Written Answers Nos. 508-526
511. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has considered a rent-to-buy scheme including a State component (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32130/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is acutely aware of the housing challenges faced by many sectors of society. Ireland's new housing plan Delivering Homes, Building Communities, contains a suite of actions that have and continue to increase the provision of housing through accelerating supply and increasing the affordability of homes for our citizens.
Information and guidance on the affordable housing supports currently in place for First Time Buyers, fresh starters and other eligible applicants is available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/0d279-doors-open/, and this includes information on the schemes below. Furthermore, a number of these schemes can be combined, thereby providing additional affordability support.
• Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme
• First Home Scheme
• Local Authority Home Loan
• Local Authority Purchase and Renovation Loan
• Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant
• Help to Buy
• Cost Rental Homes
There are no plans at this time to introduce a State supported rent-to-buy scheme for social housing eligible tenants.
It should be noted, in relation to the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), this is a form of social housing support available for people who have a long-term housing need. Any household assessed as eligible for social housing is immediately eligible for HAP.
Under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme, a tenant sources their own accommodation in the private rented market. This accommodation should be within the prescribed maximum HAP rent limits, which are based on household size and the rental market within the area concerned.
Consistent with the provisions in the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014, the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme is considered to be a social housing support and consequently households in receipt of a payment under the HAP scheme are not eligible to remain on the main housing waiting list. Ministerial directions have issued to ensure that, should they so choose, HAP recipients can avail of a move to other forms of social housing support through a transfer list.
Furthermore, local authorities are also directed that HAP recipients who apply to go on the transfer list should get full credit for the time they spent on the waiting list and be placed on the transfer list with no less favourable terms than if they had remained on the waiting list. The practical operation of transfer lists is a matter for each local authority to manage, on the basis of its own scheme of letting priorities. The making of such schemes is a reserved function of the local authority and as such is a matter for its elected members.
512. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the process in place for a person who has literacy issues, who receives a social housing income assessment but does not fill it out in time or fully understand the document. [32144/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra513. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether it is possible for a person to nominate an appointed contact person for their social housing application. [32145/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 512 and 513 together.
Applications for social housing support are assessed by the relevant local authority, in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended.
Regulation 12 of the 2011 Regulations prescribes the timescales for the processing of applications by local authorities and provides that, subject to conditions, a local authority shall deal with an application within a period of 12 weeks. Local authorities will prioritise housing needs assessments for those in greatest need and ensure that such applications are dealt with within time-frames that are significantly shorter that the statutory maximum.
My Department introduced a revised social housing application form, most recently in 2022, in consultation with the local authority sector. The changes made provided an application form that is more customer focused, and which is more streamlined and accessible for the applicant. The application form provides for applicants to identify housing requirements arising from a disability or medical condition.
Additionally, the Housing Agency has published a number of documents to assist people in accessing social housing supports. These include "Housing Options" and "An Easy to Read Guide to filling in the Social Housing Support Application Form". All documents are available on the websites of the Housing Agency, the local authorities and Citizens' Information.
There is no facility on the application form for an applicant to nominate an appointed contact person. However, local authority staff are available to assist applicants who may have difficulty in completing the form. The day-to-day operation of the social housing system is a matter solely for each local authority including any assistance provided in this regard.
514. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of AHB units funded under CALF in 2025; the number of schemes this applied to; and the number of schemes of less than 20 units that currently have funding under CALF. [32146/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraCALF funding is capital support provided to Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) by local authorities to facilitate the funding of construction or purchase of new social housing units. This loan facility can support between 25% and 30% of the eligible capital cost of the housing project, with the remaining finance sourced by the AHBs from private lenders (usually the HFA) with the housing units provided to local authorities for social housing use under long-term lease arrangements known as Payment and Availability Agreements (P&A).
In 2025, 5,729 units received CALF funding approval, over 145 applications. Also in 2025, 64 applications were approved, on projects with under 20 units.
515. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of AHB units funded under CAS in 2025; the number of schemes this applied to; and the number of schemes of less than 20 units that currently have funding under CAS. [32147/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) provided funding for the delivery of 397 social homes, across 107 projects, in 2025. To the end of 2025, some 48 CAS projects with 20 units or less were approved funding but were not yet completed.
Comprehensive programme-level statistics for social housing delivery to the end of Quarter 4 2025 are published on my Department's website, the data is broken down by individual local authority. The data are available via the following links:
www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/collections/overall-social-and-affordable-housing-provision/#capital-assistance-scheme-cas
www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/collections/social-housing-construction-projects-status-reports/
Data for Q1 2026 are currently being compiled and will be published in due course.
516. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the actions he has taken to resolve issues with funding for smaller AHBs delivering special needs housing units. [32148/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am satisfied that more than sufficient support is available from my Department to support delivery of special needs housing by Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) of all sizes.
Specifically, through my Department's Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS), small, medium and large AHBs can access up to 100% of the capital cost of delivering social housing for older persons, persons with disabilities, care leavers, &c. More than €180 million is available to AHBs through CAS this year, an increase of €25 million on 2025. Some €50 million of this year's allocation has also been ring-fenced for AHBs to support acquisitions to meet the urgent accommodation needs special needs cohorts.
Ongoing operational maintenance costs are a matter for AHBs. Ultimately, AHBs should ensure adequate sinking funds are in place to meet short, medium and long term maintenance costs, with such funds accommodated through a combination of rental income and, where applicable, tenant rental assistance payments, payable directly to relevant AHBs.
Many AHBs of all sizes have successfully utilised CAS to provide specialist needs housing, and continue to do so. For those AHBs with the scale, capacity and governance capability to do so, the Capital Advance Leasing Facility (CALF) is also available to support general and specialist needs social housing delivery. My Department is currently assessing policy coherence between the schemes with a particular focus, among other things, on maximising the delivery of specialist housing across both.
Work is also progressing with key stakeholders, including AHBs, on the recommendations of the AHB Strategic Forum report, published in November 2025. The report made a number of recommendations regarding the issue of longer term maintenance, including AHB income potential, tenant contribution, potential State capital and income subsidy, as well as the implementation of Cost Recovery Principles.
517. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the funding provided to AHBs delivering special needs housing units for new units in each of the past five years, in tabular form. [32149/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department does not provide funding allocations to Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) for the delivery of social housing projects, including special needs housing projects; rather my Department recoups the relevant local authorities as projects advance and claims fall due for payment in line with the relevant scheme conditions. Additionally my Department does not collect disaggregated data on AHB expenditure by specific cohorts, such as persons with disabilities, older persons, and care leavers.
My Department has provided over €4.5 billion for AHB social housing delivery between 2020 and 2024 inclusive, through varied funding streams, including Capital Advance Leasing Facility (CALF) and Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS). The details on 2025 expenditure for the range of AHB funded programmes will be available on publication of the Department’s 2025 Appropriation Account.
While CAS provides specifically for priority category needs, including people with disabilities; CALF indirectly supports specialised cohorts, where units are designed to accommodate general and specialised needs.
In 2026, my Department will provide some €575 million for AHB delivered social housing through CALF, and €181 million specifically for specialist needs cohorts via CAS, with €50 million of this ring-fenced to support urgent acquisitions of second hand homes for persons with disabilities, older persons, and care leavers.
518. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average processing time from initial application to approval for CAS funding projects. [32150/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe average time taken from initial application to initial approval under my Department's Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS), since the introduction of Housing for All in 2021, is eight weeks.
The processing time for applications under CAS is impacted by a range of factors. These include, among other things, the size and complexity of developments and the level of engagement required between the Department and relevant local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) vis-a-vis suitability, value for money and other policy requirements. The capacity of AHBs and local authorities to speedily and effectively progress projects in line with public funding requirements is also a significant factor.
