Written Answers Nos. 279-298
279. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport when fibre broadband be available to homes in the town of Dromahair, as it currently only has fibre to cabinet, and requires fibre cables to be installed from cabinet to homes. [51089/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Broadband Plan (NBP) is the government's initiative to deliver high speed broadband services to all premises in Ireland.
Dromahair is predominantly in the BLUE area on the broadband map which is available on my Department's website: www.gov.ie/en/publication/5634d-national-broadband-plan-map/.
The BLUE area represents those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have plans to deliver high-speed broadband services. The Department defines high-speed broadband as a connection with minimum speeds of 30Mbps download and 6Mbps upload.
The activities of commercial operators delivering high-speed broadband within BLUE areas are not planned or funded by the State and the Department has no statutory authority to intervene in that regard.
As per information available at www.openeir.ie/fibre/broadband-checker the area is included in open eir’s Full Fibre deployment programme which will provide a full fibre Gigabit connection and some 46% premises in the area have already been passed by open eir and can now order full fibre gigabit connection with speeds up to 2Gbps.
The Department does not have sight of information that provides an estimated timeline of when commercial operators will provide a full fibre connection to the remaining premises in Dromahair, other than what’s on the Open Eir messaging.
If a person lives in the BLUE area and after contacting their Retail Service Provider are told they cannot get access to greater than 30Mbps, they should raise a query via the Department's webform at secure.dccae.gov.ie/forms/NBP-Customer-Service.aspx and the Department will escalate with the commercial operator to investigate this matter further.
12% of premises in the locality of Dromahair are in the Intervention Area serviced by National Broadband Ireland (NBI) and can obtain speeds of at least 500mbps at present. Premises located in the Intervention Area on the broadband map are to be served by the network deployed under the NBP State led intervention. NBI have advised that these premises are ready for service.
280. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport when additional legislative and regulatory measures will be implemented to prevent online abuse and the online dissemination of misinformation and disinformation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51096/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAbuse of anyone, whether offline or online, is abhorrent and I condemn it. It is important that anyone who feels threatened or harassed online reports the content to the relevant platform directly in the first instance. If there is a fear of immediate danger, An Garda Síochána should be contacted immediately. The investigation of possible criminal offences, including abusive, threatening or offensive communications as detailed in Coco’s Law (the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act, 2020), is a matter for An Garda Síochána.
In relation to preventing online abuse, there is now a significant body of legislation providing the foundation for Ireland’s online safety framework. Coimisiún na Meán, as Ireland’s online safety and media regulator, is at the heart of that framework. It was established under the Online Safety and Media Regulation (OSMR) Act, which transposed the AudioVisual Media Services Directive, and that Act is one of three main elements of the online safety framework. The other two elements are the EU Digital Services Act (DSA), under which An Coimisiún is Ireland’s Digital Services Coordinator, and the EU Terrorist Content Online Regulation for which An Coimisiún is a competent authority.
Under the OSMR Act, in October 2024, An Coimisiún adopted a new Online Safety Code for designated video-sharing platforms established in Ireland, including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and X. The Code sets out what they must do to protect users; in particular, designated platforms must provide for protections to minors from content which may impair physical, mental or moral development, or to the general public from content which incites hatred or violence, or is racist or xenophobic.
As Digital Services Coordinator, An Coimisiún works with the European Commission to ensure platforms put in place the systems and processes required to minimise the availability of illegal content and take measures to tackle disinformation. Under the DSA, the largest online platforms must swiftly remove illegal content once it is reported or identified. This includes content related to existing criminal offences such as abusive, threatening or offensive communications as detailed in Coco’s Law (the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act, 2020).
The focus now is on implementation to ensure platforms meet their regulatory obligations. Failure to adequately fulfil these obligations can lead to significant financial sanctions and continued non-compliance can lead to criminal sanctions for senior management under the OSMR.
