Actually, they are independent. That is the way it is set up. It is the CEO’s job.
TDs / James Browne
James Browne
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
0
questions asked
Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them
145,875
words spoken in the chamber
145,131 as a minister, 744 as a TD
431
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
From the Dáil chamber only: committee meetings are not in this archive.
Members of the Government answer parliamentary questions rather than ask them, so this page lists none of theirs.
Month by month
Low months are usually recesses, when the Dáil does not sit. The archive runs to 22 October 2026.
Contributions to debates 670 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Contributions |
|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 13 |
| March 2025 | 36 |
| April 2025 | 15 |
| May 2025 | 46 |
| June 2025 | 41 |
| July 2025 | 60 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 32 |
| October 2025 | 59 |
| November 2025 | 46 |
| December 2025 | 20 |
| January 2026 | 51 |
| February 2026 | 43 |
| March 2026 | 43 |
| April 2026 | 3 |
| May 2026 | 70 |
| June 2026 | 27 |
| July 2026 | 22 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 2 |
| October 2026 | 41 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 394 contributions in the regular slots, such as Leaders' Questions and Priority Questions. Speech from the chair is not counted.
Party, constituency and offices
- constituency Wexford 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fianna Fáil 29 November 2024 to now
- office Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage 23 January 2025 to now
We have independent local authorities here.
I thank Deputy Brennan for raising this important issue around allowing developers to construct wastewater treatment facilities. I know it is a matter he has raised on a number of occasions. Following Government approval of this initiative, my Department is working closely with key stakeholders, including Uisce Éireann, to establish a framework allowing builders and private developers to construct stand-alone wastewa…
It is the private sector, the developer, who will pay for it but, as I say, it must be done under the strict conditions set out by the EPA in collaboration with Uisce Éireann and oversight as Uisce Éireann will eventually take them over when they are completed. There will be very strict guidelines and rules of oversight in relation to the delivery of these. It will allow for 40 homes. We are doing this in a manner th…
We anticipate the guidelines will be ready by the end of February. It is what we anticipated a number of months ago and it is still on schedule for that. I fully agree with the Deputy’s sentiment around rural Ireland. We want our parishes to thrive. Uisce Éireann has record funding to deliver wastewater treatment plants across the country and to upgrade them. It has that role on environmental protection and driving d…
Affordability and the chance to own a home is at the heart of the Government’s housing policy, as embodied within the new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities. The new plan reinforces and expands the range of existing measures being implemented by the Government to tackle the issues of supply and affordability, thereby supporting the increased provision of new homes to purchase and rent.
As outlined …
I thank the Deputies very much for their questions. Affordability is at the very heart of what I do. That is why we have so many schemes to help people to make homes more affordable for them, while also driving the delivery of social and affordable housing through our local authorities, and through schemes led by the Land Development Agency.
In both of those counties we have seen a significant delivery of homes but …
Every scheme is always kept under review. We have multiple schemes now for helping people to be able to get their home and to make schemes affordable. We always keep schemes under review and where we think we can make them more effective, we always do so. It is important that these schemes exist, and that people are aware of them and use them.
As Deputy Byrne mentioned, we have some very successful affordable housin…
I thank Deputy Byrne for raising the important issue of coastal erosion. It is a matter he has raised on numerous occasions.
My Department recognises the significant risks that coastal erosion and flooding present to our coastlines in the context of climate change. It is clear that climate change is presenting significant challenges, with many areas experiencing more frequent extreme weather events and changes in en…
Deputy Byrne has done an awful lot of work on what we can do to tackle coastal erosion which is a result of climate change and the climate crisis that we are in. The current position is that the interventions are local authority led through funding by the OPW. A national strategy is being developed by the interdepartmental group. As the Deputy points out, a lot of different strategies are being worked on in different…
I thank the Deputy for raising the matter. He is right. The Courtown and Riverchapel area is a good example of a wonderful community that is facing an awful lot. It is at the brunt of the changes as a result of our climate crisis and the impact that has on the local community. The current position is that it is the responsibility of the local authority with the OPW to carry out works, although these works tend to be …
I thank the Deputy for raising what is an important question and can often have a profound effect on families, namely, the blanket ban that is often imposed on having pets. It was an important policy to get into our housing plan. For many people, especially those who live on their own but for all families, pets provide comfort and connection and can be an enormous source of emotional support and companionship. Pets a…
I thank the Deputy. I would hope that my very clear statements would act as guidelines for local authorities and AHBs. We fund them. People should not be precluded from living with pets. A code will be required to ensure that a very tiny number of people cannot try to abuse the situation. We have to be conscious that people live next door to each other and it is about pets living with them. Again, the definition of a…
I recognise Deputy O'Connell's concern in this area and her compassion for families who want to keep their pets. Their pets are now part of the family and they give some much comfort and support to people. Whether that is older people or children and their families, pets are very much part of it. That is the reason we were so anxious to ensure there was a very clear line of direction included in the housing plan send…
I thank the Deputy. The Government's youth homelessness strategy commits to developing an annual information and awareness campaign on housing rights, as well as available supports specifically targeting young people. This is essential to do, particularly online where young people, who are most impacted, are most active. The Housing Agency was tasked with developing these information campaigns, and in 2024 and 2025, …
I thank the Deputy. I became aware when I saw the retweet the night before the committee meeting. That is the first time I became aware of it. Young people are interested in how we will solve the crisis, not going down the rabbit hole of who knew when a video may have had information contained in it or whatever the case may be. I do not really understand. My focus is maximising the number of homes and maximising supp…
This was the Housing Agency that funded SpunOut, which choose the topics itself. SpunOut does a fantastic job. An official in the housing Department retweeted it. I am not going after that official. They were well intentioned and they thought they were doing the right thing. These things happen.
Lessons have been learned.
No.
Sometimes I think the Deputy selectively listens to what I am saying. I will repeat what I said in my first answer. Video scripts related to various aspects of the campaign were flagged to my Department prior to finalising and uploading the video online for only the purposes of fact checking current policies and schemes, as would be reasonable. I said that in my opening answer. The Deputy chose not to listen to it.
If we are talking about the record, I look forward to the Deputy correcting his outrageous allegation against me earlier in breach of the House rules.
No. The Deputy named me.
I welcome the opportunity to speak about water. Water is a precious resource. It is critical to our health, our environment and our economy. Access to safe and clean drinking water for everyone is a top priority for the Government. We know it is essential.
The Government's water policies are centred on what is called the EU water framework directive. This directive requires all member states to protect and to improv…
I thank the Deputies for the opportunity to speak on the Bill. I am opposing the Bill because the Government's proposals far exceed what is being proposed by the Opposition. We have gone beyond what is in the Bill by bringing in the derelict property tax.
The Deputy spent a long time criticising the existing regime, but the only solution he offered is to keep it in place and increase the administrative requirements …
I agree with Deputy Lawlor that these are a blight on our communities. There should be nowhere to hide for people who have properties they are letting go into dereliction. Not only that but there are areas, as the Deputy highlighted, where the law is overcomplicating the matter. Those areas need to be addressed one by one. It is unacceptable. It is antisocial behaviour. I am declaring a war on derelict sites. We are …