Written Answers Nos. 26-45
26. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps he is taking to ensure affordable housing is delivered in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35256/25]
View answerGovernment is fully committed to delivering affordable housing at scale, and continuing to accelerate housing supply across all tenures. A comprehensive implementation strategy is in place to support the various affordable housing schemes now being delivered by a range of delivery partners. Overall, nearly 13,000 affordable housing solutions have been delivered since the launch of Housing for All, including over 780 in Meath.
Meath County Council already has funding approval in place for eight schemes to deliver 101 affordable purchase homes, with 71 already delivered by end 2024. In addition, three Approved Housing Bodies projects have been approved to date under the Cost Rental Equity Loan scheme.
Building on this progress, my Department will continue to engage with all delivery partners to further the development of the affordable housing delivery pipeline for 2025 and beyond, and to ensure that the affordable housing programme responds effectively to the affordable housing needs identified at a local level.
Under the Programme for Government, the Government committed to introduce a new Starter Home programme across the public, private and AHB sector which promotes home ownership and secures long-term rental tenures for young people and fresh start applicants. My Department is currently progressing that commitment and it will form part of the next housing plan.
27. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage how he intends that the Land Development Agency will support local authorities, the Housing Activation Office and his Department in master planning and infrastructure provision in new towns and districts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35637/25]
View answerThis Government is committed to delivering more homes and has clearly recognised that a step-up in terms of scale and pace of delivery of all housing, including affordable and social housing, is required.
This ambition to do scale up delivery is evident in the recently approved Revised National Planning Framework, but it will be important that as we zone more land, that the servicing of land for housing is also prioritised.
In order to achieve this, master planning and phasing of infrastructure must commence as early as possible, ensuring that zoned land can be activated for development at an appropriate scale and density in a timely manner.
The Land Development Agency, as a key partner in the Government’s delivery of affordable and social homes, will be involved in this process. As part of their remit, they support local authorities, through partnerships, in master planning and delivering homes on local authority lands. They also have a remit to masterplan, activate and deliver housing on other state lands transferred to the Agency.
The Land Development Agency, along with other key stakeholders will also work closely with the Housing Activation Office to identify infrastructure constraints and unlock housing potential on strategically located sites within our towns and cities.
It is intended that the Land Development Agency will be represented on the Housing Activation Delivery Group, which I will chair. The final scope, membership and work plan of this Group are currently being finalised to ensure all key actors are appropriately engaged.
28. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on PPP delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35897/25]
View answer31. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the public-private-partnership (PPP) bundle 3 following the recent review of PPPs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35717/25]
View answer63. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on his plans to get construction going on the six social housing sites that were part of the now collapsed public private partnership bundle 3. [35822/25]
View answer82. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures that will be put in place to ensure the social housing which was due to be completed in PPP bundle 3, including 106 homes in Blessington in Wicklow, will be completed without additional delay. [35838/25]
View answer98. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the State will directly build social housing projects that were to be built using PPPs, in light of the escalating costs associated with PPPs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35889/25]
View answer108. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the public-private-partnership (PPP) bundles 4-7 following the recent review of PPPs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35763/25]
View answer432. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on bundles 4, 5, 6 and 7 of the public private partnership social housing projects; whether they will continue as public private partnerships or be dropped; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36579/25]
View answer470. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on social housing PPP bundles 4, 5, 6 & 7 in the context of the decision by the Minister to not proceed with bundle 3. [35715/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 28, 31, 63, 82, 98, 108, 432 and 470 together.
The clear focus of this Government is to increase the supply of new build social and affordable homes. This is key to addressing the housing challenge and in particular preventing and ultimately eliminating long term homelessness, and that unquestionably must be the priority for all local authorities.
The social housing PPP programme was announced in 2014 aiming to deliver circa 1,500 units in three phases (Bundles 1 –3) with 25-year maintenance and tenancy management commitments before transferring to local authorities. In 2021, the Housing for All plan extended the initiative, identifying Bundles 4 –7 to deliver approximately 2,850 additional units.
