Written Answers Nos. 515-533
515. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the date on which stage one of an application was approved by his Department; the next steps; an estimated completion date for this project (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73557/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraA Stage 1 Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) funding application submitted by Laois County Council for the development of a Domestic Violence Refuge in Portlaoise cannot be approved by my Department at this time. Unfortunately, the Approved Housing Body identified to bring the project forward is currently unable to meet essential funding criteria. The decision not to approve the application was notified to Laois County Council on 27 November last.
I understand Cuan, the State agency for Domestic, Sexual, and Gender Based Violence and Laois County Council are working with Laois Domestic Abuse Service to identify a new Approved Housing Body partner to advance this project. I expect a new CAS funding application to be submitted as a matter of urgency when this process is complete.
516. Deputy Gillian Toole asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason the real estate-property development industry is not required to demonstrate the price of new properties, additional phases nor cancellation-resale properties in accordance with the Sale of Goods Act 1980; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73591/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Property Services Regulatory Authority (PSRA) was established on 3 April 2012 pursuant to the Property Services (Regulation) Act 2011 (the Act), and is the statutory body with responsibility for licensing and regulating the property services sector in Ireland.
The PSRA's remit includes:
• To operate a comprehensive licensing system covering all Property Services Providers;
• To administer a system of investigation and adjudication of complaints against Property Services Providers;
• To promote increased consumer protection and public awareness in the provision of property services;
• To maintain and administer a Compensation Fund; and
• To maintain three Public Registers – the Residential Property Price Register, the Commercial Lease Register and the Register of Licensed Property Services Providers.
I wish to advise that the Sale of Goods Act 1980 does not fall within the statutory remit of the PSRA.
517. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department currently collects or holds construction and delivery cost data at individual housing unit level for social housing schemes funded or approved by his Department; if not, when a decision was taken not to collect such data; who authorised that approach; and whether he intends to introduce unit-level cost reporting for future social housing delivery. [73643/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department publishes the Social Housing Construction Status Report (CSR), which provides details of social housing developments and their location that have been completed, are under construction or are progressing through the various stages of the design and tender processes. Data is collated at project level rather than individual unit level. The most recent publication was for Quarter 2 2025. All CSRs are available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/cb885-social-housing-construction-projects-status-reports/
My Department assesses, approves and records local authority social housing delivery on a project basis, rather than on the basis of individual units. All publicly-funded construction programmes must comply with the Infrastructure Guidelines (Public Spending Code) and Capital Works Management Framework. My Department periodically issues Basic Unit Costs (BUCs) for each local authority area, for use as a key benchmark for the development and costing of scheme designs at capital appraisal stage. While not a record of actual delivery costs, BUCs are based on an analysis of returned data from tendered social housing schemes over an extended period and updated based on published tender index information as required.
To monitor tender cost trends and to inform BUC levels, my Department analyses the tender data for the construction cost element of new build schemes approved under the SHIP & CAS four stage approval processes for each unit type, where sufficient information is available to allow such costs to be extrapolated and where the information available is appropriate for comparison purposes. Costs for schemes will vary depending on design, mix of unit types as well as abnormal costs.
Further information may be available from individual local authorities.
518. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has conducted any internal analysis, review or assessment since 2023 to explain increases in the average cost per social housing unit in Cork city and Cork county; and if so, to detail the factors identified as contributing to those cost increases and the actions taken in response. [73644/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe recently published Insights into Total Development Cost Report 2025 assesses residential development costs across six dwelling types for the Greater Dublin Area and four regional locations including Cork. This report is available to view on my Departments website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/publications/total-development-cost-report/
This Government is committed to delivering evidence informed policy decisions and this report will help deliver the initiatives that will see a reset in housing delivery on a scale that is needed. Whilst the report shows a stabilisation in total development costs, Government recognises that these costs remain high.
Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025-2030, contains significant initiatives to reduce costs of development including updated apartment design standards, reduced tax liabilities, VAT reduction on apartments and standardised design approaches which have the potential to result in significant cost savings making them more viable to construct.
A range of measures have been put in place to reduce the cost of construction for social housing including, promoting the use of Modern Methods of Construction, the review of the Planning Design Standards for Apartments Guidelines for Planning Authorities; the development of standardised designs for social housing, new procurement approaches, streamlined approval processes and measures to promote careers in construction.