In terms of tackling disinformation, in April of this year, the Government published Ireland’s first National Counter Disinformation Strategy. It acknowledges that freedom of speech needs to be respected, while respecting the rights of others to privacy and data protection, as well as protection from discrimination. The Strategy is designed to support and develop tools for people to make up their own mind about disinformation as opposed to the Government deciding what is true or untrue. It focuses on the effective implementation of existing legislation and regulation rather than proposing the adoption of additional legislative or regulatory measures, given that much of the regulation in this space is relatively new.
The EU Code of Conduct on Disinformation, within the framework of the DSA, has been in place since July of this year and it focusses on transparency, accountability, and collaboration among stakeholders. Platforms must carry out risk assessments and take measures to reduce the overall availability and amplification of disinformation, in line with the DSA and the EU Code of Conduct on Disinformation. Enforcement of this is being led by the European Commission for the largest platforms.
281. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to consider reviewing the statutory framework for political party funding and governance in light of recent public controversies; the reforms being considered to enhance transparency and compliance; whether new sanctions or monitoring mechanisms are planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51021/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Electoral Act 1997 (as amended) provides the statutory framework for dealing with political financing and sets out the regulatory regime covering a wide range of inter-related issues such as the funding of political parties; the reimbursement of election expenses; the establishment of election expenditure limits; the disclosure of election expenditure; the setting of limits on permissible donations; the prohibition of certain donations; the disclosure of donations; and the registration of third parties who accept donations given for political purposes which exceed €100; and the preparation and publication of annual statements of accounts by political parties.
The principal objectives of the Act are to ensure that there is openness and accountability in the relationships that exist between election candidates, elected members and political parties and those who would support them, whether by way of financial assistance or otherwise. The Standards in Public Office (SIPO) Commission is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the relevant Parts of the Electoral Act 1997 (as amended). In addition, SIPO may make such inquiries as it considers appropriate and may require any person, political party or third party to furnish any such information as it considers appropriate for the purpose of exercising its duties under the Act. Failure to comply is an offence under the Act.
In broad terms, Part III of the Act provides for the funding of registered political parties subject to meeting specified criteria relating to performance at Dáil elections. Parts IV and VI of the Act sets out the regulatory framework in respect of political donations and, in support of transparency, provides for donation statements to be furnished to SIPO by election candidates, Members of the Oireachtas, Members of the European Parliament and political parties. Part V of the Act provides for spending limits at Dáil, European Parliament and presidential elections and requires statements of election expenditure to be furnished to SIPO within 56 days of polling day. Part IX of the Act provides for the preparation of annual statements of accounts by each political party which must be furnished to SIPO within six months of the end of the calendar year to which the accounts relate. Part X of the Act provides for a political donations and election expenditure regime for elections to the Office of the Mayor of Limerick.
A number of amendments to the Electoral Act 1997 were introduced by way of Part 7 of the Electoral Reform Act 2022 which aimed to clarify and strengthen the relevant provisions relating to our political donations and expenditure regime. Part 7 strengthened a number of definitions within the 1997 Act to clarify what falls within the scope of a donation, what might constitute an exemption from a donation and the status of subsidiary organisations of political parties that have offices outside the State having regard to our donations regime.
It also requires the leaders of political parties to provide a written statement and accompanying statutory declaration each year to SIPO stating that donations from outside the State have been declared and that no other donations took place in the party’s donation statement for the preceding year. Furthermore, a new definition of ‘cryptocurrency’ was inserted into the 1997 Act together with a general prohibition on the acceptance of donations in the form of a cryptocurrency.
Part 7 also amended Part IX of the 1997 Act to provide that the annual statements of accounts prepared by each political party shall also apply to subsidiary organisations and shall include all property within the ownership of the political party (including property within the ownership of each of its subsidiary organisations) as well as a breakdown of the aggregate amount of donations received by the political party (including donations received by each of its subsidiary organisations).
Finally, An Coimisiún Toghcháin published its inaugural Research Programme 2024-2026 on 10 July 2024. Its research programme includes a commitment to undertake a review of the Electoral Act 1997. This policy area will be reviewed further by my Department once An Coimisiún has considered and reported on the issue.
282. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the rules governing political party support for independent candidates in presidential elections; the spending or resource implications that arise when parties formally back independents; and the means by which transparency will be maintained over funding, endorsements, and campaign coordination.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51064/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Electoral Act 1997 (as amended) provides the statutory framework for dealing with political financing and sets out the regulatory regime covering a wide range of inter-related issues such as, among other matters, the reimbursement of election expenses; the establishment of election expenditure limits; the disclosure of election expenditure; as well as the acceptance and disclosure of donations.
The Act also provides for the independent supervision of this regime by the Standards in Public Office (SIPO) Commission who have published a number of guidelines to inform election candidates, members of the Houses of the Oireachtas, members of the European Parliament, political parties, corporate donors and third parties of their obligations under the Act.
More specifically, Part VI of the Electoral Act 1997 (as amended) sets out the spending and donations rules that apply at a presidential election. In this context, SIPO has recently published its Guidelines for the Presidential Election to be held on 24 October 2025 to inform candidates and their election agents of their obligations under the Act. The Guidelines are available at www.sipo.ie.
Under Part VI of the Act, each candidate shall appoint a presidential election agent who will be responsible for the authorisation and control of spending connected with that candidate's election campaign and to account for such spending. The current spending limit that applies to a presidential election is €750,000. The election agent is also required to comply with the requirements of the Act in connection with the acceptance, recording and disclosure of donations.
Furthermore, the election agent must, within 56 days after polling day (i.e., by 19 December 2025), furnish to SIPO a presidential election donation statement and the accompanying statutory declaration. The presidential election donation statement must give details of all donations received in relation to the election with a value greater than €600. In this regard, it should be noted that donations made by the same person to the same candidate in relation to the election must be aggregated and treated as a single donation.
Section 46(2)(b)(vi) of the Act explicitly provides that "election expenses incurred by a political party on behalf of a candidate at a presidential election other than a donation of money" shall be deemed not to be a donation. Further advice on this provision and on other relevant provisions of the Act may be sought from SIPO.
283. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage , further to Parliamentary Question No. 276 of 1 October 2024, if he has engaged with the Housing Agency to ensure that it is actually adhering to this guideline (details supplied); if he is aware that 86 affected homeowners in Donegal, who have had their Government-approved engineer’s recommendation for remediation, overruled by the Housing Agency, have escalated their cases to the EU Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50862/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (the Act) commenced on 22 June 2023 which contains the current grant scheme and the related Regulations were adopted on 29 June 2023.
The 2022 Act sets out the role of the Housing Agency which acts as agent on behalf of the local authorities under the terms of the Scheme. As previously outlined the Housing Agency has confirmed to my Department that the presence of pyrrhotite is taken into consideration in their analysis.
An Appeals Panel has been established to assess appeals made under the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the use of Defective Concrete Blocks (DCB) Grant Scheme. The Panel offers those affected by decisions made by the Housing Agency and Local Authorities an opportunity to have their cases assessed by an independent group of industry experts.
The points of appeal that are available to a DCB applicant include the validation stage by the local authority, the damage threshold determination made by the Housing Agency, the remediation option, and the grant amount approved and where a local authority refuse to make a grant payment pursuant to grant approval.
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.
284. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the Programme for Government commitment to delivering a new above the shop grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50866/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, introduced in July 2022 under the Croí Cónaithe Towns umbrella, provides a grant of 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 confirmed to be derelict, bringing the total grant available for a derelict property up to a maximum of €70,000. In order to qualify for the grant, the property must be vacant for two years or more at the time of application.
The grant is currently available to individuals for the conversion of former commercial or public use buildings as well as "Above the Shop" type conversions.
More information on the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant can be found on my Department's website here: www.gov.ie/en/service/f8f1b-vacant-property-refurbishment-grant/.
In conjunction with the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, other supports and grants may be used to bring these properties in towns and villages into use. The Conservation Advice Grant is designed to support owners of traditional buildings where the building is a protected structure or located in an architectural conservation area. Buildings previously used for commercial purposes qualify for the grant where the intended use is a single dwelling over the shop.