Bundles 1 & 2 completed in 2021 delivered 999 new social homes across 8 counties and Bundle 3 targeted the delivery of a further 486 social homes across 6 sites in 4 Local Authority areas.
After conducting a review of the proposed costs of Bundle 3 of the Social Housing PPP programme, my Department has decided not to proceed to contract award in the current procurement process for the Social Housing Bundle 3 PPP project. This is due to the overall costs of the Bundle 3 project, which are now considered too high.
All sites within the Bundle 3 project have full planning permission and all of them will be delivered by way of alternative procurement and delivery strategies.
In light of the costs on Bundle 3, I have asked my Department to initiate, with the help of the NDFA, a review of Bundles 4 -7 to determine the most appropriate procurement and delivery strategy in order to ensure these homes are delivered and the most efficient and effective use of the available public resources.
29. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the value of the equalisation fund each year since 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35549/25]
View answerFirstly, it is important to acknowledge that Local Property Tax (LPT) represented on average just 6% of total local authority revenue income in 2023. In general terms, funding from Central Government to local authorities increased by 83% from €3.69 billion in 2018 to almost €6.73 billion in 2023.
There are variances across the country in terms of LPT levels but it is important that all local authorities receive at least a baseline level of funding to help ensure they can deliver adequate levels of service. For this reason, all authorities receive a minimum amount of funding from LPT that is at least equivalent to their baseline, and the baseline is therefore a significant benchmark affecting the level of funding available to each local authority for its ‘own use’. Two-thirds of local authorities need equalisation support to bring their income from LPT yield up to the baseline level.
Prior to 2023, 20% of each authority's yield went towards equalisation costs. The move to a new model of retention in 2023 allowed for 100% of the estimated yield to be retained locally in the area in which it is collected. From this point onwards, all equalisation support costs were to be met by the Exchequer via the Local Government Fund.
Equalisation costs for 2020 to 2025 were €135.1m, €133.5m, €133m, €118m, €149.1m and €143.8m, respectively.
Detailed information regarding the LPT allocations, including equalisation support provided, each year since 2020 is published by my Department at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/ea27d-local-property-tax-allocations/.
32. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans for investing additional capital in Uisce Éireann to support reaching housing targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35620/25]
View answerThis Government is delivering a sustainable funding path to further enhance the ongoing significant improvements in our public water and wastewater services.
The Uisce Éireann Strategic Funding Plan 2025-2029 was approved in November 2024 and sets out an ambitious capital investment plan to make necessary improvements to water and wastewater infrastructure including new capacity to facilitate growth.
However, the Strategic Funding Plan does not take account of the new housing targets as they were set after the plan was submitted.
Uisce Éireann has, therefore, submitted a request for additional funding to deliver the capacity to facilitate housing development in our towns and villages. This funding request is under consideration as part of the ongoing National Development Plan (NDP) 2026-2030 review, which is due to be completed in the coming weeks.
33. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of applications from Galway City Council, Galway County Council and approved housing bodies for the development of social housing projects in County Galway; the stage the applications are at in the application process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35809/25]
View answerThe tables below detail the number of live applications, at various stages of approval, currently being processed by my Department on behalf of Galway City and County Council.
Galway City Council live applications under SHIP
|
Stage 1 |
Stage 2 |
Stage 3 |
Stage 4/Single Stage/Turnkey |
|
2 |
5 |
0 |
2 |
Galway City Council live applications under CAS
|
Stage 1 |
Stage 2 |
Stage 3 |
Stage 4/Single Stage/Turnkey |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
Galway County Council live applications under SHIP
|
Stage 1 |
Stage 2 |
Stage 3 |
Stage 4/Single Stage/Turnkey |
|
3 |
5 |
1 |
14 |
Galway County Council live applications under CAS
|
Stage 1 |
Stage 2 |
Stage 3 |
Stage 4/Single Stage/Turnkey |
|
0 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
My Department does not accept proposals under SHIP/CAS directly from AHBs, they are submitted via the responsible LA.
