Written Answers Nos. 221-246
221. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide additional funding to local authorities to stop the raising of rents for social housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4677/26]
View answerLocal authorities set and collect rents on their dwellings in accordance with section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. The making or amending of such rent schemes is generally a matter for local authorities within broad principles set out by my Department, including that rent levels should be based on income and reflect tenants’ ability to pay and contain a hardship clause under which tenants can pay a reduced rent for a specified period and under certain circumstances.
Local discretion and flexibility are inherent in the devolved function of administering rent schemes. Local authorities carry regularly review and update their Differential Rent Schemes and carry out reviews of their tenants rent accounts to ensure that the rent payable by tenants reflects their income and their ability to pay. Generally, tenants who earn more pay more while those on the lowest incomes are protected to the greatest extent possible. Decisions regarding any increases in the rents charged are entirely matters for individual local authorities as part of their devolved function of rent setting. I have no role in this regard.
Although elected council members have no formal role in relation to rent setting, which is statutorily an executive function, the process of setting rents is considered by elected members through the annual budgetary process. The legislative basis for the budgetary process is set out in the Local Government Act 2001, as amended by the Local Government Reform Act 2014. It is a matter for each local authority to determine its own spending priorities in the context of the annual budgetary process having regard to both locally identified needs and available resources.
222. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding the consistent monthly increases in homeless figures; if steps are being taken to increase the availability of emergency accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4422/26]
View answerSupporting families and individuals experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness is a priority for my Department and Government.
Increased supply is key to addressing homelessness, meeting need and addressing the challenges in the housing market. The new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities, aims to speed up the delivery of new homes and tackle homelessness. The plan targets the construction of 300,000 homes, including 72,000 social homes and 90,000 affordable housing supports by the end of 2030.
Government is fully committed to working with all stakeholders to deliver social, affordable and cost rental homes at scale and to continue accelerating housing supply across all tenures. A record level of investment is being provided for the delivery of housing in 2026, with €5.2bn in Exchequer capital funding complemented by investment through the Land Development Agency (LDA) and lending from the Housing Finance Agency (HFA), bringing the total capital funding for housing in 2026 to over €9 billion. This record level of funding is supporting the delivery of social, affordable and cost rental homes. The 2026 capital funding will be supplemented by over €2 billion in current funding to address housing needs.
Prevention of homelessness in the first instance is essential with many prevention initiatives already underway in my Department and across Government. This includes the provision of social and affordable housing, HAP and homeless HAP, and our strong tenancy protection legislation. In order to ensure a fully aligned all-of-Government approach under the Plan, there is a commitment to develop a national Homelessness Prevention Framework within which homelessness can be prevented in a structured and planned way with tailored prevention measures for each potential at risk cohort. This Framework will be in place in 2026.
Critical to supporting households to exit homelessness is our continued investment in the social housing programme. €2.9bn of the capital funding for housing in 2026 has been allocated to support the delivery of social homes. This continued investment in the social housing programme will increase the supply of stock available to allocate to households on the social housing waiting list, including households in emergency accommodation.
The Delivering Homes, Building Communities plan also recognises and reaffirms the commitment that emergency accommodation will be provided to those that need it and my Department is working with local authorities to ensure that this commitment is met.
My Department's role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at a local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless services rests with individual housing authorities.
My Department does not fund any homeless service directly but provides funding to housing authorities towards the operational costs of homeless accommodation and related services under Section 10 of the Housing Act, 1988. A homelessness consultative forum has been established in each of the nine homeless regions in accordance with Chapter 6 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2009. Decisions on the range and operation of emergency accommodation services including capacity requirements for emergency accommodation, and the funding required in each region are a matter for individual housing authorities in consultation with the Management Group of the relevant regional joint Homelessness Consultative Forum.
Budget 2026 provides a total allocation of €563.5m to address homelessness. This includes €513.5m in current funding to ensure local authorities can provide sufficient emergency accommodation and related services. Additionally, €50 million in capital funding will allow local authorities to invest in the provision of local authority or NGO owned emergency and transitional accommodation facilities.
My Department is acutely aware of the ongoing challenges faced in sourcing emergency accommodation and the work being done at local authority level to address these challenges and support homeless households. My Department has informed local authorities of the resources and commitments available to address the ongoing provision of capacity in emergency accommodation at local authority level, and my Department is inviting applications for capital funding to develop further supported emergency and transitional accommodation for families and individuals experiencing homelessness.
223. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when victims and survivors of domestic abuse will be able to transfer from one local authority to another, and save their time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4937/26]
View answerAs outlined in Delivering Homes, Building Communities, a protocol to allow households fleeing domestic, sexual and gender-based violence to transfer time spent on a social housing waiting list to another local authority will be established and implemented in H1 2026. My Department is engaging with local authorities to develop this protocol and ensure that is workable, and meets the needs of those who can benefit from it.
Under existing legislative arrangements, a household may apply for social housing support to one local authority only, which may be the authority for the area in which the household normally resides or with which it has a local connection. However, the local authority may agree, at its discretion, to assess the household for support without the need to meet the normally resides or local connection criteria.
A household meeting either the 'normally resides' or 'local connection' condition may specify up to three areas of choice for receipt of support in the areas of all local authorities in the county and city concerned and, if qualified, will be entered on the housing waiting list of each of those local authorities. Accordingly, under existing arrangements, the four Dublin local authorities have arrangements allowing social housing applicants apply for housing in up to two of the other Dublin authorities simultaneously. Similar arrangements apply in the two Cork and two Galway local authorities.
A household may, not less than 12 months after the date on which it is first entered on a housing authority’s housing list, notify the housing authority of application that it wishes to change one, or more than one, area of choice in the application area and a household may change one, or more than one, such area not less than 12 months after its most recent change of an area of choice. An applicant does not lose any time on the list by changing their area of choice.
Generally, is not possible for a household previously on one social housing waiting list to carry the time spent on that list when applying to another local authority. However, local authorities may provide for exceptional or emergency cases to qualified households, allowing immediate housing outside of normal waiting lists priorities, should circumstances require.
224. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the actions he will take to ensure that the process for applying for a vacant property refurbishment grant is as streamlined as possible to encourage an increase in the level of uptake; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3345/26]
View answerThe Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant provides a grant of up to €50,000 for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation as a principal private residence and for properties which will be made available for rent. A top-up grant of up to €20,000 is available where the property is confirmed to be derelict, bringing the total grant available for a derelict property up to a maximum of €70,000. In order to qualify for the grant, the property must be vacant for two years or more at the time of application.
The grant is administered by the 31 local authorities. My Department provides funding of €60,000 per annum to support a full-time dedicated Vacant Homes Officer (VHO) role in each local authority. The provision of central funding reinforces the capacity of local authorities, including through the important role of VHOs, to ensure a dedicated focus on tackling vacancy and dereliction. In addition, my Department has provided funding of €180,000 to support each local authority in their administration of the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant Scheme.
The grant is administered and managed by local authorities, who process and decide on applications in line with the scheme conditions and issue grant payments on completion of approved refurbishment works. VHOs across local authorities are supported in their work by the Vacant Homes Unit in my Department, which provides information and support and facilitates dissemination of information and best practice, including through the VHO Network. Support, advice and guidance is also provided to local authorities by the Property Optimisation Unit in the Housing Agency who have also established a legal and surveyor contract framework that local authorities can avail of to support timely decisions on grant applications and the issuing of payments to applicants.
Comprehensive information on the Grant is available on my Department's website, at the link provided here Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant (www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/services/vacant-property-refurbishment-grant/) including property eligibility requirements, evidence and documentation needed to support a grant application, scheme outline, Frequently Asked Questions and the application form, with information also displayed on the local authorities websites. Information is also available from the Vacant Homes Officer in each local authority to prospective applicants, with their details being available on my Department's website. The link provided here gives the contact details for the VHO's in each local authority: Vacant Homes Officer Contacts (www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/publications/vacant-homes-officer-contacts/). The grant has been extremely successful since its introduction in July 2022. Almost 15,000 applications had been received across the country at end Q3 2025, with over 3,670 grants paid and over €200m in grant funding issued.
The new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities, will support the refurbishment of a total of 20,000 homes using this grant and commits to providing additional support to local authorities for the administration of the grant. In December 2025 the Government approved additional annual funding of up to €100,000 for local authorities in this regard.
226. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the extent to which the Sustainable Residential Development and Compact Settlements Guidelines have influenced the positions adopted by local authorities during development plan reviews across the country; if he can provide examples where relevant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4494/26]
View answerNational Strategic Objective No. 1 of the National Planning Framework (NPF) first published in 2018 and revised in 2025 is ‘Compact Growth’. The NPF has, since 2018, included policies and objectives relating to ‘compact growth’, setting out the need to promote a more compact and sustainable approach to development patterns to counteract decades of sprawl.
In support of the National Planning Framework (NPF) objectives, the Sustainable Residential Development and Compact Settlements Guidelines for Planning Authorities, “the Settlement Guidelines” were issued in January 2024, as Ministerial Guidelines. Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, requires planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála (now An Coimisiún Pleanála) to have regard to Ministerial guidelines in the performance of their functions. Where the guidelines contain specific planning policy requirements (SPPRs), planning authorities and An Coimisiún Pleanála are required to comply with these requirements in the performance of their functions.
The Settlement Guidelines expand on higher-level policies of the NPF, setting policy and guidance in relation to the growth priorities for settlements, residential density, urban design and placemaking and development standards for housing. The Settlement Guidelines are one of a number of Section 28 Ministerial Guidelines that are concerned with sustainable forms of residential development and compact growth. Other Guidelines include the Planning Design Standards for Apartments, Guidelines for Planning Authorities, 2025 which set out national policy and standards for apartment development and the Urban Development and Building Height Guidelines for Planning Authorities 2018 which set out national policy considerations in relation to building height and provide a framework for a performance-based approach to the consideration of increased building height.
The Settlement Guidelines states that to achieve compact growth, it will also be necessary to increase the scale of new buildings in all parts of our cities and towns, with highest densities at the most central and accessible urban locations, particularly in city centres and close to public transport nodes and interchanges. The Settlement Guidelines contain density ranges that respond to settlement size (e.g. cities, towns and villages), general locality in each settlement (i.e. central areas, urban neighbourhoods and suburban areas/areas of urban extension) and access to public transport services. In smaller settlements, the Settlement Guidelines state that densities may be tailored to reflect local characteristics.
The Settlement Guidelines state that all density ranges should be further refined with regard to centrality and accessibly to services, public transport and site-specific considerations regarding character, amenity and the natural environment. This approach provides planning authorities with a degree of flexibility so they can operate a plan-led approach and take the circumstances of a plan area or an individual site into account as part of the decision making processes prescribed under the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended), or relevant parts of the Planning and Development Act 2024, once commenced.
The zoning of land for particular purposes is an exercise undertaken by local authorities as part of their overall statutory plan-making function. This takes place primarily through the local authority’s development plan. The power to make or vary a development plan is a reserved function and accordingly the decision to zone land for particular purposes rests with the elected members of each local authority in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Planning and Development Acts.
To ensure that local authority development plans reflect the requirements of the NPF in respect of housing as soon as possible, I issued the NPF Implementation: Housing Growth Requirements Guidelines under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 in July 2025. These Guidelines set out the housing demand scenario to 2040 for each local authority by translating the NPF housing requirements into average annual figures and require planning authorities to commence the process of varying their development plan to meet the new housing growth requirements.
In addition to the baseline housing growth requirement, planning authorities have been requested to address the scope for additional provision of up to 50% in excess of the baseline figure, in light of the urgent need to increase housing delivery, and to optimise the ability to deliver on the housing requirements of the NPF.
Planning authorities are currently assessing their respective development plans and undertaking a review of the adequacy of existing zoned lands in their functional area to cater for the new Housing Growth Requirements and the potential for ‘additional provision’.
The OPR maintains a database on its website outlining progress achieved by each planning authority in implementing the Housing Growth Requirements Guidelines. This is accessible at the following link: www.opr.ie/section-28-guidelines-npf-implementation-housing-growth-requirements/.
In due course, each local authority will begin the process for preparing new 10 year development plans in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Planning and Development Act 2024, which is currently being commenced on a phased basis.
227. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount provided to Galway City Council under the local authority affordable purchase scheme in 2025; the number of units provided with this money; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4939/26]
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 Government’s housing policy, as embodied within the new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities.
To date, Galway City Council has had applications to deliver 124 affordable starter homes for purchase across three schemes approved for funding of €8.9m under the Affordable Housing Fund. In total, 8 of these homes have been delivered to the end of Q3 2025. []
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 Galway City Council in respect of their planned response to affordable housing needs in all key urban locations within its administrative area. The emphasis is on proactively collaborating to identify, develop and deliver viable affordable housing opportunities.
228. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to report on any engagement he has with Dublin Zoo as the Minister responsible for the National Park and Wildlife Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4917/26]
View answer265. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to report on any engagement he has had with the National Park and Wildlife Service in relation to matters in Dublin Zoo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4916/26]
View answerMy Department, including the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department, has no involvement or responsibility for the operation of Dublin Zoo and therefore does not have regular engagement with the Zoo.
The NPWS is responsible for the licensing, inspection and regulation of zoos and corresponds with the Dublin Zoo in relation to the practical arrangements for its annual inspection.
Inspections are carried out by an independent multi-disciplinary zoo inspection team, contracted to the NPWS, who have a range of expert knowledge and experience.
The Nature Conservation Directorate of the NPWS also worked with Dublin Zoo to agree a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two organisations to formally collaborate on advancing native species conservation efforts in Ireland. This was further to the Zoo’s opening of its Centre for Native Species Survival. The objective of the agreement is to improve biodiversity protection and conservation action for native species nationwide and underpins the NPWS’ commitment to working with stakeholders in protecting Ireland’s biodiversity. By joining forces, the NPWS and Dublin Zoo aim to enhance conservation efforts, ensuring a thriving natural environment for future generations. I attended the announcement with officials from the NPWS and representatives of Dublin Zoo in March 2025. To action the objectives under the MoU, the NPWS staff meet with the Zoo on matters relating to the MoU.
Finally, in addition to the above, the NPWS engages with Dublin Zoo in relation to actions assigned to the zoo under the National Biodiversity Action Plan.
229. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of homes commenced in Waterford in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5047/26]
View answerData on residential Commencement Notices, disaggregated by local authority and dwelling type, are published monthly on my Department's website, at www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/publications/december-commencements-2025/.
Commencement Notices were received for 16,412 new homes in 2025, down from 69,000 the previous year. This dip was not unexpected given the unprecedented volume of notices lodged across 2023 and more particularly 2024 as a result of Government measures to boost supply, and likely reflects a continued focus in the construction sector on progressing to completion of the homes already in the pipeline.
The data shows some 85,723 commencement notices for new homes were lodged across 2024 and 2025. This represents an increase of 43% compared with the combined total for 2022 and 2023 (59,758). This picture is being mirrored across the country, with more than 1,600 commencement notices for new homes lodged in Waterford across 2024 (1,200) and 2025 (437). Again mirroring the national picture, December 2025 saw the highest number of commencement notices lodged in Waterford, with notices lodged in respect of some 180 units.
Delivering Homes, Building Communities seeks to significantly accelerate delivery of new homes by focusing on activating land and creating the optimal environment to encourage housing activity – including regulatory reform, tax incentives and the largest ever capital investment in the history of the State, with €275 billion invested in infrastructure over ten years through the National Development Plan.
Government remain focused on continuing to bring forward measures that will continue to increase the supply of new homes across all tenures to make sure that everyone has a range of housing options available to them, whether they want to buy a house, rent one, or are in need of social housing.
230. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the attention of him and his Department has been drawn to the growing crisis of mould and damp in private rental and social homes; the actions his Department is taking to combat the serious mental and physical harms of mould and damp in homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5062/26]
View answerThe 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. They also require that every room used, or intended for use, by the tenant as a habitable room must have adequate ventilation and that adequate ventilation be provided for the removal of water vapour from every kitchen and bathroom.
The Regulations apply to all properties let or available for let, including social housing. All landlords must ensure their rented properties comply with the standards set down in the Regulations. Local authorities are responsible for enforcing compliance in private rented accommodation, this includes Approved Housing Body social homes. Private rental tenants can contact their local authority and request it inspects their accommodation vis-à-vis assessing its compliance with the minimum standards.
Local authorities aim to inspect 25% of registered private residential tenancies each year. My Department is providing €10.5 million to local authorities this year to help them meet this target.
While the management and maintenance of local authority owned social homes is the statutory responsibility of local authorities, my Department provided some €200 million as a contribution towards the remediation and maintenance of local authority homes through various funding programmes in 2025. This will increase to around €260 million this year.
