Eoin Ó Broin
Question:599. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the summary of social housing needs assessments for 2025 will be published. [37103/26]
View answerHousing Provision
Questions (599)
Written answers
The 2025 summary report has just recently been completed and is published at the following link on my Department's website: www.gov.ie/en/collection/62486-summary-of-social-housing-assessments/
Question No. 600 answered with Question No. 168.
Regeneration Projects
Questions (601)
Jen Cummins
Question:601. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update and timeline for each stage of the regeneration projects in Dublin South-Central, in tabular form. [37121/26]
View answerWritten answers
The regeneration of local authority social housing estates and flat complexes, including the selection of regeneration projects, the extent and nature of the regeneration approach, and the timeline for delivery of such projects, are generally matters for respective local authorities within national regeneration policy requirements.
That said, my Department provides significant funding to support such projects where they align with national regeneration policy requirements. Funding is provided through a range of funding programmes, including the Social Housing Investment Programme, the Affordable Housing Fund, Capital Advance Leasing Facility, the Cost Rental Equity Loan, and the national local authority estate regeneration programme (for remedial works).
While my Department tracks regeneration projects by local authority, rather than by constituency, the extant funding applications from Dublin City Council for regeneration projects in south Dublin City are detailed in the table below.
|
Project |
Funding Application |
Date Received |
Current Status |
Project Description |
|
Donore Project (formerly St. Teresa’s Gardens complex) |
Post-Tender |
28/01/2025 |
Funding Approved On site |
Mixed tenure – Social housing and Cost Rental |
|
Cherry Orchard Point |
Post-Tender |
15/01/2025 |
Funding Approved On site |
Mixed tenure – Social housing and Cost Rental |
|
Bluebell Waterways |
Post-Tender |
06/03/2026 |
Post-Tender Approved |
Mixed tenure – Social housing and Cost Rental |
|
An Droichead Órga (formerly St. Michael’s Estate) |
Post-Tender |
09/10/2025 |
Funding Approved On site |
Mixed tenure – Social housing and Cost Rental |
|
Dolphin House 1B |
Pre-Planning |
12/02/2024 |
Pre-Planning Approved |
Social Housing |
|
School Street & Thomas Court Bawn |
Pre-Planning |
30/10/2025 |
Pre-Planning Approved |
Social Housing |
|
Crumlin Road/Rafter's Lane |
Pre-Planning |
05/07/2024 |
Pre-Planning Approved |
Social Housing |
Timelines for progressing and completing these projects are matters mostly within the remit and gift of Dublin City Council and queries regarding same should be addressed directly to the Council.
The regeneration of Oliver Bond House is also a priority regeneration project for my Department. I commend the efforts of the Oliver Bond Regeneration Forum and the wider Oliver Bond community for their contributions to the regeneration proposals for the complex. I assure the residents funding has not been withdrawn, nor has a decision been taken not to regenerate these flats, and approval of almost €25m remains in place for the Oliver Bond regeneration project. My Department has also approved €2.5m for Precinct Improvement Works, some €1.4 million for a community centre, and continues to support the cost of a Regeneration Officer to support and assist local communities during the regeneration project.
At this stage, Dublin City Council has been requested to reconsider certain aspects of its Oliver Bond regeneration proposals, having regard to the policy requirement that there should be no significant reduction in homes post-regeneration, without adequate justification, and where homes must be lost, that losses should be minimised. Engagement continues between my Department and Dublin City Council in this regard and I am confident, with further collaboration with the Regeneration Forum, an agreed regeneration proposal will emerge and allow for a quick delivery of Phase 1 of this project.
Local Authorities
Questions (602)
Aidan Farrelly
Question:602. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 1691 and 1695 of 14 April 2026, the number of new staff sanctioned for hire in Kildare County Council, Kerry County Council, Fingal County Council and Meath County Council in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 and of new hires realised in those years. [37139/26]
View answerWritten answers
Staffing sanction requests for posts in local authorities submitted to my Department are considered in light of Government priorities and other requirements, including if the post is identified in the Strategic Work Force Plan. Consideration is also given to the overall staffing levels of the local authority and its ability to meet the ongoing costs involved.