In relation to the Capital Advance Leasing Facility (CALF) Funding Scheme, applications for social housing projects may be made to my Department only by Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs). Currently, my Department has no live CALF applications from AHBs in respect of the functional areas of either Galway City Council or Galway County Council.
My Department publishes comprehensive programme-level statistics on a quarterly basis for social housing delivery. This data to the end of Quarter 4 of 2024 is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website, at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/.
34. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the action he will take to protect students from rent increases when the planned new legislation comes into force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35887/25]
View answerOn 10 June 2025, the Government approved stronger tenancy protections and greater certainty for the rental sector, including the introduction of a national rent control, as part of a suite of measures to boost the supply of new homes and secure and grow the availability of rental accommodation.
The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2025 was signed into law on 19 June 2025. The Act came into operation on 20 June 2025 to immediately extend and expand the operation of Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) to cover the entire country until 28 February 2026. Further legislation is being developed to provide stronger tenancy protections and allow rent resetting to market value for new tenancies created (i.e. first time tenancies between parties) from 1 March 2026. With the exception of new build apartments, annual rent increases in all tenancies will be capped at the level of inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), up to a maximum of 2%. For new build apartments, annual rent increases will be capped at the level of inflation (CPI).
For such tenancies, unless a 'no fault eviction' occurs, a landlord will be allowed to set the rent to market value at the start of the tenancy and at the end of every 6-year period that the tenancy continues to exist.
In order to provide greater security of tenure to tenants including private rental market, legislative changes will apply to significantly restrict ‘no fault evictions’. These changes will significantly enhance the current provision of tenancies of unlimited duration with the introduction of tenancies of minimum duration (TMD), involving rolling 6-year tenancies, for any new tenancy created from 1 March 2026 by a smaller landlord (with 3 or fewer tenancies) with a new tenant. For larger landlords, it is intended that 'no fault evictions' will not be possible.
I will continue to engage with the Office of the Attorney General and the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science during the drafting of legislation on the tailored arrangements to apply to student specific accommodation. Increasing the availability of suitable, financially accessible student accommodation is a key policy priority for Government and will be addressed in the new Student Accommodation Strategy, being developed by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for publication later this year. Affordability and equity will be at core of the Strategy.
35. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide data on the average time between planning permission being granted and construction commencing for residential developments in Dublin Bay North over the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35794/25]
View answerThe timing between a planning permission being granted and construction commencing is influenced by myriad factors, many of which are often project specific. These can include, among others, a developer's capacity to take on multiple concurrent projects, the time taken to deliver supporting infrastructure in advance of commencement, ability to secure finance, not proceeding because the development is unviable at any moment in time, and so forth.
Data on the average time between a grant of planning permission and a development commencing are not readily available. That said, it is arguably more important to understand and address the many different factors that might impact a development and the supply of homes than to identify an average lead in time between the grant of permission and build starting.
In this context, Government is already bringing forward measures to support residential development, including the new Housing Activation Office and the package of recently announced rental sector reforms. Further measures are being considered in the context of the new national housing plan, which will be published in the coming months.
37. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update on the project within his Department to review and update wildlife legislation, specifically in relation to protecting hedgerows; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35770/25]
View answerThe National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department is currently undertaking an important project to update wildlife legislation. This includes the Wildlife Act 1976, the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000, the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 and significant regulations made under these provisions. The project is examining closely the effectiveness of our legislation in protecting wildlife and regulating activities that adversely impact on wildlife and biodiversity.
This is a complex undertaking, and will be carried out in a number of phases. A first phase of public consultation was undertaken in 2024.
Many aspects of wildlife legislation are being examined as part of this project and this includes the specific protections afforded to hedgerows and other habitats. A key focus of the initial phase of the legislation update will be on strengthening the enforcement of wildlife crime and on addressing legislative anomalies.