My Department introduced a new ‘single approval’ process for all new build social housing projects up to a value of €200m earlier this year. This will support local authorities and AHBs to streamline processes and support delivery of new build social housing developments.
519. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to respond to matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32176/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn January 2026, the Government launched the new Housing Infrastructure Investment Fund (HIIF) to support direct investment in the critical infrastructure needed to unlock housing delivery in towns and cities across the country.
The HIIF is a multiannual €1 billion fund and will be managed by the Housing Activation Office in my Department. It represents the largest housing infrastructure investment announced by the State in many years. The fund is designed to address infrastructure constraints that are preventing or delaying housing development, particularly in locations where housing can be delivered at scale and at pace.
Call 1 of the HIIF opened for applications from local authorities and the Land development Agency (LDA) on 21 January 2026 and closed on Friday 27 February 2026. Applications have been received from local authorities across the country, including Laois County Council, and from the LDA. Confirmation of receipt of both applications referenced in your correspondence were issued to Laois County Council on 6 March.
The Housing Activation Office team is actively reviewing all applications received against the scheme criteria and recommendations will be brought forward shortly in accordance with the governance arrangements for the fund.
As this process is ongoing I am not in position to comment on any specific applications.
520. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of protected disclosures that have gone missing or have been compromised that have been submitted to his Department or State bodies that are responsible to his Department. [32291/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere have been no protected disclosures that have gone missing or compromised in my Department since the enactment of the Protected Disclosure Act in 2014.
My Department does not maintain the requested information in respect of the State bodies under its aegis. 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. These bodies may be contacted directly by e-mail by members of the Oireachtas, as set out in Table 1.
Table 1
|
Bodies under the Aegis of DHLGH |
Oireachtas email |
|
An Coimisiún Pleanála |
oireachtasqueries@pleanala.ie |
|
An Fóram Uisce |
oireachtas@nationalwaterforum.ie |
|
Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority |
oireachtasqueries@ahbregulator.ie |
|
Construction Industry Register Ireland |
info@ciri.ie |
|
Docklands Oversight and Consultative Forum |
infodocklands@dublincity.ie |
|
Gas Networks Ireland |
oireachtas@gasnetworks.ie |
|
Heritage Council |
oireachtas@heritagecouncil.ie |
|
Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency |
Oireachtas@housingagency.ie |
|
Housing Finance Agency |
oireachtas.enquiries@hfa.ie |
|
Land Development Agency |
oireachtas@lda.ie |
|
Local Government Management Agency |
oireachtasmemberqueries@lgma.ie |
|
National Oversight and Audit Commission |
oireachtas@noac.ie |
|
National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee |
ntacc@housing.gov.ie |
|
Office of the Planning Regulator |
oireachtas@opr.ie |
|
Property Services Appeal Board |
psabsecretary@psab.ie |
|
Property Services Regulatory Authority |
pq@psr.ie |
|
Pyrite Resolution Board |
oireachtasinfo@pyriteboard.ie |
|
Residential Tenancies Board |
OireachtasMembersQueries@rtb.ie |
|
Tailte Éireann |
Oireachtas@tailte.ie |
|
Uisce Éireann |
oireachtasmembers@water.ie |
|
Valuation Tribunal |
oireachtas@valuationtribunal.ie |
|
Waterways Ireland |
oireachtas@waterwaysireland.org |
521. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide details of funding (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32365/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 5 March last, I announced a new Towns and Cities Regeneration Investment Fund which, while replacing the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF), will continue to build on its success to date and apply many of the key criteria established by Government in 2018 for the URDF. The new Fund will continue to support urban regeneration projects and the development of sustainable communities through the provision of part-funding for applicant-led projects. In doing so, it will significantly contribute to the regeneration and rejuvenation of Ireland’s cities and other large towns, in line with the objectives of the National Planning Framework and the National Development Plan.
