Written Answers Nos. 91-96
91. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if additional funding is being provided to his Department this year due to additional expenditure arising following storm Éowyn; if additional funding is provided, the programmes and schemes that will benefit from this additional expenditure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14591/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraNo additional Exchequer funding has been provided to my Department in 2025 due to additional expenditure arising following storm Éowyn.
92. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage how many capital assistance scheme (CAS) projects have been sanctioned by his Department since he became Minister; the number of homes likely to be delivered under CAS in 2025; and the number of CAS projects currently awaiting sanction from his Department. [14239/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraGovernment is fully committed to working with all stakeholders to deliver social homes at scale, as well as new affordable and cost rental homes and we have a record level of investment being provided for the delivery of Housing in 2025 with a capital funding provision of €6.5 billion supplemented by current funding of €1.65 billion.
The number of new build social homes in the pipeline for delivery in the three-year period 2025 to 2027, circa 36,000 homes, is the highest ever for a three-year period. The strongest national delivery of social housing since 1975 was recorded in 2022 with 10,254 social homes delivered and this was exceeded in 2023 with 11,938 homes.
There will always be projects on hand with my Department which are either under assessment or the subject of further engagement with LAs or AHBs. This is perfectly normal in the context of the circa 2,500 Social and Affordable housing projects which have been or are being handled by my Department currently, which are scheduled for delivery in the period 2025–27. Under the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS), my Department has approved 9 new projects since 23 January, 2025 and continues to approve projects. the number of projects on hand and being assessed is not significant in the context of the 180 CAS projects being managed by my Department for the delivery of some 1,662 new homes for priority and special needs tenants in the period 2025 - 2027. My Department is working with the LAs and AHBs to finalise the approval of the projects on hand and to deal with the new project proposals that are received on an ongoing basis.
Detailed information on all social housing projects - including those being funded under CAS - that are either undergoing design, planning or procurement processes before starting on site, those that are currently on site or those that are recently completed, is published quarterly by my Department in the form of a 'Construction Status Report'. The last published report was up to the end of Q3 of 2024 and is available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/1e0ab-social-housing-construction-projects-status-report-q3-2024/. The report up to Q4 of 2024 will be published shortly and will provide further information on the status of all individual CAS projects that are in pre-construction and those on site or completed.
93. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding the regeneration of Pearse House; the reason residents have not yet been facilitated to move out for works; the status of the stage 2 funding application received from Dublin City Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14257/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe project plan for the regeneration of Pearse House is a matter for the local authority and I am advised by Dublin City Council (DCC) that they are further developing proposals to advance the regeneration of this complex.
I am also advised that in line with DCC’s Housing Allocations Scheme of Letting Priorities, decanting can only commence once a grant of planning has been achieved.
Regarding the status of the Stage 2 funding application, this application for Approval in Principle is being reviewed by DCC as the initial design would result in the loss of 34 (43%) of the current homes.
DCC have informed my Department that they have instructed the Integrated Design Team (IDT) to review the design strategy to examine all strategies for delivering the project that preserves the number of units.
This work is currently ongoing and DCC will continue to liaise with my Department in order to progress the submission of a revised Stage 2 funding application.
94. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average waiting time to be allocated a council property from Cork County Council. [14295/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department does not hold information on allocation and waiting times for those on local authority housing waiting lists. This data is held by the local authorities.
Alternatively, the Housing Agency produces an annual report entitled Summary of Social Housing Assessments which provides information on the length of time on Record of Qualified Households (Waiting List) broken down by local authority. This is available on the Housing Agency's website: www.housingagency.ie/publications/summary-social-housing-assessments-ssha-2023.
Additionally, statistics in relation to social housing stock, at a point in time, are published by the National Oversight and Audit Commission (NOAC) in their 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 for reletting local authority owned properties. The most recent report, relating to 2023, is available on the NOAC website at the following link: https://cdn.noac.ie/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/NOAC-PI-Report-2023-FINAL.pdf.
95. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when his Department officials last met with the Data Protection Commissioner to ensure the highest standards are being met by the Department, and all agencies under its remit, in terms of compliance with data protection legislation. [14444/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department met with the Deputy Commissioner of the Data Protection Commission on 5 February 2025.
This meeting did not extend to discussing data compliance within state bodies under my Department's aegis who are independent bodies with their own data protection responsibilities and reporting arrangements. My Department does not hold any information in relation to same. The state bodies may be contacted directly regarding their individual level of direct engagement with the Data Protection Commission. The relevant contact details for the provision of information from state bodies to Oireachtas members is included in the table below.
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Bodies under the Aegis of DHLGH |
Oireachtas email |
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An Bord Pleanála |
oireachtasqueries@pleanala.ie |
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An Fóram Uisce |
oireachtas@nationalwaterforum.ie |
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Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority |
oireachtasqueries@ahbregulator.ie |
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Docklands Oversight and Consultative Forum |
infodocklands@dublincity.ie |
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Gas Networks Ireland |
oireachtas@gasnetworks.ie |
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Heritage Council |
oireachtas@heritagecouncil.ie |
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Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency |
Oireachtas@housingagency.ie |
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Housing Finance Agency |
oireachtas.enquiries@hfa.ie |
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Land Development Agency |
oireachtas@lda.ie |
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Local Government Management Agency |
oireachtasmemberqueries@lgma.ie |
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National Oversight and Audit Commission |
oireachtas@noac.ie |
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National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee |
ntacc@housing.gov.ie |
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Office of the Planning Regulator |
oireachtas@opr.ie |
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Pyrite Resolution Board |
oireachtasinfo@pyriteboard.ie |
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Residential Tenancies Board |
OireachtasMembersQueries@rtb.ie |
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Tailte Éireann |
Oireachtas@tailte.ie |
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Uisce Éireann |
oireachtasmembers@water.ie |
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Valuation Tribunal |
oireachtas@valuationtribunal.ie |
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Waterways Ireland |
oireachtas@waterwaysireland.org |
96. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will review the affordable housing scheme in light of difficulties local authorities such as Galway County Council are having in providing affordable housing, given that the affordability gain of 15% cannot be met in certain areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14475/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFunding approvals are now in place for the delivery of over 5,200 affordable purchase and cost rental homes by 21 local authorities with the support of the Affordable Housing Fund.
This is a significant level of activity. Despite well-documented affordability and viability challenges, the arrangements in place to support local authority affordable purchase schemes are proving effective.
Funding support is available to all local authorities from the Affordable Housing Fund to deliver new affordable purchase and cost rental homes where an affordable housing need is evident. Galway County has funding approval to support delivery of 61 homes at Claregalway, while Galway City has funding approval in place for three schemes to deliver 124 affordable purchase homes. Both Local Authorities have further proposals in development.
My Department, in conjunction with the Housing Delivery Co-ordination Office of the Local Government Management Association and the Housing Agency, is continuing to advise and support both Galway local authorities in developing further affordable housing schemes that are well-aligned to their local housing market context and that respond effectively to identified affordability needs as set out in their respective Housing Delivery Action Plans.
