Written Answers Nos. 789-800
790. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware that Fingal County Council is encouraging local authority tenants who are on the transfer list to "see alternative private rented accommodation through HAP"; if he believes that this is in line with Government policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11912/26]
View answerThe oversight and management of housing waiting lists, including the allocation and transfer of tenancies, is a matter for the relevant housing authority in accordance with the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, and associated regulations.
Section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 requires all housing authorities, as a reserved function, to make an allocation scheme determining the order of priority to be accorded in the allocation of dwellings to households qualified for social housing support and to households approved for a transfer, the allocation of which would, in the opinion of the authority, meet the accommodation needs and requirements of the households. Under section 22, an allocation scheme shall apply to dwellings owned or under the control of a local authority, as well as dwellings provided by AHBs with Exchequer funding.
The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme is underpinned by the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014. Under section 45 of the 2014 Act which sets out conditions for ineligibility for HAP, a household in receipt of a form of social housing support other than housing assistance shall not be eligible for such assistance, except where a housing authority is satisfied that the household is unable to continue to live in the dwelling concerned due to exceptional circumstances, including displacement by fire, flood or any other emergency, that was not caused by an act, or a failure to act, by the household or a household member.
791. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current operation of the Land Acquisition Fund, including its objectives, eligibility criteria, governance arrangements; and the process by which local authorities may apply for and draw down funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11920/26]
View answer792. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of applications which have been made to the Land Acquisition Fund by local authorities in each year since its establishment; the number which have been approved; the average time taken from application to decision; and whether any applications were refused or withdrawn; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11921/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 791 and 792 together.
The new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities, commits to continue supporting local authorities and AHBs to delivery more own build social and affordable homes. The Land Acquisition Fund was established to fund the acquisition of developable land to underpin the delivery of housing up to 2030.
The current funding amount of €239m includes €50m for the provision of affordable housing. Under the housing plan, the fund will be increase to at least €500m and this increased capacity will help establish the fund as a revolving fund, ensuring it will operate in perpetuity and help secure a sustainable pipeline of land for delivery of social and affordable housing over the long-term.
The Land Acquisition Fund is overseen by my Department and managed by the Housing Agency with robust governance procedures in place including a Steering Group, Oversight Group and the Housing Agency Board. These levels of oversight ensure compliance with public procedures. The process for application and draw down of funding is set out on the Housing Agency website available at: [https://www.housingagency.ie/land-acquisition-fund]
With regard to timelines for processing of applications, it is important to note that local authorities can begin their conversations with the Housing Agency regarding acquisitions, significantly ahead of lodging a formal application. Formal applications that are completed to include all the necessary documentation, are expedited by the Housing Agency. The Housing Agency actively engages with local authorities and AHBs to ensure that the Land Acquisition Fund is easily accessible within optimal timelines.
As of end of January 2026, €71,350,250 has been spent on 28 site acquisitions which can deliver 2,128 new homes. The latest Housing Agency Annual Report may provide further information and is available at [https://www.housingagency.ie/publications/strategy-annual-report]
With regard to applications that are refused or withdrawn, I understand that the Housing Agency has not refused any application for funding to date. Applications may be withdrawn by local authorities or AHBs who no longer wish to proceed with the acquisition of specific sites for any number of reasons. My Department does not hold data in relation to the number of withdrawn applications or the reasons for such withdrawals. Data regarding such cases may be available for the Housing Agency.
793. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of social and affordable houses respectively that were delivered in Arklow, County Wicklow in 2025 and are planned for Arklow, County Wicklow in 2026, 2027 and 2028; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11922/26]
View answerMy Department publishes comprehensive programme-level statistics on a quarterly basis on social and affordable housing delivery activity by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) in each local authority. These statistics provide delivery data at local authority level. Data is available to the end of Q3 2025 and is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website at the following link: [https://www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/] . Data for Q4 2025 is currently being compiled.
My Department also publishes the Social Housing Construction Status Report (CSR), which 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. Data for the Q4 2025 CSR is currently being compiled. All CSRs are available at the following link: [https://www.gov.ie/en/collection/cb885-social-housing-construction-projects-status-reports/] A version of the CSR file can also be downloaded for analysis by local authority, location etc. at this link: [https://opendata.housing.gov.ie/dataset/social-housing-construction-status-report-q3-2025]
Under the new housing plan, Building Homes, Delivering Communities, each local authority will prepare a Housing Delivery Action Plan (HDAP) setting out their planned delivery of social and affordable housing to 2030 in line with targets which will be set by my Department in order to ensure the 72,000 social homes will be delivered by 2030. My Department will be communicating with local authorities in this regard in Q1 2026.
It should be noted that existing HDAPs run to the end of 2026 and it is expected that new HDAPs, which will run to 2030, will be in place by the end of Q3 2026. Each local authority's current HDAP is published on the LA's website. Wicklow County Council's Housing Delivery Action Plan 2022-2026 is published at the following link [https://www.wicklow.ie/Living/Services/Housing/Housing-Delivery-Action-Plan-2022-2026]
794. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the systems in place to agree performance metrics of chief executives of agencies within the aegis of his Department; the way in which these are measured; the person or body that carries out the assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11962/26]
View answerState bodies under the aegis of my Department are independent in the performance of their functions and my Department does not have a direct role in managing the performance of chief executives.