The following table details the number of staffing sanction requests approved by my Department for Fingal, Kerry, Kildare and Meath County Councils in the period 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2025.
The recruitment and filling of posts in the local authority sector is undertaken both by individual local authorities and publicjobs depending on the grade and tenure of the post. Following the approval of a staffing sanction request by my Department where such is required it is then a matter for the Chief Executive who is responsible under Section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001 for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he or she is responsible, to progress the appointment as appropriate.
My Department oversees workforce planning for the local government sector, including the monitoring of local government sector employment levels. To this end, my Department gathers aggregate quarterly data on staff numbers in each local authority on a whole time equivalent basis. However, granular data, in terms of the number of staff newly recruited is not collected. The relevant information would be available from the local authorities concerned.
Table: Number of posts approved in the years 2022 to 2025
|
Local Authority |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
|
No. of Posts approved |
No. of Posts approved |
No. of Posts approved |
No. of Posts approved |
|
Fingal |
90 |
46 |
47 |
58 |
|
Kerry |
19 |
11 |
24 |
25 |
|
Kildare |
61 |
60 |
86 |
48 |
|
Meath |
97 |
55 |
59 |
46 |
Departmental Communications
Questions (603)
Malcolm Byrne
Question:603. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has any usage policy on or if it sanctions for official purposes the use of messaging apps (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37205/26]
View answerWritten answers
My Department does not use these messaging apps for official communication purposes.
My Department does not comment on operational security matters, as it would be inappropriate to disclose information that may in any way assist those with malicious intent.
Housing Provision
Questions (604)
Emer Currie
Question:604. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on his progress toward delivering affordable housing in Dublin West; the measures currently being advanced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37242/26]
View answerWritten answers
The Government recognises the acute need for affordable housing in areas of high demand, including Dublin West, and is committed to scaling up the delivery of starter purchase and cost rental homes in communities where affordability pressures are most severe.
Under Delivering Homes, Building Communities, the Governments priority is on accelerating delivery through the optimum use of public land, increased capital investment, and continued collaboration with housing delivery partners. This includes the strategic role of the Land Development Agency (LDA), which is tasked with activating State-owned lands for large-scale housing delivery, with a strong emphasis on delivering affordable purchase and cost-rental homes in key urban areas where the need is most acute.
In the Dublin West area, Fingal County Council is delivering 370 new starter homes at Churchfields in Mulhuddart, in a mix of 290 starter purchase homes and 80 cost rental units. Over 300 starter homes at Churchfields have now been delivered, with the remaining homes expected to be completed and delivered by the end of 2026.
The Land Development Agency (LDA), in partnership with Dublin City Council (DCC), are progressing plans for the development of Cherry Orchard Point in Dublin 10. This ambitious development will be delivered across a number of phases. Construction has begun on Phase 1, and a planning application for Phase 2 has been approved. Phase 1 will deliver 708 new homes overall — 547 cost rental and 161 social homes. The first homes in Phase 1A are expected to be completed by Q2 2028.
In addition to the above, the LDA is also working in Partnership with Dublin City Council to develop Phases 2 and 3 of the Dolphin House Estate Regeneration Project. This regeneration scheme will deliver between 600 - 900 social and starter purchase homes.
The LDA and a number of Approved Housing Bodies are also delivering cost rental homes in areas such as Rathbourne in Ashtown (399 homes) and Parkwest Pointe in Dublin 12 (228 homes) which will be delivered in phases from 2026 - 2028.
Under the Governments new housing plan, all local authorities, including Fingal County Council and Dublin City Council, are now required to prepare Housing Delivery Action Plans to clearly identify local affordable housing need and set out how this need can be met. My Department continues to engage closely with Fingal County Council, Dublin City Council and the LDA to ensure that delivery in Dublin West both continues and is aligned with identified need.
I am committed to increasing the supply of genuinely affordable homes in Dublin West and across the State. Through investment, the activation of public land, and close engagement with delivery partners, the Government will continue to scale up affordable housing delivery in areas where it is most urgently required.
Question No. 605 answered with Question No. 242.
