Written Answers Nos. 612-631
612. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport whether he will intervene urgently to purchase a studio space (details supplied) in Dublin city centre to prevent its closure [4105/26]
View answerThe provision of local arts centres are a matter in the first instance for the relevant local authority. County and city development plans are drawn up by local authorities including the policy objectives for development of the arts.
Annual support, including programming and revenue supports, is provided to arts and culture centres by local authorities and the Arts Council. My Department provides grants as a contribution towards maintaining and enhancing existing arts and culture facilities but does not provide funding for the purchase of buildings.
The Complex, the venue referred to by the Deputy, had been leasing its building from a private landlord on a site ringfenced for redevelopment. Officials from my Department met with the Chair of The Complex and other members of the team in December 2024 and advised them that my Department was not in a position to fund the purchase of property. Further communication in June 2025 reiterated that position.
More recently, the Complex kept the Department updated of the evolving situation with their tenancy and I am aware that they were in close contact with Dublin City Council during this time. I regret that a solution could not be found with the developer to keep them in their building and I understand the Council are now supporting them in sourcing alternative accommodation.
Separately, my Department is engaged with Dublin City Council on the potential transfer of part of the site of the Digital Hub in the Liberties area of Dublin to the local authority. I have requested that the city council consider whether any of the activities which were conducted at the Complex arts centre could in time be facilitated in the Digital Hub complex. The Department would be happy to work with the City Council on any proposals including consideration of whether any of the Department’s funding schemes could be of assistance in this regard.
More broadly, the Department has allocated €3m in funding to Space to Create, an initiative that aims to provide up to sixty artist workspaces in Dublin City, and these projects are currently being progressed in partnership with Dublin City Council. In addition, under the Artist Workspaces Scheme, €6 million capital funding is available for local authorities to increase the provision of artists’ workspaces across Ireland. In December 2025, I announced just under €1m for five local authorities for the development of up to 22 artist workspaces, which brings the total awarded under this scheme to date at €1.2 million.
613. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he will acknowledge the importance of funding for sports clubs and organisations (details supplied). [72007/25]
View answerThe Programme for Government commits to maintaining sports funding to get more people participating in all levels of sport, particularly targeting cohorts in society where there are lower than average participation levels.
My Department operates two capital funding programmes for sport, namely the Community Sport Facilities Fund (CSFF) and the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF.
Over a quarter of a billion euro was allocated to 3,048 community sports clubs and facilities in 2024 under the 2023 round of the CSFF, representing the largest-ever investment in sports facilities in communities across Ireland.
€14,406,067 was allocated to 153 sporting projects in County Kerry under the 2023 round of the CSFF and, since 2017, a total of €25,712,250 has been allocated to 466 sporting projects in County Kerry.
In line with previous rounds of the Fund, a review of the current funding round has been undertaken and will be published shortly. I have asked my Department to prepare for a further round of the CSFF in 2026. It is anticipated that the next round will particularly target areas and sports that have been under-invested in over the years.
A total of €297 million has been allocated under LSSIF 2018 and 2024. In 2024, three projects in County Kerry were allocated a total of €7,750,000. This includes a €6 million investment in Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney, a €1 million investment in a multisport complex in Derreen, Killarney and a €750,000 investment in Killarney Rugby Club.
My current focus in relation to LSSIF is on ensuring project delivery under the first two rounds of the scheme. No decisions have been taken regarding the next round of LSSIF.
614. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if his Department is aware that areas in rural Ireland, such as Mountbellew in County Galway, continue to experience significant gaps in mobile phone coverage and remain effectively dead zones for cellular reception; if he will provide an update on measures being taken to address these coverage deficits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73228/25]
View answerMobile network operators are continuously enhancing and improving their network coverage across both rural and urban areas. However, I am aware that the quality of network coverage is not uniform across the country.
While the availability of mobile phone coverage is primarily a matter for mobile network operators, operating on a commercial basis in a liberalised market they are regulated by the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg).