Furthermore, a dedicated work programme will be established to systematically review all available information on development costs on an ongoing basis. The programme will assess the impact of the existing measures and inform future action to be taken to reduce costs and improve viability. This will involve engagement with the private sector and with policymakers across the system as appropriate.
519. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average total development cost per dwelling for affordable purchase homes supported under the local authority affordable purchase scheme in Cork city and Cork county for each year since 2023; and to outline the methodology used by his Department to calculate or verify those costs. [73645/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra520. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department requires local authorities to submit detailed cost breakdowns for affordable purchase housing schemes funded under national affordable housing programmes; if so, the nature of those cost breakdowns; and if not, the way in which his Department assures value for money in the delivery of affordable purchase homes. [73646/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 519 and 520 together.
The administration of an affordable purchase housing scheme in line with Part 2 of the Affordable Housing Act 2021, is a matter for the local authority concerned. Local authorities, including Cork City and County, are best placed to assist public representatives with any reasonable information requests relating to the average total development costs per dwelling for affordable purchase scheme homes supported under the local authority affordable purchase scheme in their functional area.
Affordability and the chance to own a home is at the heart of Government’s housing policy, as embodied within the new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025 – 2030. Government is investing an unprecedented level of funding to support housing supply, which will underpin, inter alia, the new Starter Homes Programme, delivering an average of 15,000 affordable housing supports annually to 2030.
Subventions against delivery costs to ensure a lower, upfront affordable purchase price ranging from €50,000 to €150,000 are provided from the AHF, with the Exchequer meeting 95% of the subvention and the remaining 5% coming from a Local Authority contribution. Housing delivery being supported by funding approved originally under the earlier Serviced Sites Fund is also progressing with an 89% Exchequer contribution matched by an 11% Local Authority contribution.
Affordable purchase housing schemes availing of subvention must deliver a minimum upfront affordable sales price that is at least 15% below the market value of the home in order to qualify for AHF support.
Specific delivery costs per unit are variable and can differ having regard to the typology, location and overall layout of the developments in question.
Local authorities complete and submit data returns to my Department on delivery of affordable homes in their area. Statistical data on affordable housing delivery by tenure and by local authority area from 2022 up to and including the second quarter of 2025 is published on my Department's website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/#affordable-housing-delivery
Individual scheme information is also published in advertisements on local authority websites. Schemes being advertised are now also available in a single location on the Affordable Homes website, www.affordablehomes.ie.
AHF funding approval to date has been given to support the delivery of 5,402 affordable purchase homes at an Exchequer cost of approximately €432m. On this basis the average Exchequer funding support is €80,151 per home.
521. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has prepared any projections or forecasts relating to future construction and delivery costs, per social and affordable housing unit under Housing for All or any successor programme; and if so, to outline those projections and the assumptions on which they are based. [73647/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department assesses, approves and records local authority social housing delivery on a project basis, rather than on the basis of individual units. All publicly-funded construction programmes must comply with the Infrastructure Guidelines (Public Spending Code) and Capital Works Management Framework. My Department periodically issues Basic Unit Costs (BUCs) for each local authority area, for use as a key benchmark for the development and costing of scheme designs at capital appraisal stage. While not a record of actual delivery costs, BUCs are based on an analysis of returned data from tendered social housing schemes over an extended period and updated based on published tender index information as required.
To monitor tender cost trends and to inform BUC levels, my Department analyses the tender data for the construction cost element of new build schemes approved under the SHIP & CAS four stage approval processes for each unit type, where sufficient information is available to allow such costs to be extrapolated and where the information available is appropriate for comparison purposes. Costs for schemes will vary depending on design, mix of unit types as well as abnormal costs.
In relation to affordable housing, affordability and the chance to own a home is at the heart of Government’s housing policy, as embodied within the new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025 – 2030. Government is investing an unprecedented level of funding to support housing supply, which will underpin, inter alia, the new Starter Homes Programme, delivering an average of 15,000 affordable housing supports annually to 2030.