National Parks and Wildlife Service
Questions (606)
Sorca Clarke
Question:606. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the RAPTOR (Recording and Addressing Persecution and Threats to Our Raptors) protocol and associated system for recording and investigating raptor (bird of prey) persecution and mortality incidents remains operational within the National Parks and Wildlife Service; if so, the reason annual RAPTOR reports and associated data have not been publicly published since 2019; whether the protocol or reporting arrangements have been discontinued, reduced, or replaced since 2019; and whether there are plans to resume regular public reporting of such data. [37347/26]
View answerWritten answers
The National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department continues to operate the RAPTOR Protocol in collaboration with the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation’s State Laboratory and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s Regional Veterinary Laboratories. The RAPTOR database is up to date with 42 incidents relevant to birds of prey in 2025. Furthermore, 2024 saw the highest number of bird of prey cases submitted since the RAPTOR protocol began, at 64 cases, up from 48 in 2023 (a 33.3% increase). Following the published Irish Wildlife Manual RAPTOR Report (which covered cases from 2007-2019 period) in 2020, a comprehensive report of RAPTOR cases for the intervening period, informed by the RAPTOR database of incidents, is planned, with preparation to commence in late 2026.
Question No. 607 answered with Question No. 193.
Local Authorities
Questions (608)
Jen Cummins
Question:608. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the plans to reintroduce the financial contribution scheme for local authorities. [37366/26]
View answerWritten answers
The Government’s new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities, includes measures to increase delivery of housing for older people through increased delivery of social housing, increased delivery of more suitable homes and choice in private housing and increased choice to support voluntary rightsizing.
I understand that existing financial contribution schemes in place in some local authorities are non-statutory and therefore a matter for the individual local authorities. Consideration will be given to a review of the operation of existing local authority financial contribution schemes and my Department is advancing these measures now incorporated in the new housing plan.
Question No. 609 answered with Question No. 242.
Departmental Bodies
Questions (610)
Grace Boland
Question:610. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average turnaround time for mapping applications; if Tailte Éireann will consider agreeing to a specified time to drive transparency and efficiency in the property transfer process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37381/26]
View answerWritten answers
Tailte Éireann is an independent Government agency under the aegis of my Department. Tailte Éireann provides a property registration system, property valuation service and national mapping and surveying infrastructure for the State. Under Section 8 of the Tailte Éireann Act 2022, Tailte Éireann is independent in the performance of its functions.
It should be noted at the outset that Registration occurs at the end of the conveyancing process, post purchase and draw down of mortgage funding. Registration of the legal effect of a property transfer comes after the documents are executed and, in the vast majority of cases, should not result in any delay in the property transfer process as the purchaser is already in occupation of the property. In a recently published guide by the Law Society to avoid delays when selling property (www.lawsociety.ie/globalassets/documents/news/2024/speed-up-your-property-sale.pdf) the seller, or their solicitor, should have all of the required deeds and documents in order prior to putting the property on the market to avoid delays.
In addition, Section 90 of the Registration of Title Act 1964 allows for the transfer on sale or mortgage of a property in the absence of registration. Where a property is unregistered, following a sale the obligation to register falls on the purchaser. Both legislative provisions exist to ensure registration is not a barrier in the property market.
The continued increase in applications received for registration by Tailte Éireann year over year, and challenges in recruitment for some time, have resulted in longer processing times for certain application types, however these delays are alleviating, with significant progress achieved to date in reducing the age profile of applications on hand.
It is not possible to give an average processing time for completion of applications for registration which require a change to the Land Registry Map, as each application is different and specific to the applicant and the property. All applications for first registration and applications affecting a part of a folio only, such as a transfer, easement or charge of just part of a property, must progress through various stages of processing, including mapping.
Applications for registration on the National Land Register must first meet Tailte Éireann’s minimum requirements to proceed to registration. A significant percentage of applications continue to be lodged that do not meet the minimum requirements as outlined on various checklists available on www.tailte.ie. This results in an administrative burden for Tailte Éireann and longer processing times for all applicants.
Tailte Éireann aims to complete initial validation checks on all applications, including those that require a change to the Registry Map, within 15 working days of receipt of an application. Where avoidable errors are identified, the application is returned efficiently to the lodging party for amendment and re-lodgement.
Applications which meet the minimum requirements for lodgement will pass through validation and on to the next stage of processing in date of lodgement order in accordance with Rule 58(1) of the Land Registration Rules 2012-2021 as amended.
