Written Answers Nos. 171-195
171. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason victims of the defective concrete product scandals are treated so differently by the remediation/redress schemes available to homeowners in the east and west coasts of Ireland; and his plans to change this. [3635/26]
View answerThe Defective Concrete Blocks Grant (DCB) Scheme covers 100% of the costs of the remediation works approved, subject to the grant rates and overall grant cap of €462,000. It is neither a redress nor a compensation scheme, rather it is a grant scheme to enable affected homeowners remediate their homes.
The Pyrite Remediation Scheme relates to dwellings that have been significantly damaged as a result of pyritic heave caused by the swelling of hardcore under ground floor slabs. This scheme, which is also not a redress scheme, aims to repair certain homes affected by significant pyritic damage where the homeowners have no other practicable option.
In contrast, the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme relates to dwellings which are damaged due to the use of defective concrete blocks.
The nature of the damage caused is fundamentally different in both schemes. It is primarily for this reason that different approaches are taken to remediating damage. I am satisfied this is the appropriate course of action in the circumstances.
There is only one remediation option under the Pyrite Scheme and the works are repetitive from home to home, which tend to be clustered.
Under the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme scheme there are five potential remediation options with a bespoke solution potentially required for each affected home.
My Department keeps the DCB Grant Scheme under continuous review through consistent and regular stakeholder engagement. This process has identified changes to the scheme that will make it work better for homeowners. These changes are contained in the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks (Amendment) Act 2025 - Act No. 20 of 2025 as passed both Houses of the Oireachtas and subsequently signed into law by the President on the 23 December 2025.
172. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the mechanisms in place for engagement between his Department and local authorities to identify and resolve obstacles to housing delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4949/26]
View answerI established the Housing Activation Office (HAO) in my Department to address the critical need to accelerate housing delivery in Ireland. The HAO includes experts seconded from Uisce Éireann, ESB Networks, the National Transport Authority, Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the local government sector, alongside Departmental staff with expertise in planning, project management and administration. Since its establishment, the HAO has undertaken informal and formal engagement with various stakeholders, including formal meetings with the 31 individual local authorities between mid-September and the end of November 2025. In total, approximately eighty meetings have been held with local authorities.
To support and oversee this work, I have convened a new Housing Activation Delivery Group, comprising senior representatives from Government Departments, Local Government and infrastructure agencies, as well as a Housing Activation Industry Group to ensure regular engagement with industry, with the next meetings due to take place on 28 January 2026.
In addition, I launched the first Call of the new Housing Infrastructure Investment Fund (HIIF) on 21 January 2026, inviting applications for grant funding to support direct investment in critical housing infrastructure projects. This initial Call focuses on advanced infrastructure projects that can be delivered in the 2026–2028 timeframe and activate the early delivery of housing. All Local Authorities and the LDA have been invited to submit applications by 27 February 2026.
My Department will continue to develop the HIIF and intends to broaden its scope in 2026 to include a wider range of public and private sector delivery partners. The primary aim is to build a rolling programme of investment that addresses obstacles to the delivery of housing.
The HAO will also continue to work with all relevant stakeholders, including local authorities, to coordinate the delivery of infrastructure projects needed to unlock housing development on sites nationwide.
Government is also investing an unprecedented level of funding to 2030, supporting local authorities and the other delivery partners in the provision of social homes and affordable options to households throughout the State. Government is fully committed to working with all stakeholders to deliver social and affordable homes at scale and to continue accelerating social and affordable housing supply. My Department proactively engages with our delivery partners on an ongoing basis.
As part of my Department’s programme of strategic engagement, we are meeting local authorities on the delivery of 90,000 affordable starter home supports, as set out in the new plan Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025 – 2030. As part of this engagement, all local authorities will prepare new Housing Delivery Action Plans, replacing plans made under Housing for All. HDAP’s will set out how the Starter Homes Programme will be implemented within each administrative area. This development of HDAP’s will be undertaken in collaboration with delivery partners, including the Land Development Agency and Approved Housing Bodies, and will be informed by local needs, taking account of the requirement to provide the right mix of homes within their area.
173. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the revised defective concrete blocks scheme will provide retrospective reimbursement to homeowners in Fingal who have already completed restoration or remediation works prior to the council’s inclusion in the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5055/26]
View answerThe Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 which underpins the enhanced Defective Concrete Block Scheme was commenced in June 2023.
The Scheme is currently open to applications in five counties, namely Clare, Donegal, Limerick, Mayo and Sligo.
On the basis of the recommendations made by the Housing Agency in their final report to me, I intend to shortly bring the matter to Government seeking approval for the making of an Order designating the relevant parts of Fingal County Council as being part of the DCB Scheme.
It should be noted the 2022 Act, as approved by the Oireachtas, does not provide for the retrospective payment of remediation grants, where remediation work was completed prior to entry to the scheme.
174. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for a breakdown of the number of properties which have availed of the planning exemption for change of use from commercial to residential, in 2025, by local authority, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5022/26]
View answerThe Planning and Development (Amendment) Regulations 2018, S.I. No. 30/2018, provide for an exemption from the need to obtain planning permission for the change of use of certain vacant commercial buildings, including vacant above ground floor premises, to residential use such as ‘above shop’ living. These Exempted Development Regulations were extended in 2022, to also include former pubs and were also recently extended in timeframe to apply up to the end of 2028. The planning exemptions are one of a suite of measures to encourage potential homeowners to convert vacant commercial buildings to residential use such as ‘above shop’ living, to increase housing supply and drive the regeneration of our town centres.