Affordable housing solutions must deliver a significant discount on housing market purchase prices or rents while covering the cost of identifying, developing and delivering viable affordable housing schemes. As such, applications for affordable housing projects are assessed on their own merit in line with the criteria and conditions applicable under the different funding streams. Specific delivery costs per unit are variable and can greatly differ between both the affordable schemes themselves and the typology, location and overall layout of the developments in question.
My Department continues to receive and assess applications for suitability, value for money and compliance with the various requirements of the applicable funding scheme and the Department is committed to the provision of funding to local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies for the delivery of Social and Affordable housing projects.
Under Budget 2026, the total Exchequer funding being made available for the delivery of housing programmes is €7.21bn, comprising:
- Capital Funding - €5.19bn
- Current Funding - €2.021bn
The Exchequer Capital provision of €5.19bn will be supplemented by Land Development Agency (LDA) investment (projected up to €1.6bn) and Housing Finance Agency (HFA) lending (projected over €2bn), resulting in an overall capital provision of over €9bn.
522. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department benchmarks the cost of delivering social and affordable housing units in Ireland against comparable EU member states; if so, to detail the most recent benchmarking exercise carried out; and if not, the reasons such benchmarking is not undertaken. [73648/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 2023 my Department published the Residential Construction Cost Study Report, informed by in-depth analysis on residential construction costs under Housing for All. Within the study, Irish residential construction costs, processes and models were compared against four European comparator cities.
The Report identified a host of subsequent actions to drive down construction costs and maximise future building capacity through greater standardisation and the adoption of more efficient residential construction processes across tenures. A copy of the Report was published on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/2bf87-residential-construction-cost-study-report/
This report has been supplemented with the publication of the Total Development Cost Study in 2024 and the most recently published Insights into Total Development Cost Report 2025, which assesses residential development costs across six dwelling types for the Greater Dublin Area and four regional locations. This report is available to view on my Departments website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/publications/total-development-cost-report/
This Government is committed to delivering evidence informed policy decisions, this report will help deliver the initiatives that will see a reset in housing delivery on a scale that is needed. Whilst the report shows a stabilisation in total development costs, Government recognises that these costs remain high.
Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025-2030, contains significant initiatives to reduce costs of development including updated apartment design standards, reduced tax liabilities, VAT reduction on apartments and standardised design approaches which have the potential to result in significant cost savings making them more viable to construct.
My Department periodically issues BUCs for each local authority area as key benchmarks for developing and costing housing scheme designs at the initial capital appraisal stage. They are not intended to be limits or ceilings on project costs, rather their function is to provide local authorities with guideline costings at an early stage of project development.
While not a record of actual delivery costs, BUCs are informed by analysis of returned tender data from tendered social housing schemes and reflect a ‘base build cost’, excluding abnormals (i.e. project specific requirements such as poor ground conditions, site topography, special needs requirements). Given the nature of construction, all projects would be expected to have some level of abnormal or project specific requirements. However, the extent of such requirements will vary significantly from project to project.
523. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on a general scenario between a landlord and a tenant (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73666/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as a quasi-judicial, independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004 - 2025 (RTA) to facilitate the resolution of residential tenancy disputes and operate a national tenancy registration system.
To lawfully terminate a tenancy on grounds of rent arrears, the RTA requires that a landlord must first serve the tenant with a written warning notice, and copy it to the RTB, seeking payment of the amount of rent arrears within 28 days of receipt of the notice. Where the rent arrears are not so paid, the landlord may serve a 28 day Notice of Termination (NoT) on the tenant on the grounds of rent arrears and copy it to the RTB; if not so copied, the NoT is invalid.
Upon receipt of a rent arrears warning notice, the RTA requires the RTB to provide information to enable the tenant to get advice from the Money and Budgeting Advice Service (MABS), and to help the tenant to get such advice, if the tenant so wishes. The RTB is also required to provide tenancy information to both the tenant and the landlord upon receipt of a notice of termination grounded on rent arrears. The objective is to ensure that early action is taken to address rent arrears, to the benefit of both the tenant and the landlord.
The RTB prioritises cases involving rent arrears and over-holding. Enforcement is an important function of the RTB.
When landlords, tenants and third parties bring disputes to the RTB through mediation, adjudication or tribunal, they receive a legally binding Determination Order, which, if not complied with, can be enforced through the District Court through two enforcement options.