Applications for registration which involve a transfer, charge or release of registered lands, where no change to the registry map is required, and applications submitted electronically through eRegistration account for approximately 78% of applications for registration. These applications are typically processed within 15 working days where the application is lodged in order.
Processing times for applications which do require a change to the Registry map are improving due to the impact of Tailte Éireann additional resourcing and implemented procedural efficiencies throughout the registration application process.
In cases where any delay in registration could have a potential impact, Tailte Éireann makes every effort to expedite applications where valid grounds exist, and where doing so does not impose a conflict in regard to priority given to any prior lodged dealing. Lodging parties may contact Tailte Éireann in relation to a specific case by email at info@tailte.ie.
Further information in relation to specific cases may be obtained by Oireachtas members by contacting the dedicated e-mail address in respect of Tailte Éireann at oireachtas@tailte.ie.
I am confident that as the required complement of Registration staff have now been onboarded, and with process improvement measures taking effect, Tailte Éireann will be in a position to achieve its goal of reducing waiting times across all registration services.
Regeneration Projects
Questions (611)
Eoin Ó Broin
Question:611. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide a list of all social housing estate regeneration projects currently being funded by his Department; when each project commenced; whether the scheme is a demolish and new build, a deep retrofit or a mixture of both; the number of new/retrofitted homes that have been provided to date in each scheme; and the amount of his Departmental spend to date on each regeneration scheme. [37429/26]
View answerWritten answers
The information requested is being considered and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Orders.
Please find attached a list of all projects where approval has been given by my Department and where a payment has been made to the Local Authority in respect of the project. It shows that a total of 1,907 new units will be provided through these regeneration projects with a further 132 units being upgraded and available for occupancy in the near future.
A list of projects which have received Stage 1 (or more) approval and have the potential for significant spend, but no housing related expenditure has currently issued is also provided.
Departmental Staff
Questions (612)
Malcolm Byrne
Question:612. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of additional staff employed or that will be employed by his Department directly or under contract for the purposes of Ireland’s presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2026 [37456/26]
View answerWritten answers
My Department established a new unit to work specifically on EU Presidency issues in mid 2024. This unit is led by a Principal Officer who is supported by an Assistant Principal, 2 HEO's and an EO. In addition my Department has supplemented staff in the Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels with an extra Principal Officer (Counsellor), Assistant Principal (Attache) and 2 locally recruited Policy Officers. This is in addition to the serving Housing Attache already serving in Brussels.
Mindful of the wide range of EU facing areas under my Department's remit 16 temporary EU Presidency Interns have also been recruited and are now in place. Additional staff will continue be assigned to work in EU facing areas throughout the Presidency as required.
Finally, 3 Departmental staff are currently seconded to the European Commission in various Directorates and their experience and contacts will be of further benefit to my Department delivering on its EU Presidency commitments in the second half of 2026.
Departmental Bodies
Questions (613)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:613. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when a decision will be made by the housing activation office (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37463/26]
View answerWritten answers
In January 2026, the Government launched the new Housing Infrastructure Investment Fund (HIIF) to support direct investment in the critical infrastructure needed to unlock housing delivery in towns and cities across the country.
The HIIF is a multiannual €1 billion fund and will be managed by the Housing Activation Office in my Department. It represents the largest housing infrastructure investment announced by the State in many years. The fund is designed to address infrastructure barriers that are preventing or delaying housing development, particularly in locations where housing can be delivered at scale and at pace.
Call 1 of the HIIF opened for applications from local authorities and the Land development Agency (LDA) on 21 January 2026 and closed on Friday 27 February 2026. Applications have been received from local authorities across the country, including Kerry County Council, and from the LDA. I can confirm that 7 funding applications have been received from Kerry Council and confirmation of receipt of these applications issued to the council on 6 March.
The Housing Activation Office team is actively reviewing all applications received against the scheme criteria and recommendations will be brought forward shortly in accordance with the governance arrangements for the fund. As this process is ongoing I am not in position to comment on any specific applications.
Question No. 614 answered with Question No. 242.
Question No. 615 answered with Question No. 220.
