Written Answers Nos. 91-110
91. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has any plans to review, revoke or expand SI 376/2023 - Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (No. 4) Regulations 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12865/25]
View answerThe Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (No. 4) Regulations (S.I. 605 of 2022) were introduced to assist the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (MCEDIY) in meeting Ireland’s legal obligation to provide accommodation to international protection applicants.
The Regulations amend Part 1 of Schedule 2 to the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (2001 Regulations), to insert a new Class 20F exemption, with the structures in question being temporarily exempted from the requirement to obtain change of use planning permission. The Regulations allow the temporary use, up until 31 December 2024, of certain structures by or on behalf of the MCEDIY to accommodate or support persons seeking international protection.
Following engagement with the MCEDIY and as part of the response to the accommodation of those seeking international protection, the Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (No 4) Regulations 2023 extended the exemption from 31 December 2024 to 31 December 2028. In addition, in order to provide greater flexibility in how sourced accommodation is used, the regulations extend the scope of the exemption to include structures being used to accommodate persons displaced by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Under the Regulations, the use for the purposes of accommodating displaced Ukrainian persons shall, unless it is extended in the meantime, be discontinued when the temporary protection introduced by the Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/382 of 4 March 2022 as part of the EU response to the invasion of Ukraine comes to an end, while the use for the purposes of accommodating persons seeking international protection shall be discontinued not later than 31 December 2028.
My Department is currently putting arrangements in place regarding a phased commencement of the Planning and Development Act 2024 (2024 Act) to facilitate the transition to the new legislation across the planning system and to take into account the need to liaise further with local authorities, planning bodies and other stakeholders. As part of these arrangements, updated regulations are being prepared to accompany the Act. These updated regulations will replace the 2001 Regulations.
It should be noted that the existing provisions in the Planning and Development Act 2000 and the associated 2001 Regulations will remain in place until the relevant provisions in the 2024 Act are commenced.
93. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding the establishment of initiatives that will protect our maritime cultural heritage, as committed to in the Programme for Government; his views on the reinstatement of the sun shelter on Dun Laoghaire’s east pier; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12492/25]
View answerThe Government is fully committed to the protection and preservation of our underwater cultural heritage as outlined in the Programme for Government. Work is currently underway within the National Monuments Service on a draft National Strategy to protect Ireland's underwater cultural heritage. It is anticipated that this will be ready for public consultation later this year.
Ratification by Ireland of the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage is also under consideration. This is a key international instrument, which provides an agreed shared framework for co-operation among States Parties in relation to maritime cultural heritage including historic wrecks.
Regarding funding for the potential reinstatement of the sun shelter on Dun Laoghaire’s east pier, my Department funds a range of grant schemes for the repair and conservation of protected structures and certain other historic buildings, which may be of relevance depending on the ownership of the structure and other factors. The Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) provides grants of between €2,500 and €50,000 for a wide range of conservation works, while the Historic Structures Fund (HSF) provides grants of between €50,000 and €200,000 for similar works at a larger scale.
Both schemes are administered in the main by the local authorities with funding from the National Built Heritage Service (NBHS) under my Department. These schemes are now closed for 2025. The application window for the 2026 BHIS is expected to open in July 2025, with the HSF to follow in December 2025.
94. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he, the Department or the Gníomhaireacht Forbartha Talún has had any negotiations or discussions with institutional land owners in Dublin 8, 10 or 12 (details supplied) in relation to purchasing, swapping or co-developing their land or part thereof for social, affordable rental, affordable purchase and private housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11795/25]
View answerGovernment maintains a strong focus on the use of vacant and underutilised public land for housing having agreed the transfer of 37 sites to the Land Development Agency (LDA) for the development of affordable and social housing.
The Land Development Agency Act 2021 (the Act) was commenced in July 2021, with a number of objectives including the identification and assessment of relevant public land in order to increase the amount of land available for the provision of housing.
The Act requires the LDA to establish and maintain a Register of Relevant Lands and furnish to Government, at two yearly intervals, a Report on Relevant Public Land. These facilitate and support the identification and assessment of the potential of relevant public land for the provision of affordable and social housing both now, and in the future. Section 6.2 of the 1st Report sets out the lands that were offered to the LDA, including information on the owner of the land, its location, and whether the LDA decided to accept the land or not.