With the first option, a landlord or tenant can request Legal Assistance from the RTB through its Legal Assistance Programme. This is a programme whereby the RTB assists parties to enforce Determination Orders through a panel of solicitors local to each District Court.
Further information on the programme and how to make an application can be found at: rtb.ie/wpcontent/uploads/2025/05/Application_request_legal_assistance_enforcing_Determination_Order_07102021.pdf
Requests for Legal Assistance in urgent cases are prioritised, this includes cases concerning over-holding, serious rent arrears, the non-return of deposits and unlawful termination.
The second option allows a landlord or tenant to take their own enforcement proceedings in the District Court. In order to support parties who wish to take their own enforcement proceedings, the RTB have developed a step-by-step guide to the new process in the District Court which can be downloaded at: rtb.ie/ga/wpcontent/uploads/2025/05/RTB_Guide_to_taking_Enforcement_Proceedings_A5_FINAL_VERSION.pdf
Prior to 2004 when the RTB was established, any dispute between a landlord and a tenant was resolved through court proceedings. The courts process was costly and time consuming for the parties involved.
The Programme for Government - Securing Ireland's Future, published on 23 January 2025, commits to continuing its support for renters and landlords. This includes measures to protect renters and landlords from abusive practices by enhancing the enforcement powers of the RTB and establishing statutory deadlines for dealing with complaints.
On 14 October 2025, the Government approved the General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2025, which is now the subject of priority drafting by the Office of Parliamentary Council and pre legislative scrutiny by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The Bill will amend the current system of rent controls and provide new measures to protect tenants, including stronger security of tenure, to come into effect for new tenancies created on or after 1 March 2026. The impending Bill is informed by a review of the Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) carried out by the Housing Agency, as requested by the Department. The General Scheme of the Bill includes provisions to enhance the implementation and enforcement of the RTA and outcomes thereunder for both landlords and tenants.
524. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total capital expenditure on Inland Waterways in 2025; the funding provided for 2026; the projects that will be progressed by Waterways Ireland with this funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73697/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraWaterways Ireland is a North South Implementation Body established under the British Irish Agreement 1998 and operates under the overall policy direction of the North South Ministerial Council. It is funded by my Department and the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland. The current expenditure of the body is funded 85% by my Department and 15% by the Department for Infrastructure which reflects the distribution of the navigable waterways in each jurisdiction. Capital expenditure is funded 100% in the jurisdiction in which the capital works are carried out.
In 2025, my Department provided €16.8 million in capital funding to Waterways Ireland, The total capital allocation for 2026 for Waterways Ireland will be included in the Revised Estimates Volume when published.
The detailed information requested in relation to all projects that will be progressed by Waterways Ireland in 2026 is not held in my Department. However, arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my Department to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. This provides a speedy, efficient and cost-effective system to address queries directly to the relevant bodies. The contact email address for Waterways Ireland is oireachtas@waterwaysireland.org.
525. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline the criteria guidelines, rules and regulations in relation to requirements by Local Authorities to purchase houses for people with special requirements; the total amount of funding provided to Laois County Council for 2026 for this purpose; the expected number of properties that can be purchased for these situations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73704/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department's Second Hand Acquisitions Programme provides funding to local authorities to support acquisitions for certain priority categories including:
• exits from homelessness,
• urgent responses for priority cohorts such as persons with physical or intellectual disabilities, older persons, care leavers, &c., and
• tenancy sustainment (tenant in situ).
First and foremost, only those households that qualify for social housing can be supported under the programme. Thereafter, it is a matter for respective local authorities to satisfy themselves as to the fit of supported households under one or other of the priority categories.
Support for second hand acquisitions is intended only to complement new build delivery of social housing by local authorities. Such acquisitions should only be used to address very urgent cases and should not be a standard response or first of call for local authorities. Ideally, social housing qualified households should be accommodated within a local authority's available housing stock, including the growing level of new build homes coming on stream each year.
