Results 21-40 of 9,174 for speaker:James Browne

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Reports (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: Departmental Reviews (21 Oct 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 Q1 2025, almost 127,000 HAP tenancies had been set up since the scheme commenced, of which there were 52,657 households actively in receipt of HAP support. Since 11 July 2022, each local authority has statutory discretion to agree to a HAP payment up to...

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

James Browne: Social and affordable Housing is delivered through a range of Local Authority and Approved Housing Body (AHB) delivery programmes. Capital expenditure on the delivery of new social homes is also supported by current funding provided through the Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (SHCEP). In 2025, Government has allocated almost €7.5 billion in capital investment for...

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

James Browne: Under the 2025 Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme (EERP), €90 million is available to local authorities to retrofit a minimum of 2,500 social homes to a B2 BER rating post works. While work under the 2025 programme is still progressing, I expect the target to be achieved this year. Full details of delivery under the 2025 EERP, including progress against target, will be available...

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

James Browne: Local authorities, in their capacity as registration authorities, are responsible for the management and maintenance of the electoral register. It is the duty of each authority to ensure, as far as possible, and with the cooperation of the public, the accuracy and completeness of the Register in respect of its own administrative area. The Electoral Reform Act 2022 provided for significant...

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

James Browne: The National Water Conservation Working Group was established in mid-June 2025. The first meeting of the Working Group took place in person on 18 June of 2025. Membership of the NWCWG comprises representatives/nominees from the following organisations - my Department, The Environmental Protection Agency, The Water Forum - An Fóram Uisce, National Federation of Group Water Schemes;...

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

James Browne: The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EU/2024/1275) (EPBD) is the European Union’s main legislative instrument aiming to promote the improvement of the energy performance of buildings. The recast Directive, which was adopted by the European Parliament and Council, came into force in May 2024. The Directive requires transposition of the relevant Articles by 29 May 2026. ...

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

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 505 and 506 together. In December 2023, the then Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O’Brien TD announced the opening of the Interim Remediation Scheme (the Scheme) for Fire Safety Defects in Eligible Apartments and Duplexes. The Scheme provides for the funding of emergency fire safety defect works within the scope and defined...

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 2011 Regulations prescribe maximum net income limits for each local authority, in different bands...

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

James Browne: At present, the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration and his Department continue to have responsibility for the oversight of Owner Management Companies (OMCs) and related regulations. Under Housing for All, to ensure that OMCs are financially sustainable, the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration (DJHAM) in collaboration with my Department is committed to making...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (16 Oct 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 249 and 250 together. I refer to my reply to Question No. 639 of 14 October 2025 which sets out the position in the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Budget 2026 (16 Oct 2025)

James Browne: Funding for the Second Hand Acquisitions Programme will be agreed later this year, with individual local authority allocations notified to local authorities as soon possible thereafter. That said, I expect the 2026 programme to maintain support for tenant in situ acquisitions as a last resort policy tool available to local authorities to prevent social housing supported households in the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (16 Oct 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 252 and 253 together. The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a flexible and immediate housing support that is available to all eligible households throughout the State. Under HAP, a tenant sources their own accommodation in the private rented market. At the end of Q1 2025, almost 127,000 HAP tenancies had been set-up since the scheme commenced, of which...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Budget 2026 (16 Oct 2025)

James Browne: The documents referred to in the question are prepared and published by the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation. It should be noted that the Abridged Estimates for Public Services (AEV) are published as part of the Budget 2026 Expenditure Report with allocations at programme level. As such the subhead allocations are draft only and may...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (16 Oct 2025)

James Browne: On 10 June 2025, the Government approved policy measures including modifications to rent controls to come into effect on 1 March 2026 in order to boost investment in the supply of homes available for rent and keep existing landlords in the market. The changes agreed will also provide significantly stronger tenancy protections and are finely balanced between the interests of tenants and the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: EU Funding (16 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: Defective Building Materials (16 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 2022 Act sets out the role of the Housing Agency which acts as agent on behalf of the local authorities under the terms of the Scheme. The Housing Agency has...

Confidence in the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade: Motion (15 Oct 2025)

James Browne: Thank you very much, a Cheann Comhairle.

Confidence in the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade: Motion (15 Oct 2025)

James Browne: First, it is essential that this conversation start with the people - Harvey and his parents Stephen and Gillian and the many more incredible advocates acting with courage on behalf of their children and all those who have been impacted. I understand the Tánaiste and the Minister for Health met a number of weeks ago with Harvey's parents and they agreed to work in partnership on the...

Reform of the Defective Concrete Redress Scheme: Motion [Private Members] (15 Oct 2025)

James Browne: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "That Dáil Éireann notes that" and substitute the following: "— the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 underpins an enhanced Grant Scheme which provides grant funding to people whose homes have been affected by Defective Concrete Blocks (DCB) and replaced a previous scheme;...