Furthermore, in accordance with Section 53 of the Act, a relevant public body is not permitted to dispose of relevant public land unless the body has given prior notice, and offered the land for sale to the LDA. This requirement ensures that any relevant public land being disposed of is assessed to determine whether it is suitable for the purposes of the Act, primarily the provision of affordable and social housing.
The LDA, as required by Section 52 of the Act, are in the process of completing the 2nd Report on Relevant Public Land, which will provide information on Relevant Public Lands in Dublin 8, 10 or 12 and contain an update of land offered by relevant public bodies. The 2nd Report will be furnished to Government for their consideration, before being published and made available on the LDA website, www.lda.ie.
The Department and the LDA have regular and ongoing engagement with relevant public bodies in respect of relevant public lands. There have been ongoing discussions with such institutional owners as are also relevant public bodies on relevant public lands. Where such owners are not relevant public bodies, my Department has not had any engagement. Details of whether the LDA has had any engagement with those specified which are not relevant public bodies may be available from the LDA.
Finally, my Department has no direct role in acquiring property or land.
95. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will report on the grant support available for the provision of expert conservation advice to private owners of vacant traditional houses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12725/25]
View answer98. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will report on the built heritage investment scheme for 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12724/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 95 and 98 together.
The National Built Heritage Service (NBHS) oversees a number of grant schemes to assist owners of historic buildings. The purpose of these schemes is to support the repair, maintenance, conservation, and re-use of the traditional buildings which contribute so much to the character and amenity of our villages, towns, cities, and rural landscapes.
Last week I opened the application window for grant support for the provision of expert conservation advice to private owners of vacant traditional houses. This scheme helps owners to bring vacant historic buildings back into residential use while enhancing their character, energy efficiency, integrity, and amenity. By helping owners to access expert advice at an early stage, the scheme also helps to reduce the risk of long-term damage from poorly designed interventions.
Part of the Historic Structures Fund, the scheme will cover up to 67% of the costs (to a maximum grant of €5,000) of having a conservation expert with appropriate expertise visit a traditional building, conduct a survey, and compile tailored advice on repairs and improvements.
Applications for support under this scheme must be made by the deadline of 2 May 2025. The application form and guidance documents are available to view and download on my Department’s website.
In February, I announced the award of €8.1m of funding to over 650 projects under the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) 2025. The BHIS provides capital grants of between €2,500 and €50,000 for a wide range of works to conserve and enhance our historic buildings and streetscapes, and at the same time to sustain and develop traditional building skills.
A wide range of historic structures received funding under the scheme, from modest traditional homes and shops to landmark public buildings. Some €1.25 million of the €8.1 million in total funding was allocated to thatched buildings. The full list of projects which have been allocated funding for 2025 may be found on my Department's website.
In addition to the funding provided under BHIS, owners and custodians will themselves commit an estimated €29.5 million to these projects from private sources, marking this as a very significant investment in our built heritage and the traditional building skills which support it.
The application window for the 2026 BHIS is expected to open in July. Building owners considering applying for conservation grant funding are encouraged to contact their local authorities for advice and guidance.
100. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide the final quarter social and affordable housing figures for 2024, including the full-year figures for social new build, acquisitions, cost rental and affordable purchase. [12585/25]
View answerData for the Q4 2024 social and affordable housing delivery figures is currently being collated and validated and is due be published at the end of this quarter in line with previous years.
Comprehensive delivery statistics for both social and affordable housing are published quarterly on my Department's website and are available up to end Q3 2024.
My Department also publishes the Social Housing Construction Status Report. The CSR provides details of social housing developments and their location that have been completed, are under construction or are progressing through the various stages of the design and tender processes. The most recent publication is for Quarter 3 2024. The Q4 2024 Construction Status Report is due to be published in tandem with the Q4 2024 social and affordable delivery statistics. All Construction Status Reports are available on my Department’s website.
101. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to update the National Development Plan to ensure adequate water and other infrastructure to facilitate the construction new homes are built; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5110/25]
View answerThe Programme for Government commits to invest additional capital in Uisce Éireann to facilitate housing development in our towns and villages.