A limit of a total nine residential units per development can be provided under this planning exemption. The Regulations require the developer to notify the planning authority at least two weeks prior to the commencement of such a proposed change of use and related works.
Local authorities provide details annually on the notifications they receive from developers to my Department for the preceding year with the most recent returns available for 2024. From 2018 up to the end of 2024, local authorities nationally received 1,457 notifications from developers intending to avail of this planning exemptions. If fully carried out, these notifications would result in 3,429 new homes across the country. Dublin City Council had the highest number of 153 such exemption notifications received between 2018-2024, which would provide 445 homes, if fully enacted.
Exemption Annual Returns data is available at Notifications received by local authorities under planning permission exemptions for converting commercial property into homes on my Department's website:
www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/publications/notifications-received-by-local-authorities-under-planning-permission-exemptions-for-converting-commercial-property-into-homes/ .
175. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to his reply on the operation of the first home scheme; his views on whether the current county-by-county price ceilings are creating significant distortions in housing delivery, particularly where counties such as Tipperary have substantially lower ceilings than neighbouring local authority areas; if he will give a policy direction to the First Home Scheme DAC to move towards a simplified tiered model, with one ceiling for Dublin and Cork and a second ceiling for all other counties; the way in which such an approach could better support equitable private housing delivery and affordability across the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1455/26]
View answer225. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether, in light of representations from the construction sector, including concerns raised by an organisation (details supplied), he accepts that lower first home scheme price ceilings in counties such as Tipperary are actively discouraging private housing delivery, as developers face higher construction costs without corresponding scheme support; the assessment that has been undertaken of the impact of price ceilings on housing supply, particularly in regional and Border counties; if the six-monthly review process adequately reflects real construction costs and market conditions, rather than solely historic purchase data; the changes he plans to pursue, to ensure the scheme supports housing delivery on an equal footing across all regions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1456/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 175 and 225 together.
The First Home Scheme is a demand led scheme, supporting first-time buyers, self-builders and fresh start applicants to bridge the gap between their mortgage capacity and deposit and the price of the new home.
The First Home Scheme Designated Activity Company (DAC), is fully responsible for the operation of the First Home Scheme on behalf of all shareholders – the State and participating pillar banks.
In order to minimise the risk of price distortions in the First-Time Buyer market, the First Home Scheme introduced the concept of Local Authority Price Ceilings from the outset of the Scheme. At its launch, the DAC announced it would review all price ceilings at 6-month intervals. These reviews take into account a range of factors, including the median price and volume of new builds purchased by first time buyers in each local authority area, including at sub county level where relevant. These reviews allow the Scheme to remain adaptive to local market conditions, while also providing support to first time buyers and promoting additional housing supply while mitigating local price distortions. Any change to the methodology of how price ceiling reviews are conducted are a matter for the DAC.
At the end of December 2025, the DAC published the outcome of its seventh scheduled review of the price ceilings that apply to qualifying homes and subsequently revised price ceilings. New price ceilings were agreed for 17 local authority areas, including Tipperary, and these ceilings came into effect on 1 January 2026. The First Home Scheme DAC will continue to monitor the price ceilings as part of any future review.
The new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities, contains significant initiatives to reduce costs of construction at a national level. These include updated apartment design standards, reduced tax liabilities, VAT reduction on apartments and standardised design approaches which have the potential to result in significant cost savings making them more viable to construct. The plan also contains a range of actions to support modern methods of construction (MMC), building on the initiatives already in place. MMC has the potential to boost productivity, increase efficiency and improve sustainability in the construction sector. Reductions in delivery timeframes of up to 40%, greater cost certainty and reduced changes during construction have offered both cost and time savings. These initiatives should help reduce the cost of new homes in all local authorities, including Tipperary.
176. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the Voids Return Programme will open for 2026; the total funding to be made available; and whether the €11,000 average cap will remain in place [3474/26]
View answerThe management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, is a matter for each individual local authority under s.58 of the Housing Act 1966. Local authorities must also ensure all tenanted properties comply with the provisions of the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019. To this end, they must make adequate budgetary provision for housing repairs and cyclical maintenance utilising the significant housing rental income available to them as part of the annual budgetary process.
Notwithstanding these obligations, my Department will provide some €260 million as a contribution towards the remediation and maintenance of local authority homes through various funding programmes in 2026. This includes €40 million under the Planned Maintenance and Voids Programme to specifically support this work in 2026, with the programme requirements and allocations issuing to local authorities in due course. That said, I expect the maximum average of €11,000 per property will remain in place.
177. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he is considering any additional measures to alleviate concerns of landlords and tenants in advance of the introduction of rental reforms for new tenancies, which is prompting some landlords to consider leaving the market, leaving tenants without a place to live; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5007/26]
View answerOn 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 legal drafting by the Office of Parliamentary Counsel. 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.
All landlords will retain the right to terminate a tenancy where there is a breach of tenant obligations or where the dwelling is no longer suitable to the accommodation needs of the tenant household.
For existing tenancies (i.e. those created on or before 28 February 2026), resetting of rents to market value will not be allowed. The restriction on annual rent increases will continue to apply to existing and new tenancies.
