Written Answers Nos. 505-524
505. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the targeted interventions being undertaken in High Status Objective Catchment Areas to address risks from septic tanks. [49462/26]
View answer506. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether a national strategy exists to transition older septic tanks to modern treatment systems over a defined timeframe. [49464/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 505 and 506 together.
There are grant supports available under the Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems (DWWTS) Grant Scheme to assist householders in carrying out necessary works to defective domestic wastewater treatment systems, commonly known as septic tanks.
The scheme is targeted towards areas of highest environmental and public health risk, including Prioritised Areas for Action and High Status Objective Catchment Areas, as identified under the Water Action Plan 2024.
These areas are prioritised using a risk-based approach, including information arising from the Environmental Protection Agency inspection programme for domestic wastewater treatment systems. Where systems are identified as failing or posing a risk, remediation is required and grant supports are directed accordingly.
A review of the scheme has recently been completed and I have approved amendments extending the range of locations eligible for support. The revised Regulations are currently being finalised and will be implemented and notified to local authorities shortly.
There is no national programme in place to replace older septic tanks over a defined timeframe. Property owners are responsible for ensuring that their domestic wastewater treatment systems are properly maintained and do not pose a risk to human health or the environment.
507. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if updated building regulations or planning guidance are being considered to reduce future risks from domestic wastewater systems. [49465/26]
View answerIf a Domestic Waste Water System is subject to planning authorisation, this requires assessment by an appropriately trained and qualified person and the relevant planning authority to determine suitability in line with the Building Regulations, the EPA’s Code of Practice for Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems (Population Equivalent 10) , and both EU and Irish legislation.
Draft guidance is currently being finalised to support planning authorities as they incorporate the objectives of the EU Water Framework Directive into their decision making.
510. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current processing times for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant from application to approval nationally, in the greater Dublin area, and the Dublin north-west area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49474/26]
View answer523. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question no. 424 of 23 June 2026, if he will provide a schedule of the local authorities that have drawn down an administration grant; if he will provide a schedule of local authorities that have submitted business cases (details supplied). [49824/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 510 and 523 together.
The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, funded under the Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund, has been a key measure in addressing vacancy and dereliction across the country. The Grant provides 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 derelict, bringing the total grant available for a derelict property up to a maximum of €70,000.
At end Q1 2026, over 17,400 applications have been received, over 13,100 approved, with more than 5,300 grants paid out following completion of works, totalling almost €285 million of grant funding paid out across the county.
Prior to a decision being made on a grant application, the local authority reviews the application to ensure that the grant conditions are met and the required supporting documentation has been submitted. They will then arrange for a site visit to be carried out. Once this process is complete the local authority will make their decision on the grant application which is then issued to the applicant.
The average application processing time i.e. the time from receipt of the application to a decision being made by local authorities over the last 12 months is 65 days. The average processing time in the 4 Dublin local authorities over the last 12 months is 58 days. The Department does not hold data on processing times for specific areas in Dublin. This time period is reduced in cases where a completed application, accompanied by required documentation is received by the local authority.
All 31 local authorities have a full-time Vacant Homes Officer in place as a key point of contact in their Vacant Homes Office teams. My Department provides annual funding of €60,000 to each local authority to ensure a dedicated focus on tackling vacancy and dereliction. Vacant Homes Officers are supported in their role by the Vacant Homes Unit in my Department, the Housing Agency and through the Vacant Homes Officer Network.
My Department has also provided €180,000 to each local authority to support processing Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant applications. Technical and legal support is also available to support local authorities in administering the grant through the Housing Agency.
The new housing plan committed 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. In June following receipt of a business case my Department contacted local authorities advising them of the process to draw down the additional funding awarded to them to support grant administration. A total of 19 business cases have been received, the table below provides details of the local authorities who submitted a business case:
To date no funding has been drawn down.
While my Department has a role in strategic workforce planning within the local government sector, Section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001 provides that each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he or she is responsible.
The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant has been very successful since its introduction and is making a real difference in urban and rural areas, supporting bringing vacant and derelict properties back into use as homes.
511. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to list all EU funding streams that are available to his Department and other State agencies tasked with the delivery of social and affordable homes; and the amount of each fund drawn down in each year from 2020 to 2025, in tabular form. [49556/26]
View answerThe EU’s cohesion policy aims to strengthen economic and social cohesion by reducing disparities in the level of development between regions.