Local Authorities
Questions (616)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:616. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider making it mandatory for local authority meetings to be live streamed, recorded and published for the public to view; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37466/26]
View answerWritten answers
Section 45(5) of the Local Government Act 2001 states that a local authority may, by standing orders, regulate the right of members of the public and members of the media to be present at meetings. This includes the making of rules in relation to recording or relaying the proceedings as they take place or at a later stage.
It is therefore a matter for the elected members of each local authority to decide in the first instance to webcast local authority meetings and then to allocate sufficient funding from their annual budget for the provision of such facilities.
Planning Issues
Questions (617)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:617. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will ensure local councillors are given greater autonomy over the development of their County Development Plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37467/26]
View answerWritten answers
Each local authority development plan is the principal planning strategy document which sets out the relevant policies and objectives to guide the physical development of each city and county over a six-year period, including both urban and rural areas.
The elected local councillors are responsible for making or varying the development plan. Councillors must prepare and make the plan every six years, taking on board the technical and professional advice of their local authority. It is through the development plan, that planning authorities set out relevant objectives, policy support and development management standards for development, as well as identifying suitable locations or areas for specific forms of development. The power to make or vary a development plan is a reserved function of the elected members of each planning authority.
The Local Democracy Taskforce, a key commitment in the Programme for Government, was established in July 2025 with the purpose of bringing forward a suite of reforms across the Local Government Sector. The Terms of Reference for the Taskforce set out an ambitious and detailed work programme, which included consideration of the principle of subsidiarity and examining the possibility of devolving more decision-making powers to Councillors. The Taskforce submitted its final report to me recently. An implementation plan is currently being drafted for consideration by Government.
Departmental Surveys
Questions (618, 648)
Thomas Gould
Question:618. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage what the indicative results on the ICT system show from stock maintenance surveys to date, given that his Department indicated at the Oireachtas housing committee recently that it had some oversight of cumulative results. [37490/26]
View answerEoin Ó Broin
Question:648. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the social housing stock condition surveys, with a breakdown by local authority of the number of surveys undertaken; the percentage of the local authorities stock that has been surveyed to date; the methodology being used for the surveys; the data his Department is collating; and whether this information will be published by his Department at any stage. [37765/26]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 618 and 648 together.
The management and maintenance of local authority social homes, including pre-letting repairs and the re-tenanting of vacant properties, is a matter for each individual local authority under s.58 of the Housing Act 1966. Local authorities must also ensure all tenanted properties comply with the provisions of the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019. To this end, local authority elected members and officials must make adequate budgetary provision for housing repairs and cyclical maintenance utilising the significant housing rental income available to them as part of the annual budgetary process.
Notwithstanding local authority responsibilities in this regard, my Department is providing €260 million this year to support the remediation and maintenance of local authority social homes across a range of funding programmes. This includes €40 million under the Planned Maintenance and Voids Programme to support stock condition surveys, planned maintenance works, and the efficient turnaround of vacant local authority owned homes.
More than 15,000 stock condition surveys have been completed to date. My Department does not collect or collate data from these surveys. Rather, the surveys and the stock condition data emerging from them are managed by the respective local authorities through an ICT Asset Management system hosted by the LGMA. Surveys are completed and used primarily by local authorities for the purpose of informing their respective planned maintenance work programmes, and to support the sector's continued transition from a reactive voids approach to a proactive planned cyclical programme of inspection, repair, and replacement. My Department does not review, analyse or report on the substance of the completed surveys. These are matters entirely for respective local authorities and should be addressed directly to them.
It is expected all local authority social homes will be surveyed by end-2030 and progress to date, as reported by local authorities via the ICT Asset Management System, is set out in the table below.