Planning regulations, introduced in 2018, which exempted certain vacant commercial premises, including ‘over the shop’ type spaces, from requiring planning permission to change to residential purposes were extended to the end of 2025. The scope of the exemption was also extended to include ‘public houses’. The exemptions support the reuse of vacant commercial buildings as homes, increasing housing supply and regenerating communities. From 2018 to the end of 2024, almost 1,500 notifications had been received from developers which could result in over 3,400 new homes being provided.
Funding is also available under the Repair and Leasing Scheme which provides support for the refurbishment of vacant properties to be used for social housing. This scheme provides an interest free loan of up to €80,000, including VAT, for each individual unit completed in a formerly vacant property. For example, where a vacant former shop is converted into 4 apartments, a loan of up to €320,000 is available. The scheme is increasingly being used to convert vacant commercial properties into social housing units.
The new Programme for Government includes a range of commitments to tackle vacancy, including a commitment to create an ‘Above the Shop’ living refurbishment grant by topping up the vacant and derelict refurbishment grant. My Department is currently progressing work on this.
285. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if Inland Fisheries Ireland has assessed the impact of the August 2025 Blackwater fish kill on invertebrate populations, including caddisflies, and other macroinvertebrates used as water-quality indicators; and to publish results of any kick-sampling surveys conducted. [50874/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraInland Fisheries Ireland is the state environment agency tasked with the protection, management and conservation of the inland fisheries resource in Ireland. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) oversees and implements the national water quality monitoring programme. Both agencies are under the aegis of the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications and, as such, I am not in a position to reply as to the biological elements monitored in the context of this question, which would be best asked directly at that Ministry, in the first instance.
286. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the National Parks and Wildlife Service has undertaken an ecological damage assessment on species of conservation concern within the Blackwater river (Cork/Waterford) SAC (002170), including otter, kingfisher, lamprey, atlantic salmon, and freshwater pearl mussel; and if he will provide the findings [50875/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra288. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the mitigation and recovery measures in place to support the recolonisation of protected species within the SAC; and the timelines and estimated costs. [50877/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra289. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether funding will be allocated to long-term biodiversity monitoring programmes on the Blackwater, including aquatic plants, insect life, and riparian bird species; and the monitoring design of same. [50878/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 286, 288 and 289 together.
The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is working closely with other State agencies as part of an inter-agency group to collaborate on the investigation into the fish mortality incident at the River Blackwater Special Area of Conservation.
The NPWS is surveying and monitoring any impact on the protected species which are qualifying interests for the site, for example Otters and the Freshwater Pearl Mussel. To date, the NPWS and other agencies have found no evidence of any mortalities amongst these species and other wildlife aside from a number of salmon mortalities reported. This will continue to be monitored and reviewed.
Inland Fisheries Ireland is the state environment agency tasked with the protection, management and conservation of the inland fisheries resource in Ireland. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) oversees and implements the national water quality monitoring programme. Both agencies are under the aegis of the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications and, as such I am not in a position to reply as to any plans for mitigation or recovery measures for the impacted fish species in the context of this question, which would be best asked directly at that Ministry, in the first instance.
The NPWS undertakes monitoring programmes for habitats and species in accordance with the requirements of the EU Birds and Habitats Directive under a six year cycle. The Blackwater River is included within the scope of its monitoring programme.
287. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the legal obligations under Article 6 of the Habitats Directive triggered by the Blackwater incident; and whether a formal appropriate assessment has been initiated in response. [50876/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraArticle 6 of the Habitats Directive requires, inter alia, that any plan or project that is likely to have a significant effect on a Natura 2000 site must be subject to appropriate assessment. Competent authorities may only agree to a plan or project after having ascertained that it will not have a significant impact on the integrity of a Natura 2000 site. Queries in relation to appropriate assessments should be directed to the relevant competent authority in this case.
290. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department will consider setting up a funding mechanism within his Department to deal with the challenge of unfinished housing estates, where the existing or exhausted cash or insurance bonds fall well short of the required funds to deal with structural, sewerage and water deficits (details supplied). [50912/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe legislative process for the taking in charge of housing estates by local authorities is set out in section 180 of the Planning and Development Act 2000. The prescribed process in this regard applies to residential developments consisting of two or more dwellings that have been granted planning permission under section 34 of the Act.
There is no automatic requirement for local authorities to take charge of unfinished housing estates after a certain period of time. Under section 180 (1) of the Act of 2000, the planning authority is obliged to initiate the taking in charge process where requested by either the developer of, or by the majority of owners of the dwellings in, the estate in question. However, this is subject to the development being completed to the satisfaction of the authority and in accordance with the permission and any conditions attached thereto.
Where developments have not been completed to the satisfaction of the planning authority, and where enforcement proceedings in this connection have not been commenced by the planning authority within 4 years of the expiry of the planning permission relating to a development, section 180 (2)(a) of the Act provides that the planning authority shall, where requested by the majority of owners of the houses involved, initiate the taking in charge procedures under section 11 of the Roads Act 1993, as amended (the Roads Act).
Where this particular approach is being progressed, the authority may apply the security or development bond provided as part of the planning application for the purposes of ensuring the satisfactory completion of the development.
Where the calling in of the development bond is not possible or sufficient, section 180(2A) of the Act provides that the initiation of the taking in charge procedures under section 11 of the Roads Act shall not preclude the planning authority concerned from pursuing a developer for any costs incurred by the authority in respect of necessary works undertaken on a development to enable it to be taken in charge by that authority.
In order to conclude the taking in charge process where the development has been deemed to have been satisfactorily completed, a local authority is required to make a declaration under section 11 of the Roads Act following a proposal by the executive. The making of such a declaration, which effectively confirms that the authority is prepared to take over responsibility for the ongoing maintenance of the public works elements of the estate, is a reserved function of the elected members of a local authority.
Therefore, the decision to take any particular estate or estates in charge is ultimately one for the elected members of the local authority who, by way of declaration made under the Roads Act, will make such a decision.
It should be noted that financial decision making and the accountability of local authorities is a matter for the elected members of a local authority who have direct responsibility in law for all reserved functions of the authority, which includes the adoption of the annual budget of the local authority.
In this regard, section 103 of the Local Government Act 2001, as amended, provides for the local authority budgetary process. It is a matter for each local authority to determine its own spending priorities in the context of the annual budgetary process, having regard to both locally identified needs and the funding resources available to the local authority. This includes the taking in charge of housing estates.
There is no longer a dedicated funding scheme for unfinished housing estates and currently there are no plans to reintroduce a further funding scheme for such purposes.
291. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the rules governing cost rental eligibility for persons who are officially still on the title deeds of their family home, but have a legal separation or divorce agreement giving their former partner exclusive residential access to the family home. [50923/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Cost Rental legislation, set out in Part 3 of the Affordable Housing Act 2021 and associated Regulations, does not require landlords to exclude from cost rental eligibility those who own a property. The legislation does, however, give Cost Rental landlords a significant degree of flexibility and discretion when advertising Cost Rental homes and accepting applications, in order to promote efficient utilisation of the stock of homes and the filling of tenancies with appropriate households.
In an effort to ensure the efficient allocation of cost rental properties, it has been the policy of several Cost Rental landlords, including Approved Housing Bodies, Local Authorities and the LDA, to provide access to Cost Rental homes to tenants who do not own a property. The foundation of landlord discretion under the legislation allows for flexibility in the handling of more complex cases where, for example, the legal owner of a property does not have any right to reside in it due to the terms of a separation or divorce agreement. In such cases, prospective applicants can engage with Cost Rental providers in relation to their specific circumstances.
292. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of sites on the derelict sites register on 31 December 2024; the amount levied in 2024; the amount collected; the cumulative amount owed; the number of sites for which CPO notices were issued; the number of sites CPO’d; the number of sites for which derelict sites register notices were issued; and the number of sites added to the register, by local authority, in tabular form. [50964/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI refer to my reply to Question No. 1241 of 8 September 2025 which sets out the position in this matter.
293. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline the function of the Traveller Accommodation Unit (TAU); the means by which funds from the TAU are allocated for housing in traveller communities; whether the funds can be used to staff traveller liaison officers, or other key support workers in Local Authorities; the amount of funding local authorities are allowed to draw down; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50998/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998 provides that the role of my Department is to ensure that there are adequate structures and supports in place to assist housing authorities in providing accommodation for Travellers, including a national framework of policy, legislation and funding. Social Inclusion Unit is responsible for overseeing implementation of the 1998 Act.
The Act provides that housing authorities have statutory responsibility for the assessment of the accommodation needs of Travellers and the preparation, adoption and implementation of multi-annual Traveller Accommodation Programmes (TAPs) in their areas.
My Department issues a funding circular annually to local authorities that sets out the overall Exchequer provision available for Traveller-specific accommodation in the year including the criteria for applying for funding and applications from local authorities are considered accordingly.
My Department ceased the practice of allocating specific budgets to individual local authorities following a review of arrangements for the disbursement of funding provision and related supports for Traveller-specific accommodation. Since 2020, it is open to all local authorities to apply for and drawdown funds at any time throughout the year and this is actively encouraged by my Department. Full spend of the Traveller accommodation budget has been achieved for the past 5 years from 2020 to 2024. In 2025, the budget allocation for capital funding is €23 million and current funding is €7 million. Local authorities are supported through the current funding provision to provide for Traveller Liaison Officers and other Traveller accommodation support staff.
294. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to confirm that planning authorities are required to formally consult the HSE on pertinent planning applications that require an environmental impact assessment to be undertaken; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50999/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Housing, Local Government & Heritage, my role in relation to the planning system is, primarily, to provide a policy and legislative framework under which the planning authorities, including An Coimisiún Pleanála (the Commission) and the Office of the Planning Regulator (the OPR) perform their statutory planning functions.
The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive specifies projects which, by virtue of their nature, size or location are likely to have significant effects on the environment and should be subject to EIA. The Directive at article 3 requires that the EIA process should identify, describe and assess in an appropriate manner, in the light of each individual case the direct and indirect significant effects of a project on a number of environmental factors, including population and human health.
The Directive also states at article 6(1) that Member States shall take the measures necessary to ensure that the authorities likely to be concerned by the project by reason of their specific environmental responsibilities or local and regional competences are given an opportunity to express their opinion on the information supplied by the developer. To that end, Member States shall designate the authorities to be consulted, either in general terms or on a case-by-case basis.
Article 28 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 - 2025 (the 2001 Regulations), contains a list of prescribed bodies to be consulted on planning applications. The Health Service Executive (HSE) is listed at article 28(s) as the body to be consulted where it appears to a planning authority that the development might have significant effects on public health.
It is a matter for planning authorities or An Coimisiún Pleanála to determine on a case by case basis, which of the bodies prescribed under article 28 of the 2001 Regulations, should be consulted on a given planning application.
295. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when additional funding will be provided in 2025 to Cavan County Council for the housing aid for older people grant, the housing adaptation grant for people with a disability and the mobility aids grant scheme. [51088/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department provides funding under the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and Disabled People, to assist those in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. The suite of grants, which include the Housing Adaptation Grant for Disabled People, the Mobility Aids Grant and the Housing Aid for Older People Grant, are funded by my Department with a contribution from the local authority. The detailed administration of the scheme including assessment, approval, prioritisation and apportionment is the responsibility of local authorities.
The Exchequer funding available for these grants in 2025 has been increased substantially by €25 million to €99.5 million, or over €117 million when accounting for the local authority contribution, continuing the year on year increases since 2014. Cavan County Council received an Exchequer allocation of over €1.86 million, an increase of 36% on the original allocation in 2024.
