Question No. 7 in the name of Deputy Seán Fleming is being taken by Deputy Séamus McGrath.
Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions
Housing Provision
Sean Fleming
Question:7. Deputy Seán Fleming asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the housing activation office and its work and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53635/25]
I thank the Deputy for the question. Significant progress has been made on establishing the housing activation office. Senior specialists from Uisce Éireann, ESB Networks, the NTA, Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the local government sector are in place. In addition, senior staff from my Department with expertise in planning and project and programme management are assigned to the office. Further administrative support is in place and staff from the wider Department are continuing to support the office across corporate functions. The appointment of a head of office is also being progressed as a priority.
The office is actively engaged in identifying barriers to housing delivery and is co-ordinating with local authorities and infrastructural agencies to address these barriers. This includes engagement with the 31 city and county councils over a series of meetings scheduled across September and October to get an understanding of the infrastructural requirements across each area.
In the coming months, I will be bringing forward a new housing infrastructure fund with multi-year funding being made available and will provide up to €200 million next year to support direct investment in critical housing infrastructure where it can be accelerated and delivered.
I intend to convene the housing activation delivery group in the coming weeks, bringing together senior representatives from Departments and infrastructure agencies to support the work of the office. I will also convene a housing activation industry group that will provide regular engagement with the industry. I look forward to engaging with all the stakeholders through these forums and ensuring that infrastructure for housing is prioritised and accelerated.
I very much welcome the establishment of the housing activation office. This idea came from the work of the Housing Commission. The Minister took it on board and brought forward his own proposals in relation to it, and that is very welcome. As he says, working under the one roof and having the various forms of expertise from the local authority sector, the utilities sector, the Department officials themselves and the infrastructure sector, such as transport and so on, is critical. I also welcome the fact that, in the budget yesterday, over €200 million was secured for the work of the housing activation office, as was over €300 million in additional funding for the URDF, which is very important in unblocking some of the barriers to supply. That is critical because, as we all know, housing is the number one priority of the Government. We have to unblock those barriers. I welcome the Minister's establishment also of the housing infrastructure fund, which is critical to addressing some of the infrastructural deficiencies out there in order that we can get development, particularly large-scale development, under way.
The housing activation office is just one piece of an important set of measures we will take to ensure we can unlock housing delivery. We have our State agencies, but the housing activation office will be able to work with those Stage agencies where they identify that land can be freed up very quickly for housing delivery to ensure that utilities are in place. The HAO itself has that fund where it needs to spend money quite quickly on key infrastructural projects to unlock land in order that we can get it delivered as quickly as possible. Really, it is a troubleshooter but with a lot of high-level expertise and capacity behind it as well as key funding to ensure that everybody is on the same page and delivering what needs to be delivered so we can deliver homes as fast as possible.
I thank the Minister for his update on the work of the office. I want to get a sense of the work plan over the coming months of the office and the level of activity that will be undertaken in trying to unblock some of these barriers. I ask the Minister to clarify when he feels that the head person of that office will be in place to lead it and the very important work it undertakes.
That work remains ongoing, but the head is not critical to this. As has been demonstrated, all the key experts are in place. The departmental staff are in place. The work is already well under way. We are engaging with local authorities. We are meeting with the relevant groups. That activity is being driven now as quickly as possible.
Housing Provision
Darren O'Rourke
Question:8. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures he is taking to increase the amount of affordable housing in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52989/25]
I thank Deputy O'Rourke for his question. Both the Minister, Deputy Browne, and I, and the Government as a whole, are fully committed to ensuring the delivery of housing at scale. Part of that is the continued acceleration of delivery of affordable housing. Over 14,500 affordable housing solutions have been delivered by our range of delivery partners since the launch of Housing for All, including 850 in County Meath. Meath County Council has received funding approval for nine schemes to deliver 131 affordable purchase homes with the support of the affordable housing fund, of which 83 have been delivered. Furthermore, six approved housing body projects have been approved to date under the cost-rental equity loan scheme. Sixty-four cost-rental homes have been delivered and a further 168 are to be delivered by the end of 2026.
Under the first home scheme, which provides equity support of up to 30%, or 20% if being combined with the help-to-buy scheme, up to the end of September, 618 approvals have been issued in County Meath, 599 of them to first-time buyers, six to tenant purchase and eight to self-build. Of those, 413 have been drawn down, comprising 406 first-time buyers, five tenant purchases and two self-builds. A considerable amount of affordable housing support has been provided. As the Deputy knows, there is a commitment under the programme for Government to introduce a starter homes programme bringing all elements under the one roof. The vacant property refurbishment grant is also providing affordability supports to first-time buyers in County Meath and across the country.