In the first instance, where customers are not receiving the coverage, they should contact the customer care team of their mobile phone operator to make a complaint regarding poor coverage and follow their official complaint procedure. Complaints, if not resolved to the consumer's satisfaction, can then be escalated to ComReg.
It should be noted that ComReg completed a Multi-band Spectrum Award in January 2023 to assign long term rights of use in four spectrum bands to enable operators to provide improved services to meet increasing consumer demand for mobile services. This award represented a 46% increase in the harmonised spectrum assigned for the provision of wireless broadband services, including 4G and 5G, in Ireland and included significant coverage obligations for operators.
Those MBSA2 licence obligations place a key focus on delivering improved coverage to population centres, such as places where people work and live, rather than solely focusing on geographical coverage. They also focus on improving network coverage of the national primary road network. Those obligations come into effect on an incremental basis 3, 5 and 7 years after the licences were first awarded in 2023. As such, it is expected that ComReg will assess operators’ compliance with their 3-year obligations under the MBSA2 licence this year.
Operators continue to add new capacity to their networks using their newly acquired radio spectrum. The timing of the improvements delivered by mobile operators are influenced in part by their ability to acquire and build new sites for increased coverage.
While my Department has no role in developing site-specific strategies for mobile coverage improvements, the Department’s Digital Connectivity Strategy published in 2022 sets ambitious targets for fixed and mobile connectivity. A refresh of this Strategy is currently being undertaken.
To assist consumers to choose the network provider that best meets their needs, ComReg continually updates and enhances its online national outdoor mobile coverage map at coveragemap.comreg.ie which provides information on mobile network operators’ outdoor coverage for 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G mobile networks.
615. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the measures in place to protect Ireland’s subsea communication cables from cyber or physical interference. [61066/25]
View answerAs I replied to Question 87 on 1 October 2025, Ireland’s maritime area is significant in scale and includes parts of the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea. This vast area creates a challenge for the protection of undersea cable infrastructure and the repair of this infrastructure in the event of damage. As an island Member State of the European Union, Ireland is particularly vulnerable to any threat to its subsea telecommunications cables for connectivity to the Global Internet backbone. These cables carry the data that power our economy, everyday communications and critical services.
At an EU-wide level, the security of the EU's submarine cable infrastructure must be significantly enhanced. The European Commission issued Recommendation (EU) 2024/779 on Secure and Resilient Submarine Cable Infrastructures in February 2024, which aims to improve the security and resilience of submarine cable infrastructures through better co-ordination at both national and EU levels.
Recommendation (EU) 2024/779 includes actions to address challenges faced by submarine cable infrastructures, ensuring their reliability against potential threats. It further proposes establishing a joint EU governance framework and making more effective use of private-sector investment to support Cable Projects of European Interest (CPEIs).
To support the implementation of Recommendation (EU) 2024/779, the Commission set up the Submarine Cable Infrastructure Expert Group, comprising representatives from Member States’ authorities and the European Union Agency for Cyber Security (ENISA), to offer guidance and expertise to the Commission. An EU-wide mapping and coordinated risk assessment of submarine cable infrastructures was agreed by the Expert Group and a report was published in October 2025.
In February 2025, the European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs issued the EU Action Plan on Cable Security (the ‘Action Plan’) which presented a range of measures to bolster the resilience of this critical infrastructure. The Action Plan sets out four priorities to secure critical infrastructure for both communication and energy submarine cables, focusing on prevention, detection, response and repair, as well as deterrence.
The first objective of the Action Plan is to prevent any disruptive incidents and increase resilience of submarine cable infrastructures against potential threats and vulnerabilities. The Action Plan outlines a number of preventive actions, aligned with Recommendation (EU) 2024/779, which are expected to be implemented by the first quarter of 2026; these include:
• mapping of existing and planned submarine cable infrastructures
• co-ordinating risk assessments (risks, vulnerabilities and dependencies) on submarine cables, taking into account spare part security of supply, and stress testing methodology
• creating a Cable Security Toolbox of mitigating measures
• developing a priority list of Cable Projects of European Interest (CPEIs).
