Written Answers Nos. 1-20
16. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the income eligibility limits for social housing in Cavan and Monaghan will be increased; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53740/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraHousing for All included a commitment to review income eligibility for social housing. From this review, completed in November 2021, it was recommended moving five local authorities from Band 3 to Band 2, ensuring the income eligibility thresholds better reflect housing costs in those counties.
Government also agreed to increase the baseline income thresholds by €5,000 for all local authorities with effect from 1 January 2023. The thresholds thus increased to €40,000, €35,000 and €30,000 for Bands 1, 2 and 3 respectively. These thresholds are net income thresholds, i.e. gross household income less income tax, PRSI, Universal Social Charge and Additional Superannuation Contribution. This €5,000 increase broadened the eligibility base, increasing the number of households eligible for support and lessening the impact on disadvantaged and vulnerable households of the significant increase in the cost of accommodation and cost of living generally in recent years. Cavan and Monaghan are both in Band 3.
My focus and that of Government is increasing housing supply and providing an increasing range of options and supports available to people who need access to low cost and affordable rental and purchase options. This is demonstrated by the record level of investment provided for the delivery of housing by this Government.
My Department has been examining the existing income limits in the context of current market and household income conditions, including the suitability or otherwise of the current framework having regard to the significantly changed landscape since the standardised income limits were introduced. This includes examining the findings of research commissioned by my Department and this work is ongoing.
17. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the methods his Department is currently assessing to speed up the planning process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53744/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has overseen considerable legislative and structural reform of the Irish planning system over the past two years.
The National Planning Framework (NPF) has been reviewed to reflect Ireland’s housing and infrastructure goals associated with a growing population and economy, and provides the planning system with a strategic plan to shape the future growth and development of our Country to 2040.
The Planning and Development Act 2024 (the Act) represents the most significant update of planning legislation in a quarter century and contains many impactful reforms.
The Act introduces statutory time periods for decision making for An Coimisiún Pleanála (An Coimisiún) for the first time. Increased resource allocation to An Coimisiún Pleanála has reduced number of cases on hands from 3,638 in May 2023 to 1,362 cases in July 2025, which is a 62.5% decrease. In terms of processing timelines, all large Scale Residential Development applications (100 units or more) have met their statutory objective period target of 16 weeks, since September 2024. The average number of weeks to dispose such cases was 9 weeks by May 2025.
The new Act also makes important reforms in relation to Judicial Review (JR):-
• removing the requirement to apply for leave to apply for JR, which reduces time and removes unnecessary legal costs to all parties.
• requires that an application for JR may only be made on the grounds of challenge raised by the applicant in the statement of grounds filed with their application.
• provides that an applicant for JR will not be permitted to plead a ground in JR proceedings unless they have a sufficient interest in the matter to which the ground relates.
Alongside the above reforms, my Department is also currently revising exempted development Regulations, developing a Planning Excellence Framework and implementing the Ministerial Action Plan on Planning Resources, which covers a range of measures to address resourcing challenges across the sector.
18. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the first home scheme to bridge the gap will be extended to first-time buyers of second-hand homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53758/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe First Home Scheme is a shared equity scheme designed to help bridge the gap between a purchaser’s deposit and mortgage, and the price of their new home, within regional price ceilings. First-time buyers, Fresh Start applicants and those who wish to build their first home are eligible to apply. It is also available for tenants to purchase their current rental property where they have received a Notice of Termination because the landlord is selling the property.
The First Home Scheme Designated Activity Company is responsible for the operation and management of the First Home Scheme on behalf of its shareholders - the State, Allied Irish Bank, Bank of Ireland and Permanent TSB.
In July, the First Home Scheme published its Quarter 2 2025 report. The report showed continued strong interest in the Scheme, with over 7,600 buyers approved and almost 3,700 homes already bought or built, supporting individuals and families across all 31 local authority areas.
Furthermore, the Scheme has been expanded twice, responding to Government’s evolving priorities, with the Tenant Home Purchase Scheme introduced in April 2023 and expanded again in September 2023 to include self-build homes for the first time.
Within the Programme for Government is a commitment to work with the Banks to expand the First Home Scheme to second-hand homes.
While the Government’s clear priority right now is accelerating and increasing new housing supply, Minister Browne has requested the First Home Scheme to undertake the required analytical and technical work to examine the potential for an expansion to second hand homes and the matter is under consideration. Any decision to extend the scheme would require the agreement of the shareholders.
19. Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures his Department is taking to support those in social housing whose home is affected by pyrite; if legislative amendments to the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 will support them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53451/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 commenced on 22 June 2023 which contains the enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023.
The Act also provides for the Defective Concrete Blocks Social Homes Scheme. This is a scheme for the purpose of enabling a designated local authority or an Approved Housing Body with dwellings located in a designated local authority area to remedy damage caused to dwellings, owned by the local authority or Approved Housing Body, 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. Thus, any legislative changes to the Act will apply where appropriate, equally to social homes affected by Defective Concrete Blocks, as they do to private housing.
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.
20. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plan to increase capacity of Dublin City Council to address their housing list, homelessness and those at risk of homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53295/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraSupporting individuals and families at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness is a priority for Government. Critical to addressing homelessness is increasing the supply of housing. I have just agreed the largest ever Housing budget for 2026 with over €9bn in capital, including €5.2bn in Exchequer funding and €3.9bn in LDA and HFA investment. This record level of funding is supporting the delivery of social, affordable and cost rental homes. Housing supply has increased significantly since the publication of Housing for All in 2021.
I also recently secured an additional €50 million for 2025 to expand the social housing Second-Hand Acquisitions Programme, €22m of this was allocated to Dublin City Council. This funding is specifically targeted at acquisitions supporting households, particularly larger families with children, to exit long-term emergency homeless accommodation.
Earlier this year, I began publishing tables showing the new-build social housing delivery achieved by all local authorities as set against their targets from 2022-2024. Since 2022 to the first quarter of 2025, the cumulative Social Housing Build delivery in the Dublin City Council area was 2,351 against a target of 6,922. It is essential that Dublin City Council address their social housing supply deficit as increasing supply is the only sustainable solution to the homeless challenge. My Department will do all it can to assist in this regard.
I am focused on accelerating supply, and as well as the record investment have introduced a number of initiatives to assist local authorities. For example, in July I announced that I would be introducing a single stage approval process for all social housing projects under €200m to increase and speed up the delivery of new homes. My Department will continue to engage with Dublin City council in respect of increasing their Social Housing delivery.