Ireland will benefit from €1.4 billion in Cohesion Policy funding between 2021-2027 to support the sustainable development of its economy.
The details and strategy for these investments are set out in the Partnership Agreement between Ireland and the Commission, available here: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-public-expenditure-infrastructure-public-service-reform-and-digitalisation/publications/partnership-agreement-2021-2027/.
In November 2025, a Northern & Western (NW) Regional Programme approved the allocation of €32m of European Regional Development Funding (ERDF) towards a new Scheme supporting Social Housing, providing competitive funding to Local Authorities for adaptive social housing projects targeting hard to reach cohorts.
In addition, a Southern, Eastern and Midland (SEM) Regional Programme amendment was formally accepted by the Commission in March 2026 to allocate €60m towards a new Scheme providing funding to Local Authorities to support Affordable Housing. The Southern Regional Assembly (SRA) is the Managing Authority in this regard.
Ireland also currently accesses significant European funding for housing through European Investment Bank (EIB loans) for social and affordable housing via the Housing Finance Agency (HFA), and specific national schemes co-funded by the EU and other EU Structural and Investment funds, such as the Town Centre First Heritage Revival Scheme via the European Regional Development Fund for urban regeneration.
Since 2007, the HFA’s €775 million partnership with the EIB has helped provide over 6,200 social and affordable homes nationwide. In October 2025, a new €400 million partnership between the EIB and the HFA was announced to support the delivery of social and affordable homes in Ireland.
Details of estimated EU receipts for my Department for the years 2020 to 2025 are set out in Appendix 2 to the Revised Estimates for Public Services (REV), which are available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-public-expenditure-infrastructure-public-service-reform-and-digitalisation/collections/the-revised-estimates-volumes-for-the-public-service/.
The final outturn on EU funding received is set out in the annual Appropriation Account for my Department.
512. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the delivery of affordable homes in the Poolbeg West SDZ. [49558/26]
View answerI refer to my reply to Question No. 240 of 19 May, which sets out the position in this matter. The position remains unchanged.
513. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of requests for increased CALF and CAS funding on individual projects after construction has commenced, and where costs have increased above initial stage 1 approval in the past 12 months, with a breakdown by local authority and by funding request approval/rejection. [49559/26]
View answerI refer to my reply to Dáil Question No. 330 of 25 June which sets out the information requested.
514. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if an investigation can be conducted of the situation regarding pyrite remediation in Lusk impacting four houses (details supplied); the reason expensive core drill tests can be required in order to obtain category A certs when pyrite tests and BCA reports have already concluded the building is up to standard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49570/26]
View answerThe Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 provides the statutory framework for the establishment of the Pyrite Resolution Board and the implementation of the Pyrite Remediation Scheme (Scheme), which is administered by the Board with the support of the Housing Agency.
The provisions of the Act apply solely to dwellings affected by significant damage attributable to pyritic heave, resulting from the presence of reactive pyrite in the subfloor hardcore material. The Scheme was established to remediate such dwellings where the swelling of hardcore beneath ground floor slabs has caused significant damage.
The Scheme is strictly application-based and assessed on a property-by-property basis. Individual homeowners must apply independently and satisfy specific criteria to qualify, as set out on the Pyrite Resolution Board website at www.pyriteboard.ie.
My Department cannot comment on individual applications and their outcomes as these are matter in the first instance for the Board.
Elected representatives can make queries to oireachtasinfo@pyriteboard.ie.
515. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on his Department’s priorities for Ireland’s EU Council Presidency. [49583/26]
View answerIreland’s Presidency Policy Programme sets out the Government’s priorities under the themes of competitiveness, values and security. The full list of priorities for Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the EU is available on the Presidency website at the following link: irish-presidency.consilium.europa.eu/en/programme/programme-of-the-irish-presidency/.
With respect to my Department, the Programme identifies affordable housing as a key priority. Access to affordable housing is a key component of a competitive European economy and the Irish Presidency will seek to progress the initiatives under the European Affordable Housing Plan, including the Affordable Housing Act and the Construction Services Act.
In addition, following the publication of the EU Anti Poverty Strategy, the Irish Presidency will progress the Commission’s proposal for a Council recommendation on fighting housing exclusion, defined as the inability of individuals to access or maintain decent, stable housing across the EU. The recommendation focuses in particular on those most impacted by homelessness, namely vulnerable persons in precarious housing situations, and seeks to support measures which will prevent and address homelessness.