Since I last addressed this issue in early October, officials from my Department have continued working with the Expert Group to deliver on the actions above and have contributed to the first report published by the Commission on 23 October 2025, available at this link on the European Commission’s website: digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/report-security-and-resilience-eu-submarine-cable-infrastructures.
A follow-up report will be delivered on the Cable Security Toolbox and CPEIs priority list in early 2026.
In addition to working with our EU colleagues, we are also addressing how we can improve cooperation in this area with other states. At the UK-Ireland Summit in Liverpool on March 2025, Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosted Taoiseach Micheál Martin to discuss opportunities to work together and ensure the continued safety and security of the citizens of Ireland and the United Kingdom. The PM and Taoiseach recognised the importance of subsea cables and agreed supporting their security and resilience against accidental and malicious threats is a key priority. As a result, officials from my Department are liaising with their counterparts in the UK to explore avenues for cooperation.
616. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the number of liaison meetings that took place between the Arts Council and his Department since 2020 which were not clearly minuted as described by the Brennan Report; and if this practice has been replaced by detailed minuting. [4149/26]
View answerFollowing receipt by the Department of the 2023 Arts Council Annual Report in late June 2024, the Secretary General of the Department initiated an examination of the Arts Council Business Transformation Project on 24 July 2024 that was finalised on 6 February 2025. The detailed examination of the project included a number of key findings and recommendations.
In this context, and following on from the IPA Review of the Department’s Arrangements for the Oversight of State Bodies in 2024, the interim Director, Dr Moling Ryan, has been working with the Department to restructure and reform the quarterly liaison meetings. I am satisfied that liaison meetings are now properly minuted but I am not in a position to determine, on a case by case basis, the standard of any particular set of minutes in the period referred to by the Deputy. For information, a total of fifteen liaison meetings were held between the Department and the Arts Council from 2020 to 2024 inclusive.
617. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport to provide an update on his Department’s progress to date on the Programme for Government commitment to conduct a nationwide audit of sports facilities in order to address shortages in areas underserved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4153/26]
View answerThe need to catalogue sports facilities to address shortages in areas that are currently underserved was first raised in the National Sports Policy 2018 – 2027 which recognised the importance of having an up-to-date database of sports facilities as the basis for a more long-term planned approach to facility investment.
Get Ireland Active, developed by Sport Ireland, was launched in October 2023 and represents the first phase of a comprehensive national database of sports facilities. The database currently consists of more than 15,000 opportunities to be active across the country, including sports and recreation facilities, public places such as playgrounds and trails for walking, running and biking. Additionally, other data – such as the Pobal Deprivation Index – can be overlaid on the database to identify areas that are under or over-served.
A companion mobile phone application has now been developed and is publicly available to download from both the Apple App and Google Play stores. It enables mobile access to the database with the aim of helping people of all ages, abilities and fitness levels to get active and take full advantage of amenities around them.
The database is currently undergoing further development and, once complete, Sport Ireland intends to launch a promotional campaign to raise awareness of Get Ireland Active and the benefits that it can offer.
Sport Ireland will continue to engage with colleagues in my Department, local authorities, relevant public bodies and NGBs to further develop the database and to ensure that it remains up-to-date and fit for purpose.
618. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport his plans to extend basic income for the arts scheme; the way in which he plans to support those artists who have received funding under the scheme to date pending the commencement of a new scheme; the number of artists he plans to support under the revised scheme; when he expects payments to commence under the new scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4185/26]
View answerI was delighted to have secured an allocation for a successor scheme to the Basic Income for the Arts pilot as part of Budget 2026. While the detail of the future scheme will need to be agreed by Government, this is a major milestone for the arts in Ireland and I am particularly pleased that the research my Department conducted provided Government with a clear evidence base upon which to make that decision.