|
County |
Total Properties |
Surveys Completed |
Completed Surveys (%) |
|
Carlow |
2,292 |
221 |
9.6% |
|
Cavan |
2,351 |
113 |
4.8% |
|
Clare |
3,277 |
665 |
20.3% |
|
Cork City |
11,850 |
185 |
1.6% |
|
Cork County |
8,197 |
275 |
3.4% |
|
Donegal |
5,244 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
Dublin City |
26,681 |
1,162 |
4.4% |
|
Dun Laoghaire |
5,525 |
913 |
16.5% |
|
Fingal |
7,050 |
170 |
2.4% |
|
Galway City |
2,789 |
200 |
7.2% |
|
Galway County |
3,391 |
65 |
1.9% |
|
Kerry |
4,648 |
393 |
8.5% |
|
Kildare |
6,576 |
181 |
2.8% |
|
Kilkenny |
3,063 |
357 |
11.7% |
|
Laois |
2,430 |
29 |
1.2% |
|
Leitrim |
1,202 |
465 |
38.7% |
|
Limerick |
6,137 |
1,924 |
31.4% |
|
Longford |
2,337 |
71 |
3.0% |
|
Louth |
4,685 |
336 |
7.2% |
|
Mayo |
2,388 |
0 |
0.0% |
|
Meath |
4,835 |
1,886 |
39.0% |
|
Monaghan |
1,989 |
179 |
9.0% |
|
Offaly |
2,249 |
411 |
18.3% |
|
Roscommon |
1,916 |
472 |
24.6% |
|
Sligo |
2,401 |
28 |
1.2% |
|
South Dublin |
10,618 |
2,808 |
26.4% |
|
Tipperary |
5,671 |
207 |
3.7% |
|
Waterford |
6,460 |
370 |
5.7% |
|
Westmeath |
2,532 |
63 |
2.5% |
|
Wexford |
5,549 |
764 |
13.8% |
|
Wicklow |
5,686 |
404 |
7.1% |
|
Total |
162,019 |
15,317 |
9.5% |
Departmental Projects
Questions (619, 620)
Pa Daly
Question:619. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide a list of all capital projects including social and affordable housing, water services, heritage and local authority-led projects funded under the remit of his Department which have been completed on time and within budget in Kerry in each of the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37586/26]
View answerPa Daly
Question:620. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide a list of all capital projects including social and affordable housing, water services, heritage and local authority-led projects funded under the remit of his Department which have not been completed on time and within budget in Kerry in each of the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37587/26]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 619 and 620 together.
The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Orders.
I propose to answer PQ 619 and 620 together.
My Department, through its various business units, enters into contracts for capital projects directly across the country, which are funded under the allocated Voted provision. For the purposes of the question raised, I can confirm there have been no capital projects contracted and funded directly by my Department in Kerry that have not been completed on time and within budget in the past five years and of a value greater than €250,000.
I can however confirm that my Department provided funding to a number of projects in Kerry which were directly contracted by my Department and have been completed on time and within budget and of a value greater than €250,000 in the past five years, details below in Table 1.
In parallel, my Department has provided, substantial funding for capital projects which are contracted and administered by state bodies under the aegis of my Department and local authorities over the last 5 years, including projects such as those listed.
My Department is not the contracting authority in these projects and therefore does not maintain the requested information in respect of the State bodies under its aegis. Arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my Department to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. This provides a speedy, efficient and cost effective system to address queries directly to the relevant bodies. These bodies may be contacted directly by e-mail by members of the Oireachtas, as set out in Table 2.
My Department does not collate information on local authority-led projects. The relevant local authorities may be contacted directly, and further information is available at the following link: Find my Local Authority | Local Government Ireland. - www.localgov.ie/find-my-local-authority?county=70
Table 1
|
Name of Project |
Year Completed |
|
Killarney National Park – Control of Invasive species rhododendron ponticum |
2022 |
|
Killarney National Park – Restoration of Glasshouses Muckross |
2023 |
|
Killarney National Park - Muckross Car Park |
2023 |
|
Killarney National Park - Control of Invasive species Rhododendron ponticum |
2023 |
|
Killarney National Park - Control of Invasive species Rhododendron ponticum |
2024 |
|
Killarney National Park - Control of Invasive species Rhododendron ponticum |
2025 |
Table 2
|
Bodies under the Aegis of DHLGH |
Oireachtas email |
|
An Coimisiún Pleanála |
oireachtasqueries@pleanala.ie |
|
An Fóram Uisce |
oireachtas@nationalwaterforum.ie |
|
Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority |
oireachtasqueries@ahbregulator.ie |
|
Construction Industry Register Ireland |
info@ciri.ie |
|
Docklands Oversight and Consultative Forum |
infodocklands@dublincity.ie |
|
Gas Networks Ireland |
oireachtas@gasnetworks.ie |
|
Heritage Council |
oireachtas@heritagecouncil.ie |
|
Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency |
Oireachtas@housingagency.ie |
|
Housing Finance Agency |
oireachtas.enquiries@hfa.ie |
|
Land Development Agency |
oireachtas@lda.ie |
|
Local Government Management Agency |
oireachtasmemberqueries@lgma.ie |
|
National Oversight and Audit Commission |
oireachtas@noac.ie |
|
National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee |
ntacc@housing.gov.ie |
|
Office of the Planning Regulator |
oireachtas@opr.ie |
|
Property Services Appeal Board |
psabsecretary@psab.ie |
|
Property Services Regulatory Authority |
pq@psr.ie |
|
Pyrite Resolution Board |
oireachtasinfo@pyriteboard.ie |
|
Residential Tenancies Board |
OireachtasMembersQueries@rtb.ie |
|
Tailte Éireann |
Oireachtas@tailte.ie |
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Uisce Éireann |
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Valuation Tribunal |
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Waterways Ireland |
oireachtas@waterwaysireland.org |
Question No. 620 answered with Question No. 619.