In relation to biodiversity and water, the Irish Presidency will promote deeper integration of biodiversity, climate and water policies to amplify cross-sectoral benefits and strengthen EU resilience. Related to this ambition, the Irish Presidency will work to strengthen freshwater resilience across the EU, supporting the implementation of the European Water Resilience Strategy. Key areas of focus will be on advancing the three main objectives of the strategy, around restoring and protecting the natural water cycle, building a water smart economy, and security of supply.
In addition, the Presidency will provide strong and coordinated leadership for the EU at key UN environmental negotiations. For my Department, this will include the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD) COP17, which will include a Global Review of the Implementation of the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and is an important milestone for accelerating implementation and continued ambition to halt biodiversity loss in the lead-up to 2030. The Irish Presidency will also steer preparations ahead of the UN Water Conference. The conference will aim to build on the work over the past ten years on the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 6 on Clean Water and Sanitation and will look to accelerate delivery of tangible outcomes during the remaining years of the 2030 agenda.
516. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of DCB appeals heard for each county per month, in tabular form. [49627/26]
View answerThe Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 as amended by the Act of 2025 underpins the Grant Scheme which provides grant funding to people whose homes have been affected by Defective Concrete Blocks.
An Appeals Panel has been established to assess appeals made under the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the use of Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme. The Panel is independent in its work with my Department supplying administrative support only.
My Department has the overall number of appeals, it does not have statistics on the number of appeals heard on a monthly basis. At the time of writing 192 appeals have been submitted to the Appeals Panel. A breakdown showing the number of appeals received from relevant owners, by designated local authority, is available in the table below:
|
Designated Local Authority |
Appeals Received |
|
Donegal |
158 |
|
Mayo |
6 |
|
Clare |
17 |
|
Limerick |
11 |
|
Sligo |
0 |
|
Wexford |
0 |
|
Fingal |
0 |
|
Total |
192 |
Of the 192 received by the Panel, 13 have been withdrawn by appellants at various stages of the process. However, I am informed that the Appeals Panel have reached a decision on 63 appeals, with 116 currently at various stages of review with the Panel.
It should be noted that the Appeals Panel is statutorily independent in the performance of their functions of myself as Minister, my Department and of the Housing Agency. My Department provides limited administrative support during the initial stage of the process, in that appeals submitted by homeowners are forwarded to the Panel. Matters pertaining to the operation of the Panel, including the timelines for the processing of appeals and determinations, would be a matter for the Chair and the Panel.
517. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the expected completion of the Working Group on the prohibition of pets in social housing’s work. [49636/26]
View answerThe new national housing plan, Building Homes, Delivery Communities, commits to reviewing the CCMA Code of Practice - Approved Housing Body (AHB) Allocation Process (the Code). A Working Group, including local authority and AHB representatives, has been established by my Department to examine the Code and its implementation.
As part of the work of this Working Group, an examination of how the Code can ensure that social housing tenants, of either AHBs or local authorities, are not precluded from living with domestic pets in local authority or approved housing body properties. The review of the Code of Practice is scheduled for completion by H2 2026.
518. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide figures of the cost overruns by his Department, relative to the budgeted amount in Budget 2026; the cost overruns by his Department, relative to the budgeted amount in Budget 2026 for each State Agency under the aegis of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49662/26]
View answerThe total gross provision for my Department's Vote (Vote 34) for 2026 is €9.029bn. This is made up of €3.099bn of current funding and €5.930bn of capital funding. The allocation to the Vote Group also includes the provision to Vote 16 Tailte Éireann, Vote 23 An Coimisiún Toghcháin and Vote 39 Uisce Éireann. Inclusive of these votes, the gross provision to the Vote Group amounts to €11.4bn.
In addition to the voted provision for 2026, as set out Revised Estimates for Public Services 2026, my Department's housing programmes will benefit this year from funding of some €127.2m that is being made available from the proceeds of Local Property Tax (LPT).
As set out in the May 2026 Fiscal Monitor, net expenditure in the Vote Group to end May amounted to €3.310bn, which was €484m behind published profile of €3.794m. This variance is mostly due to Housing subheads experiencing delays in submissions of claims. It is expected that expenditure will come back into line with profile before year end.
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. The contact email addresses are set out in the table below.
519. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average cost per unit per year of the 697 social housing leases delivered in 2025; and the breakdown of these leases, by lease type. [49776/26]
View answerThe breakdown of the 697 social housing leases delivered in 2025 is set out in the table below:
|
Long-term Lease |
Short Term Lease (RAS Type) |
Repair & Lease |
Mortgage to Rent |
Grand Total |
|
157 |
88 |
102 |
350 |
697 |
The average cost per unit per year for Long Term Leasing, Short Term Leasing and Repair and Leasing delivered in 2025 is €14,660.96.
This may be further broken down as follows.
Average annual cost:
Long Term Leasing: €17,146.
Short Term Leasing: €13,362.
Repair & Lease: €11,401.
Mortgage to Rent: €18,723.
Note: The information provided above is based on the financial information available to my Department. Delivery does not necessarily occur in the year of approval or spend.
520. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his efforts to tackle dereliction in conjunction with local authorities; his efforts to ensure the derelict sites levy is enforced and collected by local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49780/26]
View answer521. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps he has taken in conjunction with local authorities to tackle dereliction; the further steps he has taken to ensure that the derelict sites levy is enforced and collected by local authorities with low levels of collection such as Galway County Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49781/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 520 and 521 together.
Local authorities have been provided with a number of statutory powers and measures to deal with the issue of derelict properties, both in larger urban settlements and in smaller rural towns and villages.
The Derelict Sites Act 1990 imposes a general duty on every owner and occupier of land to take all reasonable steps to ensure that the land does not become, or continue to be, a derelict site. The Act also imposes a duty on local authorities to take all reasonable steps, including the exercise of appropriate statutory powers, to ensure that any land within their functional area does not become, or continue to be, a derelict site.
Each local authority maintains a derelict sites register under section 8 of the Act for sites which they consider are derelict under the Act. Sites entered on the derelict sites register are subject to an annual derelict sites levy of 7% of market value, which will continue to apply until the site is rendered non-derelict. However, the placing of sites on the register and the collecting of levies on those sites are part of the overall process that local authorities undertake with the owners of derelict sites they identify. Local authorities will engage directly with site owners to try to bring these sites back into productive use and out of dereliction before they are formally listed on the register. This direct engagement can often lead to those units being brought back into productive use, which is what we all want.
Local Authorities are required to submit an annual return to my Department providing information on the operation of the Derelict Sites Act 1990 in their functional areas and this is undertaken in the following year. Statistics for 2025 are not currently available.
The most recent Derelict Site returns for Galway County Council are available here: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-governmient-and-heritage/publications/annual-returns-for-2024-received-from-local-authorities-under-the-derelict-sites-act-1990/.
As announced within Budget 2026 and confirmed in Government’s Housing Plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities, the existing Derelict Sites Levy is to be replaced with a new Derelict Property Tax, to be collected by the Revenue Commissioners. The new Derelict Property Tax is a necessary step in tackling the scourge of dereliction. The new tax will actively incentivise property owners to bring neglected and derelict buildings and sites back into use, and in doing so, increase our national housing supply.
A wide package of measures have been brought forward by Government to address dereliction in recent years. These measures include the provision of Vacant Homes Officers and Town Regeneration Officers in local authorities, the implementation of the Vacant Homes Action Plan and related resourcing and funding supports. This funding includes Call 3 of the Programme under the Towns and Cities Regeneration Investment (formally URDF) which provides a €150 million revolving fund for local authorities to acquire vacant or derelict properties and sites for re-use or sale. The Fund is replenished from the proceeds received from the sale or reuse of properties, allowing a rolling fund for each local authority to tackle vacancy and dereliction.
In addition, the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant provides up to €70,000 in grant support to bring derelict properties back into long term use as homes. There has been significant interest in the grant since its launch, with over 15,600 applications made to local authorities to date and over €230 million of grant funding paid out across the country. In December, I announced a new enhanced support package of up to €140,000 to bring vacant ‘above shop’ property in our cities, towns and villages into use as homes, which became available in Q1 of this year.
This grant may be used in combination with exemptions from the requirement for planning permission for the conversion of certain types of vacant commercial property into residential use, such as ‘living over the shop’ accommodation, up to a maximum of 9 residential units.
The Regulations, which were first extended in 2022 under SI 75/2022 to include an exemption for the conversion of vacant pubs, have now been extended to the end of 2028. Up to the end of 2024, local authorities received 1,457 notifications from developers intending to avail of the exemptions. If acted on, this would result in 3,429 new homes across the country.
A Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) Activation Programme was also launched by my Department in April 2023. The Programme supports a proactive and systematic approach by local authorities to the re-use of vacant and derelict properties. It also includes guidance for local authorities to actively use their legislative powers, including under the Derelict Sites Act, to acquire vacant and derelict properties, where engagement with owners has been unsuccessful. This requires local authorities to take a proactive, systematic approach to identifying and activating vacant and derelict properties. It includes use of their compulsory purchase powers under the Derelict Sites Act and the Housing Act, when engagement with the owners of these properties is not successful in bringing them back into use. Under the CPO Activation Programme targets are set, with local authorities required to identify vacant and derelict properties, and record activity and outcomes. Under Delivering Homes, Building Communities, data will be published annually on local authorities’ achievements in progress and delivery.
The Government’s Housing Action Plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities, builds on existing measures and programmes to tackle dereliction and includes further additional actions in Pillar 1 for this area. It aims to end dereliction and vacancy in order to provide increased numbers of new homes and revitalise the communities in villages, towns and cities. Other specific actions beyond the Derelict Property Tax include the provision of a digital national Derelict Sites Register, increased numbers of properties on Derelict Site Registers, increased compulsory acquisition of properties where owners fail to engage with local authorities and increased collection of unpaid Derelict Site Levies.
522. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of properties in Somerton Park, Ballinlough, Cork (details supplied), broken down by year and the agreed purchase price of each transfer of title. [49782/26]
View answerSomerton Park, Ballinlough Road, Cork consists of 44 houses built circa 1950 by the Lee Public Utility Society.
According to the leases, the houses were provided under the Housing of the Working Classes Acts 1890 to 1958.
They were grant aided under section 20 of the Housing (Amendment) Act 1948 on condition that the houses would not be sold.
• they would only be let to working class people at a rent and subject to conditions as would be approved by the Minister.
• Section 20 was repealed by a 1962 Housing Act which did not contain a provision to continue in force the section 20 undertakings.
In 1975 the society converted itself into a private limited company called Lee Estates Co. Ltd. This company was wound up in April 1976 with the assets of the company (being the houses located at Somerton Park) transferred to four individuals. Some of these individuals sought an increase in rents from the tenants of some of the houses.
In 1976 the Department asked landlords for assurance that the houses would continue to be let at a rent approved by the Minister.
Notices to Quit were served on some tenants followed by Ejectment Proceedings in March, 1978.
A tenant took a test High Court action successfully in 1984, the outcome of which was applied to the entire estate.
The effect of the judgement was that the undertaking given under section 20 continues in force and the Minister's consent is required to any increases in the rents of the houses.
A provision was included in the Landlord and Tenant (Amendment) Act 1980 to enable the Minister to consent to the sale of the houses, including retrospectively.
The Attorney General’s Office was consulted about how these cases should be dealt with. It was decided that the role of the Minister should be to:
• consent to sales to the tenants where the tenant wishes to purchase, the price is reasonable and the vendor is entitled to sell.
• approve a rent increase if agreed between the tenant and landlord or if determined by the Courts.
• give retrospective consent to sales to the landlords where the security of tenure of the tenants can be guaranteed.
A number of the houses were subsequently sold to the tenants at reasonable prices to which previous Ministers consented. Between 1988 and 2024, 13 approvals of sale were issued.
Currently, my Department has no applications on hand for consent to a sale or an increase in rent for other houses in Somerton Park, Ballinlough Road, Cork.
524. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update in respect of the Bray harbour URDF project; if funding for additional local authority staff has been approved and allocated; if he will detail the scope of the works to be carried out initially; and if the local authority has advanced planning for the project and the amount of funding drawn down to date. [49825/26]
View answerI refer to my reply to Dáil Question No. 1031 of 18 March 2026. I can confirm that the position remains unchanged in that respect.
To date, Wicklow County Council has drawn down €99,933.79 in URDF support for its Bray Harbour Integrated Regeneration proposal. This is comprised of €14,370.30 for Staff Resources and €85,563.49 for works.
In respect of projects supported by the Towns and Cities Regeneration Investment Fund (formerly the URDF), responsibility for their advancement through the various stages of the project lifecycle is a matter for the relevant Sponsoring Authority (Wicklow County Council in this instance).