Eligibility criteria and parameters for a successor scheme have not been finalised. The cost of the Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) pilot scheme was €35m for a full calendar year for 2,000 artists to participate, with each recipient receiving €325 a week. There were over 8,200 eligible applicants to the pilot scheme in 2022. To have funded all those eligible would have cost approximately €139m per year.
With an allocation of €18.27m in my Department’s 2026 Estimate, I look forward to the design and delivery of the successor scheme next year.
I can confirm that the BIA pilot scheme will end in February 2026, which is when the final pilot payment will be made to the current cohort of recipients. While eligibility is not yet finalised, a new cohort of recipients will be selected based on eligible applications for the successor scheme.
The research has consistently demonstrated both the positive impact the BIA has had for those in receipt of it and how difficult it is to work as an artist in Ireland given the income precarity prevalent in the sector. The BIA successor scheme will help to sustain the careers of those artists who will receive it and retain their talent in the arts sector.
Stakeholder consultation and engagement with other relevant Government Departments on the design of the new scheme is ongoing to determine details such as the duration, eligibility and selection method, the details of which have not yet been decided. I intend to take a memorandum to Government in the coming weeks and once the parameters of the scheme have been agreed by Government I intend to publish them.
619. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport for an update on the basic income for artists scheme, which will end in February 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4189/26]
View answerI was delighted to have secured an allocation for a successor scheme to the Basic Income for the Arts pilot as part of Budget 2026. While the detail of the future scheme will need to be agreed by Government, this is a major milestone for the arts in Ireland and I am particularly pleased that the research my Department conducted provided Government with a clear evidence base upon which to make that decision.
Eligibility criteria and parameters for a successor scheme have not been finalised. The cost of the Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) pilot scheme was €35m for a full calendar year for 2,000 artists to participate, with each recipient receiving €325 a week. There were over 8,200 eligible applicants to the pilot scheme in 2022. To have funded all those eligible would have cost approximately €139m per year.
With an allocation of €18.27m in my Department’s 2026 Estimate, I look forward to the design and delivery of the successor scheme next year.
I can confirm that the BIA pilot scheme will end in February 2026, which is when the final pilot payment will be made to the current cohort of recipients. While eligibility is not yet finalised, a new cohort of recipients will be selected based on eligible applications for the successor scheme.
The research has consistently demonstrated both the positive impact the BIA has had for those in receipt of it and how difficult it is to work as an artist in Ireland given the income precarity prevalent in the sector. The BIA successor scheme will help to sustain the careers of those artists who will receive it and retain their talent in the arts sector.
Stakeholder consultation and engagement with other relevant Government Departments on the design of the new scheme is ongoing to determine details such as the duration, eligibility and selection method, the details of which have not yet been decided. I intend to take a Memorandum to Government in the coming weeks and once the parameters of the scheme have been agreed by Government I intend to publish them.
620. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he will clarify whether he has communicated or sought sanction from the Minister for Public Expenditure; Infrastructure; Public Service Reform and Digitalisation in respect of a pension increase for a group and outcome of that engagement (details supplied). [4215/26]
View answerFurther to section 46 of the Postal and Telecommunications Act 1983, as amended, and section 10 of the eircom superannuation scheme rules, my Department last year received a request for a pension increase of 2.1% for Eircom (formerly Telecom Éireann) pensioners, in respect of both pre and post vesting day service, with effect from 01 July 2025.
My officials sought the advice of the New Economy and Recovery Authority (NewERA) on this pension increase proposal, which they are currently reviewing. I will consider NewERA's report and recommendations on the proposal when received, and will make a determination on whether to approve it. The consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitilisation will also be required for the pension increase in the event that I give my approval.
621. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the number of Irish-based community media and community-led media organisations that have been successful applicants under the Creative Europe Programme in each of the years 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 and 2025; the total value of funding awarded to such organisations in each of those years; and to outline any observable trends in participation or success rates, including any changes in programme priorities or application volumes, in tabular form. [4293/26]
View answerThe Creative Europe Programme is the EU programme to support the culture and audiovisual sectors. Its main objectives are to:
• Safeguard, develop and promote European cultural and linguistic diversity and heritage; and,
• Increase the competitiveness and economic potential of the cultural and creative sectors, in particular the audiovisual sector.
The Creative Europe programme 2021-2027 has a budget of €2.44 billion for three broad strands:
Media • - supporting the European film and audiovisual industries to develop, distribute and promote European works as well as funding markets, networking and training opportunities.
Culture• - supporting a wide range of cultural and creative sectors as well as encouraging cooperation and exchanges amongst cultural organisations and artists at European level.
Cross Sectoral• - aims at reinforcing collaboration between different cultural and creative sectors, in order to help them address the common challenges they face and find innovative new solutions.
A network of information offices, called Creative Europe Desks, are funded by the Creative Europe Programme across Europe, with three in Ireland - two in Dublin and one in Galway. The main objective of Creative Europe Desks in Ireland is to promote the Creative Europe programme and to assist Irish creative and cultural practitioners to gain access to this EU funding and networks.
The Irish Creative Europe Desks provide regular updates on funding awarded to Irish applicants, available at: www.creativeeuropeireland.eu/funded-projects-case-studies/funding-results
The figures and project information provided below have been provided by the Creative Europe Desks Ireland. Contracts for projects awarded funding under the programme are between the European Commission and the beneficiary organisations and, as such, the Creative Europe Desks Ireland and the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport can only provide funding details based on information which the European Commission publishes and only after signature of contracts.
Based on the latest information available, since the current Creative Europe Programme began in 2021, Irish companies and organisations have been awarded over €23.8 million (including funding for the Creative Europe Desks Ireland). Irish companies/organisations have received the following Media Funding to date under the current programme.
2021 - €2,494,054.00
2022 - €3,422,929.00
2023 - €2,813,326.00
2024 - €2,437,782.00
2025 - €2,057,333.00*
Total: €13,225,424* - Final figure to be confirmed as certain results are still outstanding
Applicants for Creative Europe funding are required to be legal entities and submit complex funding applications; as such voluntary and community organisations are not eligible partners in many of the calls for proposals published by the European Commission. MEDIA funding is awarded to eligible organisations under various calls for proposals, including calls for production companies, producers, games companies, distributors, and film festivals, and film education. This funding strand is not aimed specifically at community groups but under Film Education calls local and community groups do benefit.
Community groups may be eligible for funding calls under the Creative Europe Culture strand. Again applicants need to be structured legal entities to apply for funding. Creative Europe’s Cross Sectorial Strand supports collaboration between different cultural and creative sectors, funds Creative Innovation Labs, and offers funding to the news media sector to promote media literacy, pluralism, and journalistic freedom.
In terms of direct funding to local community media or community media initiatives there have been several EU projects which feature Irish partners who received direct funding which fit this definition:
• Community Journalism funded under Creative Europe Cross Sector Strand:
YoCoJoin (2025). Irish partner: Dublin Inquirer www.creativeeuropeireland.eu/whats-on/projects/yocojoin
• Community Radio funded under Creative Europe Culture strand (Cooperation Projects):
IndieRe 2.0. Irish partner: NearFM: www.creativeeuropeireland.eu/whats-on/projects/indiere-2-0-2022
• Film Education under the MEDIA Strand
The Film Corner for all. Irish partner: University of Galwaywww.thefilmcorner.eu/
• Kino x Games: Attracting Gaming Communities to Cinemas:
Irish partner: Picture Palace Cinema / Pálás Cinema Galway www.creativeeuropeireland.eu/whats-on/projects/kino-games-attracting-gaming-communities-to-cinemas-2024-2027
• Media Literacy Projects funded under Creative Europe Cross Sector Strand
Algowatch. Irish partner: Maynooth University algowatch.eu/
Promoting Media Literacy and Youth Citizen Journalism through Mobile Stories. Irish Partner: Committee of the Dublin West Education Centre.