I expect the 2026 Second Hand Acquisitions Programme to maintain support for these priority categories. Pending the notification of 2026 allocations local authorities can enter into commitments for 2026 to a value of up to 30% of their original 2025 acquisitions budget. This flexibility effectively provides for a multi-annual approach to programme delivery, facilitating local authorities to plan and progress acquisitions from one year to the next with a higher level of certainty vis-à-vis future funding availability. This flexibility provides Laois County Council with scope to commit in 2025 up tp €900,000 for acquisitions that will likely only to complete and drawdown in 2026. This includes acquisitions to support persons with disabilities, older person, exits from homelessness and tenancy sustainment via tenant in situ.
Individual local authority allocations for 2026, will be agreed and notified to local authorities early next year.
526. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of local authority vacant homes (voids) in County Waterford; the average re-let time; and the amount spent bringing them back into use in 2023, 2024 and 2025, in tabular form. [73724/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, the implementation of a planned maintenance programme and carrying out of responsive repairs, are matters for each individual local authority under Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. Local authorities also have a legal obligation to ensure all of their tenanted properties comply with the provisions of the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019.
Accordingly, the number of vacant social homes, and the amounts spent bringing those homes back into use, should be sought directly from the respective local authorities.
That said, my Department's Planned Maintenance and Voids Programme has made €31 million available to local authorities this year to support the refurbishment and re-letting of a minimum of 1,900 homes, and continue the transition from a reactive, voids approach to a planned maintenance approach.
An annualised breakdown of the funding provided to each local authority and the number of properties remediated under the voids programme from 2014 to end-2024 is available at www.gov.ie/en/collection/0906a-other-local-authority-housing-scheme-statistics/#voids-programme.
Local authorities will always have a level of vacancy in their housing stock, which will fluctuate over time, as tenancy surrender and re-letting of stock is a continuous process. Therefore, ongoing data in relation to vacant local authority owned homes is not routinely collated by my Department.
However, 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, including levels of vacancy and average turnaround times for re-letting local authority owned properties. The most recent report for 2024 is available on the NOAC website at: www.noac.ie/noac_publications/report-77-noac-performance-indicator-report-2024/
527. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of social homes built, acquired or leased by Waterford City and County Council in 2023, 2024 and 2025, broken down by delivery stream, in tabular form; the total stock at year end, net change, and net position less voids. [73725/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department publishes comprehensive programme-level statistics on a quarterly basis on social and affordable housing delivery activity by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) in each local authority. This data is available to the end of Q2 2025 and is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/
Statistics in relation to local authority social housing stock are published by the National Oversight and Audit Commission (NOAC) in the annual Local Authority Performance Indicator Report. These reports provide a range of information in relation to social housing stock, including the number of social housing units in local authority ownership at a given time. The most recent report, relating to 2024, is available on the NOAC website at the following link: www.noac.ie/noac_publications/report-77-noac-performance-indicator-report-2024/
528. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of households on the social housing waiting list and the number in emergency accommodation in County Waterford at the end of 2023, 2024 and 2025, in tabular form. [73726/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of local authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with individual local authorities.
Details on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority administrative area is provided in the annual statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA). The most recently published summary for all counties, conducted in November 2024, and all summaries since 2011, are available on my Department's website at: www.gov.ie/en/collection/62486-summary-of-social-housing-assessments/
The 2024 Summary shows that there were 59,941 households qualified for social housing whose need had not yet been met nationally. The SSHA 2025 process is currently underway and I expect to publish the summary report before the end of Q1 2026, to cover 2025 data.
The Government's new Housing Plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities aims to deliver 300,000 new homes in the period to 2030, including 72,000 social homes. The Plan seeks to significantly scale-up delivery of new build social homes over the coming years, increasing from an average of 8,000 or so homes a year at present to an average of 12,000 per year.
Under the new Plan each local authority will prepare a Housing Delivery Action Plan (HDAP) setting out their planned delivery of social and affordable housing out to 2030 in line with targets which will be set by my Department in order to ensure the 72,000 social homes will be delivered by 2030. My Department will be communicating with local authorities in this regard in Q1 2026.
My Department currently gathers and publishes data on a monthly basis on the number of homeless persons accommodated in emergency accommodation funded and overseen by local authorities. These reports are based on data provided by local authorities, produced through the Pathway Accommodation & Support System (PASS).
