Written Answers Nos. 1019-1040
1019. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding the implementation of a nationwide CBL system; the timeline for roll out of the new system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18805/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraChoice-Based Letting (CBL) is a method that can be used by local authorities to allocate social housing, whereby available social housing stock is let by being openly advertised, allowing qualified applicants to ‘bid’ for or ‘register an interest’ in available homes. Applicants respond to available properties advertised by local authorities, rather than waiting for an authority to offer them a dwelling. This approach offers more choice, transparency and involvement for applicant households in selecting a new home, thereby reducing the likelihood of a refusal, improving re-let times and helping to build sustainable tenancies and stable communities.
In 2024, 19 local authorities used CBL to allocate. My Department continues to work with local authorities to support their development of a Choice Based Letting model as part of suite of actions focused on social housing allocations and standardising operating arrangements and the associated processes at local authority and AHB level identified in the national housing plan "Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025 - 2030".
My Department also continues to support its agency, the LGMA on the development of the National Housing ICT Solution. In November 2025, the government launched the Digital Public Services Plan 2030 which demonstrated the commitment by the LGMA to lead on the digitalisation of social housing processes to 2030. The plan outlines the roadmap to deliver seamless, inclusive and user-centred social housing services and will give rise to the development of technological capabilities that will support online social housing applications and the digitalisation of wider social housing processes such the Summary of Social Housing Assessment (SSHA) and Choice-Based Letting. My Department will continue to support the LGMA to deliver enhanced services across the entire social housing process.
1020. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount spent to date by his Department to facilitate Ireland’s participation in the Marché International des Professionels de l'Immoblier 2026 Conference in Cannes, by expenditure type, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18807/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1021. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the persons attending the Marché International des Professionels de l'Immoblier 2026 Conference in Cannes on behalf of the Irish Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18808/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1022. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide documentation, presentations and promotional material produced by the Irish government and/or his Department for the Marché International des Professionels de l'Immoblier 2026 Conference in Cannes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18809/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1023. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide the organisers of the Irish stand at the Marché International des Professionels de l'Immoblier 2026 Conference in Cannes; his Department’s involvement in same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18810/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1066. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 191 on the 4 of March 2026, if he could provide the value of the sponsorship in cash terms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19394/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1067. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the sponsor of Ireland's participation in Marché International des Professionnels de l'Immobilier (MIPIM) Conference last year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19399/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1020 to 1023, inclusive, and 1066 and 1067 together.
There is no single solution to the funding and cost challenges in housing supply. Delivering Homes, Building Communities sets out a range of interdependent and complementary actions that seek to address these challenges.
Part of this plan is to recognise that even with the largest housing budget in the history of the State providing unprecedented levels of investment in housing, Government cannot fund all of the estimated €20 billion development finance needed annually to achieve the delivery of 300,000 new homes by 2030. The majority of the finance required will need to be sourced from private sources. It is imperative that patient and sustainable private capital is attracted, including from international sources, in line with similar practice by our European neighbours and beyond.
Under Delivering Homes, Building Communities, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, in partnership with other key Government Departments and agencies, will lead a co-ordinated programme of stakeholder engagement on the role of private capital, including institutional investment, in supporting additional housing supply.
In that regard, the Irish Government led a coordinated national presence at MIPIM 2026, one of the world’s leading real estate and investment forums which took place in Cannes, France from 9th to 12th March. The key aim of Ireland at MIPIM 2026 was to establish a presence at the conference to compete with other countries and cities for a limited supply of international capital which is crucial to fund increased supply of new housing in Ireland. In support, a total of eight officials from my Department attended MIPIM 2026.
The organisation of the Ireland Pavilion at MIPIM was overseen by my Department, working closely via a joint working group with the Department of Finance, the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund and the Housing Agency.
Having reviewed how other countries and cities fund their attendance at MIPIM and in line with that, private sector sponsors funded the event costs of Ireland at MIPIM 2026. The sponsors were coordinated through two key representative bodies, Irish Institutional Property and Property Industry Ireland.