In relation to the Wildlife Acts, it is anticipated that two new Wildlife Bills will be published arising from this work. I expect to finalise and submit the general scheme of the first Bill to Government for approval in the first half of 2026.
38. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has assessed the cost impact of the new sprinkler system requirements on small businesses constructing industrial units; if supports or mitigations are being considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35805/25]
View answerThe Building Regulations set out minimum standards for the design and construction of buildings and works to ensure the health and safety of people in and around buildings. The primary responsibility for compliance with the requirements of the Building Regulations rests with the designers, builders and owners of buildings.
Following the completion of a comprehensive review of Part B (Fire Safety) of the Building Regulations, the Building Regulations (Part B Amendment) Regulations 2024 were signed on 26 March 2024.
As part of the review process, my Department undertook a public consultation between January and April 2023 seeking comments on a draft amendment to the Buildings Regulations, draft Technical Guidance Document B and a Preliminary Regulatory Impact Analysis.
The Building Regulations (Part B Amendment) Regulations 2024, Technical Guidance Document B 2024 (TGD B 2024) and a Final Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) are currently available on my Department’s website: www.gov.ie/en/publication/263ee-technical-guidance-document-b-fire-safety/.
The operative date of these Regulations was 1 May, 2025, subject to the transitional periods cited.
TGD B 2024 provides guidance on the incorporation of sprinkler systems in buildings depending on a number of factors. The cost, benefits and impacts associated with the provisions of Part B/TGD B 2024 are set out in the Final RIA.
For complex buildings, my Department has also published an Information Note on Alternative Approaches to Demonstrate Compliance with the Building Regulations, which is available on my Department’s website: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/publications/alternative-approaches-to-demonstrate-compliance-with-the-building-regulations/.
39. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will work with Donegal County Council to ensure that affordable housing schemes can be delivered across the county as soon as possible, in acknowledgment of the growing number of families in Donegal who cannot afford to purchase their own home. [35224/25]
View answer95. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to increase the availability of affordable housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35848/25]
View answer456. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage why County Kerry is not included in the affordable housing scheme; if it will be included, and when; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35414/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 39, 95 and 456 together.
Government is fully committed to working with all stakeholders to deliver social, affordable and cost rental homes at scale with a record level of investment being provided for the delivery of Housing in 2025; capital funding of €6.5 billion supplemented by current funding of €1.65 billion.
The number of new build social homes in the pipeline for delivery in the three year period 2025 to 2027, circa 36,000 homes, is the highest ever for a three year period. The strongest national delivery of social housing since 1975 was recorded in 2022 with 10,254 social homes delivered and this was exceeded in 2023 with 11,938 homes.
All local authorities, including Kerry and Donegal County Council's, have developed and published their Housing Delivery Action Plans setting out their plans to deliver social and affordable housing during the period from 2022-2026. This follows a comprehensive Housing Needs and Demand Assessment. A copy of Kerry and Donegal’s County Council Housing Delivery Action Plans are available on the websites at the following links: www.kerrycoco.ie/housing-delivery-programme/ and www.donegalcoco.ie/en/services/housing/plans-policies-and-publications/housing-delivery-action-plan.
While Kerry and Donegal have not been set affordable housing delivery targets, the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) is available to all local authorities to assist towards the cost of developing affordable housing at locations where significant affordability needs have been identified.
My Department met with the Housing Delivery team in Kerry County Council in December 2024 to support their work towards the identification and development of appropriate proposals which may lead to the delivery of affordable housing with the support of the AHF in response to localised needs identified by the local authority at key urban locations such as Killarney and Tralee.
I understand that Donegal County Council is proactively exploring opportunities for affordable homes with AHF support.
The Ready to Build serviced sites scheme supports local authorities to provide sites at a discount to people who want to build their own home. The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant continues to support the purchase and refurbishment of vacant and derelict properties. Further information with regard to the scheme is available on my Department's website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/33209-ready-to-build-scheme-serviced-sites-for-new-homes/ or by contacting Vacant Homes officer directly from Kerry and Donegal County Councils.