The Bill will include a number of provisions to mitigate the impact of 6 year Tenancies of Minimum Duration (TMDs) on a smaller landlord (i.e. a landlord who is not a company and has three or fewer tenancies). A smaller landlord will be allowed to terminate a tenancy at any time during a 6 year TMD if the landlord requires the property for a family member (spouse/civil partner/parent/child) or where the landlord intends to sell the rented dwelling due to hardship (to be prescribed in law) and does not wish to do so with the tenant(s) in situ). A smaller landlord will also be allowed to terminate a tenancy using the limited grounds under section 34 of the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004 to 2025 (RTA) at the end of each 6-year period while the tenancy continues to exist.
Larger landlords (a company and/or a landlord with four or more tenancies) will not have the right to terminate a tenancy in the context of sale; landlord/family member occupation; substantial refurbishment/renovation; or change of use at any time.
The policy proposals for stronger tenancy protections will apply to new tenancies created from 1 March 2026, which 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 by a smaller landlord (with three or fewer tenancies) with a new tenant.
Existing tenancies do not become tenancies of minimum duration on 1 March 2026 and the ending of existing tenancies will not be impacted by the changes.
In order to stimulate new investment and keep existing landlords in the market, resetting of rents to market value for new tenancies (i.e. a first time tenancy between parties) created on or after 1 March 2026 will be allowed. This will only be allowed if the previous tenant leaves of their own volition, or has breached their tenant obligations or the dwelling is no longer suitable to the accommodation needs of the tenant household. This measure will also facilitate landlords to reduce rents for tenants if they wish, knowing they would be able to reset to the market rent at the start of a new tenancy. It is intended to continue, from 1 March 2026, to allow the rent for a new rental dwelling be set to market value upon the commencement of its first tenancy. The first rent setting after a substantial change in the nature of a rented dwelling will also continue to be allowed to be set to market value. The text of the Bill will be finalised for publication as soon as possible. The Bill will be subject to debate, and open to amendment, during the legislative process in the Houses of the Oireachtas.
A detailed communications campaign by my Department, in conjunction with the 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/
178. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will report on the Starter Homes Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4866/26]
View answer241. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his priorities for affordable housing in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4867/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 178 and 241 together.
Affordable housing remains a central priority for this Government. Building on the progress achieved under Housing for All, the new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities, continues the Government’s focus on significantly increasing the supply of affordable homes for purchase and rent across the country.
The Starter Homes Programme is a key element of the Government’s strategy to improve access to home ownership, particularly for first-time buyers and renters. The programme reinforces the existing affordable supports, including the First Home Scheme and cost-rental delivery, to provide a coherent and effective pathway to home ownership.
Key priorities under the programme include scaling up affordable purchase delivery through local authorities and the Land Development Agency, and expanding cost-rental housing. A strong emphasis will also be placed on the effective use of public lands, reducing delivery costs and supporting local authorities through targeted funding and capacity building. All local authorities are now required to prepare Housing Delivery Action Plans to identify local housing needs and set out clear pathways to delivery for the remainder of the decade. These action plans, which will be developed in the first half of this year, will play an important role in ensuring that affordable housing supply is aligned with demand within local authority areas and are then delivered at pace.
My Department will continue to work closely with local authorities, the other delivery partners, and the construction sector to accelerate affordable housing delivery, thereby ensuring that more people have a realistic opportunity to secure a home they can afford. The focus is on accelerating delivery of affordable housing across the whole of the country to meet needs across our cities, towns and villages, recognising the varying affordability challenge in different parts of the country in order to ensure that people who aspire to home ownership have the opportunity to secure affordable homes
179. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will issue an order to allow the cutting of turf at bogs locations (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3673/26]
View answerI refer to my reply to Question No. 69 of 25 November 2025 which sets out the position in this matter.
180. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures he is taking to support local authorities to tackle vacancy and dereliction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5043/26]
View answer190. Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the actions he is taking to address vacancy and dereliction across the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4868/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 180 and 190 together.
Working to end dereliction and vacancy is a key priority in the Government's new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities. The Plan will ensure that the activities and resources used to address vacancy and dereliction are co-ordinated and that legislative powers are used proactively to work to bring dereliction and vacancy to an end.
The range of initiatives and funding mechanisms introduced in recent years are set out in the Vacant Homes Action Plan and they are successfully reducing the levels of vacancy and dereliction right across the country.
A key measure is the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, introduced in July 2022. The grant provides up to €70,000 for the refurbishment of vacant and derelict properties for occupation as a principal private residence and for properties which will be made available for rent. There has been significant interest in the grant since its launch, with over 14,900 applications made to local authorities as of Q3 2025 and over €200 million of grant funding paid out across the country.
In December, I announced a new enhanced support package of up to €140,000 to bring vacant ‘above shop’ space in our cities, towns and villages into use as homes, which will be made available by end Q1 this year. I have also announced that additional funding for resources of up to €100,000 per annum would be made available to local authorities to support their work tackling vacancy and dereliction.
The CPO Activation Programme, launched in 2023, requires local authorities to take a proactive, systematic approach to identifying and activating vacant and derelict properties. It includes use of their compulsory purchase powers under the Derelict Sites Act and the Housing Act, when engagement with the owners of these properties is not successful in bringing them back into use. In October 2025, my Department published data for 2023 and 2024 on the CPO Activation Programme on its website, which can be accessed at the following link: assets.gov.ie/static/documents/bdfef028/CPO_Activation_Programme_-_LA_use_of_CPO_powers.pdf
Call 3 of the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF), as well as Social Housing Investment Programme funding, is able to provide the finance required to compulsorily acquire properties in support of a local authority’s wider CPO Activation Programme targets. To date, over 1,370 properties have now been approved for URDF Call 3 programmes, potentially resulting in over 5,600 homes. The Housing Finance Agency can also provide funding to local authorities for these acquisitions.