Last November, I approved Uisce Éireann's Strategic Funding Plan (SFP) 2025 - 2029. The SFP specifies the arrangements Uisce Éireann proposes to make and measures it proposes to take to meet the policy objectives of the Water Services Policy Statement, incorporating its estimated funding requirements for investment and operating costs together with sources of funding. The SFP plan sets out Uisce Éireann's multi-annual strategic funding requirement of €16.9 billion to 2029, comprised of a €10.3 billion investment in infrastructure and assets and €6.6 billion in operating costs, which is an unprecedented level of funding in our water infrastructure.
For 2025, the Exchequer will fund Uisce Éireann to just over €2.2 billion, which includes €514m of the €1bn equity investment announced by the Minister for Finance in the Budget 2025.
The provision of additional capital investment in Uisce Éireann to support housing development in our towns and villages will be considered in the context of a review of the National Development Plan in the first half of 2025.
103. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to establish a statutory register for competent architectural technologists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11797/25]
View answerI am aware that Architectural Technologists are an essential profession working to high standards in the construction sector. In general, the regulation of professions is in the first instance a matter for industry representatives working in consultation with relevant industry stakeholders. My Department has been engaging with the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT) in relation to the registration of Architectural Technologists. In this regard, CIAT has identified that its preferred route is to set up a stand-alone register for Architectural Technologists.
My predecessor advised CIAT to set up a register on an administrative basis in keeping with registers already in place for other professional groupings under the Building Control Act 2007 and in consultation with the relevant industry stakeholders. CIAT were advised that the register should be in place for a sufficient period of time to demonstrate that it operates effectively in accordance with the provisions of the Act. I am aware that this is now in place with over 90 registrants.
My Department will review the register and subject to this review, will then consider bringing forward legislative proposals to amend the Building Control Act 2007, to provide for a statutory register of Architectural Technologists.
104. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage in view of the recent report from Depaul Ireland and Mental Health Reform, which highlights that half of homeless individuals accessing Depaul’s services experience mental health challenges, including depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts, the way in which the Minister plans to address the intersection of homelessness and mental health. [12892/25]
View answerHousing for All recognises the need for a Cross-Government approach to addressing homelessness. It includes specific actions to address the additional support needs of households experiencing homelessness.
The HSE provides health services to homeless persons in emergency accommodation settings, including care and case management and intensive addiction and mental health supports. The HSE also provides outreach health and harm reduction services to homeless people and rough sleepers, including via the Mobile Health Unit.
For rough sleepers and long-term users of emergency accommodation, Housing First provides housing with intensive supports. Individuals supported by Housing First generally have complex high support needs such as mental or physical health problems, addiction issues or dual diagnosis (the presence of mental ill health and a substance addiction. The Housing First National Implementation Plan was published in 2021 and includes a target to establish 1,319 Housing First tenancies by 2026. The implementation of the Plan is a joint initiative of my Department, the Department of Health, the Health Service Executive (HSE), the criminal justice sector (the Probation Service and the Irish Prison Service) and local authorities, in conjunction with NGO partners. The Programme for Government includes a commitment to create 2,000 Housing First tenancies.
At local authority level, the administration of homeless services is organised on a regional basis, with nine administrative regions in place. A homelessness consultative forum has been established in each region which includes representation from the relevant State and non-governmental organisations involved in the delivery of homeless services in a particular region. A statutory Management Group exists for each regional forum, which is comprised of comprised of representatives from the relevant housing authorities and the Health Service Executive. It is the responsibility of the Management Group to consider issues around the need for homeless services and to plan for the implementation, funding and co-ordination of such services.
106. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the supports in place for persons who are victims and survivors of domestic abuse with accrued time on the housing list, but cannot accept housing in an area due to the presence of their abuser and on advice from An Garda Síochána, but who do not wish to lose the years accrued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12893/25]
View answerThe qualification criteria for social housing support are set down in Section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended.
A household may apply for social housing support to one local authority only, which may be the authority for the area in which the household normally resides or with which it has a local connection, or where the authority agrees, at its discretion, to assess the household for support. A household may then specify up to three areas of choice for receipt of support in the areas of all housing authorities in the county and city concerned and, if qualified, will be entered on the housing waiting list of each of those housing authorities.
A household may, not less than 12 months after the date on which it is first entered on a housing authority’s housing list, notify the housing authority of application that it wishes to change one, or more than one, area of choice in the application area and a household may change one, or more than one, such area not less than 12 months after its most recent change of an area of choice. An applicant does not lose any time on the list by changing their area of choice.
