Written Answers Nos. 552-572
553. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average purchase price paid by each Dublin city and county local authority for houses purchased on the open market in 2024 and 2025, with figures provided separately for each local authority. [71540/25]
View answer554. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average purchase price paid by each Dublin city and county local authority for apartments purchased on the open market in 2024 and 2025, with figures provided separately for each local authority. [71541/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 553 and 554 together.
The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.
|
|
SHIP Exit from Homelessness Acquisitions 2024 – Q3 2025 |
|
Local Authority |
Average Purchase Price |
|
DLR |
€535,625 |
|
Dublin City |
€321,304 |
|
Fingal |
€309,000 |
|
South Dublin |
€290,000 |
|
|
SHIP – Turnkeys 2024 – Q3 2025 |
|
Local Authority |
Average Cost |
|
DLR |
€462,126 |
|
Dublin City |
€552,061 |
|
Fingal |
€504,299 |
|
South Dublin |
€511,729 |
555. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of applications on the social housing waiting list for County Mayo, in November 2025, by towns, in tabular form. [71572/25]
View answer556. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of housing applicants in County Mayo requesting one-bedroom, two-bedroom, three-bedroom and four-bedroom accommodation, as of November 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71573/25]
View answer595. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he will publish figures on the numbers of people on social housing lists longer than seven, eight, nine and 10 years and so on, respectively, by local authority administrative area based on SSHA figures provided by local authorities. [72149/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 555, 556 and 595 together.
Details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority administrative area is provided in the annual statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA).
The SSHA 2025 process is currently underway and I expect to publish the summary report before the end of Q1 2026.
The most recently published summary for all counties, conducted in November 2024, is available on my Department's website, along with all summaries since 2011 at www.gov.ie/en/collection/62486-summary-of-social-housing-assessments/.
SSHA data is collected and collated at local authority level and therefore a breakdown of the numbers by town is not provided. Details of households qualified for social housing support for each local authority are included in tables 1.1 in the report.
Details on the length of time spent on the respective lists of each local authority are included in tables 2.8 and A1.8 in the report. It does not provide a breakdown of the number of years beyond the category of more than 7 years. Data regarding the number of housing applicants requesting particular sized accommodation is not held by my Department. However, tables 2.4 and A1.4 of the report provide details on household size.
557. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when changes to the vacant property refurbishment grant are likely to come into effect; and the position for applicants who have gone sale agreed at the point at which the change comes into effect. [71614/25]
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. In order to qualify for the grant, the property must be vacant for two years or more at the time of application.
A comprehensive review of the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant and the commitments in the Programme for Government were considered as part of the new housing plan which was launched in November.
The housing plan Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025-2030 has committed to improve and expand the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant including by introducing an 'Above the Shop' top up grant. My Department is currently progressing this work.
Any changes to the current Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant would be communicated in a timely manner to all interested parties and implemented from a future date.
558. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when a review of the National Landscape Strategy for Ireland 2015-2025 is expected; if his Department are working on a successor strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71615/25]
View answerImplementation of the aims of the National Landscape Strategy is implicit in many of the actions currently being taken across the built and natural heritage sphere. The range of current work being undertaken across Government in the context of the Land Use Review will supplant and overtake the existing strategy in this area.
As indicated previously, my Department has in the meantime made very substantial progress on issues of habitat and wildlife protection, which are tied closely to landscape. In particular, I would emphasise the 4th National Biodiversity Action Plan, which sets the national biodiversity agenda for the period 2023-2030 and aims to deliver the transformative changes required to the ways in which we value and protect nature. This, along the Nature Restoration Law ratified recently by the European Parliament, will continue to support the delivery of national nature, water, landscape and climate objectives, while at the same time realising co-benefits for value creation in rural economies and communities.
559. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the progress made on the recommendations of the review of the NPWS 2021 (details supplied); to clarify their respective roles and interactions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71616/25]
View answerThe Review of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) 2021 set out a clear and ambitious roadmap for strengthening the State’s capacity to protect and manage our natural heritage. Implementation of those recommendations has been pursued with sustained focus and urgency across my Department and the NPWS.
In respect of Recommendation No. 11, which calls for the development of detailed operating procedures and Memoranda of Understanding with key partner agencies, substantial and measurable progress has been achieved. The NPWS already has over 30 Memoranda of Understanding and formal cooperative arrangements in place across the public, voluntary and community sectors, reflecting a sustained commitment to clarity of functions, consistency of approach, and coordinated delivery.