It is also worth noting that the First Home Scheme, which supports first-time buyers in purchasing new houses and apartments in the private market through the use of an equity share model, is also available to support eligible new home purchasers in all local authorities including Kerry and Donegal.
My Department, the Housing Agency and Housing Delivery Co-ordination Office of the Local Government Management Association continue to be available to assist all County Councils in relation to ongoing development of their response to meeting affordable housing needs.
40. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will increase the overall national allocation for the housing adaptation grant scheme for older people and people with disabilities, in view of significant demand, increasing costs, and the essential role these grants play in enabling people to live safely and independently in their homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35791/25]
View answer49. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there are proposals to deal with the backlog of housing adaptation grant applications at Louth County Council, which have been paused until November 2025 due to a lack of funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35628/25]
View answer51. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department will provide additional funding to Sligo County Council and Leitrim County Council for the housing adaption grant scheme for older people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35416/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 40, 49 and 51 together.
My Department provides Exchequer funding to local authorities under the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and Disabled People scheme, to assist people in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. The suite of grants include the Housing Adaptation Grant for Disabled People, the Mobility Aids Grant and the Housing Aid for Older People Grant, which are now 85% funded from the Exchequer, with a 15% contribution from the resources of the local authority under the revised scheme which commenced from 1 December 2024. The detailed administration of the scheme including assessment, approval, prioritisation and budgetary apportionment is the responsibility of local authorities.
The Exchequer funding available for these grants in 2025 has been increased substantially by €25 million to €99.5 million, or over €117 million when accounting for the local authority contribution, continuing the year on year increases since 2014.
Sligo County Council received an Exchequer allocation for 2025 of almost €1.8 million which is an increase of 35% on the 2024 original allocation. Leitrim County Council received an Exchequer allocation for 2025 of over €1.16 million which is an increase of 37% on the 2024 original allocation.
Louth County Council received an Exchequer allocation for 2025 of almost €2.7 million which is an increase of 36% on the 2024 original allocation. Louth County Council informed my Department that the local authority paused the acceptance of priority 2 and priority 3 applications but are continuing to consider priority 1 applications. Priority 1 is defined as individuals who are terminally ill, primarily dependent on family or a carer, or where adaptations to the home would support applicants leaving hospital or residential care.
My Department works closely with the local authorities to monitor spend and to achieve a full drawdown of available funding. This means that any underspends that arise on the part of any local authority can be redistributed to other authorities which have high levels of grant activity and my Department makes every effort to redistribute such funding throughout the year.
My Department advises local authorities annually that, as far as practicable, a percentage of the allocation under the schemes should be ring fenced in respect of any emergency applications which might arise under these schemes during the course of the year. Consequently, all local authorities manage their schemes to ensure access to the grants programme is maintained to the extent possible throughout the year on a priority basis.
41. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the intention within his Department to review the income thresholds for social housing applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35811/25]
View answer77. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has concluded the examination of the review commissioned by the Housing Agency in order to develop a new income eligibility model, so as to raise income thresholds for social housing given the cost of renting and buying; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35834/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 41 and 77 together.
Housing for All includes a commitment to review income eligibility for social housing. From this review, completed in November 2021, it was recommended moving five local authorities from Band 3 to Band 2, ensuring the income eligibility thresholds better reflect housing costs in those counties. Government also agreed to increase the baseline income thresholds by €5,000 for all local authorities with effect from 1 January 2023. The thresholds thus increased to €40,000, €35,000 and €30,000 for bands 1, 2 and 3 respectively.The review further recommended the commissioning of research to develop options for a revised or new social housing income eligibility model. My Department received this detailed research, commissioned by the Housing Agency. The scope of the research included examining the existing income limits in the context of current market and population conditions and the suitability or otherwise of the current framework having regard to the significantly changed landscape since the standardised income limits were introduced.My Department's examination of the report is ongoing. This detailed examination will include consultation with stakeholders and will look at, inter alia, how the social housing income limits system interacts with other housing supports and ensure that they continue to target households correctly.
42. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the supports in place for victims of domestic violence to access emergency accommodation in Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35820/25]
View answerThe response to Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (DSGBV) is a cross-Departmental and multi-agency issue, with overall policy coordinated by the Department of Justice. Responsibility for the development and provision of services to support victims of domestic violence, including the provision and operational funding of domestic violence refuge services, rests with my colleague the Minister for Justice working in conjunction with Cuan, the statutory DSGVB agency under the remit of the Department of Justice.
My Department currently provides capital funding support for the construction of new Domestic Violence Refuges, via the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS).
Funding of €303 million is available for the delivery of homeless services in 2025. This funding supports the provision of emergency accommodation, wrap around supports and other services for households at risk of or experiencing homelessness. In addition, capital funding of €25m will support the delivery of high quality transitional and emergency accommodation for individuals experiencing homelessness.
My Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of local authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with individual local authorities. Decisions on the assessment of households for homeless services, the most appropriate form of such support, and the allocation of that support are a matter for the local authority concerned.
While responsibility for the provision of accommodation for homeless persons rests with individual local authorities, the administration of homeless services is organised on a regional basis, with nine administrative regions in place. The West region includes Galway City Council, Galway County Council, Mayo County Council and Roscommon County Council, for the purposes of homeless administration, with Galway City Council as lead authority.
A homelessness consultative forum has been established in each region in accordance with Chapter 6 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2009. Decisions on the range of emergency accommodation services, including any additional capacity requirements, and funding required in each region are a matter for individual local authorities in consultation with the Management Group of the relevant regional joint Homelessness Consultative Forum. It is a matter for the Management Group to bring forward proposals to my Department that meet the needs of homeless individuals in their administrative area and the funding requirements will be considered in this context.
Local authorities and their service delivery partners work closely with all households in need of emergency accommodation to provide appropriate emergency accommodation, and the ultimate aim is to support them to secure an exit to a tenancy.
My Department will ensure sufficient funding is made available for all required homeless services, including the provision of emergency accommodation, to support those at risk of or experiencing homelessness.
43. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures his Department is taking to address the crisis of those who qualify for social housing and HAP being unable to get a social home or find a tenancy on the private market which they can afford, even with the assistance of HAP, in areas of the country where rents are above the national average, such as Dublin Rathdown; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35849/25]
View answerThe Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme continues to plays a vital role in housing eligible families and individuals. At the end of Q4 2024, over 125,000 HAP tenancies had been set up since the scheme commenced, of which there were 53,742 households actively in receipt of HAP support. An average of 156 new HAP tenancies was set up each week in 2024, indicating that the scheme continues to support large numbers of households to secure a home in the private rental market.
Under the HAP scheme, tenants source their own accommodation in the private rented market. The accommodation sourced by tenants should be within the prescribed maximum HAP rent limits, which are based on household size and the rental market within the area concerned. Local authorities have a responsibility to ensure that tenancies are sustainable and are advised not to provide HAP support to tenancies where the household would not be in a position to meet the rental costs being sought.
Since 11 July 2022, each local authority has statutory discretion to agree to a HAP payment up to 35% above the prescribed maximum rent limit. Local authorities can also apply a couple rate to a single person household, where required, in recognition of the shared one-bed need. Up to 50% discretion can be provided in the case of homeless households in the Dublin region. It is a matter for the local authority to determine whether, and to what extent, the application of the flexibility is warranted.
My Department has reviewed the use of these measures and their impact on the overall affordability of the HAP scheme for tenants. This review has highlighted that the affordability and sustainability of HAP tenancies continues to be impacted by pressures in the private rental market. I believe a review of HAP limits is now required and propose to initiate a review of the limits, subject to consultation and the agreement of the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation.