Sponsors included AIB, Ardstone, Bank of Ireland, Cairn, Evara, Glenveagh, Avenue Capital Group, A&L Goodbody, I-RES, Kennedy Wilson, KPMG, Lioncor, Matheson and McCann Fitzgerald. These organisations have a shared interest in MIPIM and in increasing the pool of private investment which is available for funding new residential and complementary development in Ireland. This sponsorship covered the financial cost to Ireland at MIPIM 2026 in terms of the Ireland pavilion and the associated organisational supports, the quantum of which may be commercially sensitive information and my Department will need to consider further.
Ireland at MIPIM 2026 centred around an ‘Ireland’ pavilion which hosted a series of panel discussions and interviews to highlight the operational environment and growth potential for residential development in Ireland. The discussions included a mix of public and private sector participants discussing key themes. All the information is available at irelandatmipim.com
The public delegation was led by myself, as Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and included officials from my own Department, the Department of Finance, the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, the Housing Agency, some local authorities and IDA Ireland. Any costs relating to the travelling delegation from my Department, such as flights and accommodation, were borne by the Department in line with the standard approach to attendance at international conferences and are currently being concluded.
1024. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the apartment and duplex defects remediation scheme will be in place and operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18811/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1030. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding the legislation to underpin the apartment defect remediation scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19027/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1033. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding a pathfinder project under the interim remediation scheme for fire safety defects in apartments and duplexes (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19070/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1034. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he can outline the scope of the pathfinder project under the interim remediation scheme for fire safety defects in apartments and duplexes (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19071/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1035. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding a timeline for the completion of the pathfinder project under the interim remediation scheme for fire safety defects in apartments and duplexes (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19072/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1036. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the pathfinder project (details supplied) has a confirmed budget, the way this was ratified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19073/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1037. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding any pathfinder projects planned under the interim remediation scheme for fire safety defects in apartments and duplexes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19074/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1038. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding the full rollout of the interim remediation scheme for fire safety defects in apartments and duplexes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19075/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1039. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way remediation works are classified and deemed to be included in the interim remediation scheme for fire safety defects in apartments and duplexes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19076/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1040. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an estimate as to the total cost of completing the full interim remediation scheme for fire safety defects in apartments and duplexes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19077/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1062. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding the interim apartment remediation scheme; if water ingress defects are being considered for inclusion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19371/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1069. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding a pathfinder apartment defects remediation scheme (details supplied); the timeline, budget, and the way in which findings will be rolled out nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19467/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1076. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a residential development (details supplied) has been approved for funding and inclusion under the fire safety defects remediation scheme; the current status of any application in respect of the development; the timeline for assessment and decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19620/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1106. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding Pathfinder projects with respect to apartment remediation; if any funding been drawn down; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20242/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1107. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether fire risk caused by water ingress qualifies for a block of apartments to apply for the interim remediation scheme with respect to apartment remediation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20244/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1024, 1030 to 1040, inclusive, 1062, 1069, 1076, 1106 and 1107 together.
Government approval was received on 18 September 2024 for the priority drafting of the Apartment and Duplex Defects Remediation Bill. The purpose of this legislation is to place the defects remediation scheme on a statutory footing, further to commitments contained in the Programme for Government and Housing for All.
The scheme will provide supports for the remediation of relevant fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects in purpose-built apartment buildings, including duplexes, constructed between 1991 and 2013. It is envisaged that 100% of eligible remediation costs will be funded under the scheme.
The General Scheme of the Bill has undergone pre-legislative scrutiny during the Dáil autumn term 2025 and I expect to bring the legislation forward for publication shortly.
A non-statutory Interim Remediation Scheme (Scheme) has been in place since December 2023, to provide an acceptable level of fire safety in buildings pending introduction of the statutory scheme and completion of the full remedial works. The Scheme is for the funding of emergency fire safety defect works in apartments and duplexes constructed between 1991 and 2013.
