Written Answers Nos. 610-618
610. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there is an audit process in place between his Department and the local authorities setting out the time from which a property is completed and ready to occupy to the time that the property is then made available to those who are on the housing waiting list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16970/26]
View answerStatistics in relation to the length of time it takes to re-let local authority social housing stock are published by the National Oversight and Audit Commission (NOAC) in the annual Local Authority Performance Indicator Report. These reports provide a range of information in relation to social housing stock, including the number of social housing units in local authority ownership at a given time and vacancy rates. The most recent report, relating to 2024, is available on the NOAC website at the following link: www.noac.ie/noac_publications/report-77-noac-performance-indicator-report-2024/ . Previous years Performance Indicators Reports can be found at [www.noac.ie/?search=advancedPublications&categories=Performance+Indicator+Reports&year]=.
My Department has been working with local authorities and AHBs to identify opportunities to reduce the time it takes for a social housing home to be tenanted. Consultation and analysis with stakeholders as part of that work concluded that there are a range of circumstances that could impact the length of time a property remains vacant.
It is critical that the allocation systems and procedures utilised by local authorities and AHBs operate to ensure that there is no avoidable delay in households in need of accommodation being provided with these homes. The standardisation of procedures around existing good practice represents the greatest opportunity to achieve efficiencies in the end-to-end allocation process and eliminate avoidable delays which could result in a property remaining vacant. My Department working with local authorities and the Housing Agency has recently published refreshed guidance for local authorities in this area in order to embed best practice, and improve data gathering and reporting.
Furthermore, the new national housing plan, Building Homes, Delivery Communities, commits to reviewing the Code of Practice for the Approved Housing Body (AHB) Allocation Process which is an agreed set of arrangements between the local authority and AHB sector, dating from 2022. The Code seeks to establish a collaborative and efficient approach to the social housing nomination and allocations processes.
In order to reinforce this collaborative approach, a Working Group comprising my Department, the local authorities, the AHB sector (represented by the Housing Alliance and the Irish Council for Social Housing) and the Housing Agency has been established to carry out a review of the Code. The purpose of this Working Group is to undertake a review of the Code, assessing its operation in practice, and identifying any amendments or recommendations required to improve effectiveness and consistency of practice in the allocations process, adopting the same collaborative approach underpinning the Code. The review of the Code of Practice is scheduled for completion by H2 2026 with arrangements for its implementation also in place at that time.
611. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the implementation of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions Act) 2024 to earmark certain cost rental units for local key workers; the number of units his Department intends to earmark for key workers per year; the location of the housing units; the cost per unit; the timeline for when these units will be available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17012/26]
View answerThe Government is acutely aware of the housing challenges faced by many sectors of society. The Government's new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities, reinforces and expands the range of existing measures being implemented by Government to tackle the issues of supply and affordability.
Cost Rental is a key element of the new plan’s strategy to improve affordability in the rental sector and to provide secure, long-term homes for moderate-income households, including those who may be categorised as frontline workers. The core principle of Cost Rental is that the rents cover the development, management and maintenance costs of the homes, so that the long-term future of the homes is financially secure but that rents are not subject to the pressures of the open market. All cost rental projects must achieve cost-covering rents that are at least 25% below comparable market levels, and therefore present a significant saving to the tenant relative to new market rental properties.
In line with the Programme for Government commitment to earmark certain cost rental homes for key local workers, last July I made the Affordable Housing Act 2021 (Cost Rental Allocation Plan) Regulations 2025. These Regulations allow for Cost Rental landlords to propose ‘Allocation Plans’ for my approval, 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. For example, Monaghan County Council has an Allocation Plan covering 16 apartments in Monaghan town, with priority for local workers. Earlier this month I gave approval-in-principle to another Plan covering 66 apartments to be delivered in Dublin city centre, again with priority for local workers, which should be announced by the landlord soon.
The definition of key worker is complex. We have learned, especially through the Covid years, that very many people working in public, health and social services and in the broader economy are key workers and making that distinction is not straightforward, or necessarily fair.
My Department continues to explore further options for targeting cost rental homes at key workers and we are supporting the delivery of Cost Rental homes in a range of sizes, locations and rent levels. Upcoming vacancies are advertised as they arise on www.affordablehomes.ie/.
612. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he is considering the introduction of emergency legislation to reform or overhaul the current planning system in light of the urgent need to accelerate the delivery of critical national infrastructure, including healthcare, housing and transport projects; the specific measures under consideration to address delays and legal bottlenecks within the planning framework; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17036/26]
View answerSince the enactment of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (Act of 2000), the planning landscape changed profoundly over the subsequent two decades and it became clear that the legislation governing and underpinning the planning system required a major overhaul. Consequently, in 2021 a comprehensive review of the Act of 2000 was initiated by Government. The culmination of the subsequent work resulted in the Planning and Development Act 2024 (Act of 2024) which was enacted on 17 October 2024.