SharedTime features Irish partner, CyberSafeKids (formerly CyberSafeIreland). ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/projects-details/43251814/101243120
The latest information on Ireland’s participation in the Creative Europe Programme (including funding results) can be found on the websitewww.creativeeuropeireland.eu/funded-projects-case-studies/funding-results
Full information available from the European Commission on Creative Europe Programme funded projects can be found at: culture.ec.europa.eu/creative-europe/projects/search
622. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if his Department will support the development of a 50 metre swimming pool in the Cork region. [4369/26]
View answerOne of the actions under the first-ever National Swimming Strategy, which was published in 2024, is the completion of an in-depth analysis of swimming pool provision within Ireland with particular reference to identifying gaps in provision and the environmental sustainability of facilities.
Swim Ireland, the National Governing Body for the sport, was tasked with this specific action with funding support from Sport Ireland. It published its Swimming Pool Gap Analysis Report last month and the report is available on Swim Ireland's website at the following link:
swimireland.ie/2025/12/09/swim-ireland-report-a-pool-within-reach-remains-a-distant-reality-amidst-critical-swimming-infrastructure-gaps/
This in-depth analysis examined the condition and age of swimming facilities, community accessibility, the availability of swimming lessons, energy and sustainability practices, and the provincial and county-level distribution of pools across the island. The report is being examined by my Department and will be a key input to the future development of swimming pool facilities by enabling better decision-making with regard to targeting investment more effectively.
In this context, there are two capital funding programmes for sport, namely the Community Sport Facilities Fund (CSFF) and the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). In total over €1.5 million was allocated to swimming under the 2023 CSFF round and over €3.7 million in the last 10 years. Swimming may also have benefitted from allocations to multisport projects under the CSFF. Applications for the refurbishment of pools, pop-up pools, improvements of the energy efficiencies of pools as well as improvements to accessibility of pools can be made under the CSFF.
In line with previous rounds of the Fund, a review of the current funding round is being undertaken. Preparations are underway for a further round of the CSFF in 2026. It is anticipated that the next round will particularly target areas and sports that have been under-invested in over the years.
The aim of the LSSIF is to provide Exchequer support for larger sports facility projects, including the development of new swimming pools as well as the refurbishment of swimming pools. These would be projects where the Exchequer investment would be greater than the maximum amount available under the Community Sport Facilities Fund (CSFF).
Applications for both schemes are subject to published guidelines and conditions of the scheme. Applications under LSSIF must be made by either a Local Authority or a National Governing Body of Sport (NGB). It is a matter for those organisations to prioritise their capital development requirements. To date, €297 million has been allocated under LSSIF, including €41.4 million for 12 swimming projects.
With regard to a future round of the LSSIF, I am committed to ensuring sustained investment in sports facilities to meet our ambitious goals for sports participation nationwide. The Programme for Government commits to maintaining sports funding to get more people participating in all levels of sport, particularly targeting cohorts in society where there is lower than average participation levels.
My current focus is on ensuring project delivery under the first two rounds of the LSSIF and this process will inform any decisions regarding the timing of a future round. No decisions have yet been made regarding the next round of LSSIF.
625. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide a schedule of derogation licence requests made to the National Parks and Wildlife Service to undertake control measures in respect of protected animal and birds by local authority, to include location sought to conduct control measures in each year from 2019 to date in 2026; if he will include species in the schedule; and if he will also include a schedule of requests that were refused. [3936/26]
View answerThe information sought is not readily available and its compilation would involve a disproportionate amount of time and work. The term derogation can apply to nearly all 10,000 applications received annually into the Wildlife Licensing Unit (WLU) of the National Parks & Wildlife Service and applications are not recorded by local authority area.