Affordability is the biggest issue in County Meath. The county has met its housing targets. Those targets are too low. They are being increased, but there is a track record of delivering housing without affordable housing. The schemes the Minister of State is talking about do not deliver affordable housing either. We have huge numbers of adult children living at home with their parents - I would say tens of thousands. We heard on "Prime Time" last night - and I think it reflected a sentiment across many areas, including in Meath - adult children saying they could not wait to get out of this "kip" because they did not see a future for themselves, given that affordable units were not there for them. They do not see the prospect of owning a house for themselves. It was a grandfather from Coolock who made that statement on behalf of his grandkids. There are affordable units there, and the Minister of State has referred to them. They are €450,000, all in. That is not affordable.
I did not quite catch exactly the description of the country the Deputy just gave but, as he knows, there are as many people returning to this country as people leaving it.
In terms of affordability supports, he should tell the 618 individuals and couples in his county of Meath who have been approved under the first home scheme that the support that the Government is providing is not of help to them in getting their foot on the ladder. The Deputy's party opposes the first home scheme. Those 618 individuals and couples in County Meath would not be in homes today if it were not for the first home scheme. The Deputy should tell that to the 6,200 who have received support under the help to buy scheme, again a significant scheme in order to help bridge the gap in terms of the deposit to purchase their first homes, again provided by the Government to support people in giving them their taxes back to be able to get their foot on the property ladder, supports and schemes that the Government is providing and that the Deputy's party opposes.
I will speak on behalf of every single one of them and tell the Minister of State that the Government is crucifying them for years to come. These properties are not affordable. The Government is crucifying them, and probably their children after them, with a level of mortgage and financial burden that is completely unsustainable. That will impact every decision they make in their lives, from how many kids they will have to whether they will be able to access work and childcare. That is the reality of it. These properties are not affordable. The Government's schemes are not working for people. On the one level, the Government says it is delivering for people but, on the other, it is crucifying them, and the reality is that it is driving many more out of this country. That is the sum total of the Government's so-called affordable housing scheme. It needs to change tack and listen to what people are saying to it about these schemes.
My follow-up question is about the fact that 79% of private homes that were delivered in Dublin last year - it is the same in County Meath, albeit maybe not to the same extent - were bought by people who had multiple properties. Is the Government going to do something about that? We have situations - I could identify them in my own area - where people have made an absolute fortune out of the Government's IPAS scheme, which is really poorly overseen, only to buy multiple properties in these new developments. It is shameful.
The Deputy said the scheme was saddling people with additional debt. Some 6,200 persons in his county of Meath have availed of the help to buy scheme.
They want houses.
That is getting their taxes back that they have paid over the previous four years to support them in getting their deposits together to purchase their first homes. That does not have to be paid back. The Deputy's party is opposed to that. It is not putting additional debt on any family or individual.
The first home scheme is bridging the gap to home ownership, with 618 applications in the Deputy's county of Meath, and I can guarantee-----
Three-bedroom houses for €500,000.
I did not interrupt the Deputy. If he is not going to allow me speak-----
Deputy, please let the Minister of State respond.
These are schemes that are providing supports to individuals and families to bridge the gap to home ownership.
We are out of time.
The Deputy’s party does not support those schemes but we will continue as a Government to support those individuals and couples to be able to get their foot on the property ladder.
Housing Provision
Mark Ward
Question:9. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the number of new affordable homes in Dublin for 2025; the proposed number for 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53922/25]
This question is about so-called affordable housing schemes.
I thank the Deputy for his question in relation to affordable homes in Dublin for 2025 and 2026. More than 14,500 affordable housing solutions have been delivered since the launch of Housing for All, including over 5,200 in Dublin. Affordable housing schemes are now operating at scale in Dublin and the affordable housing delivery programme continues to be expanded and developed year on year, supported by unprecedented levels of State investment. Across the four Dublin local authorities, affordable housing fund approval is in place to support delivery of 35 projects, delivering more than 3,500 affordable purchase and cost-rental homes. Large-scale mixed tenure schemes such as Church Fields, Montpelier and Oscar Traynor Woods are delivering affordable purchase homes and 133 cost-rental homes were recently launched at Innovation Square in Tallaght. Furthermore, 13 cost-rental projects being delivered in Dublin by approved housing bodies have been approved for funding support under the cost-rental equity loan scheme, with more than 1,350 cost-rental homes expected to be delivered by the end of 2027. The Land Development Agency is also progressing key projects in Dublin on State land in partnership with local authorities and through its market engagement initiative, Project Tosaigh. These projects include important large-scale mixed-tenure schemes such as Shanganagh, the Donore project, Cherry Orchard and Cromcastle.