My Department works closely with the local authorities to monitor spend and to achieve a full drawdown of available funding. This means that any underspends that arise on the part of any local authority can be redistributed to other authorities which have high levels of grant activity and my Department makes every effort to redistribute such funding throughout the year. Cavan County Council requested additional funding from my Department for 2025. My Department approved a further Exchequer allocation provision of over €244,000 in 2025.
My Department advises local authorities annually that, as far as practicable, a percentage of the allocation under the schemes should be ring fenced in respect of any emergency applications which might arise under these schemes during the course of the year. Consequently, all local authorities manage their schemes to ensure access to the grants programme is maintained to the extent possible throughout the year in the highest priority cases and further information in this regard would be available directly from the local authorities.
296. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when he and his Department will sign off on a defective concrete block scheme to remediate council owned homes; and the reason this has taken so long, considering the impact on large numbers of families. [51090/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (the Act) commenced on 22 June 2023 which contains the enhanced grant scheme and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023.
The Act also provides for the Defective Concrete Blocks (DCB) Social Homes Scheme. This is a scheme for the purpose of enabling a designated local authority or an Approved Housing Body (AHB) with dwellings located in a designated local authority area to remedy damage caused to dwellings, owned by the local authority/AHB, by the use of defective concrete blocks in their construction.
Section 36 of the Act provides that social homes will receive the same remediation options as those covered under the Enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme for private housing, and the same grant cap, grant rates and damage threshold requirements, along with access to ancillary grants. The manner in which the Scheme will be operationalised in practice by local authorities has been the subject of careful consideration before the Scheme can be finalised. A draft Scheme has now been prepared by my Department and it is my intention to bring proposals to Government shortly so that work can begin on remediating social homes in the affected counties in the near future.
297. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when he will ask a professional body (details supplied) to provide an updated report on the real building costs for families affected by defective concrete blocks, and to inform the review that he is conducting into the defective concrete blocks grant scheme. [51091/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department keeps costs relating to the DCB Scheme under continuous review.
Following updated cost reports from the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI) and advice from the Expert Group established to consider the matter, a further increase from the original grant rates set down in the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (the Act), was provided for on 23 October 2024. The Scheme Cap has risen by 10% to €462,000. An increase in the scheme grant rates of between 7.4% and 8.7% that are set out in the 2023 Regulations was also approved on 7 November 2024.
Government approval was granted for the priority drafting of the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks (Amendment) Bill which will contain details of the wider group of relevant owners that can avail of increases in the grant scheme cap and rates approved in October and November 2024 along with a number of technical amendments. This legislation is being progressed as expeditiously as possible and the Bill is included in the Autumn 2025 Government Legislation Programme for Priority Publication.
298. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether legislation is needed for the establishment of the special purpose vehicle (SPV) by Dublin City Council to lead the execution of the roadmap for delivery for implementation of the Dublin City Centre Taskforce recommendations; if he can provide an update on any legislation or policy measure that is needed by him in respect of having the SPV established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51098/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraSection 66 of the Local Government Act 2001 (as amended) refers to the establishment of subsidiary companies by local authorities.
Section 66(4)(i) provides that a local authority may “enter into such contracts and make such other arrangements (including the incorporation of one or more than one company) as the authority considers necessary or expedient either alone or jointly with any other local authority or public authority or any other person”.
Some local authorities may therefore have an interest in certain companies. These companies are either controlled or jointly controlled by, or associated with, that local authority. The interest of local authorities in companies is included in Appendix 8 of the local authority’s annual accounts.
In advance of establishing any new company, Local Authorities must make themselves aware of the National Government and Eurostat accounting and reporting requirements. The Central Statistics Office (CSO) is responsible for the official reporting of Ireland’s General Government Deficit/Balance, Debt and other Government Finance Statistics, and any new or existing Local Authority companies may fall within the general Government Sector and therefore have to be taken into account for the official reporting of Ireland’s General Government Deficit/Balance, Debt and other Government Finance Statistics.
Responsibility for the establishment of the SPV therefore lies with Dublin City Council and, in doing so, the Council will need to adhere to the requirements outlined above and the requirements of relevant legislation.
