James Browne

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (1 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme continues to plays a vital role in housing eligible families and individuals. At the end of Q4 2024, over 125,000 HAP tenancies had been set up since the scheme commenced, of which there were 53,742 households actively in receipt of HAP support. An average of 156 new HAP tenancies was set up each week in 2024, indicating that the scheme continues to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (1 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, as amended (Regulations of 2001) remain in force until the relevant sections of the Act of 2024 are commenced and the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (1 Jul 2025)

James Browne: My Department has introduced a range of measures to enable and support the delivery of apartments, including through planning reform, zoning, financing, rental sector reforms, cost of construction measures and other targeted measures. The impact of the current rent control system on the supply of new homes for rent is a key consideration for this Government and recent changes announced...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (1 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 47 and 429 together. Within the Programme for Government 2025 – Securing Ireland’s Future, a commitment was specifically made to continue to accelerate social housing regeneration schemes in Dublin. My Department remains committed to supporting regeneration across towns and cities. The prioritisation and project plans for the regeneration of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (1 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The system of funding local government in Ireland is a complex one, as local authorities derive their income from a range of sources including commercial rates, charges for goods and services provided, Local Property Tax and grants from various government departments and state agencies for both Current and Capital purposes. A fundamental prerequisite for effective local democracy is that...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (1 Jul 2025)

James Browne: My Department publishes the Social Housing Construction Status Report (CSR), on a quarterly basis. The CSR provides details of social housing developments and their location that have been completed, are under construction or are progressing through the various stages of the design and tender processes. The most recent publication was for Quarter 4 2024, and is accessible on my Department's...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (1 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 53 and 88 together. Uisce Éireann has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. The scope, prioritisation and progression of individual projects is a matter for Uisce Éireann and is approved through its own internal governance structures. Uisce Éireann...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wind Energy Guidelines (1 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 54 and 430 together. My Department is currently undertaking a focused review of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines. The review is addressing a number of key aspects of the Guidelines including noise, setback distance, shadow flicker, community obligation, community dividend and grid connections. My Department, in conjunction with the Department...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (1 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 55, 67, 70 and 99 together. Pathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock. The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant introduced in July 2022, provides a grant of up to €50,000 for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation as a principal private residence and for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (1 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The Planning and Development Act 2024 (Act of 2024) was enacted on 17 October 2024 and introduces a number of key reforms to the planning process that will assist the delivery of housing, including - the introduction of mandatory statutory time periods for decisions on all consent processes including, for the first time, for An Coimisiún Pleanála - to give confidence and certainty...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Question Heading (1 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The Land Development Agency (LDA) is working with key landholders across the public and commercial State sectors to transfer land to the LDA in a managed process that meets its needs while minimising disruption to its operations. The Government is currently considering options to accelerate this process while ensuring that the transfer process remains smooth and does not impact the ongoing...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (1 Jul 2025)

James Browne: In 2016, a single-stage approval process was commenced on a pilot basis as a new streamlined approval mechanism, for projects with a maximum all-in budget of less than €2m (and no more than 15 units). This process was subsequently reviewed with the maximum budget threshold increased in 2020 to €6 million (and no more than 25 units). The value limit was increased again in 2023...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (1 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 South Dublin County Council. My Department is continuing to providing substantial...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Measures (1 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 62 and 431 together. The Planning and Development Act 2024 (Act of 2024) was enacted on 17 October 2024. A comprehensive Implementation Plan, including a detailed commencement schedule, has been published on www.gov.ie/planning and outlines a range of initiatives to support training and engagement for the planning sector. The Act of 2024 is being commenced...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (1 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 and the provisions of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (Act of 2000), and associated Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (Regulations of 2001) remain in force until the relevant sections of the Act of 2024 are commenced and the corresponding...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (1 Jul 2025)

James Browne: Cost Rental is a key element of the Housing For All strategy to improve affordability in the rental sector and to provide secure, long-term homes for moderate-income households. Though only introduced in 2021, delivery is accelerating, with over 3,600 homes already delivered by the end of 2024, and a substantial pipeline is now in place. My Department is providing significant funding to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (1 Jul 2025)

James Browne: On 10 June 2025, the Government approved stronger tenancy protections and greater certainty for the rental sector, including the introduction of a national rent control, as part of a suite of measures to boost the supply of new homes and secure and grow the availability of rental accommodation. The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2025 was signed into law on 19 June 2025. The Act...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (1 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The Programme for Government (PfG) recognised that more is needed to be done to coordinate and accelerate home building by unblocking infrastructure delays and by coordinating investment in servicing zoned land. Government has agreed to the establishment of a new Housing Activation Office (the Office), which will be the delivery mechanism for the PfG commitment, and my Department has...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (1 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The First Home Scheme (FHS), which launched in July 2022, is a shared equity scheme designed to help bridge the gap between a purchaser’s deposit and mortgage, and the price of their new home, for eligible first-time buyers, Fresh Start applicants and those who wish to build their first home. The First Home Scheme Designated Activity Company is responsible for the operation and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (1 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The EU Short Term Rental (STR) Regulation was adopted by the EU on 11 April 2024 and is applicable from 20 May 2026. This Regulation lays down harmonised rules on the collection and exchange of data on short-term rental services for member states, hosts providing short-term accommodation rental services, and online platforms that offer services to hosts providing short-term accommodation...