Delivering Homes, Building Communities reinforces and expands the range of measures being implemented by Government to work to end dereliction and long term vacancy.
As well as the new Above the Shop Grant and other measures, a new Derelict Property Tax will be introduced - to be administered and collected by the Revenue Commissioners - to bring derelict properties back into use.
Under the Living City Initiative, a tax incentive scheme to encourage people to live in ‘special regeneration areas’, tax relief can be claimed for money spent on refurbishing or converting residential or commercial buildings. The aim of the initiative is to bring back life into the heart of the relevant cities and towns by encouraging people to convert suitable properties. Budget 2026 extended the Living City Initiative to 2030 and expanded it to include residential properties built before 1975 and the towns of Athlone, Drogheda, Dundalk, Letterkenny and Sligo.
I firmly believe the commitment Government has made to addressing vacancy and dereliction and the actions under Delivering Homes, Building Communities will play a vital role in delivering homes across the country.
181. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware of social housing tenants in Galway city and county experiencing housing maintenance issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4966/26]
View answerThe management, letting and tenanting of local authority social homes is a matter for each individual local authority under s.58 of the Housing Act 1966. Local authorities must also ensure all tenanted properties comply with the provisions of the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019. To this end, they must make adequate budgetary provision for housing repairs and cyclical maintenance utilising the significant housing rental income available to them as part of the annual budgetary process.
Notwithstanding these obligations, my Department will provide some €260 million as a contribution towards the remediation and maintenance of local authority homes through various funding programmes in 2026. This includes €40 million under the Planned Maintenance and Voids Programme to specifically support this work. Local authorities are responsible for the detailed administration of the programme, including assessing, approving and prioritising works.
Furthermore, my Department is continuing to work closely with local authorities to promote preventative maintenance of social housing, informed by stock condition surveys. Currently surveys are progressing with some 10,600 completed to date. These ongoing stock condition surveys, expected to be completed on all local authority housing stock over the next four or five years, and planned and responsive maintenance and programmes such as the national regeneration programme, Energy Retrofitting and Voids will continue to improve housing quality.
182. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on the provision of allocated housing for those that work in frontline public sector jobs including teachers, nurses and members of An Garda Síochána; if this is under review within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3346/26]
View answerThe Government is acutely aware of the housing challenges faced by many of those that work in frontline public sector jobs. We are working to address these challenges head on.
The Government's new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities, reinforces and expands the range of existing measures being implemented by the State to tackle the issues of supply and affordability. This is enabled by a record €6 billion capital investment in 2026 alone - the highest ever capital investment in the history of the State. We will deliver 90,000 affordable housing supports over the lifetime of the plan, under the starter home programme, to provide for more affordable homes to purchase and rent.
Cost Rental is a key element of the Government's strategy to improve affordability in the rental sector and to provide secure, long-term homes for moderate-income households, including those who work in frontline public sector jobs. The core principle of Cost Rental is that the rents cover the development, management and maintenance costs of the homes. This ensures that the long-term future of the homes is financially secure, while also having rents that are not subject to the pressures of the open market. All Cost Rental projects, supported by the State, must also achieve starting rents that are at least 25% below comparable local market levels.
In line with the Programme for Government commitment to earmark certain cost rental homes for key local workers, I made the Affordable Housing Act 2021 (Cost Rental Allocation Plan) Regulations 2025, last July. These Regulations allow for Cost Rental landlords to employ Allocation Plans which may prioritise particular homes for those with a link to an area though residence, employment or education. This will support people to live and work in their local area.
My Department continues to explore further options for targeting Cost Rental homes at key workers.
183. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the ongoing work in his Department to update the national planning statement on wind energy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3730/26]
View answer196. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when updated wind farm regulations will issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4947/26]
View answer254. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update on preparations to devise new wind energy guidelines for planning authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4953/26]
View answer255. Deputy Natasha Newsome Drennan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the development of revised planning guidelines for wind turbines. [1805/26]
View answer389. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the updated guidelines will be incorporated into the forthcoming National Planning Statement; if he will specify when that statement is expected to be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73124/25]
View answer391. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the details of when the regulations/guidelines for large wind turbines will be published; if the guidelines will include noise regulations that are compatible with the World Health Organization standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [72815/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 183, 196, 254, 255, 389 and 391 together.
My Department is currently undertaking a focused review of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines which will inform a new National Planning Statement on Wind Energy under the new Planning and Development Act 2024. The review is addressing a number of key aspects of the Guidelines including noise, setback distance, shadow flicker, community obligation, community dividend and grid connections.
Chapters 1 through 4 of Part 3 of the Planning and Development Act 2024, came into effect on October 2, 2025, providing the statutory basis for the National Planning Framework and Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies, and introduces provisions for National Planning Statements. These National Planning Statements replace Ministerial guidelines, often referred to as s.28 of the Act of 2000. These are subject to environmental screening and assessment and where appropriate, stakeholder and public consultation and require approval by Government such is the central importance of planning matters to delivery of objectives across a wide range of areas.
