Thomas Gould
Ceist:266. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the funding provided under the CAS programme to AHBs in each of the past five years, in tabular form. [36917/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraApproved Housing Bodies
Ceisteanna (266)
Freagraí scríofa
The Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) funding provides up to 100% capital funding to Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) for the construction and targeted acquisition of housing for priority needs categories to include homelessness, persons with a disability, age-friendly and care leavers. Funding provided under the CAS programme to AHBs in each of the past five years is set out in the table underneath.
|
Year Funding Provided |
2024 |
2023 |
2022 |
2021 |
2020 |
|
Funding (Million) |
€152m |
€220m |
€181m |
€99m |
€95m |
Housing Policy
Ceisteanna (267)
Ruairí Ó Murchú
Ceist:267. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if pension deductions are allowed for in the calculation of local authority rent; if, when mandatory pensions are introduced, these pension deductions will be accounted for in rent calculations by local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36920/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Local authorities set and collect rents on their dwellings in accordance with section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. The making or amending of such rent schemes is generally a matter for local authorities within broad principles set out by my Department, including that rent levels should be based on income and reflect tenants’ ability to pay.
Local discretion and flexibility are inherent in the devolved administration of rent schemes and different approaches are taken to rent setting across local authorities. Accordingly, decisions regarding whether or not pension contributions are included or disregarded for rent assessment purposes are matters solely for individual local authorities. I have no role in this regard.
National Planning Framework
Ceisteanna (268)
Eoghan Kenny
Ceist:268. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the revised national planning framework will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36944/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
On 20 June 2023, Government gave approval to commence the process of undertaking the First Revision of the National Planning Framework. The National Planning Framework (NPF), is the whole-of-Government strategy for strategic planning and sustainable development of our urban and rural areas to 2040, with the core objectives of securing balanced regional development and a sustainable ‘compact growth’ approach to the form and pattern of future development.
The revision process was finalised with the approval of the Revised NPF by Government and the Oireachtas in April 2025. The revised NPF provides the basis for the review and updating of regional strategies and local authority development plans to reflect matters such as updated housing figures, projected jobs growth and renewable energy capacity allocations, including through the zoning of land for residential, employment and a range of other purposes. The implementation of the Planning and Development Act 2024 will also be closely aligned with the implementation of the revised NPF, with updated regional strategies and new 10-year development plans required to reflect the revised NPF as they are prepared.
A copy of the National Planning Framework – First Revision with the associated environmental documents is available to view at www.npf.ie.
Local Authorities
Ceisteanna (269, 270)
Eoghan Kenny
Ceist:269. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of positions that remain vacant in the housing section of Cork City Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36947/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraEoghan Kenny
Ceist:270. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of positions remain vacant in the housing section of Cork County Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36948/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 269 and 270 together.
Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, 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. 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, data on the number of vacant posts is not collected and consequently is not available in my Department. The relevant information would be available from Cork City Council and Cork County Council respectively.
With specific regard to social housing delivery, in 2021 the Housing Delivery Co-ordination Office engaged with each local authority to identify their additional staff requirements to deliver social housing. Following this engagement, my Department approved funding for Cork City for eleven additional posts, all of which were in situ at the end of Q1 2025. Cork County Council were approved for nine posts, five of which were in situ at the end of Q1 2025.
In terms of affordable housing delivery, during 2023 and 2024 the Housing Delivery Co-ordination Office engaged with local authorities to identify their additional staff requirements to deliver affordable housing. Following this engagement, my Department approved funding for Cork City for ten additional posts, all of which were in situ at the end of Q1 2025. Cork County Council were approved for ten posts, seven of which are understood to be in situ at the end of Q1 2025.
Question No. 270 answered with Question No. 269.
Housing Schemes
Ceisteanna (271, 272, 273)
Eoghan Kenny
Ceist:271. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if, through his Department or local authorities, there is a policy to not allow purchase of four-bed houses through the tenant (incremental) purchase scheme 2016; if not, the number of four-bed houses have been purchased through this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36950/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraEoghan Kenny
Ceist:272. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of houses purchased through the tenant (incremental) purchase scheme 2016 since 2016 through Cork City Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36951/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraEoghan Kenny
Ceist:273. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of houses purchased through the tenant (incremental) purchase scheme since 2016 through Cork County Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36952/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 271 to 273, inclusive, together.
The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme 2016 came into operation on 1 January 2016 and allows tenants of local authority houses to apply to purchase their home. The scheme is governed by the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 and Housing (Sale of Local Authority Houses) Regulations 2015, as amended, and is open to eligible tenants of local authority houses that are available for sale under the scheme.
While the Regulations provide for specified classes of houses to be excluded from sale, they do not specifically exclude the sale of four-bed houses. That said, local authorities may, within the provisions of the regulations, exclude houses which they consider should not be sold for reasons such as proper stock or estate management. Such decisions are matters solely for local authorities having regard to their respective housing requirements.
Statistical information regarding the number of homes sold under the Scheme, from the beginning of the Scheme in 2016 until the end of 2023, broken down by local authority area, is also available from my Department’s website: www.gov.ie/en/collection/0906a-other-local-authority-housing-scheme-statistics/#sale-of-local-authority-houses.
Data for 2024 is being collected and collated. My Department does not collect data on the bed-size of the houses sold.
Question No. 272 answered with Question No. 271.
Question No. 273 answered with Question No. 271.