Results 1,201-1,220 of 7,615 for speaker:James Browne

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (25 Feb 2025)

James Browne: Recent Governments have introduced significant changes to the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004 to 2024 (RTA) in the past number of years to enhance tenancy protections and increase the powers of the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB). The RTB was established as a quasi-judicial independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 to regulate the rental sector; provide...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (25 Feb 2025)

James Browne: 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 demonstrated by the record level of investment which is being provided for the delivery of Housing in 2025, with overall capital funding available of €6.5 billion. The capital provision is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (25 Feb 2025)

James Browne: The Government is acutely aware of the housing challenges faced by many sectors of society. Housing for All, Ireland's housing plan to 2030, is the most ambitious and comprehensive housing plan in the history of the State. The Plan contains a suite of actions that have and continue to increase the provision of housing through accelerating supply and increasing the affordability of homes for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Mining Industry (25 Feb 2025)

James Browne: I can confirm that a transboundary EIA notification was received by my Department on Thursday 30 January 2025 from the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) in Northern Ireland. This notification concerns a number of development applications related to the proposed Dalradian Gold Mine Project, at Greencastle, Co Tyrone. DfI have advised that three applications formally require transboundary...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Heritage Projects (25 Feb 2025)

James Browne: I am aware that St Anne’s Church, its clock tower, and the Shandon Bells are of huge archaeological, architectural, historical, and social importance to Cork City. The church itself is a protected structure and a national monument, and is included on the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage, where it is listed as being of national importance. Responsibility for maintaining...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Waterways Ireland (25 Feb 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 546, 547, 548, 549 and 550 together. 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. I am informed that Waterways Ireland has identified the existence of more than four hundred alleged...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (25 Feb 2025)

James Browne: The Local Authority Purchase and Renovation (LAPR) loan is an expansion of the Local Authority Home Loan, and supports the purchase and/or renovation of vacant or derelict homes which are eligible for the existing Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant. Decisions on individual applications are a matter for the Local Authority. The LAPR is for creditworthy first-time buyers and fresh start...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Policies (25 Feb 2025)

James Browne: I am fully aware that Architectural Technologists are an essential profession working to high standards in the construction sector. In general, the regulation of professions is in the first instance a matter for industry representatives working in consultation with relevant industry stakeholders. My Department has been engaging with the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (25 Feb 2025)

James Browne: On 25 April 2023, the Government approved additional measures under the Housing for All Action Plan to incentivise the activation of increased housing supply and help reduce housing construction costs, including the introduction of temporary time-limited arrangements for the waiving of local authority “section 48” development contributions and the refunding of Uisce Éireann...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (25 Feb 2025)

James Browne: The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department is working with the appointed planner for the participant, to verify and process this payment in compliance with the terms and conditions of NPWS Farm Plan Scheme. Payment is expected to be made in the near future.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (25 Feb 2025)

James Browne: NPWS Farm Plan Scheme payments are scheduled to be processed on the anniversary date of each farm plan. However, certain payment requests may be submitted prior to this date. Payments are processed promptly upon receipt of the required documentation, which includes a compliance report and an application for payment. These are provided to the National Parks and Wildlife Service by the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Bodies (25 Feb 2025)

James Browne: The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as a quasi-judicial independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2024, to operate a national tenancy registration system and to facilitate the resolution of disputes between landlords and tenants. My Department does not hold the details sought. However, arrangements have been put in place to facilitate the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Bodies (25 Feb 2025)

James Browne: Recent Governments have introduced significant changes to the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004 - 2024 (RTA) in the past number of years to enhance tenancy protections and increase the powers of the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB). The RTB was established as a quasi-judicial independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004 to 2024 (RTA) to regulate the rental sector;...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (25 Feb 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 560 and 561 together. Under Housing for All, the Government aims to deliver 47,600 new build social homes and a further 3,500 social homes through long-term leasing in the period 2022-2026. Under the plan, there was provision for 200 social housing acquisitions each year. However, for 2023 and 2024, the Government agreed that there would be increased...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (25 Feb 2025)

James Browne: There are a broad range of funding and delivery mechanisms available to local authorities to deliver social and affordable housing and related supports in partnership with Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs). The funding is primarily provided by my Department directly to local authorities, and to the Housing Agency in respect of the Cost Rental Equity Loan Scheme, who in turn release this funding...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (25 Feb 2025)

James Browne: The Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme (LAAPS), as provided for under Part 2 of the Affordable Housing Act 2021 (the Act), is the successor to various now-discontinued affordable schemes previously implemented through Local Authorities. All previous affordable housing schemes were stood down in 2011. The Affordable Housing (No.2) Regulations 2023 prescribe how the minimum purchase...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Sites (25 Feb 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 569 and 570 together. Under the Vacant Site Levy provisions contained in the Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015 (the Act), planning authorities were empowered to apply a vacant site levy of 3% of the market valuation of relevant properties which were listed on local authority vacant site registers in 2018, which relevant owners were liable to pay in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Land Development Agency (25 Feb 2025)

James Browne: The information requested with respect to Land Development Agency (LDA) expenditure breakdowns relates to operational matters and as such is not held by my Department. Arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my Department to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. This provides a speedy, efficient and cost effective...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (20 Feb 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take questions Nos. 230, 247, 248, 259 and 260 together. The Tenant in Situ Acquisitions Programme was introduced by way of Government decision in 2023. It was originally intended as a short term response to the reported uplift in sales by landlords of homes which were within the HAP and RAS schemes in order to prevent potential homelessness where other solutions could not be...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (20 Feb 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take questions Nos. 231 and 232 together. 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 new scheme is now open to applications in five counties: Clare, Donegal, Limerick, Mayo and Sligo with...