Apartment delivery and the availability of new cost-rental homes, both of which are key to the scale of affordable delivery needed in Dublin, were given a significant boost of viability in yesterday's budget by the announcement of the VAT reduction on new apartment delivery and exemption from corporation tax of cost-rental housing delivery. We will further advance our affordable home delivery plans to Dublin as we implement a new starter home programme to remote home ownership, and secure long-term rental. Delivering on that programme for Government commitment will be part of our new housing plan.
I thank the Minister. One of the problems we have at the minute is that the Government’s social and affordable housing targets are too low. Not only are they too low, but they are simply not being met. The Government has failed in its pre-election promise of 40,000 new homes to be delivered this year, but I want to concentrate on the affordable purchase schemes. Last year, the Government only delivered 779 affordable purchase homes. Even with this low number, the affordable housing that came out of that was way too expensive, with so-called affordable houses in my own area in Dublin Mid-West costing up to almost €500,000. I do not know how people think that is affordable. This is making it impossible for ordinary workers and families to afford a home of their own. I do not see anything in yesterday's budget that will make these homes more affordable or bring down the prices. I have a simple question. Does the Minister think €500,000 is an affordable house under the Government's affordable housing scheme?
As the Deputy is well aware, the Government has long acknowledged that there is an affordability problem in this country. There are two issues - a viability issue and an affordability issue - and both of these are driving supply difficulties. That is why we have taken measures on viability and affordability. Many of the affordability measures have been opposed by Sinn Féin's good self.
The legislative framework governing affordable purchase and cost-rental tenure is set out under the 2025 regulations under the Affordable Housing Act. Capital funding includes €695 million in funding for approved housing body cost-rental housing via the cost-rental equity loan and €155 million for local authority affordable housing via the affordable housing fund. We are determined to drive supply as much as possible in all tenures - social, affordable, cost-rental and the private market - so that everybody has the ability to get the home he or she needs in the local community at a price he or she can afford. We have always acknowledged there is an affordability issue, and we are taking measures to address that.
The Minister can criticise Sinn Féin’s housing plan all he wants, but I am going to be straight with him. I live in the real world, and the prices of affordable houses in my own area in Dublin Mid-West are simply not affordable. I will give some examples. A two-bedroom affordable home in Clonburris costs €380,000. A three-bed affordable home on the same scheme costs €418,000 and a four-bedroom affordable home costs €465,000. How is this affordable? Pop up the road to Saggart, another part of Dublin Mid-West, a three-bedroom affordable home costs a whopping €494,000, almost €500,000 for an affordable house under the Government's affordable housing scheme. I do not know what planet the Minister is living on, but €500,000 is simply not affordable to ordinary workers and families who are trying to put a roof over their head.
I have a simple question: does the Minister think that €500,000 is an affordable price for a house under the Government's affordable housing scheme?
I am not sure if the Deputy listened to my last answer. The Government has long acknowledged that there is a serious affordability issue in this country. That is why we brought in significant measures such as the first home and help to buy schemes to address the affordability issue. Supply is the only answer so that people can afford homes.
These are public homes built on public land.
Please, allow the Minister to answer.
That is on the rental side and the purchase side as well. What I do not hear from Sinn Féin is how it is going to drive supply.
Our spokesperson wrote a book on it.
What I hear are objections to almost everything we are doing. That is Sinn Féin's right, but I am not seeing any solutions coming forward, just constant criticisms. I continue to make decisions to address the viability issue and the affordability issue. Ultimately, this is about driving supply right across this country including Dublin, which is a crucial part of that.
Housing Policy
Rory Hearne
Question:10. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to hold a referendum and legislate for a constitutional right to housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53899/25]
Will the Minister update us on the plans to deliver the social housing projects via public-private partnerships? I understand that there are legal issues in relation to those. Is there any progress on that, particularly around the projects in Ballymun and Whitehall in my own constituency and elsewhere in Dublin? What is the status of those social housing projects? When will they be delivered? The Minister might update us on those. What are the future plans for public-private partnerships?
I thank the Deputy. The question I have in front of me from the Deputy relates to a housing referendum.
There may have been a different notification in relation to the question. Apologies. I will ask that question briefly.
I am happy to get the Deputy a written answer on the other question but-----
Perfect.
I will answer the question on the housing referendum now.
The Housing Commission was established in December 2021 to consider housing policy post 2030 and make proposals building on Housing for All. It was also tasked with advising the Government on the critical factors to be considered regarding a referendum on housing and, if appropriate, to recommend wording for a constitutional change. The commission submitted its report to the Government, including recommendations pertaining to a referendum on housing, in May of last year. There were differing views within the commission on the right to housing and no consensus on what was a complex issue.