A record level of capital investment is being provided for the delivery of Housing in 2025, with overall capital funding available of almost €6.8 billion. The capital provision is supplemented by a further €1.65 billion in current funding to address housing need. A key focus of this capital investment is on the delivery of social homes, with almost €2.4 billion in Exchequer funding available to support social housing delivery in 2025, including 10,000 new build social homes.
Last year, Government approved new national housing targets up to the year 2030. The aim is to deliver 303,000 homes in the period from 2025 to 2030, equating to an annual average of 50,500 homes, building up to 60,000 in 2030. The revised national housing targets will inform the revision to existing social and affordable housing targets at a local authority level. Work is ongoing in this regard.
During 2024, 10,595 new social homes were delivered, including 7,871 new-build homes, 1,501 acquisitions and 1,223 homes delivered through leasing programmes. When the Housing Assistance Payment (8,121) and Rental Accommodation Scheme (1,576) are added a total of 20,292 housing supports were delivered during the year.
By the end of 2024, over 25,700 HAP tenants had exited the HAP scheme to other forms of social housing which demonstrates that HAP is providing an important pathway to more permanent forms of social housing for tenants.
44. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider extending planning exemptions to EV home charging infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35874/25]
View answerWhile the Planning and Development Act 2024 (Act of 2024) was enacted in October 2024, it is in the process of being commenced. The provisions of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (Act of 2000), and associated Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended (Regulations of 2001) remain in force until the relevant sections of the Act of 2024 are commenced and the corresponding sections of the Act of 2000 are repealed.
Currently, EV charging points are exempt from the requirement for planning permission under Class 29A of Part 1 of schedule 2 of the Regulations of 2001.
A review of the current Exempted Development Regulations is ongoing and a wider public consultation on exempted development regulations is due to be undertaken shortly. Members of the public, state bodies and all other parties will be able to make submissions in writing as part of the consultation process.
The Government cannot pre-empt the outcome of any consultation and therefore no decision has been made in respect of any revisions to current exempted development provisions. This includes any amendments to the exemptions for EV home charging infrastructure. Any update to Exempted Development Regulations will require positive resolutions by both Houses of the Oireachtas before it can be signed into law.
45. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the action he is taking to promote apartment building; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35797/25]
View answerMy Department has introduced a range of measures to enable and support the delivery of apartments, including through planning reform, zoning, financing, rental sector reforms, cost of construction measures and other targeted measures.
The impact of the current rent control system on the supply of new homes for rent is a key consideration for this Government and recent changes announced to Rent Pressure Zones from March 2026 are expected to attract private investment back into the Irish rental sector and that increased supply of much needed apartments for the private rental sector will follow. These changes will apply to apartments subject to commencement notices from 10 June 2025 and will include rent increases for such new apartments being linked to inflation (CPI).
The waiving of local authority development contributions and refunding of water connection charges for dwellings that commenced between April 2023 and December 2025 and will be completed before the end of 2026 has supported viability following that period of high construction cost inflation.
My Department supports apartment delivery for social and affordable housing throughout its funding streams, including through accelerated funding for delivery by AHBs by means of staged payments, which can lower the cost of delivery of apartments.
The Croí Cónaithe Cities Scheme is a scheme to support the building of apartments for sale to owner-occupiers. The Scheme aims to bridge the viability gap between the cost of building apartments and the market sale price. Three Calls for Expressions of Interest have been undertaken to date and ten contracts have been signed for the delivery of over 1,000 homes.
The Department has recently made a number of changes to the scheme to further enhance and support delivery of apartments for private sale. A fourth call is currently open for Expressions of Interest until 15 August.
The Government has also recently agreed to an expansion to the remit of the Land Development Agency to support the delivery of housing, including unlocking key strategic public lands for urban brownfield delivery through infrastructure investment which will enable further apartment building.
The Programme for Government 2025, commits to introducing a new, all of government national housing plan to follow Housing for All, which will be underpinned by a multi-annual funding commitment. Additional measures to scale-up delivery further in the medium and long-term are being considered as part of the new housing plan which will be published in the coming months.