Defects that originate from inadequate maintenance, a failure of sinking funds to adequately allow for end-of-life replacement of building and safety systems, or inadequate management of later works to the building that have inadvertently resulted in defects are not included within the scope of the Scheme. The Scheme is being administered by the Housing Agency on a nationwide basis. Applications can be made via the Housing Agency’s website at www.housingagency.ie.
As of the end of February 2026, 236 applications to the Scheme have been validated, having met the required eligibility criteria. These applications represent 21,512 residential units, with circa 77% in the Dublin region.
Four applicants Owner Management Companies (OMC) were selected as part of a pathfinder exercise in May 2024. Three of the four pathfinder projects have been approved for funding, in the amount of €21.3 million and remediation works have commenced at one project location. Payments in the amount of €2.5 million have been made to three pathfinder OMCs to date. Full funding has been approved for the Scheme and payments will continue to be made for remediation works, where commenced and certified.
Last month, the Government announced significant changes to the Scheme.
These changes will simplify procurement and reduce administrative hurdles, allowing works to be completed more quickly while ensuring residents can remain safely in their homes until full building remediation is finish. The remediation process will prioritise the installation of fire detection and alarm systems ahead of full building remedial works which will follow under the forthcoming statutory scheme.
With regard to the specific apartment details supplied, the management and operation of the scheme, including application processing is a matter for the Housing Agency. It would not be appropriate for myself, as Minister, to comment on individual cases. All queries regarding applications to the Interim Remediation Scheme may be directed to Interim.remediation@housingagency.ie.
1025. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to track and count the number of build to rent units which are being built; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18821/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFrom the period 2018 to 2022, the 'Build-To-Rent' (BTR) development type was considered a distinct type of development for the purposes of planning permissions and apartment design guidelines. In 2022, the Government removed 'Build-To-Rent' as a distinct and separate planning application category as part of the amended ‘Sustainable Urban Housing Guidelines: Design Standards for New Apartments’ planning guidelines which took effect from 22 December 2022. There is therefore no separate category for 'build to rent units' as it stands.
Data in respect of granted planning permissions are collected and published quarterly by the CSO on its website. The data can be accessed at https://data.cso.ie/table/BHQ17. Commencement data is published by the Department on a monthly basis and available at www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/publications/residential-commencement-notices/#residential-commencement-notices-2026. Data on new dwelling completions are published on a quarterly basis by the CSO and can be accessed at https://data.cso.ie/table/NDQ06. All of the above data can be disaggregated by local authority and dwelling type (apartment, multi-development house and one-off house). Data on the number of permitted, commenced or completed units which are build-to-rent, are not available.
1026. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether all works must be completed for the payment of a Croí Cónaithe grant, even if the full grant amount has been spent; and the criteria for the payment of the grant. [18875/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, introduced in July 2022, funded under the Croí Cónaithe Towns fund, 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.
The objective of the grant is to support the refurbishment of vacant and derelict properties, bringing them back into use as homes.
The grant is administered and managed by local authorities, who process and decide on applications in line with the scheme conditions and issue grant payments on completion of approved refurbishment works. In order for a grant to be paid all grant approved works must be completed, a final inspection by the local authority must take place, all required documentation such as invoices, tax clearance, charge document and the clawback agreement must also be submitted and completed. In cases where the property is being made available to rent a proof of a tenancy being registered with the RTB must also be provided to the local authority.
Information on the scheme and conditions is available for applicants on my Department's website at: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/services/vacant-property-refurbishment-grant/.
