Results 1,841-1,860 of 9,065 for speaker:James Browne

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wind Energy Guidelines (13 May 2025)

James Browne: Firstly, with regard to the planning application process generally, I wish to highlight that it is open to any member of the public to make an observation or submission on a planning application, including in relation to wind energy developments, and the planning authority is statutorily obliged to consider such submissions before making a decision on the application. Persons who make...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (13 May 2025)

James Browne: The Government’s ‘Town Centre First’ (TCF) Policy was launched by my Department and the then Department of Rural and Community Development in 2022 and provides a whole-of-government policy framework to address the decline in the health of towns and support measures to revitalise them. To drive the delivery of Town Centre First, a number of national structures and supports...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (13 May 2025)

James Browne: In December 2023, my Department wrote directly to Galway County Council confirming approval of a funding contribution of more than €10 million under the Rural Water Programme to co-fund, with Galway County Council, a project to deliver a wastewater treatment system in Craughwell Village, Co Galway. Galway County Council is responsible for the delivery of this project and they are...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (13 May 2025)

James Browne: 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. Second hand Social Housing Acquisitions targets, including Tenant in Situ acquisitions, were increased by way of Government decision...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (13 May 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: Planning Issues (13 May 2025)

James Browne: There are extensive enforcement provisions provided for in Part VIII of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, with a view to ensuring that works pertaining to permitted developments are carried out in accordance with the planning permission granted and any associated conditions and that no unauthorised development takes place. Under planning legislation, enforcement of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (13 May 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: Regulatory Bodies (13 May 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 713, 726, 727, 728 and 729 together. An Bord Pleanála (the Board) 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 2000, as amended, and certain other Acts. In preparing the Board...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Regulatory Bodies (13 May 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 714 and 725 together. An Bord Pleanála (the Board) 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 2000, as amended, and certain other Acts. The Planning and Development Act 2024,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Regulatory Bodies (13 May 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 715, 716, 717 and 718 together. An Bord Pleanála (the Board) 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 2000, as amended, and certain other Acts. The information requested is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Regulatory Bodies (13 May 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 719, 732 and 733 together. An Bord Pleanála (the Board) 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 2000, as amended, and certain other Acts. The information requested is an...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (13 May 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 720, 721, 722, 723, 734 and 735 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/she is responsible. My Department oversees workforce planning for the local government sector,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (13 May 2025)

James Browne: Under the current Development Management Guidelines for Planning Authorities of 2007 (Chapter 2.5), which were issued under section 28 of the Act of 2000, planning authorities are advised that requests for preplanning consultations should be facilitated as quickly as possible so that where a meeting with the area planner is requested, such a meeting should ideally be arranged within 2-3...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Regulatory Bodies (13 May 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 730 and 731 together. The information requested is not held by my Department as these are operational matters for An Bord Pleanála (the Board).  An Bord Pleanála is the national independent statutory body with responsibility for the determination of planning appeals and direct applications for strategic infrastructure and other developments...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (13 May 2025)

James Browne: I refer to my reply to Question Number 1310 of 29 April 2025 which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (13 May 2025)

James Browne: Responsibility for the zoning of land rests with the elected members of a local authority. In preparing their statutory plans, including in relation to the zoning of land for particular purposes, the elected members are required to consider and be consistent with, as appropriate, the National Planning Framework, the relevant Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy and relevant Ministerial...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (13 May 2025)

James Browne: 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, were increased by way of Government decision in 2023 as a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (13 May 2025)

James Browne: The standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019. They specify requirements in relation to a range of matters, such as structural repair, sanitary facilities, heating, ventilation, natural light, fire safety and the safety of gas, oil and electrical supplies. Responsibility for the enforcement of the Regulations in the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (13 May 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 740 and 741 together. In line with the agreed Programme for Government, it is my intention to establish a new Towns and Cities Infrastructure Investment Fund to replace the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF). With this new fund it is the aim of my Department to continue and expand URDF-type investment in projects. This will allow for investment...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (13 May 2025)

James Browne: My Department remains fully committed to progressing the objectives outlined in the Programme for Government, including the activation and efficient use of land for housing delivery at scale. In line with these objectives, the Housing for All Land Acquisition Fund was established in 2022 and extended in 2024 to support local authorities in acquiring land for both social and affordable...