Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 June 2025
494. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has any plans to reinstate the temporary development contribution waiver scheme; if there are other financial incentives coming available for those who intend to commence building within the next year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33762/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 25 April 2023, the Government approved additional measures under the Housing for All Action Plan to incentivise the activation of increased housing supply and help reduce housing construction costs, including the introduction of temporary time-limited arrangements for the waiving of local authority “section 48” development contributions and the refunding of Uisce Éireann water and waste water connection charges.
The Government recognised that measures needed to be put in place to help address cost and viability with a view to incentivising the activation of a pipeline of new housing commencements, and assisting in the delivery of supply as quickly as possible. The waiver scheme applied to all permitted residential development including multi-unit developments, self-build houses and one-off houses, student accommodation and sheltered housing.
The schemes initially applied for one year to all permitted residential development that commenced on site between 25 April 2023 (the date of the Government Decision approving the measure) and 24 April 2024, and that are completed not later than 31 December 2025. On 23 April 2024, the Government approved an extension for the waiving of local authority “section 48” development contributions in respect of residential development commenced not later than 31 December 2024 and the refunding of Uisce Éireann water and waste water connection charges in respect of residential development commenced not later than 30 September 2024.
In April 2024, the final date for the completion of development works on qualifying houses under the schemes was extended from 31 December 2025 to 31 December 2026.
There are no plans to extend or re-introduce the waiver scheme.
Section 48(2)(b) of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act), provides that a development contribution scheme, applied by a planning authority in respect of its functional area, may make provision for payment of different contributions in respect of different classes or descriptions of development. The level of contribution, and the types of development to which development contributions should apply, including any exemptions from charging in specific circumstances if that is deemed appropriate, are therefore determined at local authority level, in accordance with the powers vested in elected members in relation to the adoption of local authority development contribution schemes.