These instruments are not simply formalities, they provide clear governance frameworks, defined statutory interfaces, and practical protocols for engagement between agencies whose mandates intersect in complex environmental and marine contexts.
Each of these are being designed to:
• Clearly delineate the statutory functions of NPWS and the partner body, ensuring there is no ambiguity in responsibilities.
• Set out structured channels of interaction, covering communication pathways, timelines, consultation requirements, and escalation points.
• Provide for coherent scientific and ecological input, ensuring NPWS expertise is integrated early and consistently into planning, licensing and assessment processes.
• Support efficient case management, including procedures for data sharing, joint assessments where appropriate, and coordinated responses to complex applications.
These strengthened arrangements reflect the evolving environmental and marine governance landscape, and are essential to ensuring all State bodies with roles in environmental protection, marine regulation, scientific research and planning operate in a fully aligned and mutually reinforcing manner.
This inter-agency work complements the broader transformation underway within NPWS, including enhanced governance structures, expanded scientific capacity, and systematic implementation of the entire suite of recommendations from the 2021 Review.
560. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reasons the Kish and Bray Banks have not been included in the NPWS northwest Irish Sea special protection areas despite being designated as important bird areas by an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71617/25]
View answerUnder the EU Directive 2009/147/EC, the ‘Birds Directive’, member states are required to classify the most suitable territories as Special Protection Areas (SPAs) for the conservation of those species listed in Annex I of the Directive and for regularly occurring migratory species. The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department has regard to the obligations of Article 4 of the Birds Directive when identifying and classifying “the most suitable territories in number and size as special protection areas” for species listed in Annex I of the Directive and for regularly occurring migratory species.
Ireland’s recently identified marine Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs), as characterised by BirdLife (BL) International and BirdWatch Ireland (BWI), are derived by the application of specific IBA selection criteria, which do not equate directly to Birds Directive obligations. It would be inappropriate to assume that all seabird IBAs warrant classification as SPAs, as the criteria driving the IBA process and the SPA process are different. Notwithstanding this, the NPWS and BL/BWI used much of the same data in the two respective analyses and some of the marine areas characterised as IBAs are already SPAs or candidate SPAs for marine birds, and more may be in due course.
The NPWS is now in the final stages of the scientific analysis required to classify its most suitable marine territories, nationally, as SPAs. The SPA Network will not include every foraging area for every species listed as a Special Conservation Interest at every SPA, given the far-reaching foraging behaviour of many of these species and will focus on “the most suitable territories”. The first of the new marine SPAs to be notified publicly is the candidate North-West Irish Sea SPA. When the final marine SPAs have been classified, the NPWS will be in a position to demonstrate the coherence of the marine SPA Network, species by species.
561. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 16 of 15 May 2025, if he will provide an update on the research being undertaken to develop a new social housing eligibility model; if this research has progressed further; whether consultation with stakeholders has commenced; if, arising from this research, there will be any increase to social housing income thresholds in line with commitments under the Housing for All Action Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71624/25]
View answerThe baseline income thresholds increased 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. These thresholds are net income thresholds, i.e. gross household income less income tax, PRSI, Universal Social Charge and Additional Superannuation Contribution. Income is defined and assessed according to a standard Household Means Policy. The Policy provides for a range of income disregards and local authorities also have discretion to disregard income that is once-off, temporary or short-term in nature and which is outside the regular pattern of a person’s annual income.
My Department has been examining the existing income limits in the context of current market and household income conditions, including the suitability or otherwise of the current framework having regard to the significantly changed landscape since the standardised income limits were introduced. This includes examining the findings of research commissioned by my Department and this work is ongoing.
I am not in a position at this point to indicate the outcome of these considerations but I envisage that the analysis will be concluded early in 2026 to facilitate a final determination on next steps.
562. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will urgently examine the situation facing community childcare in County Donegal, many community-based early-years services are severely affected by defective concrete; the specific supports available or that will be made available, to early-years and childcare facilities whose buildings have been structurally compromised; and if he will ensure that such services are explicitly considered within forthcoming policy or legislative measures aimed at addressing affected community facilities, given the critical role they play in communities. [71626/25]
View answerThe Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (the Act) commenced on 22 June 2023 which contains the current grant scheme and the related Regulations were adopted on 29 June 2023.
The Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks (Amendment) Bill 2025 was passed by the Dáil on 10 December 2025, completed Second Stage in Seanad on 11 December 2025 and is scheduled for Committee Stage in the Seanad on 16 December 2025.
The Grant scheme provides financial assistance for residential homes and therefore the priority is to ensure that homes being occupied as principal private residences are remediated and Government has therefore prioritised owner occupied principal private residences and tenanted rental properties which were RTB registered as at 1 November 2021. Provided a property meets this criteria of principal private residence, or the property is an RTB registered property as at 1 November 2021 it is eligible to apply for entry to the current Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme.
Queries relating to childcare facilities should be directed to the Minister for the Department of Children, Disability and Equality.
563. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the progress made over the past 12 months on each of his Department's Programme for Government commitments, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71633/25]
View answerThe information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.
564. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when he will sign the planned secondary legislation to allow local authorities to have their County Development Plans to be extended for a short period beyond 2027; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71676/25]
View answerMy Department is in the process of commencing the Planning and Development Act 2024 (Act of 2024) on a phased basis, to facilitate the transition to the new legislation across the planning system and taking into account the need to liaise with local authorities, planning bodies and other stakeholders. A detailed implementation plan is available at www.gov.ie/planning.
A priority is the full commencement of Part 3 – Plans, Policies and Related matters of the 2024 Planning and Development Act. Work on commencing all sections of the Part is well advanced and I intend that Part 3 will be fully commenced by year end. This includes new provisions with respect to Development Plans.
I am aware of the need to allow Local Authorities to be capable of extending their current Development Plans for a period of time to assist and facilitate the smooth transition to the new Planning and Development Act. In this regard, on 26 November 2025, I received Government approval to draft the General Scheme of a Bill to make further legislative amendments to planning legislation. One element of the General Scheme relates to provisions that will allow planning authorities to extend the development plans that are currently in force and ensuring that future full development plan reviews are carried out only under the Act of 2024. I intend to progress the drafting of this Bill as a matter of urgency.
565. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department holds targets or key performance indicators for bringing derelict dwellings back into use nationally and in County Kildare; to provide the most recent performance data; the remedial actions where targets are not being met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71711/25]
View answerThe introduction of a Derelict Property Tax was announced in Budget 2026 which will replace the Derelict Sites Levy and will be collected by the Revenue Commissioners. Currently, the Derelict Sites Levy is an annual levy of 7% of the land’s market value. Local authorities will continue to have responsibility for identifying derelict properties. It is intended to introduce legislation providing for the Derelict Property Tax in the Finance Act in 2026. A preliminary register of derelict properties is to be published in 2027 with the tax to be implemented as soon as possible after that.
Where local authorities find that the acquisition of particular vacant and derelict properties is the appropriate mechanism to return them to use, they are enabled by the provisions of the Housing Act and the Derelict Sites Act to acquire them compulsorily. This approach is now supported through the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF), which has established a €150 million revolving fund specifically for local authorities to acquire vacant or derelict properties (residential and/or commercial), if necessary using their compulsory purchase powers and to carry out any associated works needed to make them more attractive for re-use or sale. The current total of residential and commercial properties approved for inclusion on Local Authority’s Approved Call 3 Programmes is 1,418.
Under Delivering Homes, Building Communities, more will be done to tackle vacancy and dereliction aggressively. The existing grants and schemes will be improved, expanded and further promoted. Their use will ensure that additional homes are provided by renovating and refurbishing existing homes and repurposing commercial and ‘above the shop’ vacant space. As a result, families and individuals can become part of, and contribute to vibrant thriving communities.
These actions will build on existing schemes and programmes, such as CPO Activation Programme (launched in April 2023) that require a proactive and systematic approach by local authorities to identifying vacant and derelict properties and engaging with owners to bring those properties back into use and using their compulsory purchase powers where engagement with owners is not successful.
566. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding any supports available to support the upgrade and maintenance of a shared septic tank attached to an apartment block; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71726/25]
View answer567. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding any emergency supports available to support the upgrade and maintenance of a shared septic tank attached to an apartment block that is actively leaking into the water system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71728/25]
View answer568. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding any supports available to support the full replacement of a shared septic tank attached to an apartment block; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71730/25]
View answer569. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the emergency supports available to support the full replacement of a shared septic tank attached to an apartment block that is actively leaking into the water system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71732/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 566, 567, 568 and 569 together.