1027. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total anticipated costs associated with his foreign travel for St Patrick's Day; the delegation size; and if a breakdown can be provided on these costs including on accommodation and flights. [18895/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe details as requested by the Deputy are set out in the table below. Information related to my travel and the travel of other Ministers in the Department, is published and regularly updated on the Departments OpenData website:
|
Minister |
Destination |
Purpose |
Total costs of Flights (€) for delegation |
Total costs of Hotel (€) for delegation |
Additional Costs (€) for delegation, Care hire etc. |
Number of accompanying staff and advisors |
|
James Browne |
Chicago |
St Patrick's Day Representation |
€8,134.29 |
To be determined by Department of Foreign Affairs |
To be determined by Department of Foreign Affairs |
2 |
1028. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the action he will take to address the unaffordability and the viability gap of cost rental; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19020/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Delivering Homes, Building Communities plan, Cost 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. Though the new housing tenure was only introduced in 2021, Cost Rental delivery is accelerating, with almost 4,800 homes delivered by the end of Q3 2025 and with a substantial future pipeline now in place.
Cost-covering rents are different depending on a range of factors, including the size and typology of dwelling and the location, as well as the level of State funding towards the capital costs. Since rents for Cost Rental homes are set according to the actual costs of delivering, managing, and maintaining the homes, recent inflation in delivery costs has proven challenging. All delivery partners are actively managing costs to ensure that these new homes are provided at the best rents that are achievable.
My Department is providing substantial funding to Local Authorities, the Land Development Agency and Approved Housing Bodies. Since the launch of Cost Rental in 2021, around €2.25 billion in Exchequer funding has been approved for Cost Rental projects. With this funding, all State-supported cost rental projects must achieve cost-covering rents that start at least 25% below comparable new properties in the private rental market, and therefore present a significant saving to the tenant from the outset. Beyond my Department, very significant loan funding is also being provided from the State's Housing Finance Agency.
In addition, the Government announced in Budget 2026:
• a reduction in VAT on the purchase of new apartments (down to 9% from 13.5%);
• enhanced Corporation Tax deductions on construction expenses, to improve the viability of apartment building; and
• a Corporation Tax exemption for rental income from tenants of new Cost Rental homes, to allow financial models to be even more closely aligned with only the delivery cost elements.
Together these reforms aim to encourage delivery and increase viability of new cost rental homes, reducing costs and ensuing rents, therefore making them more affordable. In parallel, the Government is focused on reducing construction and delivery costs more broadly through standardisation, improved procurement, and increased efficiency, while maintaining high quality and sustainability standards.
1029. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to consider increasing RAS contribution limits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19021/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) is a local authority (LA) administered long-term social housing support primarily targeted at households who have been in receipt of Rent Supplement for 18 months or longer and who have been assessed as having an ongoing housing need.
RAS operates through two distinct delivery strands: (i) Private RAS and (ii) Approved Housing Body (AHB) RAS (often referred to as CAS RAS).
Under Private RAS, LAs secure accommodation from private landlords, while under AHB RAS, LAs arrange tenancies with AHBs on behalf of eligible households.
Responsibility for the operation and administration of RAS rests with each local authority, including the sourcing of accommodation and the agreement of rents with accommodation providers. Rents in Private RAS are therefore determined at local level, having regard to local market conditions, the type and location of accommodation, value for money considerations, and the need to secure and sustain long-term accommodation for households with an assessed housing need. Private RAS rents are generally agreed at 92% of the prevailing local market rent, reflecting the long-term nature of the arrangements and the security of payment provided under the scheme. Local authorities pay the agreed rent to the accommodation provider on behalf of the tenant who pays a Differential Rent to the LA with the balance recouped to the LA by my Department. This locally administered approach allows LAs to respond flexibly to differing rental markets across the country.
Under AHB RAS (CAS RAS) rents are not based on market rent but on a cost-recovery 'economic rent' model which reflects the ongoing cost of managing and maintaining the accommodation. The tenant's contribution is generally assessed under the LAs Differential Rent Scheme and a subsidy is provided by my Department if required. This weekly subsidy amount is subject to a maximum of €55 per week for a single person, and €60 per week for a couple.
My Department is examining the funding of AHBs in both the short and longer term. In the short term, my Department is considering the matter as part of its response to a recommendation in its recently published ‘Review of the Future of the Rental Accommodation Scheme’ which called for a review of the weekly subsidy amount and, in the longer term, the issue of funding AHBs is under review in the context of the AHB Strategic Review which is examining the overall funding framework for AHBs.
