Results 801-820 of 9,077 for speaker:James Browne

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Regulations (16 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I propose to take Questions Nos. 148, 149, 150, 151 and 152 together. The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department has primary responsibility for nature conservation, wildlife protection and the presentation and preservation of our National Parks and Nature Reserves. The mission of the NPWS, as stated in its Strategic Plan 2023-2025, is to Protect Nature. The...

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

James Browne: My Department provides funding under the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and Disabled People, to assist those in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. The suite of grants, which include the Housing Adaptation Grant for Disabled People, the Mobility Aids Grant and the Housing Aid for Older People Grant, are funded by my Department with a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Animal Welfare (16 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department is responsible for the regulation, inspection and licensing of zoos in Ireland. The European Communities (Licensing and Inspection of Zoos) Regulations 2003 provide the legislative basis for the inspection and licensing of zoos in Ireland. These Regulations give effect to EU Directive 1999/22/EC (the Zoo Directive). The...

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

James Browne: The management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, the implementation of a planned maintenance programme and carrying out of responsive repairs, are matters for each individual local authority under Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. Local authorities also have a legal obligation to ensure that all of their tenanted properties...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (16 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The Planning Design Standards for Apartments Guidelines for Planning Authorities, 2025 “the Guidelines” were issued under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended). Section 28 of the Act provides that planning authorities and An Coimisiún Pleanála shall have regard to Ministerial guidelines in the performance of their functions. Where the...

Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (15 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I welcome the opportunity to discuss with the committee my Department’s Estimate for 2025, as well as the Votes for Tailte Éireann and An Coimisiún Toghcháin, which are also under the aegis of my Department. I am joined by officials from my Department and a briefing has been provided to the committee in advance, so I will keep these remarks brief, focusing on critical...

Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (15 Jul 2025)

James Browne: Discussions on the national development plan are ongoing and will be finalised over the coming week. I do not want to get too much into it but, obviously, we have a programme for Government. We have to deliver on social and affordable housing. There are a huge number of areas, including the URDF, vacancy, dereliction, voids, requirements under climate change, defective concrete blocks,...

Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (15 Jul 2025)

James Browne: The Cabinet committee on housing recently agreed to an expanded role for the Land Development Agency. In addition, a memo was brought to Cabinet and got approval there. The Government has ensured the LDA has the resources needed to continue its essential work. Its capital has increased in recent times from €2.5 billion, when the LDA Act was first passed, to €6.25 billion....

Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (15 Jul 2025)

James Browne: Affordable housing is providing very important housing solutions for people. Since Housing for All was launched, 14,500 affordable housing solutions have been delivered via approved housing bodies, local authorities, the LDA, the first home scheme and a number of other schemes. We have exceeded our target for this year, which is important. Affordable housing forms a very important mix in...

Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (15 Jul 2025)

James Browne: We are acutely aware that the greater Dublin drainage, GDD, will require very significant capital. I am confident the Government will make that funding available without impacting on Uisce Éireann's strategy budget and will also ensure we secure the additional funding that will be ring-fenced for housing delivery. Ensuring we have water and wastewater capacity is essential in...

Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (15 Jul 2025)

James Browne: Subhead D12 provides funding for additional planning staff in local authorities, which the Deputy alluded to. Local authorities are looking for more ring-fenced staff. I met with all the CEOs, and directors and senior planners, recently in Dublin. We certainly had some important discussions on that. We will continue to engage with local authorities to identify what else we can do to...

Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (15 Jul 2025)

James Browne: It does.

Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (15 Jul 2025)

James Browne: It includes the €715 million.

Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (15 Jul 2025)

James Browne: As the Deputy rightly pointed out, outturn last year versus where we are at this year in the middle of July are not directly comparable. We will continue to spend as significantly as we can. We are already ahead in expenditure at this stage of the year versus where we were last year.