At the moment, the Government is fully focused on measures to tackle homelessness, increase housing supply and affordability and ensure access to housing of an adequate standard for all. As work continues on our new housing plan, we are continuing to focus on measures in the short, medium and long terms to boost supply. In the past few months alone, I have secured record levels of funding for social and affordable housing. Furthermore, the establishment of a new housing infrastructure fund in my Department will help to secure the enabling infrastructure needed for public and private housing developments and unblock infrastructure delays on the ground. This practical focus on housing supply is my priority right now but I will keep the report to the commission on this area under review.
There was a very clear commitment in the 2020 Fianna Fáil manifesto in relation to holding a referendum on housing. I cannot remember whether it was in Fine Gael’s manifesto as well, but I think there was a commitment around it in the 2020 programme for Government. There was also a Seanad motion passed calling for a referendum on the right to housing and a constitutional change that would insert a very clear right to housing. That was proposed by a Fianna Fáil Senator and backed by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Senators. What has changed? Why has this new Government run away from the right to housing? The Minister's response was not accurate as regards the Housing Commission. The majority recommendation from the commission was to insert a right to housing in the Constitution.
There was opposition but that was a minority. The majority of the Housing Commission recommended the insertion of a right to housing in the Constitution, so why is the Government not progressing that?
The Deputy is right that there were differing views on the commission, and well-reasoned views I think on both sides among the commission members as set out in the various reports. While it was a majority it is not that straightforward either due to the different views. We are keeping this under review but my priority is actually delivering on housing. It is a basic necessity, one of the most fundamental basic necessities, for people to have a home and to have a roof over their head. We are very proud in Ireland in ensuring people can live in their own communities. Very strong communities are essential in the way we do things. That is where my priority is right now. I am not against a referendum on putting housing into the Constitution but it is not where my priority is right now and certainly not in my first year as the Minister for housing.
It is very disappointing to hear that. We are in a housing crisis and housing emergency now for well over a decade. One could argue in some respects that we have been in a housing crisis since the 1990s. House prices have been on the rise, then we had the crash, and now we are back into rising and unsustainable house prices. There is still something fundamentally wrong with our housing system, our housing market, the way we treat housing and the way we understand housing. Other countries, for example, Spain, have a right to housing in their constitutions. Their starting point in the creation of housing policy and the treatment of housing is that it is a human right. This matters because there is confusion; is it an investment commodity, is it something about a public good, or is it social need? The majority recommendation of the Housing Commission was very clear that there should be a referendum and the right to housing should be inserted into the Constitution, which would then guide all policy decisions and all our interactions around housing from a Government perspective. I am disappointed to hear it is not a priority for the Minister.
It is important to set out that putting it into the Constitution is not going to deliver one more house. This Government has set out that housing is a priority. This is evidenced by the fact that almost one in three euro in our national development plan is going towards housing delivery. This is not even including the funding for grids and roads, which are all prioritised towards housing delivery as well. Spain, for example, is engaging with our Department and Government because it is in a housing crisis. Their minister for housing is looking at schemes we are doing to see how they might work in Spain to help advance and deliver housing and affordable housing. Other countries such as Slovakia, Romania and France are also looking to Ireland. I had important meetings with the minister for housing from France only last week and with the ministers for housing from Denmark and Romania, all of whom are facing housing crises. Nobody has a simple answer to this at the moment. While reviewing whether we put that into the Constitution is important, let us not pretend it will deliver housing.
Housing Provision
John Paul O'Shea
Question:11. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update on the delivery of affordable and social housing in Cork city and county, including the expected number of units to be completed in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53206/25]
I ask for an update on delivery of affordable and social housing in Cork city and Cork county, including the expected number of units to be completed in 2025. Perhaps the Minister of State will make a statement on the matter.
Cork City Council has a target to deliver 592 new build social homes in 2025. The social housing construction status report, CSR, shows that there were 1,084 homes on site at various stages of design and procurement in Cork city at the end of Q1 of 2025. Cork county has a target of 683 new-build social homes this year. The CSR shows that there are 1,203 homes on site at various stages of design and procurement in Cork county. The CSR also shows that 308 new social homes were added to the pipeline across both local authorities in Q1. The number of social homes already in the pipeline, and the addition of new construction schemes to the pipeline, shows the strength of the Cork City Council and Cork County Council social housing build programmes.
On affordable housing, under Housing For All the affordable housing delivery target for 2025 is 6,400 and a very strong pipeline is in place across the delivery partners. Since the launch, over 14,500 affordable housing supports have been delivered by various delivery partners. This includes 2,000 in Cork. Building on this progress my Department will continue to engage with all delivery partners to further develop the affordable housing delivery pipeline for 2025 and beyond, which will be supported by the largest ever investment in social and affordable housing in the State with a budget of €4.16 billion available for 2026.