Contact can be made directly with WLU (wildlifelicence@npws.gov.ie) to seek clarity on licence and derogation types that might apply to this query.
626. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has examined the role of Sport England's planning and advisory functions, particularly its engagement with local authorities in ensuring adequate provision of sports and recreational facilities; if lessons from this model are being considered in the Irish context; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4099/26]
View answerThe Planning and Development Act 2000 provides that planning authorities may include objectives in their development plan facilitating the provision and siting of facilities necessary for the community, including open spaces and sports grounds. The local authority development plan is the principal planning policy tool to achieve these objectives at a local level. All current development plans across the country were adopted under the Planning and Development Act 2000, which required planning authorities to set out an overall strategy for the proper planning and sustainable development of their functional areas.
Part 3, Chapter 5 (Development Plans) of the Planning and Development Act 2024 commenced on 31 December 2025. Sections 44 to 51 of the Act of 2024 require planning authorities to include various strategies and objectives in preparing their development plans made under the 2024 Act, including in relation to the sustainable development of their functional area.
When preparing a development plan, planning authorities were required under the 2000 Act to have regard to any Ministerial Guidelines issued by the Minister under section 28 of that Act, and to apply any specific planning policy requirements (SPPRs) contained within those Guidelines.
Ministerial Guidelines will, over time, be replaced with National Planning Statements (NPSs) issued under the 2024 Act. All Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies (RSES), development plans, planning schemes or planning frameworks must be ‘materially consistent’ with any National Planning Policies and Measures and take ‘due account’ any National Planning Policy Guidance contained within an NPS. The Development Plans Guidelines for Planning Authorities (2022), which were issued under section 28 of the 2000 Act, require that when making zoning decisions, consideration must be given to the future availability of (or the capacity to provide) supporting local community and amenity services and infrastructure, including recreation and sports facilities.
The Sustainable Residential Development and Compact Settlements Guidelines (2024), which were issued under section 28 of the 2000 Act, set out that planning authorities should plan for an integrated network of well-designed neighbourhoods that can meet day-to-day needs (including sporting needs) within a 10 to 15-minute walk of all homes. In the case of larger settlements, the residents of less central neighbourhoods should have opportunities to travel by public transport and other sustainable modes such as greenways to access higher order services and amenities at more central and accessible locations.
Facilities to be funded by development contributions schemes made by elected members under section 48 of the 2000 Act, and conditions attached to permissions requiring contributions to be made towards such schemes, may include open spaces, and recreational and community facilities.
In accordance with section 63(3) of the Local Government Act 2001, local authorities are independent in the performance of their functions. The Office of the Planning Regulator is presently carrying out initial research into sporting facilities and the planning system. As part of this, they are liaising with Sport Ireland and other sporting bodies to examine how local authorities can more effectively plan for the provision of sports and recreational facilities within communities.
Sport Ireland is a prescribed body for the purposes of plan-making in accordance with the Planning and Development (Prescribed Persons - Statutory Plans) Regulations 2025 (S.I. No. 458 of 2025). This means Sport Ireland will be given notice by the planning authority of any new plan and they will be able to make submissions in writing to the planning authority in relation to the plan.
Responsibility for Government policy on sport and the funding and functions of Sport Ireland lies with my colleague the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport.
627. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding any review of the qualifying income thresholds for cost rental housing developments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3326/26]
View answer628. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding the research and analysis that informed the decision regarding the qualifying income thresholds for cost rental housing developments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3327/26]
View answer629. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to cases whereby an individual cannot qualify for cost rental housing due to being below the income threshold but if they apply with their partner, they are over the income threshold; the actions he will take to address cases like this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3328/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 627, 628 and 629 together.