My Department is also supporting local authorities to transition to a more proactive, evidence-informed approach to the cyclical maintenance of their housing stock, with funding provided on the basis of completed stock condition surveys by local authorities. It is intended local authorities will survey their full housing stock over the next four or five years, with 10,600 homes surveyed to date.
Critically, Department funding merely complements local authorities’ own investment in their housing stock. Ultimately, the onus is on local authority elected members and officials to ensure adequate funding is allocated through the annual budgetary process for the upkeep of their social homes.
Similarly, the upkeep of 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.
My Department has produced a video and leaflet to help inform the public on the importance of proper ventilation in the home. They are available at the following links:
• www.gov.ie/homeventilation
• www.gov.ie/aeráiltí.
231. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to detail what he is doing to expand financing for housing given the change to state aid rules under the new EU Affordable Housing Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5065/26]
View answerThe European Commission published its European Affordable Housing Plan on 16 December 2025. The European Affordable Housing Plan is part of a package of initiatives comprising the following four elements:
• The European Affordable Housing Plan
• The European Strategy for Housing Construction
• Revised state aid rules on housing; and
• The New European Bauhaus.
As part of this package, the Commission has revised the Services of General Economic Interest (SGEI) Decision to support affordable housing projects, giving flexibility to Member States based on local market conditions. The revision of the SGEI Decision seeks to facilitate support for affordable housing, while also simplifying support for social housing.
The revised Decision expressly includes a new category of affordable housing among the categories exempted from notification for which there is no maximum compensation cap. This allows Member States to support affordable housing projects without prior notification to and authorisation by the Commission when the conditions outlined in the SGEI Decision are met, while maintaining their existing social housing schemes.
Member States will be able to define the modalities of support, target groups, eligibility criteria, housing price, quality and accessibility standards, according to their context and housing needs. Moreover, the revision simplifies, updates and clarifies other elements in the SGEI Decision.
These changes will facilitate investment in affordable housing at all levels, complementing efforts to scale up financing through a Pan-European Investment Platform and the Mid-Term Review of cohesion spending.
The overall objective of the Pan-European Investment Platform for Affordable and Sustainable Housing, a key action in the European Affordable Housing Plan, is to provide a single framework to support investment in affordable and sustainable housing. Work on the Platform is ongoing within the Commission, in close dialogue with partners like the European Investment Bank, with whom Ireland has been working for some time to fund social and affordable housing through the Housing Finance Agency. Other partners include national and regional promotional banks and international financial institutions.
It is intended that the Pan-European Investment Platform will be launched in H2 2026 during the Irish EU Presidency.
232. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to prevent evictions into homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5064/26]
View answerThe Government's new housing plan Delivering Homes, Building Communities was published in November 2025. The Plan recognises that homelessness is the single most pressing social issue that we face and introduces a number of key measures to address homelessness. Ensuring the implementation of these measures will be a priority for me in 2026.
Prevention of homelessness in the first instance is essential. There are many preventions initiatives already underway in my own Department and across Government. This includes the provision of social and affordable housing, HAP and homeless HAP, and our strong tenancy protection legislation. In order to ensure a fully aligned all-of-Government approach under the Plan, we are committing to develop a national Homelessness Prevention Framework within which homelessness can be prevented in a structured and planned way with tailored prevention measures for each potential at risk cohort. This Framework will be in place in 2026.
On 14 October 2025, the Government approved the General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2025, which is now the subject of priority 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.
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. A larger landlord will have the right to terminate a tenancy where the tenant is breaching tenancy obligations or the property is no longer suitable to the accommodation needs of the tenant household.
To offer greater protection to tenants, rolling 6-year tenancies of minimum duration (TMD) will apply for new tenancies created for the first time between parties on or after 1 March 2026. Such a new tenancy that continues for 6 months becomes a tenancy of unlimited duration, with rolling 6 year TMDs.
Only in limited circumstances during a 6 year TMD, will a smaller landlord (a landlord with 3 tenancies or less) be allowed to end a tenancy. 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 (the RTA) at the end of each 6-year period while the tenancy continues to exist
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: Government Reforms to the Rental Sector – Starting 1 March 2026. (www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/publications/government-reforms-to-the-rental-sector-starting-1-march-2026/.)
234. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the social housing passport between local authorities; when this will be rolled out; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4141/26]
View answerThe concept of a social housing passport, intended to facilitate eligible social housing applicants to access social housing in any local authority of their preference has been considered by my Department in consultation with local authorities.
An initial scoping exercise was carried out by my Department which identified a range of practical and administrative issues, including those related to the income eligibility differences across local authority areas, maintenance of seniority on housing waiting lists, local connection requirements, the efficient allocation of existing housing stock, and resource implications for local authorities including the absence of a technology to support such an approach. Due to the complexity of the range of issues identified and the difficulties inherent in the practical application of such a scheme for all social housing applicants, further work in this specific area is not being considered at the present time.
However, and as outlined in Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025-2030: An Action Plan on Housing Supply and Targeting Homelessness, a protocol to allow households fleeing domestic, sexual and gender-based violence to transfer time spent on a social housing waiting list to another local authority will be established and implemented in H1 2026. My Department is engaging with local authorities to develop this protocol and ensure that it is workable, and meets the needs of those who can benefit from it.
It should also be noted, there is already a degree of flexibility regarding housing waiting lists. The four Dublin local authorities have arrangements allowing social housing applicants apply for housing in up to two of the other Dublin authorities simultaneously. Similar arrangements apply in the two Cork and two Galway local authorities. Households may also move and relocate between housing authority areas under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme where the household income is within the relevant income limits.
235. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage given the recent large discoveries in the Baltinglass Hillfort Complex of the largest nucleated settlement in prehistoric Ireland and Britain, the steps his Department is taking to fund further research and bring this archaeological history to a wider audience; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4934/26]
View answerThe complex of prehistoric monuments known as the Baltinglass Hillforts comprises up to thirteen hillforts indeed in southwest Wicklow and neighbouring parts of Kildare, representing the largest collection of such impressive, prehistoric monuments in Ireland or Britain. The importance of this hillfort landscape is very much appreciated and acknowledged by me and my Department.
The National Monuments Service of my Department through its Community Monuments Fund has supported a high resolution LiDAR survey over an area of over 100 square kilometres within this Baltinglass landscape. This enabled archaeologists to create, for the first time, a comprehensive map of the landscape and to better allow the landscape to be assessed for previously unidentified monuments.
The National Monuments Service has also supported research on the hillfort landscape through the Royal Irish Academy archaeology grants scheme. In addition, National Monuments Service has funded the recent publication of seminal excavations at Rathgall Hillfort, a publication launched in the Royal Irish Academy last year. We are proud to fund the Royal Irish Academy annual archaeological research grants to the tune of up to 250k each year. Specific funding for excavations at Baltinglass through the Academy grants have helped archaeologists reveal these recent discoveries and we will continue to support the archaeological research community across Ireland to ensure that further remarkable discoveries may be made to add to our understanding of Ireland’s past.
236. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will ensure that representatives from his Department are in attendance at the next meeting of the working group that consists of the BPFI, IPAV and the Banking and Insurance Defective Block Focus Group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5041/26]
View answerMy Department maintains regular contact with the Banking and Payments Federation Ireland providing updates on the grant scheme and addressing any queries they may have relating to statistical information or the operation of the scheme.
I can confirm that my Department attended the Quarter 3 Defective Concrete Blocks Stakeholder Forum meeting on 25 September 2025. Attendance at future meetings of the Group will continue to be considered where appropriate.
An Implementation Steering Group for the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme has been in place since 2023 with a sub-group of this group also established to discuss financial aspects of the scheme. The work of this sub-group resulted in updated guidance for local authorities that facilitated the earlier payment of certain costs incurred by applicants to the grant scheme.
My Department remains fully committed to continuing to engage with stakeholders to ensure that the views of relevant stakeholders can, and are being heard.
The Homeowner Liaison Officer works with homeowner groups and my Department to ensure that the concerns of these key stakeholders are heard and dealt with. My Department regularly also meets with elected representatives in affected counties as well as with representative bodies on specific issues as and when the need arises.
237. Deputy Micheál Carrigy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the allocation for the 2026 social housing acquisition programme in Longford, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3760/26]
View answerI expect the parameters of the 2026 Second Hand Acquisitions Programme to be notified to individual local authorities in Q1 this year.