Further to that, the target for all homes over the period of the new plan will be 300,000 homes. We saw the budget decisions yesterday, with 10,200 social homes budgeted for in 2026, and a €3 billion budget for affordable homes. The State contribution towards the provision of housing has gone from €6.9 billion with a significant increase up to €9 billion.
The Deputy will know, as a former Cork county councillor, that the delivery in Cork county, in particular, is very strong and must be commended.
It is good to see that those figures are quite high and strong, that Cork City Council has a target of 592 houses this year, and that Cork County Council has 683. This will bring in the bones of 1,200 new social houses into the system in Cork city and county for 2025.
I very much welcome that almost 2,100 units are in the pipeline between Cork city and county. It is important that both local authorities would strive to continue to build social homes within Cork city and county.
Being a west Cork native, the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, will know the good work that is going on right across the county. I had the pleasure of taking the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, to social housing projects in Macroom and Coachford recently and I see the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, visited many projects right across Cork county in the past weeks. It is good to see progress is being made but certainly from a social housing perspective, I would like to see that good work continue right throughout this year and into the future.
If all local authorities were able to match the rate of delivery of Cork county then the rate of delivery of social housing and affordable housing right across the board would be much stronger. I commend the work of the councillors and the local authority there, of which the Deputy was recently a member.
There are some specifics in relation to Cork North-West, if the Deputy is interested. The Deputy mentioned Macroom. There are 16 units in An Clós in Macroom that are substantially complete. There are two units at Mill Road in Kanturk, which are on site. Percival Street in Kanturk has six units and the builders are on site there as well. It is the same with Market Place in Kanturk. Dr. Croke Place in Kanturk has one unit. In Macroom there are 23 units at Clós an tSuláin, as well as 48 units on the Kilmallock Road in Charleville. Even in the Deputy's area of Cork North-West he can see that Cork County Council is really accelerating and progressing the rate of delivery of social housing, which is impressive. We just need to keep pushing on and making sure that they are supported by us to do that.
Yes indeed there are many projects right across Cork North-West that are at an advanced stage of development. Fingers crossed that with the Minister, Deputy Browne, and the Ministers of State, Deputies Cummins and O'Sullivan, we will see many more projects opened in the coming years.
I also want to mention the affordable housing targets that are set out as part of Cork City Council and Cork County Council plans in Housing For All. A significant development has been made in the affordable housing sector, particularly for Cork County Council which achieved more than its targets for last year and for this year so far. It is good to see that we are accommodating affordable housing for people across Cork county. The Minister of State will know that it is a very large and a very diverse county and geographically it is significant. It is important to offer that option of affordable housing right across constituencies - we have five constituencies in Cork - and in such a big geographical area and also that we continue to offer affordable housing not only in our larger towns but also in our smaller towns.
Fair play to Deputy O'Shea for taking this opportunity to raise the issue. We cannot rest on our laurels. There is a lot more work to be done. There are still plenty of people in Cork county who need social homes. There is a huge demand for affordable homes so we absolutely need to accelerate that delivery. The Deputy is right in saying that when Cork County Council got the go ahead to deliver affordable homes, it was not long in putting schemes into place. It has also been strong with croí cónaithe, as well as with the first home scheme. There is a variety of opportunities there to provide housing solutions for people. I appreciate the Deputy asking this question. If there are any other specifics then the Department can come back to the Deputy on the affordable housing schemes or the social housing schemes.
Housing Provision
Louise O'Reilly
Question:12. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of cost rental homes delivered in Balbriggan in each of the past five years. [53572/25]
My question is, as I generally try to make them, fairly straightforward.
For the avoidance of any doubt, the question refers to delivery for the previous five years, specifically to the tenure of the Minister's predecessor. It was the same Government but a different Minister. Plans for the future do not need to be included in this. I just want the figure, which I suspect is quite a round figure, of cost-rental deliveries in the town of Balbriggan.
I thank the Deputy for her question and the clarification. The Government has scaled up affordable housing delivery rapidly across all tenures since 2022 and continues to accelerate housing supply. Cost rental is a key element of the Government's strategy to improve affordability in the rental sector and to provide secure, long-term homes for moderate income households above the income limits for social housing, who may have difficulty affording rental accommodation in the private market. Overall, 14,500 affordable housing solutions have been delivered since the launch of Housing for All and over 1,900 affordable housing supports have been delivered in Fingal since 2021, including 590 cost-rental homes.