Responsibility for the operation and maintenance of domestic wastewater treatment systems (DWWTS), including shared septic tanks serving apartment blocks, rests with the owners, who must ensure that their system functions effectively and does not pose a risk to human health or the environment.
Grant supports are available under the DWWTS grant schemes to assist with repair, upgrade, or full replacement of a system where the eligibility criteria are met. Where a system is leaking or causing pollution, owners should contact the relevant local authority for advice and any necessary remedial action.
Local authorities are responsible for protecting water quality under the Local Government (Water Pollution) Acts and are best placed to provide information specific to individual premises.
570. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when local authorities will be notified of successful applications for funding for capital projects under the 2026-2030 Fire Services Capital Programme. [71770/25]
View answerThe provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Act 1981. My Department supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a central training programme, issuing guidance on operational and other related matters and providing capital funding for priority infrastructural projects.
All local authorities have responded to a request for infrastructural priorities for inclusion in the 2026 – 2030. My Department will work closely with the local authorities to progress their identified priority infrastructural projects, within the context of the totality of requests from fire authorities countrywide for capital funding. My Department will move then to formalise the Fire Services Capital Programme.
571. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to a video advising adults how to move back in with parents, if guidelines on applicants for social housing at local authority level will be amended in order that those who have had to move back in with parents, on foot of the video advice from his Department, will not be deemed 'suitably housed' and will still be eligible for social housing applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71777/25]
View answerIt is open to anyone to apply for social housing support at any stage, subject to meeting the eligibility and need criteria at the point at which they apply.
Applications for social housing support are assessed by the relevant local authority, in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended.
Where a household is deemed to meet the eligibility criteria, only then is its housing need assessed under the criteria in Regulation 23 of the 2011 Regulations, having regard to its current accommodation. This criteria includes where its accommodation is shared with another household, whether the household that has applied for social housing support has a reasonable requirement for separate accommodation.
Decisions on the qualification of specific persons for social housing support, the most appropriate form of any such support, and the allocation of that support are a matter solely for the local authority concerned.
Details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority administrative area is provided in the annual statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA).
Details on the current tenure of households, including those living with parents for each local authority are included in tables 2.7 and A1.7 in the report.
572. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to a video advising adults how to move back in with parents, if a video will be done advising adults who no longer have parents alive, on the way in which they should approach notices to quit and unaffordable rents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71778/25]
View answerThe video and information campaign referred to is not a direct Department of Housing campaign but was shared by the Department.
The Housing Agency, in partnership with Spunout -Ireland’s youth information and support platform - developed and funded the information campaign.
However, my Department develops and implements information and awareness campaigns on a regular basis on topics to keep the public informed on everything from the housing supports available to them, to fire safety and registering to vote.
Videos for our social media platforms, are created in-house on an on-going basis to keep the public informed of housing opportunities, grants and schemes, local government, planning and heritage news updates, weather events and the works of our National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Our website also contains press releases and publications relating to the wide remit of my Department.
Information campaigns are being planned in my Department and are active on traditional and digital platforms on a regular basis. At present, our annual Fire Safety campaign is running across digital and broadcast platforms. A campaign encouraging individuals to apply to be entered on the Register of Electors for the Seanad Éireann Higher Education constituency will begin in January.
Our new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities commits to a new Starter Homes communications campaign to ensure that everyone has the information they need to understand the range of housing supports and opportunities available.
On 14 October 2025, the Government approved the General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2025, which is now the subject of priority drafting by the Office of Parliamentary Council and pre legislative scrutiny by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The Bill will amend the current system of rent controls and provide new measures to protect tenants, including stronger security of tenure, to come into effect for new tenancies created on or after 1 March 2026. The impending Bill is informed by a review of the Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) carried out by the Housing Agency, as requested by the Department.
A detailed communications campaign by this Department, in conjunction with the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB), will continue to publicise the new legislative measures from 1 March 2026.
Up-to-date information is available at: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/publications/government-reforms-to-the-rental-sector-starting-1-march-2026/.
The information provided in this reply regarding the impending Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill is based on the policy measures approved by the Government on 10 June 2025 to come into effect on 1 March 2026, in order to provide security for renters, boost investment in the supply of homes available for rent and keep existing landlords in the market. The Bill will be published as soon as possible and will be subject to debate, and open to amendment, during the legislative process in the Houses of the Oireachtas.