My Department, in conjunction with the Department of the Climate, Environment, and Energy (DCEE) which has primary responsibility for environmental noise matters, has been working to advance guidance on the noise aspect of the National Planning Statement, formerly known as the revised Wind Energy Development Guidelines, which is highly technical in nature. As part of their work, which is now substantially complete, the noise consultants have assessed the impact of human health from turbine noise having regard to international best practice and standards, including the current World Health Organisation (WHO) standards on noise.
In addition to work on the noise aspects of the National Planning Statement, the evolving policy and technical context including the new Planning and Development Act 2024 and the revision of the National Planning Framework reinforces the need to ensure that the finalised Guidelines, once issued, are fit for purpose.
In line with EU Directive requirements, a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is being carried out on the draft National Planning Statement as part of the review process. In this regard, my Department intends to undertake a public consultation on updated draft Guidelines as part of the SEA process whereby all interested parties will have an opportunity to submit observations on the draft National Planning Statement. Finalised National Planning Statements will be prepared following detailed analysis and consideration of the submissions received during the consultation phase.
My Department is working towards concluding the finalisation of the National Planning Statement having regard to the intended public consultation and the impact of associated reforms and reviews including the revision of the NPF. The current 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines remain in force, pending the finalisation of the review.
184. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline any policies that his Department has in relation to in-fill housing in local authority estates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4920/26]
View answerFunding is available through a range of funding programmes delivered by my Department for the delivery of new build social housing and the regeneration of local authority housing estates, including for infill social housing in established estates.
The delivery of such housing can be supported as part of broader regeneration projects, with housing regeneration specific funding available for the remediation of existing housing estates and the delivery of additional housing where design and space requirements allow. It can also be supported as new build housing through my Department's mainstream capital build programmes, such as the Social Housing Capital Investment Programme, facilitating local authorities to maximise the use of available space in established estates that do not require significant renewal or regeneration works.
Ultimately, the nature of social housing delivery, whether in-fill housing or otherwise, is a matter for each local authority in context of their capital housing programmes and the identified housing need.
185. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current uptake of the first home scheme in County Offaly; the steps being taken to increase awareness and access; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4948/26]
View answerAffordability and the chance to own a home is at the heart of the Government’s housing policy, as embodied within the new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities. The Plan reinforces and expands the range of existing measures being implemented by the Government to tackle the issues of supply and affordability, thereby supporting the increased provision of new homes to purchase and rent.
The Government is investing an unprecedented level of funding to support housing supply, which will support the new Starter Homes Programme in delivering an average of 15,000 affordable housing supports annually to 2030. With a strong focus on deliverability, the plan will enable housing delivery partners, including the First Home Scheme, to accelerate the supply of new starter home supports, providing thousands of individuals and families with increased access to secure and affordable housing solutions nationwide.
The First Home Scheme supports first-time buyers in purchasing new houses and apartments in the private market, or building their own home, through the use of an equity share model. The Scheme is overseen and managed by the First Home Scheme Ireland Designated Activity Company (DAC), on behalf of the shareholders - the State and participating mortgage lenders. This DAC is responsible for collating and issuing statistical information as it pertains to the scheme. To Q4 2025, the Scheme has approved 80 eligible applicants to purchase their homes in Offaly and has seen a continuous increase in uptake year on year.
The Government is committed to increasing access to home ownership including through the continued support of the First Home Scheme. On 13 May 2025, the Government approved an additional €30 million State commitment to the First Home Scheme, bringing the total State commitment for the Scheme to €370 million. This is matched 50:50 by the participating banks, and brings the total commitment to the scheme to €740 million. The new housing plan includes an action to work with the participating banks to extend the First Home Scheme to 2030. Furthermore, an action was included to engage with the pillar banks to develop a support for first-time buyers seeking to purchase and renovate derelict or long-term vacant properties.
The First Home Scheme has an active marketing and advertising strategy, including social and traditional media channels and attendance at relevant events. Additionally, a Starter Homes communications campaign led by my Department will raise awareness of the Government's work in promoting affordable homeownership across Ireland, to help first-time buyer’s access affordable, quality housing. The campaign will also focus on increasing awareness of affordable housing and driving engagement across digital and traditional advertising channels about the different affordable and Cost Rental supports available.
186. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the supply of affordable purchase properties and plans to reform the Affordable Purchase Fund. [4549/26]
View answerThe Government is fully committed to delivering housing at scale and continuing to accelerate housing supply across all tenures, including affordable purchase. Affordability and the chance to own a home is at the heart of the Government’s housing policy, as embodied within the new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities.
Under the new plan, the supports established under the previous plan, Housing for All, will be retained, streamlined and expanded to deliver the new Starter Homes Programme, ensuring that new households continue to be supported by the Government.
The Affordable Housing Fund is open to applications and available to support all local authorities to deliver new housing to meet affordably constrained new housing needs identified in their area. To date, funding of almost €633m has been approved from the Affordable Housing Fund for 23 local authorities to support their delivery of over 6,900 affordable purchase and cost rental homes. By end September last, local authorities had delivered 2,400 of these homes and the pipeline for end 2025 delivery and for 2026 and 2027 was strong.
The local authority starter homes pipeline continues to grow as new schemes are identified, planned and approved and will be enhanced further as the higher Part V requirements introduced in the Affordable Housing Act 2021 begin to bear fruit.