Departmental Data
Questions (621)
Thomas Gould
Question:621. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the number of social homes retrofitted in each of the past five years respectively. [26991/26]
View answerWritten answers
More than 11,000 social homes have been retrofitted under my Department's Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme (EERP) since it was introduced in 2021.
This programme aims to support the retrofit local authority social homes to a post works BER of 125KWh/m²/yr., with 36,500 social homes targeted out to 2030.
Some €140 million is being provided to local authorities through the programme this year. This is an increase of €50 million on the allocation in 2024 and 2025, and will support the retrofit of approximately 3,500 social homes. All local authorities were issued their 2026 targets/allocations in Q1 this year, and work is progressing.
An annualised breakdown of the funding provided by my Department for the retrofit of local authority social homes between 2013 and 2025 inclusive, and the number of homes upgraded, are available on the Department's website at: www.gov.ie/en/publication/668c1-energy-efficiency-retrofitting-programme-expenditure-output/
My Department also introduced a pilot Midlands Energy Retrofit Programme in 2020. Output data on the from the pilot can be accessed at: www.gov.ie/en/publication/b86b3-midlands-energy-retrofit-programme-expenditure-and-units/#
Questions Nos. 622 and 623 answered with Question No. 240.
Vacant Properties
Questions (624)
Barry Ward
Question:624. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to give an update on funding provided to local authorities to bring vacant housing stock back into use; the number of vacant local authority properties at year end for 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37594/26]
View answerWritten answers
The management and maintenance of local authority social homes, including pre-letting repairs and the re-tenanting of vacant properties, is a matter for each individual local authority under s.58 of the Housing Act 1966. Local authorities must also ensure all tenanted properties comply with the provisions of the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019. To this end, local authority elected members and officials must make adequate budgetary provision for housing repairs and cyclical maintenance utilising the significant housing rental income available to them as part of the annual budgetary process.
Notwithstanding, my Department will provide some €260 million as a contribution towards the remediation and maintenance of local authority homes through various funding programmes in 2026, with €40 million alone allocated to a revised Planned Maintenance and Voids Programme to specifically support the efficient turnaround of casually vacant homes by local authorities.
Details in relation to delivery under this programme since 2014 to the end of 2025 is available on my Department's website at: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/collections/other-local-authority-housing-scheme-statistics/#voids-programme
Work in relation to the 2026 programme is ongoing and full details in relation to delivery will be published early in 2027.
Generally, the quantum of social homes vacant at a moment in time, the length of time they've been vacant, the reasons they're vacant, and the steps being taken to bring them back to productive use, are matters solely for local authorities. Accordingly, matters related to vacant social homes should be addressed directly by local authorities.
That said, data on the management of social homes are published by the National Oversight and Audit Commission (NOAC) in its Annual Reports on Performance Indicators in Local Authorities. These reports provide a range of information in relation to social housing stock, including levels of vacancy and average turnaround times in local authority owned properties.
The most recent NOAC report for 2024 is available at: www.noac.ie/noac_publications/report-77-noac-performance-indicator-report-2024/