Local authorities have been authorised to enter into commitments for 2026 up to a value of 30% of their original 2025 acquisitions budget. This flexibility effectively provides for a multi-annual approach to programme delivery, facilitating local authorities to plan and progress acquisitions between annual programmes, and from one year to the next, with a higher level of certainty vis-à-vis future funding availability.
In the meantime, my Department will continue to engage with individual local authorities as needed regarding the 2025 programme, to inform learnings for the 2026 programme and to ensure local authorities continue progressing acquisitions pending rollout of the full details of the 2026 Second Hand Acquisitions Programme.
238. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of stock audits undertaken; and his views on whether social housing provision will now be found compliant by the European Committee of Social Rights. [3475/26]
View answerMy Department has carefully considered the report of the European Committee of Social Rights in respect of the IFHS collective complaint against Ireland, and is committed to ensuring tenants in social housing have housing that meets the standards laid down in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019.
Ultimately, the management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, is statutorily a matter for each local authority, and the onus is on each authority to make adequate budgetary provision in their respective annual budgetary processes to address maintenance or improvements to their housing stock from within their own resources.
That said, my Department provides a contribution to local authorities to help improve their social housing stock through a number of remedial works programmes, including regeneration, energy retrofitting, disabled person grants for social housing tenants, and refurbishment works to vacant properties so they can return them to productive use as quickly as possible. Almost €260 million is available to local authorities in 2026 through these programmes.
My Department is working closely with local authorities to promote preventative maintenance of social housing, informed by stock condition surveys. Local authorities continue to progress surveys, with over 10,600 completed to date. These ongoing stock condition surveys, expected to be completed on all local authority housing stock over a four to five year period, planned and responsive maintenance, and programmes such as the national regeneration programme, Energy Retrofitting and Voids, will continue to improve housing quality and help local authorities address issues raised by the European Committee of Social Rights.
239. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures being taken by his Department to ensure the remediation of developer provided infrastructure for water and wastewater services, particularly in rural areas where no wastewater treatment plants currently exist; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4952/26]
View answerThere are a number of housing estates across the country, particularly in rural areas without wastewater treatment plants, 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 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.
240. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the funding allocated to Kilkenny County Council for tenant-in-situ in 2025; the amount of this which was spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4250/26]
View answer260. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the funding allocated to Carlow County Council for tenant-in-situ in 2025; the amount of this which was spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4251/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 240 and 260 together.
Tenancy sustainment, or tenant-in-situ, is a priority category under my Department's Second Hand Acquisitions Programme. It is not a scheme, but a policy tool available to local authorities to prevent social housing supported households in the private rented sector from falling into homelessness. It should only be used as a last resort by local authorities when all other options have been exhausted.
In 2025, €3.5m was allocated to Carlow Co. Co. which was fully drawn down along with an additional €101,419.
Kilkenny Co. Co. also received an allocation of €3.5m in 2025 of which €826,678 recouped.
Funding for the Second Hand Acquisitions Programme will be agreed later this year, with individual allocations notified to local authorities as soon possible thereafter.
In the meantime, local authorities have been authorised to enter into commitments for 2026 to a value of up to 30% of their original 2025 acquisitions budget. This effectively provides for a multi-annual approach to programme delivery, facilitating local authorities to plan and progress acquisitions from one year to the next with a higher level of certainty vis-à-vis future funding availability.
For Carlow and Kilkenny Co. Co.’s, this provides scope to commit €1,050,000 to acquisitions that are likely to only complete and drawdown in 2026, including acquisitions to support exits from homelessness, tenancy sustainment via tenant in situ, and other priority cohorts such as older persons, persons with disabilities, care leavers, etc.
That said, I expect the 2026 programme to maintain support for tenant in situ acquisitions as a last resort policy tool available to local authorities to prevent social housing supported households in the private rental sector from becoming homeless.
242. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware that there are still no plans to deliver affordable housing projects in County Donegal; and the way in which his Department can work with Donegal County Council to address this serious failure. [3634/26]
View answerThe Government is fully committed to delivering housing at scale and to continuing to accelerate housing supply across all tenure types. To this end, 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 form a Starter Homes Programme, ensuring that first time buyers and renters in need of support will continue to be supported by the State.
Since 2021, close to 19,000 affordable housing supports have been provided via these measures, nationwide. Donegal has seen over 350 affordable housing supports delivered to date, under the First Home Scheme (42 homes), the Vacant Homes Refurbishment Grant (306 homes), and the Cost Rental Tenant in Situ Scheme (5 homes).