The Act of 2024 continues to be being brought into operation on a phased basis, facilitating the transition from the arrangements under Act of 2000 to those under the new legislative framework. Given the scale of the Act of 2024, commencement is a complex task and it remains a priority that throughout this reform process, there is minimal disruption to the current planning system which must remain operational given its critical importance to facilitate the delivery of strategic infrastructure and housing.
Amongst a range of new and innovative provisions, the Act of 2024 introduces statutory timelines for all development consent processes so that parties can have confidence in the timeliness of decision-making. The Act also provides a significantly revised corporate structure for An Coimisiún Pleanála (formally An Bord Pleanála) with a separation of corporate, decision making and governance functions to help meet its new statutory obligations. The headline time periods for An Coimisiún Pleanála range from 18 weeks for appeals of decisions of planning authorities on smaller-scale development proposals, to 48 weeks for larger-scale developments, such as 'strategic infrastructure developments'. The varying timelines reflect the differing complexities of development consent applications.
Public participation is a long established and key element of all substantive decision-making processes under the Act of 2000 and this continues under the Act of 2024. It is open to any person to make a submission or observation in relation to a planning application during the public consultation period and on payment of the required fee. When commenced, sections 587 and 588 of the Act of 2024 will introduce new procedures to address 'spurious' planning submissions, appeals and judicial reviews, while ensuring public participation for genuine purposes is maintained. These new provisions will -
• prohibit a person from requesting a payment for agreeing not to make a submission or observation on an application, an appeal or a judicial review, or taking a payment to withdraw a submission/observation, appeal or a judicial review,
• require that submissions or observations on a planning application or an appeal must be accompanied by a statutory declaration stating that the submission or observation is not being made for the purposes of delaying a development or receiving a payment. A similar declaration must be made when taking a judicial review. A declaration must also be made when withdrawing a submission/observation, appeal or judicial review. It will also be an offence to submit a false declaration.
One of the most important areas of reform under the Act of 2024 is provided for under Part 9, which updates the processes and procedures of planning judicial review. Reforms include:
• Removing the leave to apply for judicial review stage, reducing time and removing unnecessary additional legal costs to all parties,
• Requiring that applications for judicial review may only be made on the grounds of challenge raised by the applicant in the statement of grounds filed with their application and sets out limited criteria by which the Court may allow subsequent amendments to that statement of grounds.
• Applicants for judicial review must have a sufficient interest in the matter, such as being directly or indirectly materially affected, or having made submissions at the decision making stage. Unincorporated bodies, such as residents’ associations, maintain the right to take judicial review proceedings, subject to being directly or indirectly materially affected by the matter and satisfying certain governance criteria. Subject to specified governance criteria, the special protected status of environmental non-governmental organisations to take judicial review proceedings is maintained, where proceedings relate to a development likely to have significant effects on the environment or a European site, or relate to an act or omission in contravention of a provision of the Act of 2024 relating to the environment.
• Provision is made for the High Court to direct the amendment of a decision or a document where it would be a satisfactory remedy, to quash an aspect of a decision made without declaring it invalid or to remit a matter back to the relevant body and direct that body to take additional steps as appropriate. These provisions mean that entire planning decisions do not need to be quashed where alternative appropriate remedies are available to address the matters raised.
• Removing the right of appeal of a decision of the High Court to the Court of Appeal but recognising and maintaining the constitutional right to seek leave to appeal to the Supreme Court.
Part 9 also facilitates the introduction of cost mechanisms while maintaining compliance with Ireland’s commitments under the Aarhus Convention. The aim of the reforms are to expedite the processes relating to the taking of a judicial review, lowering costs so that accessing a judicial review is not prohibitively expensive and safeguarding access to justice.
As set out in Action 2 of the Accelerating Infrastructure Report and Action Plan published in December 2025, the Government has committed to the development of a Critical Infrastructure Bill to create a legal obligation for State bodies to recognise and accelerate key projects through planning, licensing and other consenting stages, as well as the development of legislation incorporating emergency provisions that will allow the Government to speed up specific critical infrastructure in emergencies. The Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation is leading on this Action.
613. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the implementation of the Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters Regulations in the context of the Nitrates Action Programme to date in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17099/26]
View answerIreland’s Sixth Nitrates Action Programme (NAP) commenced on 1 January 2026 and runs to 31 December 2028. The Sixth NAP retains and builds on the significant suite of measures introduced in the Fifth NAP, and includes a strong focus on nutrient management, knowledge transfer & advisory services, and compliance & enforcement, through a range of regulatory and non-regulatory measures. The Sixth NAP is given effect by the European Union (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 588 of 2025), which also commenced on 1 January 2026. Implementation of the Regulations and Nitrates Action Programme is on schedule, and an amendment to the Regulations to give effect to the Commission Implementing Decision on the nitrates derogation is currently being progressed.
614. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will increase the income limit for the cost rental tenant-in-situ scheme to assist tenants who are just over the current limit and ensure that they can be prevented from homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17101/26]
View answerThe Cost Rental Tenant in-Situ (CRTiS) scheme was introduced on 1 April 2023 for tenants in private rental homes who are not in receipt of social housing supports but who are at risk of homelessness because a landlord has served a valid Notice of Termination due to an intention to sell the property. The Local Authority conducts the initial assessment for eligibility of the tenant for this scheme and refers potential cases to the Housing Agency, which is responsible for administering and managing the scheme on behalf of my Department.
The primary tenant eligibility condition for accessing Cost Rental housing also applies for eligibility for the CRTiS scheme, which is a maximum net annual household income (less income tax, PRSI, USC and superannuation contributions) of €66,000 for Dublin and €59,000 in the rest of Ireland.
The 2025 Programme for Government includes a commitment to "keep the income criteria for cost rental under review", in order to ensure they remain fit for purpose. The legislation governing Cost Rental gives broad scope to consider a range of factors when setting household income limits, rather than tying the decision to any one single metric or issue. These factors may include changing economic conditions, Government policy priorities, the current state of the Cost Rental sector, and future plans for the tenure. My Department is progressing this work, and new income limits may be set as necessary through the making of Regulations.
No decision has been made to increase the maximum income threshold for the CRTiS scheme at this time. As with all housing policy measures, the eligibility criteria for the CRTiS scheme are kept under review to ensure the scheme remains targeted and effective.
Tenants at risk of homelessness should continue to engage directly with the Housing Department in their Local Authority area, which can advise them in relation to their immediate and long-term accommodation options.
615. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason that a package of social housing reforms, including a social housing passport to allow households move from one local authority waiting list to another which were in the Programme for Government for the 33rd Dáil and has not been included for the Programme for Government for the 34th Dáil; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17109/26]
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, 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.
In relation to other commitments made in the Programme for Government for the 33rd Dáil, the Tenant (Incremental Purchase) Scheme was reviewed and changes have been implemented and the review of the differential rent system has carried forward into the national housing plan. Finally, in relation to a website to allow for a nationwide choice-based letting system, my Department continues to work with the LGMA on the local authority national housing ICT project which will include progressing this work.
616. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way in which he can assist older people who are eligible for the defective concrete block grant scheme but who are unable to uproot at this advanced stage of their lives; if he will consider allowing them to transfer their eligibility on to a beneficiary in their will, or to a purchaser who has paid the fair market price to them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17131/26]
View answerThe Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (the Act) commenced on 22 June 2023, and it underpins the current grant scheme and the related Regulations which were adopted on 29 June 2023.
The Grant Scheme confirms that an individual who purchased a relevant dwelling on or after 31 January 2020, other than a dwelling in respect of which a letter of assurance has been issued (in which case remediation works have already been carried out), shall not be a relevant owner where he or she knew or ought to have known that defective concrete blocks were used in the construction.
The 2022 Act deals with the transfer of eligibility by allowing a change of relevant owner in limited circumstances related to the death of a relevant owner who has been approved for grant assistance. No provision is made for a change of relevant owner in any other circumstance.
There are currently no plans to amend this further.
It should be noted that in order to assist homeowners, particularly those that are vulnerable, facilitators are available in four local authorities with information on the scheme. They use a combination of outreach efforts on an ongoing basis to create awareness about the programme and supports available, continuously researching and signposting homeowners to other resources in relation to mental health, financial support, energy grant applications (through the SEAI) etc.
617. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide a list of all tier 3 and tier 2 AHBs, stating each AHB’s total owned social and cost rental housing stock, in tabular form. [17147/26]
View answerOne of the functions of the Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority (AHBRA) is to collect and publish information (including statistical information on the number of dwellings in AHB ownership) concerning AHBs as it considers necessary and appropriate. Statistics on overall units owned, managed or leased by AHBs are captured as part of the AHBRA annual monitoring programme. AHBRA commenced its third monitoring programme in October 2024, the results of which were published in its latest Sectoral Analysis in July 2025, and is available on their website www.ahbregulator.ie/app/uploads/2025/07/AHBRA-Sectoral-Analysis-Insights-from-the-2024-AHB-Monitoring-Programme.pdf
AHBRA also categorise AHB’s by size based on the number of dwellings owned. While this is not broken down by individually named AHB, the information on the number of AHBs in each category, small/medium/large/Care and Support, is also available in their published sectorial analysis.
Data on the numbers of housing units owned by individual bodies would be available from the AHBs directly. Local Authorities also hold a breadth of information on the AHB dwellings they have funded, in each LA area.
618. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Social Protection to ensure that cultural awareness and anti-racism training is made mandatory for all staff working in employment activation and support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16958/26]
View answerAnti–Racism and cultural awareness training has been provided to all staff working in the Employment Services operations division of my Department.
On foot of a recommendation from the Department's Traveller and Roma Employment Services Consultative Forum, Pavee Point delivered Anti-racism and Intercultural Awareness Training to Intreo Employment Services staff which commenced in September 2024.
This training is designed to strengthen staff awareness of cultural diversity and to support inclusive and culturally competent service delivery.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
