I am very strongly of the view that the operation and procedures of the superior courts is a matter for the Judiciary of the superior courts. It would be inappropriate for the Oireachtas to set down statutory timelines for the courts. The courts need to be able to manage their lists in the manner they see fit. That is my personal opinion and my position as an officeholder.
TDs / James Browne
James Browne
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage
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Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them
145,875
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145,131 as a minister, 744 as a TD
431
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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
Amendment No. 8 seeks to introduce a use it or lose it principle into the Act of 2024. The amendment itself does not appear to amend a specific section of the Act of 2024 or to outline any details or criteria concerning the timeframes to be specified for commencement or what penalties may be applied. While it is, of course, important that we encourage holders of permissions to commence development as soon as possible…
Amendments Nos. 10 and 12 to 14, inclusive, seek to amend the timelines in section 16, which amends section 42 of the Act of 2000. Amendments Nos. 10 and 12 seek to provide that applications for extension of duration of uncommenced housing developments may only be made in the last year of permission remaining, rather than the last two years, as set out in the Bill.
Existing planning regulations set out that an appli…
The RZLT is resulting in more land transfers. I am very satisfied of that. It has a cumulative effect. As time goes on, we will see an increasing rate of transfers as a result of the 3% year on year. It only commenced its application this year and there is a review to be carried out each year.
In relation to the amendments, I am satisfied the timelines strike the necessary balance. On viability assessments, the plan…
In regard to ensuring the extensions are not sought for speculative purposes, the extension of duration provisions are time-bound and cease to have effect if the development has not commenced within 18 months of the coming into operation of the provision. The fact the extension ceases to have operation or effect if the development is not commenced should deter speculative applications.
In regard to detailing the num…
Local authorities are very experienced in enforcement.
We will always keep these things under review and monitored. In relation to this, I do not see any risk of speculation. There are strict time-bound limits in there. I think those are sufficient to ensure commencements are carried out.
I thank all Deputies for their engagement on this Stage of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2025. It is imperative that the Government takes all measures necessary to increase the supply of housing. Let me be clear that no single measure will solve the challenges we face on its own, but I firmly believe the combined effect of the measures being introduced through this Bill will have a significant and muc…
I want to start by thanking all Members for the contributions to this discussion. The Government is absolutely committed to the redevelopment of the GPO complex as an ambitious flagship project and plans are well under way for the refurbishment of the national monument at 14-17 Moore Street. It is our commitment to honour the men and women and indeed the children of 1916. It is our ambition to create a commemorative …
No part of the GPO has been sold off, no part is being desecrated and there is no secret deal. These are all myths, and worse, they are deliberate distractions from the real work of heritage preservation and essential urban renewal of a changing city.
What we propose is a respectful, imaginative redevelopment of the wider GPO complex, including its cultural, retail and office spaces, that complements and enhances th…
We commissioned the 1916 exhibition in the GPO which is now visited by thousands each year. We funded heritage grants across every county and we engaged with young people, artists, veterans and communities in every corner of Ireland. We made sure these commemorations belong not to any one party or ideology but to the Irish people as a whole. That, I believe, is what real respect looks like. It is what honouring the p…
That was not the same-----
I thank the Deputy very much for requesting an update on the review of the section 10 funding for homelessness services and the changes I intend to make to this funding stream. Supporting individuals and families facing homelessness is a priority for the Government. I recognise the vital work of the NGO sector and its valuable contribution to the lives of those experiencing or at risk of homelessness. My Department r…
As the Deputy knows, efforts are ongoing to reduce the reliance on commercial hotels to accommodate families, with the preferred model being the provision of supported accommodation operated by NGO providers. The increasing numbers in emergency accommodation have led to increased pressures on housing authorities to provide sufficient accommodation. To increase provision, housing authorities are heavily reliant on pri…
I hear the Deputy saying he wants to trust the NGOs more but also to have more oversight of them. The NGOs here do phenomenally good work. We are providing record funding to address homelessness. What we want to do, though, is to prevent homelessness occurring in the first place and that is why we are making rapid decisions to significantly increase the supply of housing right across the country. Until we can address…
I thank the Deputy for asking this question in relation to an update on the Government's housing plan. The programme for Government commits to the introduction of a new all-of-government national housing plan to follow Housing for All, underpinned by multi-annual funding. Work is well under way in my Department on the development of this new housing plan. A programme of targeted stakeholder engagement has been undert…
We are engaging with all the stakeholders regarding our new housing plan. The housing plan will follow the NDP. When that is finalised, the NDP will clearly set out the funding available for the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and other Departments that are key in delivering the infrastructure we need to deliver the housing we need. It is in that context that the housing plan will be developed. W…
The vast majority of the Act will be commenced by the end of this year. We have already started to commence it with the commencement of the urban development zone sections and the establishment of An Coimisiún Pleanála. The State is delivering approximately 50% of all housing solutions, including from the private sector Part V. Our ambition is to continue delivering as much social and affordable housing as can be del…
It is the clear focus of this Government to increase the supply of new build social and affordable homes. As such, the decision not to proceed with the contract award for bundle 3 was not taken lightly and was made after much careful consideration of the costs involved and is ultimately the correct decision.
I cannot comment on or discuss the tendered costs for PPP bundle 3 as these numbers are part of the preferred…
I understand people’s upset and frustration. My duty is to deliver the maximum number of homes we can but that means maximising the value so we can maximise the delivery of those homes. I will not blindly sign off at any price for social homes. These homes were frankly at an astronomical price. No doubt had I signed off on them, I would be before the Committee of Public Accounts answering questions on how I could jus…
It is not the end of PPP but we will review the processes to see how we can ensure that when the PPP process is used, there is value for money for the delivery of homes. We will use every method available to maximise the delivery of social homes. We will do that and we will continue to review it. We will deliver these homes as quickly as we can. We are reviewing the entire situation.
On value for money tests, one wa…
Cost rental is a key element of the Housing For All strategy to improve affordability in the rental sector and to provide secure, long-term homes for moderate-income households. Though it was only introduced in 2021, cost-rental delivery is accelerating, with over 3,600 homes delivered by the end of 2024 and a substantial pipeline is now in place.
My Department is providing significant funding to delivery partners f…
I thank the Deputy. As he is fully aware, the cost-rental scheme did not exist in 2020 and that is why no units were delivered. On cost rental, some people cannot afford those rents and that is why we are providing a number of different solutions for people in order for them to access the homes they need at an affordable price. That may be purchase or rent and may involve cost rental, affordable purchase or social ho…
Last week, we extended rent pressure zones across the entire country, effectively creating a national rent control, which the Deputy voted for. In terms of the 25% before market-----
The Deputy supported it.