In Balbriggan, affordable purchase homes have been delivered in Hampton Gardens and construction is under way on the LDA's Hampton Demesne development, which will comprise 817 affordable-purchase, cost-rental and social homes. These homes will be available in an array of housing options, including one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and two-, three- and four-bed houses. Housing delivery in Balbriggan is being supported by €25.4 million in urban regeneration and development fund investment to implement eight key projects under the Our Balbriggan rejuvenation plan. With €8.5 million matched funding provided by Fingal County Council, work is well under way on these projects to regenerate the heart of the town, including new public spaces to transform the Quay Street and harbour areas in support of sustainable, compact growth.
Building on this progress, my Department will continue to engage with all delivery partners, including Fingal County Council, approved housing bodies, the Land Development Agency and the first home scheme to further the development of the affordable housing delivery pipeline for 2026 and beyond, and to ensure the affordable housing programme responds effectively to the affordable housing needs identified at local level. Under the programme for Government, the Government committed to introducing a new starter home programme across the public, private and AHB sectors, a programme that will promote home ownership and secure long-term rental tenure for young people and fresh start applications. My Department is currently progressing that commitment and it will form part of the next housing plan.
If the answer is "zero", will the Minister just say it? Is he embarrassed or ashamed? I would be if I was sitting where he is but I do not think the Government knows any shame.
The answer is "zero". As we are here this morning, the average rent in north County Dublin is €2,223. The Minister might tell me who is going to be able to afford that rent because people on an ordinary income simply cannot. Even if they could scrape together all of that money, they would absolutely never be able to save for a deposit on a house because to the Minister's mind, an affordable house is more than €500,000.
If the answer is "zero" for the past five years with regard to cost-rental homes for Balbriggan, one of the fastest growing towns in this State, the Minister should at least have the decency to be honest with me and my constituents and tell them the figure is zero. He can ramble on about the Balbriggan strategy, Quay Street and all of that. We are well aware of that. We know that. I asked the Minister a very specific question and I am seeking a fairly specific answer.
I thank the Deputy. I know the Deputy never wants to hear good news or progress but just wants to-----
I want an answer from the Minister.
-----focus on the negatives.
I want an answer. I am entitled to an answer.
The Government consistently acknowledges there is a massive affordability issue in this country. That is why we have brought in significant affordable measures-----
How does the Minister think it happened?
-----which Sinn Féin opposes again and again. We have an affordability problem and a viability problem in this country. We are addressing both. I was delighted to be in Balbriggan only a few weeks ago turning the sod on 817 affordable-purchase, cost-rental-----
That does not answer my question. Can the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach direct the Minister to answer my question please?
-----and social homes. They are real homes, there are shovels in the ground, and homes being built in Balbriggan.
I am entitled to-----
In a minute, Deputy.
I know the Deputy does not want to hear about that. She wants to pretend those houses do not exist, that we are not doing these things-----
Could the Minister stop that nonsense? I have to face the people in my constituency who are facing homelessness.
The Minister to respond without interruption, please.
------with URDF funding and that we are not doing other projects in Balbriggan, but that is what we are doing. This happens every time I come in.
These amateur dramatics on the Minister's part will not build a single house. He knows it.
I know it upsets the Deputy's social media plan when I start to say the positive things that are happening, so she likes to talk over me to ensure there is no possibility of anybody being able to hear anything I am saying that is positive. It is an ongoing tactic from the Opposition benches.
The Minister should suigh síos. His time is up.
It is really disingenuous.
The Minister should check the clock.
My time is up but the reason I am still talking is the Deputy will not give me an opportunity to say anything.
Check the clock.
The Deputy to respond.
The Minister acknowledges that there is an affordability problem. Mother of Jesus. He acknowledges that there is a viability problem. Does he know what the problem is? We have a Government problem. The people in Balbriggan are at the business end of a Government-sponsored problem. The average cost of rent in north County Dublin is €2,223. I asked the Minister a simple question: how many cost-rental homes have been delivered in Balbriggan in the last five years? Not only did I ask the Minister the question, I gave him a week to answer it and to do research. The answer, the Minister and I both know, is "zero". He has delivered zero by way of cost-rental homes for people living in Balbriggan and that is why they are in my constituency office day in, day out, telling me they are facing eviction. Mothers are telling me their kids are going to have to emigrate because they cannot afford to live in north County Dublin and that is on the Minister.
The Deputy really gave the game away when she talked about government. Sinn Féin is obsessed with getting into government instead of providing solutions. It has abandoned all attempts now in terms of providing solutions for housing. The public rejected its proposed solutions in the last general election.
Yes, and supported the people who said they were building 40,000 homes.
We hear very little about those proposals anymore because it does not want to talk to them-----
If the answer is "zero", the Minister could say it and sit down.
"A home you will never own" simply did not work with the people.
He could just say "zero".
Could the Deputy please have respect now?
The same tactics.
Here we are again. I am back on my feet, trying to give an answer and once again, the Deputy is trying to talk over me.