In order to continue to drive the delivery of affordable housing, all local authorities will shortly commence the preparation of updated Housing Delivery Action Plans, replacing plans made under Housing for All. The new Delivery Action Plans will set out how the Starter Homes Programme will be implemented within each local authority area, including identifying locations where it is believed there to be a particular affordable housing need.
This development of the Delivery Action Plans will be undertaken in collaboration with delivery partners, including the Land Development Agency and Approved Housing Bodies and will take account of the requirement to provide the optimum mix of tenures within particular areas.
In terms of the financial supports available across every local authority area, the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) is available to assist local authorities where significant affordability needs have been identified. The Ready to Build serviced sites scheme supports local authorities to provide sites at a discount to people who want to build their own home. The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant supports the purchase and refurbishment of vacant and derelict properties. Additionally, the First Home Scheme is available to support eligible new home purchasers nationwide.
243. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will report on new dwelling completions for 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5060/26]
View answerContinuing to increase the supply of new homes is critical to alleviating pressures in the housing market, helping to moderate price growth and ease affordability challenges across the country, ensuring everyone has a range of housing options available to them, whether they want to buy a house, rent one, or are in need of social housing.
The new housing plan Delivering Homes, Building Communities builds on the foundations laid under Housing for All to enable delivery of a minimum of 300,000 new homes, including record levels of new social homes, an ambitious nationwide Starter Homes Programme and the provision of additional delivery in the areas of Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA), as well as bringing vacant and derelict properties back into use.
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) publish data on a quarterly basis in relation to New Dwelling Completions. These data show that supply has increased significantly over the last five years, with more than 157,500 new homes delivered since the beginning of 2020.
In respect of 2025 completions, data is currently available to end Q3 only. Some 24,325 new homes completed in the first nine months of 2025, the highest Q1–Q3 delivery since the CSO data series began in 2011, and an increase of 13% year-on-year. 32,991 new homes were completed in the 12-months to end Q3 2025, an increase of 4% year-on-year and the highest rolling 12-month completions since records began in 2011.
CSO New Dwelling Completions data for Q4 2025 is currently due to be published on 29 January 2026.
244. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures he will take to boost overall housing supply during 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4874/26]
View answerThe Government’s new plan Delivering Homes, Building Communities was published on 13 November 2025. The implementation of the actions set out in the plan, will see the delivery of 300,000 new homes over its lifetime, including 72,000 social homes, and provide 90,000 affordable supports to help people to assist people to secure a home.
The Government is focused on increasing the national housing stock and ensuring a suitable range of housing is available to all. Activating housing supply is multifaceted, requiring a concerted effort across a number of policy areas and a range of measures to boost overall housing supply. This will be achieved through a range of actions aimed at activating more land, providing more housing-related infrastructure, securing more development finance for home building, addressing viability challenges, particularly in apartment delivery, increasing the adoption of Modern Methods of Construction, improving labour skills in the residential construction sector, and working towards ending dereliction and vacancy.
The delivery of housing is also at the centre of the updated National Development Plan, published in July, which provides for unprecedented levels of investment for housing and water infrastructure with overall investment of €40.5bn provided for housing and related water services to 2030. A record level of investment is being provided for the delivery of housing in 2026 with overall capital funding of over €9 billion announced in Budget 2026.
The focus for 2026 will be on the implementation of these measures and closely monitoring apartment investment, planning and commencement activity to inform ongoing policy consideration. Further information is available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/publications/enabling-more-housing/#activating-supply.
245. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of new Traveller-specific homes delivered in 2025; and the number to be delivered in 2026. [4943/26]
View answerThe Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998 provides that the role of my Department is to ensure that there are adequate structures and supports in place to assist local authorities in providing such accommodation, including a national framework of policy, legislation and funding.
The Act provides that housing authorities have statutory responsibility for the assessment of the accommodation needs of Travellers and the preparation, adoption and implementation of multi-annual Traveller Accommodation Programmes (TAPs) in their areas. Traveller Accommodation Programmes 2025-2029 adopted by each local authority, incorporating targets for delivering on Traveller accommodation, are published on their respective websites.
The information requested on the number of new Traveller-specific homes delivered in 2025 through funding from my Department is currently being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders as soon as available.
