Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 December 2025
534. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures he is taking to increase the number of properties to rent in Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73801/25]
View answerGovernment is focused on increasing the national housing stock and ensuring a suitable range of housing, across tenure types, is available to all. The new housing plan Delivering Homes, Building Communities builds on the foundations laid under Housing for All to enable delivery of a minimum of 300,000 new homes, including record levels of new social homes, an ambitious nationwide Starter Homes Programme and the provision of additional delivery in the areas of Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) and vacant and derelict properties brought back into use, as set out in the Programme for Government.
Government remain focused on continuing to bring forward measures that will continue to increase the supply of new homes across all tenures to make sure that everyone has a range of housing options available to them, whether they want to buy a house, rent one, or are in need social housing.
In order to ensure we continue to have a sufficient pipeline of residential development, focus will continue in the short to medium-term on addressing viability issues in relation to apartment developments and measures to activate those planning permissions already in the system.
Budget 2026 included a suite of taxation measures aimed at stimulating the supply of new apartments including a reduced VAT rate on the sale of new apartments and an enhanced Corporation Tax deduction for apartment construction costs.
The Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2025 is essential legislation to deal with expiring planning permissions and to encourage activation of housing.
A fourth call for expressions of interest under the Croí Cónaithe Cities scheme was issued earlier this year with submitted schemes now currently being assessed– the scheme will help activate the thousands of planning permissions for apartments in our cities.
Government also agreed to amend the rent pressure zone framework, which among other things will help stimulate increased development of apartments over the longer-term, while including extended protections for renters including the extension of rent controls nationwide and restrictions on ‘no fault evictions.
I am focused on continuing to bring forward measures such as these, that will bring about a very significant scale up in the delivery of housing over the coming years, address the needs of the most vulnerable in our communities, make buying and renting homes more affordable and support the development of villages, towns and cities across the country.