Getting into government for government's sake is not going to work. The Deputy has to provide solutions. We are providing solutions. I turned the sod only a few weeks ago on 817 affordable, cost-rental and social homes and more homes will be delivered in Balbriggan as well. Our plan is working, we will deliver homes that are needed, and I am happy to hear any solutions from the Opposition if it wishes to put forward some.
Building Energy Rating
Roderic O'Gorman
Question:13. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason for the delay in implementing the commitment contained in the programme for Government that introduced a minimum BER for the private rental sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53530/25]
Somewhere between 240,000 and 260,000 rental homes in Ireland fall below the B standard for BER. Tenants renting those homes are hit with the double blow of rents that are too high and energy bills that are artificially high because the places they are renting are not energy-efficient. In Housing for All, there was a commitment to set out a roadmap on how these homes could be upgraded. Where is that roadmap?
I thank the Deputy. A commitment was included under Housing for All to develop a roadmap to implement minimum building energy rating, BER, standards where feasible for the private rental sector. This work supports the objectives set down in the Government's climate action plan. My Department is committed to improving energy efficiency in the rental market and our work in this area is being informed by researched commissioned from the ESRI.
The ESRI research paper, published earlier this year, explores the investment requirements for energy efficiency upgrades in the private rental sector. The ESRI research is a valuable contribution to our understanding of future investment requirements to ensure the appropriate energy efficiency upgrades in the private rental sector, and it will help in the development of policy and actions in this area.
As part of Ireland's residential retrofit programme, the Government launched a new package of supports targeting homes that were built and occupied pre-2011. These supports have been made available to non-corporate landlords and approved housing bodies to improve the efficiency of their rental properties. A home energy upgrade loan scheme, launched in 2024, enables homeowners, including non-corporate landlords, to borrow between €5,000 and €75,000 at significantly lower interest rates to complete a home energy upgrade.
A tax incentive is now in place to encourage small-scale landlords to undertake retrofitting works while the tenant remains in situ. Budget 2026 included the announcement that the income tax deduction for small landlords who retrofit their properties will be extended for a further three years. The appropriate balance has to be struck between improving the energy efficiency of our rental stock any potential impact that any intervention may have on the private rental market, particularly around availability of accommodation. This is an area that is being kept under active review.
Hundreds of thousands of renters in Ireland face that double blow of rents that are too high and energy bills that are artificially high because they live in homes that are not energy-efficient.
Their homes are cold, draughty and mouldy, which is a direct cause of energy poverty. It is also a contributing factor to our carbon emissions from the housing sector. The Minister of State has set out some research done by the ESRI. It is valuable research. It shows us the scale of the challenge. Some 240,000 to 260,000 homes will need to be retrofitted. The overall cost to retrofit them all will be between €7 billion and €8 billion. The Minister of State listed three measures, which is great, but at what point will we see a systematic approach to dealing with a challenge that is huge in its scale? We need a plan. Is the Minister of State still going to bring forward a roadmap? Can he give us a date for when that roadmap will be published?
I cannot give the Deputy a date for that. The matter is being kept under active review. We have obviously enhanced the measures to try to improve the BERs relating to our rental stock. The Deputy is right to say that the ESRI has completed valuable work on this matter. It has stated that four in five rented dwellings currently have BERs below B and the estimated cost of upgrading the housing stock in the rental market is between €7 billion and €8 billion in 2023 prices. It is a significant cost. In making any policy decisions in this area, we have to strike a balance between ensuring that we have an adequate number of rental properties and trying to improve the energy rating of those properties.
As a Minister of State with responsibility for housing, Deputy Cummins needs to put as much of his concern towards renters who are stuck in these cold, draughty homes as he is towards landlords. A challenge of this scale will only be addressed if a plan is actually in place. I am concerned that the Minister of State does not seem to have any sort of date or timeline for the delivery. I am also concerned about his use of the term "under active review". Will he clarify that the Department at least still plans to bring forward a roadmap on retrofitting? Maybe the Minister of State cannot give me a date today, but is he still going to undertake this roadmap? Having that roadmap would allow the Government to plan the scale of investment that is necessary. This will take a lot of money. The previous Government put aside large amounts of money in the climate fund to deal with climate measures - this sort of measure - but, of course, the Government has now raided that fund and it is gone. By not having a plan in place, the Minister of State lost the opportunity to bid to fund this scale of retrofitting.
As the Deputy will know, a significant scheme, namely the home energy upgrade loan scheme, is in place. It was launched last year and is used to provide loans of between €5,000 and €75,000 at levels significantly below prevailing interest rates in order to try to address the scale of the challenge that has been identified in the ESRI report. As stated, four in five rental properties are below a B rating. We are keeping this under review. I do not have a date for the Deputy for this. I stress again that we have to strike a balance between ensuring that we have an adequate supply of rental properties in the market and trying to increase the energy efficiency of those rental properties to ensure that renters have an adequate and warm home to live in.