It is generally a condition of a chief executive's contract of employment that their employment requires performance consistent with the high standards expected of senior members of State bodies. In the case of bodies where a governance Board structure is in place, the chief executive's performance is subject to regular appraisal and review by the Board. In the case of bodies where a governance Board is not in place other arrangements apply, for example, regular meetings between the chief executive and a senior official from the Department to appraise performance and progress with the organisation's identified targets and objectives.
In accordance with the requirements of the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies, my Department has both an oversight agreement and a performance delivery agreement in place with each body under its aegis. The agreements are signed by a senior official of the Department and the chief executive of the State body, and are reviewed and updated as required on an annual basis.
The oversight agreement clearly defines the terms of the relationship between my Department and the State body, and their respective roles and responsibilities.
The performance delivery agreement is a performance contract between my Department and the State body in which an agreed level of performance is formalised. It defines high level goals and objectives for the body, and specifies targets for key outputs and outcomes that are to be achieved by the body on an annual and multi-annual basis. Meetings to review performance under the agreement are held regularly between senior officials of my Department and the State body.
795. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the timeline for the transfer of responsibility for the Multi-Unit Development Acts 2011 to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12017/26]
View answer796. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to improve oversight of the owners' management company sector; to introduce a regulator for the sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12018/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 795 and 796 together.
The primary purpose of the Multi-Unit Developments Act, 2011 (MUDS Act) is to reform the law relating to the ownership and management of common areas of multi-unit developments and to facilitate the fair, efficient and effective management of owners’ management companies (OMCs).
The Programme for Government committed to moving the responsibility for the MUDS Act to my Department to streamline support for OMCs and improve oversight.
At present, the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration and his Department continues to have responsibility for the oversight of Owner Management Companies (OMCs) and related regulations.
A timeline for the transfer of functions from the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration (DJHAM) is currently being advanced. Engagement between our Departments is ongoing to ensure this happens in a well-managed and efficient manner.
797. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he plans to initiate a series of local authority boundary reviews, 11 years after the last set of reviews; if he plans to review the boundary in operation between Louth and Meath, covering the environs of south Drogheda in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12046/26]
View answerPart V of the Local Government Act 1991, as amended, contains provisions relating to local authority boundary alterations, including procedures in relation to proposals for such alteration; provision for the establishment of a boundary committee to review boundaries; and power for the Minister, subject to specified conditions, to alter boundaries by order.
There are currently no proposals as provided for in the legislation for an alteration of the administrative area boundaries of existing local authorities, including the boundary between Louth and Meath.
The Programme for Government commits to the establishment of a ‘Local Democracy Taskforce’ with the local government sector to finalise a programme for the reform and strengthening of local government. The Taskforce will bring forward proposals which the Government will consider on matters relating to the structure, finance, functions and governance and accountability of local government. The Government approved the establishment of the Local Democracy Taskforce on the 4 June 2025 and the Taskforce will make its recommendations in line with its Terms of Reference. I look forward to receiving and considering the recommendations of the Taskforce in due course.
798. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he plans to weaken the implementation of the EU Habitats Directive in Ireland considering his published comments in the aftermath of the recent catastrophic flooding in Enniscorthy, County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12083/26]
View answerThe Habitats Directive (Council Directive 92/43/EEC) contributes to ensuring biodiversity in the European Union by conserving natural habitats and wild fauna and flora species. The Directive is transposed in to Irish law through, inter alia, the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011.
As an EU Directive, it is incumbent upon Member States to achieve the goals of the Habitats Directive.
The European Commission recently presented an Environmental Omnibus proposal aimed at the simplification of administrative burdens in environmental legislation, and the Government and my Department is currently engaging in this process, with the Commission.
799. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide clarity on when the technical review of the defective concrete block scheme, operated by his Department, will conclude and lead to changes being made to the current iteration of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12151/26]
View answerI understand the Question is referring to the mechanism for the Technical Review of an applicant's determined remediation option and grant by the Housing Agency upon publication of the revised national standard, I.S. 465 by the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI). I understand that the NSAI expect to complete their work in this area in Q1 2026.
The Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks (Amendment) Bill 2025 was initiated in Dáil Eireann on 2 December 2025, passed both Houses of the Oireachtas and was subsequently signed into law by the President, thereby becoming an Act, on the 23 December 2025.
As set down in the 2025 Act, the technical review process offers certain homeowners who have been given a non-demolition option (options 2 to 5) the choice of continuing with the work on their dwelling under the option determined or the option of a full technical review of their application by the Housing Agency. This review will be informed by the current research once the full review of the national standard (I.S. 465:2018) is complete. This process provides for a review of a previous remediation option and grant amount determination and the issue of a new determination if required.
800. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline his Department's remote working policy; the number of days staff are permitted to work remotely per week; if any system exists for logging days worked remotely; and if he will provide a schedule of officials by grade that work two and three days per week from their home location. [12158/26]
View answerThe blended working model used in my department specifies 3 days per week working in the office and 2 days per week working from home, with a flexible option of 2 days per week in the office and 3 days per week working from home. This flexibility is at the discretion of the Head of Business Unit and takes account of business needs to ensure service delivery and support organisational cohesion.
In my Department, 81.3% of staff are approved for blended working. My Department does not have a system to log days that staff work from home. It is the responsibility of the Head of Business Unit to ensure that the blended working policy is adhered to by staff approved for blended working within their unit.