Generally, is not possible for a household previously on one social housing waiting list to carry the time spent on that list when applying to another local authority. However, local authorities may provide for exceptional or emergency cases to qualified households, allowing immediate housing outside of normal waiting lists priorities, should circumstances require. They may also reserve a certain proportion of dwellings for, among other things, allocation to particular categories of households, particular forms of tenure, and households transferring from other forms of social housing support.
In June 2022, the Department of Justice published Zero Tolerance, the Third National Strategy on DSGBV 2022-2026 which is a cross-Departmental and multi-agency plan with overall policy coordinated by the Department of Justice . As an action in this strategy, my Department committed to a review of the 2017 Policy and Procedural Guidance for Housing Authorities in relation to assisting victims of domestic violence with emergency and long-term accommodation needs in order to ensure continuing effectiveness and consistency in responses to assist victims of domestic violence. My Department is currently engaging with Cuan, the Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence Agency in relation to this review and proposed recommendations arising from the review.
107. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider the introduction of an increased grant for council homes that have been empty longer than 12 months or are in a significant state of disrepair. [12617/25]
View answerThe management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, is a matter for each individual local authority under Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. Local Authorities also have a legal obligation to ensure all their tenanted properties are compliant with the provisions of the housing (standards for rented houses) Regulations 2019.
However, my Department provides annual funding support to local authorities in preparing vacant units for re-let under the Voids Programme. Since 2014 to the end of 2024 Exchequer funding of €361.6 million has been recouped to local authorities, which has supported the refurbishment and re-let of 25,672 dwellings.
The emphasis of the programme is on those refurbishment works necessary to comply with the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 to ensure quick turnaround and re-letting times. All future works should be deferred and carried out under planned maintenance over the lifecycle of the asset. Under the Voids Programme there is no upper cap that can be spent on an individual dwelling providing the overall average per dwelling of €11,000 is maintained.
Funding is also available under the Energy Efficiency Programme of up €48,850 and can be used in parallel with Voids funding where turnaround times are not affected.
As part of the Programme for Government consideration is being given to the introduction of a new Voids Programme with a view to further improve turnaround times of vacant social housing units. However, given the very significant investment into the voids programme and positive impact this programme has had over recent years, it is expected that local authorities should have dealt with legacy vacancy and by the end of this year be in a strong position to complete the transition to a strategic and informed planned maintenance approach to stock management and maintenance.
110. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there are plans to introduce or expand urban renewal schemes to rejuvenate town centres as part of new housing developments; if such plans include grant supports for building over existing businesses in town centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12707/25]
View answerThe Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant introduced in July 2022, provides a grant of up to €50,000 for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation as a principal private residence and for properties which will be made available for rent. A top-up grant of up to €20,000 is available where the property is confirmed to be derelict, bringing the total grant available for a derelict property up to a maximum of €70,000.
The grant is available to individuals for the refurbishment of vacant accommodation above shops.
In order to qualify for the grant the property must be vacant for 2 years or more at the time of application. Further information and scheme eligibility can be found at the line provided here: www.gov.ie/en/service/f8f1b-vacant-property-refurbishment-grant/
The Programme for Government contains a commitment to introduce a "Living Above the Shop" top up grant which is currently being considered for progression.
Separately, the €2 billion Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF), a flagship element of Project Ireland 2040, supports a programme of significant transformational capital projects that will contribute to the regeneration and rejuvenation of Ireland’s cities and other large towns, in line with the objectives of the National Planning Framework and the National Development Plan. URDF Call 3 also supports acquisitions in each local authority to address long term vacancy and dereliction in URDF towns and cities.
An interactive GIS Story Map site gives elected representatives and members of the public access up to date information on all URDF supported projects at a Local Authority level. The site is available through the URDF site, www.gov.ie/URDF.
It is my intention to continue and expand URDF-type investment in projects as part of the new Towns and Cities Infrastructure Investment Fund. This will allow for investment in infrastructure, the acquisition of land, assembly of sites and the de-risking of sites in existing towns and cities to maximise their potential growth. The detailed arrangements for the implementation of these funding streams will be clarified further following completion of the National Development Plan Review, which will enable the level of additional capital funding for infrastructure investment to be determined.