Vacant Properties
Maeve O'Connell
Question:14. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures his Department is evaluating to promote the conversion of older buildings for housing delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53387/25]
Catherine Ardagh
Question:15. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount of funding paid out to date to vacant property refurbishment grant applicants; the number of homes which have been brought back into residential use from vacancy nationwide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53739/25]
Aindrias Moynihan
Question:21. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the review being carried out in respect of the croí cónaithe and vacant or derelict property refurbishment grants; the elements of the schemes involved that are being considered for expansion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53447/25]
Peter 'Chap' Cleere
Question:83. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will report on delivery under the croí cónaithe towns scheme in Kilkenny and Carlow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53883/25]
Shay Brennan
Question:105. Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will revise the vacant homes grant scheme to make it more accessible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53575/25]
John Clendennen
Question:112. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures his Department is evaluating to promote the conversion of older buildings for housing delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53283/25]
Will the Minister of State outline the measures his Department is evaluating to promote the conversion of older buildings for housing delivery?
I propose to take Questions Nos. 14, 15, 21, 83, 105 and 112 together.
As I said in my previous reply, this Government is committed to tackling the issue of vacancy and dereliction. The vacant homes action plan published in January 2023 sets out a range of measures and actions being pursued to return vacant and derelict properties to use as homes. In March, the Minister, Deputy Browne, and I published the 2025 progress report, which shows the significant progress that is being made. It is available on my Department's website.
One of the key measures in the action plan is supporting the refurbishment of older, vacant and derelict properties using the vacant property refurbishment grant. This is a grant that can provide up to €50,000 towards the refurbishment of vacant properties for use as homes and up to €70,000 where that property is derelict. To the end of June, more than 13,700 grant applications have been received across the country. Almost 10,000 have been approved and more than 2,800 grants have been paid, amounting to over €155 million. My Department publishes data on the grant on its website on a quarterly basis, providing a breakdown by local authority area. I will arrange to have the link to this published data circulated.
A comprehensive review of the vacant property refurbishment grant was undertaken in 2024. That review considered all aspects of the scheme. The findings of this review have been considered in the context of the development of the new housing plan, which will be published shortly. The grant has been and continues to be successful in bringing vacant and derelict properties back into use and in making the refurbishment of these properties an affordable option for buyers across the country. It acts as a significant support for younger persons who are starting out on the property ladder.
A wide range of other schemes are in place that also support the refurbishment and conversion of older buildings for housing. The repair and lease scheme provides an interest-free loan of up to €80,000 per home delivered to support the refurbishment and conversion of vacant buildings for use as social housing. This is a scheme that is increasingly used to renovate vacant commercial premises, including above the shop. There has been a huge positive impact from this scheme in my constituency of Waterford. About 55% of the national total of repair and lease units in the country have been delivered in Waterford, with one- and two-bedroom properties in town and city areas providing much-needed homes for families. I want to see more local authorities availing of that scheme.
Planning exemptions are available for the conversion of certain vacant commercial properties into residential use, which are proving successful. In 2024 alone, more than 290 exemption notifications for more than 700 homes were provided, the highest yearly total since their introduction. This was extended to include former vacant pubs a couple of years ago. It is the intention to extend those exemptions further through the exempted development.
As Deputy O'Connell, in budget 2026, the living city initiative, which is a tax relief, can be claimed and extended to other counties, as well as improving the level of support that is being provided through the scheme. We also made provision for a derelict property tax in the budget. As stated earlier, we have such a broad range of schemes providing the carrot to bring those vacant and derelict properties back into productive use for housing purposes, and if people are not going to use those carrots, the stick of the derelict property tax is coming. I encourage people to work with local authorities to use those schemes and bring those properties back into productive use, because what frustrates people most is seeing vacant and derelict properties across this country during a time of such need.
I welcome all those supports. In my constituency, we have some of these issues in the context of neighbourhood centres, which are neither shops nor accommodation. That is frustrating. I would like to follow up on the derelict sites levy, which is to become a tax. When do we anticipate that it will be activated to try to encourage more of these properties to be brought back into use?
It is the intention that local authorities will still have a significant role to play in the context of the new derelict sites tax by creating the register that Revenue will implement.
There has been an issue in collecting the existing levy. That is why we are moving to introduce it as a tax that will be collected by Revenue. We encourage people to use the supports there and if they do not use them, the stick of the derelict property tax is coming.
I thank the Minister of State. We are out of time.
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