Cost Rental housing was introduced in 2021 as a new form of housing tenure in Ireland, where the tenant pays a rent which is set to cover the cost of delivering, managing and maintaining the home. It is targeted at people on moderate incomes who do not qualify for social housing but who may be facing affordability pressures in the private rental market. Cost Rental tenancies also offer long-term security of tenure.
Eligibility and income parameters are a key tool in targeting State-supported Cost Rental homes at those who fall within the moderate income cohort. The primary condition for accessing Cost Rental housing is a net annual income under a certain limit, which since 1 August 2023 has been €66,000 per year for homes in Dublin and €59,000 elsewhere, set through secondary legislation. Net income is defined as gross income with income tax, USC, PRSI contributions and pension contributions deducted.
If an applicant household has a combined net income above the limit they are not eligible for a Cost Rental tenancy, even if one member of the household would have an individual income under the limit when the income of their partner was excluded.
The legislation does not set a minimum 'income threshold' for Cost Rental, but as with any letting of a home, the landlord must consider the issues of affordability and tenancy sustainability. A landlord such as an Approved Housing Body, a Local Authority or the Land Development Agency will assess prospective Cost Rental tenants to ensure they can sustainably afford the rent over the long term, and to do this a landlord may employ financial metrics, such as a rent-to-income ratio.
The legislation governing Cost Rental gives broad scope to consider a range of factors when setting these household income limits, rather than tying the decision to any one single metric or issue. These factors may include changing economic conditions, Government policy priorities, the current state of the Cost Rental sector and future plans for the tenure.
The 2025 Programme for Government includes a commitment to "keep the income criteria for cost rental under review", in order to ensure they remain fit for purpose. My Department is currently progressing this work.
630. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the responsibilities a county council continues to have for people on their housing list after they allocate them housing with a housing body where issues with maintenance or other works arise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3337/26]
View answerA person on a local authority social housing waiting list who avails of a tenancy provided by an Approved Housing Body (AHB), is effectively a private tenant of that AHB. Accordingly, the AHB must comply with the statutory private rental standards and register the tenancy with the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB). Thereafter, the AHB and the tenant can avail of services through the RTB.
The Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 specify minimum standards for private rental accommodation across a range of areas, including structural repair, sanitary facilities, heating, ventilation, natural light, fire safety and the safety of gas, oil and electrical supplies. The Regulations apply to all properties let or available for let, including from AHBs.
Respective local authorities are responsible for ensuring landlords comply with the Regulations. Some €10.5 million will be provided by my Department to local authorities this year to help them meet their private rental inspection targets.
Maintenance and works on AHB owned properties is a matter for each AHB, with costs funded primarily through tenant rents. In some instances, funding may also be available from my Department as a contribution towards the upkeep of properties. For example, a contribution may be available under the Rental Accommodation Scheme towards a tenant's rent in a Capital Assistance Scheme funded property; a monthly Payment and Availability payment is paid under the Capital Acquisition and Leasing Facility scheme; and, an annual maintenance payment is paid under the Capital Loan and Subsidy Scheme.
Ultimately, the onus is on each AHB to ensure adequate budgetary provision is made for the proper upkeep of their social homes.
631. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he plans to bring in planning exemptions for the installation of solar panels on public buildings or community buildings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3338/26]
View answerMy Department introduced the Planning and Development (Solar Safeguarding Zone) Regulations 2022, which came into effect on 5 October 2022 and provided for substantial updates to the provisions regarding planning exemptions for rooftop solar installations.
There is now no rooftop limit on houses and new exemptions were also introduced for the erection of solar panels on apartments and certain other buildings including hospitals, libraries, educational buildings and places of worship.
All exemptions are subject to certain conditions and limitations such as minimum distances from the edge of the roof and the general restrictions on exempted development in respect of protected structures and Architectural Conservation Areas.
My Department considers these provisions to be an effective measure which have significantly assisted with the roll out of rooftop solar, particularly on the domestic level, and meeting climate targets in this regard.