Furthermore, the First Home Scheme, and Help to Buy tax refund scheme, which support first-time buyers in purchasing new houses and apartments in the private market, and the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant to support affordably constrained purchasers of vacant properties to achieve their home ownership ambitions are also available to support purchasers nationwide.
My Department, along with the Housing Agency and the Housing Delivery Coordination Office of the Local Government Management Agency, will continue to advise and support local authorities in planning and delivering their response to affordable housing need in their areas.
187. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the planning guidelines for solar farms as detailed in the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3348/26]
View answer262. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the Programme for Government commitment to establish planning guidelines for solar energy developments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4945/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 187 and 262 together.
The Programme for Government 2025 – Securing Ireland’s Future reaffirms Ireland’s ambitious targets of 8 GW of solar capacity connected to the grid by 2030, to assist with meeting the requirement of 80% of electricity demand supplied by renewables. Solar energy is a growing source of electricity with circa 2.1 GW of solar power capacity currently installed in Ireland, however further solar capacity is required for Ireland to meet its domestic and international targets.
For this reason, my Department will prepare a new National Planning Statement on Solar Energy under the new Planning and Development Act 2024. My Department has begun an initial scoping process to identify the component factors relevant to the preparation of the National Planning Statement for solar energy development, including any appropriate environmental assessment and public consultation requirements and other relevant European obligations such as the Renewable Energy Directive (RED III), which will determine the timeframe for publication of said guidelines.
This scoping process remains at an early stage but I am satisfied that the existing and evolving planning system, supported by Government policy more generally, provides a sufficiently robust policy and legislative framework to facilitate the rollout of solar energy development in a sustainable manner and to assist with meeting our renewable electricity requirements while balancing the perspectives of local communities and allowing for public and stakeholder engagement.
In the interim, there are currently no statutory planning guidelines in place in respect of solar energy development. Proposals for individual solar energy developments are subject to the statutory requirements of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and the Planning and Development Act 2024, as amended, in the same manner as other proposed developments, with planning applications made to the relevant local planning authority, or An Coimisiún Pleanála on appeal.
The Programme for Government also committed to a Land Use Review to ensure that optimal land use options inform all relevant Government decisions. The second phase of the Land Use Review, which is currently underway, will seek to identify the key demands on land (both public and private) to inform policies for land use across key government objectives, improving socioeconomic, climate, biodiversity, water, and air quality outcomes. The Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine are working towards the conclusion of the second stage of the review. Any National Planning Statement on solar energy development will take into careful consideration the findings of the Land Use Review.
188. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason for the delay in getting housing developments started on State-owned lands in Dublin 8 and 12 (details supplied); the timeframe for commencement of building work; and the number of homes expected to be built on each site. [4426/26]
View answerThe Government continues to maintain a strong focus on the use of vacant and under utilised state-owned and public land for housing, having agreed the transfer of 37 sites to the Land Development Agency (LDA) for the development of affordable and social housing.
The Digital Hub site, currently occupied by the Digital Hub Development Agency (DHDA), was agreed for transfer by the Government under Housing for All. Planning permission for enabling works on part of the project lands was granted in September 2025. The LDA is continuing to develop designs which respond to the challenges that come with developing a vacant, urban, heritage site in order to submit an application for new homes on the 3.7 -hectare site. Approximately 550 homes are planned in the LDA’s masterplan.
Similarly, the OPW and Irish Rail lands in Inchicore were also agreed by the Government for transfer to the LDA in Housing for All. These lands, together with land owned by ESB, represent a significant quantum of public land in the Inchicore/Jamestown Road area and sit within the wider City Edge regeneration opportunity. Much of these lands are currently in operational use by Irish Rail as a train maintenance and repair depot, by the OPW as a storage and engineering facility and by the ESB as a high voltage electricity sub-station of regional importance. As a result of these current and former uses, there are significant constraints across these lands that require unlocking before residential development can be delivered.
The LDA is also working in partnership with Dublin City Council on 2 local authority owned sites In Dublin 8 and Dublin 12 namely:
• Dolphin House Estate Regeneration Project, Dublin 8 (Phase 2 & 3), a major regeneration project that will deliver over 600 social and affordable homes across phases 2 and 3. This project will replace the existing homes with new quality energy efficient apartments and houses for both current and future residents.
• Bluebell Waterways, Dublin 12, where planning was approved last year for the regeneration and delivery of 383 new Cost Rental and Social homes, with construction targeted to commence this year.
Further information on these development schemes can be found on the LDA's website lda.ie/projects.
Finally, regarding the former Blindcraft factory and the adjacent former Unilever site on Davitt Road, I understand that these sites are in the ownership of the HSE and the current use thereof was outlined in responses to the Deputy by the HSE under PQ's 35756/25 and PQ 35758/25 respectively.
189. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the ongoing contact that is taking place, and planned, with local authorities in relation to monitoring housing targets on a monthly basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4933/26]
View answerDelivering Homes, Building Communities aims to deliver 300,000 new homes in the period to 2030, including 72,000 social homes and 90,000 starter home supports. The new plan will build on progress made under the previous plan Housing for All, with over 19,000 affordable housing supports having been delivered under this plan since 2021.
Local authorities will play a key role in the delivery of the social and affordable starter home targets in the plan, within their local area. They will shortly commence the preparation of new Housing Delivery Action Plans, for review by my Department, setting out how the national social and affordable housing targets will be implemented within their area. These action plans will be completed and published by the local authorities in they coming months.