While responsibility for the provision of homeless accommodation and related services rests with individual housing authorities, the administration of homeless services is organised on a regional basis with a lead authority in place for each region. County Waterford is included in the South East region for the purposes of homeless administration, with Waterford City and County Council as lead authority.
The monthly homelessness report includes details of individuals, families and the dependants of these families who accessed emergency accommodation during the relevant count week of the month in question. The report also includes the number of adults in emergency accommodation by age band and region. The most recently published data is in respect of October 2025. The reports are collated on a regional basis and are available on my Department's website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/collections/homelessness-data/, and are also published to the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digialisation's open data portal: data.gov.ie/
529. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when he plans to initiate a review of cost-rental income thresholds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73765/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraCost Rental is a key element of the Government's housing strategy, Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025-2030, and aims to improve affordability in the rental sector and provide secure, long-term homes for moderate-income households. The core principle of Cost Rental is that the rents cover the development, management, and maintenance costs of the homes, so that the long-term future of the homes is financially secure, and that rents are not subject to the demand pressures of the open market.
The primary eligibility condition for accessing Cost Rental housing is a maximum net annual household income (less income tax, PRSI, USC, and employee pension contributions), which is currently set at €66,000 for homes in Dublin and €59,000 elsewhere.
The 2025 Programme for Government includes a commitment to "keep the income criteria for cost rental under review". In line with this commitment, the parameters for Cost Rental eligibility are kept under review by my Department, in order to ensure the scheme effectively targets the intended tenant cohort.
530. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether people participating in HAP or the RAS are eligible to apply for cost-rental housing; the number of people participating in these programmes that have availed of cost-rental housing to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73766/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraCost Rental is a key element of the Government's strategy to improve affordability in the rental sector and to provide secure, long-term homes for moderate-income households. The core principle of Cost Rental is that the rents cover the development, management, and maintenance costs of the homes, so that the long-term future of the homes is financially secure, but that rents are not subject to the pressures of the open market.
It is not intended for Cost Rental to overlap with or replace existing social housing supports for low-income households, which remain a parallel priority for the Government. Rather, Cost Rental is an additional scheme designed to assist middle-income households who do not qualify for social housing supports such as the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), but who may be facing significant affordability pressures in the private rental market.
It is also important for prospective Cost Rental tenants to demonstrate to landlords that they will be able to sustain payment of the cost-covering rent from their own resources, whereas recipients of HAP and RAS have a demonstrated, long-term need for social housing support that is already met with State subsidies. Therefore, Cost Rental landlords do not consider for tenancies those applicants who are already in receipt of social housing supports, including HAP and RAS.
In recognition of the potential changes in household circumstances that may occur over the lifetime of a Cost Rental tenancy, however, the Affordable Housing Act 2021 allows that HAP may be provided to tenants, where they are assessed as eligible for social housing supports, after the Cost Rental tenancy has lasted for more than six months.
531. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider granting the Land Development Agency greater compulsory purchase order powers, similar to those possessed by local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73767/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra532. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of compulsory purchase orders that have been conducted to facilitate Land Development Agency activity since its inception; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73768/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 531 and 532 together.
The Land Development Agency has, to date, conducted no compulsory purchase orders. As required by the Land Development Agency Act 2021, the LDA may only acquire land compulsorily if it has first made a reasonable attempt to acquire the land by consent. As such, an application to the court for an acquisition order is a last resort by the Agency after other avenues have been exhausted.
As part of the the Programme for Government, the Government has committed to introducing a new Compulsory Purchase Order Bill with streamlined and strengthened CPO powers to activate under-utilised land for home building. Prior to this bill being introduced, a review will be conducted by the Department of Justice. Once this review has been completed, I will consider the appropriateness of granting additional CPO powers to the LDA.
533. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 40 of 25 November 2025, when he anticipates a conclusion or further update between Dublin City Council and Pembroke Beach DAC in respect of the delivery of affordable housing in this first phase, in accordance with the terms of the SDZ condition; if he can confirm that this will be concluded or announced within the first 3 months of 2026 or before; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73769/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI refer to my replies to Questions No. 40 of 25 November 2025 and No. 383 of 27 November 2025. The situation remains unchanged.
