Written Answers Nos. 690-695
690. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the funding application for the Cork city homeless hub (details supplied); the reason for the delay in a decision; the timeline for funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15017/26]
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 housing authorities in addressing homelessness at a local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless services rests with individual housing authorities.
My Department does not fund any homeless service directly but provides funding to housing authorities towards the operational costs of homeless accommodation and related services under Section 10 of the Housing Act, 1988. A homelessness consultative forum has been established in each of the nine homeless regions in accordance with Chapter 6 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2009. Decisions on the type and range of emergency accommodation services, and the funding required in each region are a matter for individual housing authorities in consultation with the Management Group of the relevant regional joint Homelessness Consultative Forum.
Each region is required to submit an annual expenditure programme to my Department and my Department approves a funding allocation. It is open to regional authorities to submit new services proposals for funding to my Department over the course of the year.
I understand that a proposal seeking Section 10 funding for this homeless services hub is currently being further developed by Cork City Council. My Department will evaluate the proposal once submitted.
691. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of retained firefighters by each local authority area for each of the years 2021 to 2025 inclusive. [15107/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraA September 2023 Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) agreement with retained firefighters provides for a national standard level of 12 crew per retained fire station. This rise in crewing numbers equates to an approximate increase of 20% in retained firefighter numbers from the pre-WRC agreement position.
The recruitment of additional retained firefighters is helping to build higher levels of capacity and resilience in the retained fire service. These measures strengthen both the response capability and fire safety across the communities served by a network of 201 retained fire stations.
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 they are responsible. My Department oversees strategic 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, granular data, in terms of the number or grade of staff assigned to specific work areas in each local authority including in the fire service, is not collected and consequently is not available in my Department. The relevant information would be available from the local authorities concerned.
692. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of projects submitted to date in 2026 by each local authority seeking support under the Housing Activation Investment Fund. [15108/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 21 January 2026, the Government announced a new multiannual €1 billion Housing Infrastructure Investment Fund (HIIF) to support direct investment in housing enabling infrastructure. The fund will be managed by the Housing Activation Office in my Department.
The core objective of the HIIF is to unblock infrastructure constraints and activate lands already identified for housing under development plans. By investing directly in transport, water, electricity and other enabling infrastructure, the fund will ensure that land is properly serviced and ready to deliver homes. Given the urgency of increasing housing supply, Call 1 is focused on early delivery and will prioritise investment in infrastructure projects that are at an advanced stage and can be delivered quickly given funding certainty.
Call 1 of the HIIF opened for applications from local authorities and the Land development Agency (LDA) on 21 January 2026 and will close on 27 February 2026. Funding of up to 100% will be available to advance infrastructure projects that can be delivered within the 2026-2028 timeframe, that will allow for the acceleration of housing delivery.
As the application process is currently live, no completed applications for funding have been submitted yet. Once Call 1 closes for applications on 27 February, all applications received will be subject to a detailed assessment and evaluation in accordance with the the scheme outline document and recommendations will be brought forward in accordance with the governance arrangements for the Fund.
Full details of the HIIF Call 1 scheme outline can be found on my Department's website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/publications/housing-infrastructure-investment-fund-call-1-scheme-outline/
I will continue to develop the Fund after Call 1, and intend to broaden the approach in 2026 to include a wider range of delivery approaches and a broader range of public and private sector delivery partners.
693. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps his Department is taking to ensure that local authorities provide transparent eligibility and allocation rules for cost-rental accommodation; the consideration being given to adjusting income thresholds to be eligible for cost rental; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15137/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraCost Rental housing is a key tool in the Government's efforts to make rents more affordable and renting more secure. It is a new form of housing tenure in Ireland, established in 2021, where the tenant pays a rent set to cover the cost of delivering, managing, and maintaining the home. Cost Rental is primarily intended for people who do not qualify for social housing, but who may be facing acute affordability pressures in the private rental market.
Eligibility for Cost Rental homes is restricted by net household income (gross income less income tax, PRSI, USC, and pension contributions), which is assessed at the point of application. In August 2023, the Government increased the net household income limits to €66,000 for Cost Rental homes in Dublin and €59,000 elsewhere. In line with the commitment in the Programme for Government, my Department is keeping the parameters for Cost Rental income eligibility limits under review, in order to ensure that the scheme effectively targets these homes at the intended tenant cohort.
Local Authorities must follow the generally applicable Regulations regarding eligibility and allocation for Cost Rental homes, and they have a responsibility to be transparent in how they process applications. Local Authorities indicate in their advertising materials how they intend to assess someone’s ability to afford the rent, and they apply the chosen considerations in a consistent manner when allocating tenancies.
Like other Cost Rental landlords, Local Authorities can propose to the Minister bespoke ‘Allocation Plans’ for particular homes, giving priority to certain households based on factors like local residence, local employment, or attending a local educational establishment. For example, Monaghan County Council has a Plan covering a number of apartments in Monaghan town, where priority is given to local residents and local workers. All other Local Authority Cost Rental homes are advertised and allocated under the general Regulations.
694. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the options available, if any, for individuals with disabilities who work full time and as a consequence earn too much to access the housing adaptation grant for older people and people with disabilities; but who require immediate adaptations to their home in order to remain independent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15163/26]
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 detailed administration of the scheme including assessment, approval, prioritisation and apportionment is the responsibility of local authorities.
The Housing Adaptation Grant for Disabled People and the Mobility Aids Grant are available for the carrying out of works of adaptation that, in the opinion of the local authority, are reasonably necessary for the purposes of rendering a house more suitable for a member of the household who has an enduring physical, sensory, mental health or intellectual disability.
My Department carried out a review of the Housing the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and Disabled People scheme including a review of the Means Test, and the Report on the Review is available on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/publications/report-on-the-review-of-the-housing-adaptation-grants-for-older-people-and-people-with-a-disability/
The Housing (Adaptation Grants for Older People and Disabled People) Regulations 2024 (S.I. No. 612 of 2024), which came into effect on 1 December 2024, provide the legal basis for the introduction of the recommendations set out in the review. The key changes include an increase in the grant limits of over 30% and the income thresholds by 25% whilst also revising the means test.
In line with the recommendations of the review, the schemes continue to be means tested and operate on a sliding scale with the highest percentage grants available to those with the lowest incomes and vice versa. The enhanced scheme includes the introduction of additional income deductions for housing, residential and home care costs incurred. In addition, a number of payments from the Department of Social Protection are disregarded for the purpose of the means test. These disregards are designed to ensure that the provision of financial assistance for living costs or care do not disadvantage an individual applying for grant assistance under the scheme.
695. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the number of social housing units currently owned or managed by each local authority, and the most recent figures available for additions to the social housing stock; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15174/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra698. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the estimated total asset value of the existing social housing stock nationally; the methodology used to determine that valuation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15177/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 695 and 698 together.
My 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 Q3 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/
My Department does not record the total asset value of existing social housing stock nationally. Local Government’s Annual Financial statements contain details of Local Authority's fixed assets, which includes a category for housing. However this category is not exclusively social housing, for example it also includes historic affordable housing that was bought back by local authorities into stock. The amalgamated Annual Financial Statements (AFS) for all 31 local authorities audited from 2009 to year end 31st December 2023 can be found at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/collections/local-authority-annual-financial-statements/