In preparing their Housing Delivery Action Plan, each local authority will consider local conditions to ensure the right mix of homes to respond to local need and priorities. They will engage and collaborate with their delivery partners, including the Land Development Agency and the Approved Housing Bodies. This will inform the local authority in planning their delivery of both social and affordable housing, to meet need to 2030.
As part of my Department’s programme of strategic engagement with the delivery partners on affordable housing targets, my officials are engaging with key local authorities and other stakeholders, on the Action Plan process.
With regard to social housing, my Department is committed to supporting all local authorities to meet their social housing targets and is working closely with our delivery partners to advance further proposals for social housing delivery, to ensure a strong pipeline into the future.
My Department will continue to monitor delivery of the social housing pipeline, as set out in the Social Housing Construction Status Report (CSR), which is published by my Department on its website on a quarterly basis. This report provides details of social housing developments and their location that have been completed, are under construction or are progressing through the various stages of the design and tender processes. The most recent publication was for Quarter 3 2025 and is available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/cb885-social-housing-construction-projects-status-reports/.
The data reflects the strong momentum that is occurring in new build social housing delivery, with growth accelerating and robust pipelines in place. My Department is committed to supporting all local authorities to meet their social housing targets and is working closely with our delivery partners to advance further proposals for social housing delivery to ensure a strong pipeline into the future.
My Department also publishes comprehensive programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on affordable and social housing delivery activity, by local authorities and other delivery partners. This 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/.
191. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures he is taking to ensure that the formal transfer of responsibility for private water and wastewater system is sped up; to outline the process through which this takes place; if there is dedicated staffing/engineers in each local authority to carry out these duties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5042/26]
View answerThere are a number of housing estates across the country that rely on Developer Provided Infrastructure (DPI) for water and wastewater services and which are not currently connected to the Uisce Éireann network or taken in charge.
Since 1 January 2024, Uisce Éireann, as the national water authority, is responsible for the progressive remediation and resolution of DPI infrastructure nationally. This represents an important change, providing a single, coordinated national approach to addressing what are often complex and long-standing legacy issues, and ensuring greater consistency in how such cases are managed.
The process involves Uisce Éireann, working with local authorities, identifying DPI locations and prioritising them on a risk-based basis, taking account of public health, environmental compliance and service reliability. Uisce Éireann carries out technical and environmental assessments and determines the most appropriate resolution option in each case. This may include remediation works to bring infrastructure up to the required standard, connection to the public network where feasible, or other site-specific solutions. Once remediated, infrastructure can be transferred into Uisce Éireann’s ownership and long-term operation.
It is not intended that Uisce Éireann immediately take over the day-to-day operation of DPI installations. Existing interim operating and maintenance arrangements remain in place until remediation and formal transfer can be completed. Given the scale, condition and complexity of DPI infrastructure nationally, resolution will necessarily be phased over time.
My Department continues to engage closely with Uisce Éireann and local authorities to oversee progress and support the delivery of this programme.
Staffing arrangements within individual local authorities, including the assignment of engineers or other personnel, remain a matter for the Chief Executive of each authority. However, the transfer of responsibility to Uisce Éireann is intended to reduce reliance on ad-hoc local arrangements and to provide greater certainty and long-term assurance for residents.
192. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures being taken to ensure thatch cottages remain part of our rural vernacular by supporting thatch cottage owners who face prohibitive insurance premiums; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4946/26]
View answerI am very much aware of the issues that are currently facing thatched houses.
There are various schemes within my Department that provide financial support to owners of thatched structures. A dedicated Thatching Grant is available for thatched buildings in use as housing. Applicants can avail of up to €3,810 or two thirds of the approved cost (whichever is less) towards necessary roof repair or renewal. A higher grant (up to €5,714) may be payable for houses on specified islands. For owners of qualifying thatch properties who are also Medical Card holders the maximum grant available is €6,350, or up to 80% of the approved cost (€8,252 for Islands).
Further support is available for historic thatched buildings through the National Built Heritage Service (NBHS), principally under the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS). This scheme is administered by the local authorities and funded by my Department. Since 2023, it has included a dedicated funding stream for historic thatched buildings which offers grants of up to €20,000 for thatching or other conservation work. Owners of historic thatched buildings may also apply for funding from the main stream of the BHIS.
Funding of €500,000 is available each year for the Thatching Grant. Under the schemes operated by the NBHS, which allocate funding at the beginning of each year, €1,250,000 has been awarded to thatched buildings in 2025. Altogether, €1.65m has been made available this year to support works in thatched buildings. This means that, on a per building basis, thatched buildings receive more than three times as much grant funding as protected structures which do not have a thatched roof.
In determining the appropriate level of support, a very important consideration is that the number of skilled thatchers is limited. Last year many owners did not draw down the grants awarded because they were unable to secure the services of a thatcher. Given this constraint, there is a substantial risk that the main effect of further increasing the grant funding available would simply be to drive up the price of thatching work.
Thankfully, important steps have been taken to increase the supply of skilled thatchers. Last year eleven thatcher’s finished an introductory forty-two week course offered by Kilkenny-Carlow Education and Training Board in conjunction with the Heritage Council. These courses, together with the informal training offered by experienced thatchers, will greatly enhance capacity to make full use of the funding supports available.