1031. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 1242 of 8 September 2026, the position regarding the contents of the formal response that issued to the local authority; the contents of their response; the funds, by heading, that have been drawn down to date in respect of the project; and if he has received a final and or updated business case for the project. [19034/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is a condition of URDF support that advancement of proposals/projects and related funding arrangements must accord with the Department’s Guidance on applying the Infrastructure Guidelines (formerly the Public Spending Code). Under this guidance, local authorities must ensure that, where required, a submission for each of the Approval Gates is submitted to my Department for approval prior to progressing to the next stage of the project lifecycle. These approval gates (AG) are:
AG1 - Approval in Principle (Preliminary Business Case).
AG2 - Pre-tender approval (Project Design, Planning and Procurement Strategy).
AG3 - Post-tender approval (Final Business Case).
In that context, on 2 October last, my Department issued AG1 approval to Wicklow County Council for its Bray Harbour Area Integrated Regeneration proposal. This approval allows the progression of the design and planning for the marine elements of the proposal, and the design, planning and construction of the terrestrial elements. This approval also confirmed a preliminary URDF allocation of €7,235,802 for the project (the original allocation of €7,140,000 approved in 2021, plus an additional €95,802 for Staff Resources).
At the next stage of the process (AG2), the Council is only required to submit pre-tender cost information. However, this is subject to the conditions set out in the Department's Guidance on the application of the Infrastructure Guidelines to URDF supported projects, in particular that there are no significant changes in cost or scope.
Thereafter, Wicklow County Council will be required to submit:
• An Approval Gate 3 (Final Business Case) submission seeking approval to appoint a Design Team for the marine element of the overall proposal, and
• An Approval Gate 3 (Final Business Case) submission seeking approval to appoint a contractor for the terrestrial element of the overall proposal.
To date, Wicklow County Council has drawn down €99,933.79 in URDF support for its Bray Harbour Integrated Regeneration proposal.
Finally, it should be noted that, while my Department works closely and communicates regularly with successful applications, responsibility for the advancement of URDF-supported projects through the various stages of the project lifecycle is a matter for the relevant Sponsoring Authority (Wicklow County Council in this instance).
1032. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if Clara fire station, County Offaly will be included in the new priority fire service infrastructural projects 2026-2030, given the inadequacy of the existing very old building which is not fit for purpose; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19067/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Service Acts, 1981 and 2003. My Department supports fire authorities through general policy-setting and preparing legislation, providing a central training programme, issuing guidance on operational and other related matters and providing capital funding for priority infrastructural projects.
Fire station project consideration stages from a Department perspective include submission of preliminary and detailed appraisals; submission of design brief; selection of a site; application for approval in principle; appointment of design consultants; submission of a preliminary design; planning application; submission of a preliminary cost plan, detailed design and cost plans; and tender process and construction stages - each step subject to approval from my Department.
Offaly County Council previously indicated the replacement of Clara fire station as a priority for the local authority. The Clara fire station project was not initially included in my Department's Fire Services Capital Programme 2021 - 2025, however, all projects in the capital programme may be reassessed on an annual basis to maximise available capital funding, taking account of the state of the readiness of proposed projects. Following a capital reappraisal, my Department took the decision to bring forward the Clara fire station project for inclusion in the fire services capital programme 2021 - 2025.
Offaly County Council subsequently submitted a design brief and an invitation to tender for the design of the proposed fire station. Following the evaluation of this information, my Department issued approval to the Council to proceed to the tender stage for provision of design services and I understand Offaly County Council recently appointed consultants and are currently progressing the project to the detailed design and cost plan stage.
Clara fire station remains the Council's priority infrastructure project and my Department will continue to support Offaly County Council to progress the new Clara fire station project to completion within the lifetime of the 2026 -2030 fire services capital programme.