I am also aware that securing affordable home insurance has proven difficult for owners of thatched buildings in recent years. My Department has carried out research which indicates that this is due to a period of high incidence of fire in thatched buildings, in part due to increased use of wood-burning stoves. To address this issue, my Department has published new fire safety guidelines for thatched property owners and created an advice service to offer further guidance on risk mitigation.
Data gathered by my Department suggests that these activities are having a positive effect, with the number of reported fires in thatch properties falling from an average of 14 per year from 2017-2022, to 6 in the year to September 2023 and 5 in the year to September 2024. I understand that the Department of Finance is liaising with insurers and their representative bodies to seek solutions for thatched buildings based on this improvement. I hope that this will be the first step in ensuring these important structures are maintained.
193. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures he will take to support rightsizing during 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4873/26]
View answerGovernment is committed to increasing housing choices available to older people to facilitate ageing in place with dignity and independence and to support rightsizing on a voluntary basis. The Government’s new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities, includes measures which will increase delivery of housing for older people through increased delivery of social housing, increased delivery of more suitable homes in private housing and increased choice to support voluntary rightsizing.
Delivering Homes, Building Communities will increase choice for older people to voluntarily rightsize through advancing consideration of the availability of bridging finance to support rightsizing, a review of the operation of existing local authority financial contribution schemes and supporting social housing tenants who wish to rightsize to more suitable accommodation.
My Department is advancing these measures now incorporated in the new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities.
194. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider extending the operation of the fresh start principle to separated or divorced partners seeking to buyout their former partner from the family home with the assistance of the local authority mortgage. [4942/26]
View answer251. Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to review the local authority home loan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4869/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 194 and 251 together.
The Local Authority Home Loan is a Government-backed mortgage for creditworthy applicants who cannot get sufficient funding from commercial lenders to purchase or build a home. The loan has been available nationwide from local authorities since 4 January 2022 for first-time buyers and fresh start applicants. The Local Authority Home Loan is a successor loan to the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan. The loan can be used for both the purchase of new and second-hand properties, or to self-build.
Both the Programme for Government 2025 and Delivering Homes: Building Communities commit to reviewing house price and income thresholds of the Local Authority Home Loan to ensure that it remains an accessible route to home ownership in the current housing market.
It is important to note that the Programme for Government 2025 also contains several other measures regarding the Local Authority Home Loan, these include:-
• Creating a new central national administration point for the scheme;
• Examination of the expansion of the Local Authority Home Loan to allow a separated or divorced person to buy the full mortgage on a home; and
• Examination of how the Local Authority Home Loan could support non-bank lender mortgage holders.
My Department is currently examining the feasibility of these actions, including the action related to expanding the Local Authority Home Loan to allow a separated or divorced person to buy the full mortgage on a home; and I will consider these in due course.
In respect of the house price and income limits, these limits have been in place since March 2023. Given developments in the housing market since then, it is timely to review the house price limits and income limits set out in the scheme to ensure that they are appropriate relative to the housing market conditions that now prevail. With all of that said, I can advise that this review is nearing completion. When it is finalised, I will be in a position to consider the recommendations and decide on the appropriate financial thresholds going forward.
195. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will amend the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2025 to continue rent control between tenancies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4678/26]
View answerOn 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 legal drafting by the Office of Parliamentary Counsel. 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 modifications to rent controls have been informed by the findings of the Housing Agency review of Rent Pressure Zones and Potential Policy Options. This review was undertaken to assess the operation of Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) since their introduction and consider their impact on the market and relevant stakeholders, including the retention of landlords and new investment. It was also to consider whether RPZs should continue without change or be removed, modified or replaced. The review involved engagement with a wide variety of stakeholders, including investors, representatives of landlord and tenant advocacy groups, academics and the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB).
The Review identified that Ireland’s current system does appear to be severe for two reasons, firstly it sets its rent cap at 2% or HICP, whichever is lower, meaning that rent increases may not keep pace with inflation, and secondly it does not allow for a resetting of rents to market rates when a tenancy ends. The linking of rent regulation to a property rather than a tenancy, as is the case with RPZs, was viewed as a more stringent system of rent control. The review recommended a modification of rent controls. It also recommended allowing landlords to reset rents to market levels between tenancies and providing for stronger tenant protections to guard against economic evictions.
A national rent control will be introduced to all tenancies which will limit rent increases for tenancies, other than new build apartments and student specific accommodation, to inflation (as per the Consumer Price Index (CPI)) up to a maximum of 2% per annum pro rata. For new build apartments and new student specific accommodation, rent increases will be capped at the level of inflation (i.e. the 2% cap will not apply); the aim is to support investment in such development.
In order to stimulate new investment and keep existing landlords in the market, resetting of rents to market value for new tenancies (i.e. a first time tenancy between parties) created on or after 1 March 2026. This will only be allowed if the previous tenant leaves of their own volition, or has breached their tenant obligations or the dwelling is no longer suitable to the accommodation needs of the tenant household. This measure will also facilitate landlords to reduce rents for tenants if they wish, knowing they would be able to reset to the market rent at the start of a new tenancy.
It is intended to continue, from 1 March 2026, to allow the rent for a new rental dwelling be set to market value upon the commencement of its first tenancy. Also, the first rent setting after a substantial change in the nature of a rented dwelling will also continue to be allowed to be set to market value.
The information provided in this reply 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 boost investment in the supply of homes available for rent and keep existing landlords in the market. The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2026 will be published as soon as possible.
A detailed communications campaign by my Department, in conjunction with the 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/.