To date, there have been three calls for funding provided under the URDF which has resulted in the allocation of €1.9 billion of funding, with URDF supported projects now active in every local authority area in the Country. While Calls 1 and 2 were for specific regeneration projects, the third round of funding (Call 3) is specifically focussed towards addressing long term vacancy and dereliction, while supporting the key objectives of Housing for All and Town Centre First.
Dublin City Council (DCC) submitted a project for the Belmayne-Clongriffin area under the URDF Call 2 application process. However, it was unsuccessful at that time primarily due to issues with critical parts of the proposal. Given the priority afforded to and the transformational nature of the other Dublin City project proposals, it did not have the same potential for achieving compact urban growth or urban regeneration.
Subsequently, and as part of the National Development Plan Review process, my Department received input from various sources. This included input from Dublin City Council, inter alia in respect of Clongriffin and Belmayne, all of which informed the final request for funding,
As set out in Delivering Homes, Building Communities, a further €500 million to 2030 under the updated NDP has been made available for the Towns and Cities Regeneration Investment Fund. Applications for Round 1 of the new Fund closed on 1 May. With a focus on supporting policies such as ‘Town Centre First’ and City Task Forces, the new Towns and Cities Regeneration Investment Fund will deliver transformative and impactful projects that will regenerate eligible areas.
My Department will continue to work closely with local authorities in respect of project development under the Towns and Cities Regeneration Investment Fund. Clongriffin and Belmayne are areas that are eligible for funding under the new Fund. However, responsibility for the location and composition of applications for funding, and their advancement through the various stages of planning, development and completion remains, in the first instance, a matter for the relevant local authority (DCC in this case). My Department has not received a request for funding from Dublin City Council (DCC) for the Clongriffin/Belmayne area for Round 1 in that context.
522. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will take steps to ensure that Daingean Fire Station County Offaly is made operational (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32394/26]
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 & 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.
In 2010, my Department was informed by Offaly County Council that Daingean fire brigade was to be stood down. It is important to note that the non-availability of any fire station does not mean that fire risk management, including fire service response, is diminished. The systemic approach to fire risk management, which is the policy underpinning the delivery of fire services in Ireland, has seen a welcome and steady downward trend in fire fatalities.
Area Risk Categorisation (ARC) is a process used by the Irish Fire Service to identify and classify risk. This classification is based on several factors, including population density, land use and the built environment. ARC enables each fire service to match its risk profile with the appropriate operational resourcing, all of which is a matter for the Chief Executive.
Offaly County Council provides fire services from five fire stations at Birr, Clara, Edenderry, Ferbane and Tullamore. The response is codified in a formal Pre-Determined Attendance (PDA) profile that is validated by the Chief Fire Officer. Fire Service resources are deployed based on the PDA; those are the instructions of a Chief Fire Officer to the relevant Regional Communications Centre (RCC) for an initial fire service response to an emergency call. The concept of the ”next nearest appliance” ensures operational resilience by mandating if a primary fire station or its resources are unavailable, likely through response to a concurrent incident, the system automatically defaults to mobilise the next nearest resource regardless of any administrative boundary.
It should also be noted that fire authorities cooperate with each other as and when required, and on a regular basis, on several matters. For example, they are enabled by the Fire Services Act, 1981 & 2003 to assist each other and provide support on a ‘mutual assistance’ basis, and this is the expected norm for Fire Services.
523. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of active HAP and RAS tenancies on 1 November 2025; and to provide a total number for each scheme. [32781/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department publishes comprehensive programme-level statistics on social housing delivery activity in all local authority areas on the statistics page of its website. Quarterly data in relation to the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) and the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) to end 2025 can be found on my Department’s website at the following links:
https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/4a68d168/HAP_Funding_and_Delivery_Statistics_Q4_2025.xlsx
https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/642bfe4b/RAS_Funding_and_Delivery_Statistics_Q4_2025.xlsx
My Department does not hold information on tenancies active on 1 November 2025.
524. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when he will finally commence the defective concrete block scheme for social housing. [32840/26]
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.
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. This work is now complete and the Scheme developed by my Department in conjunction with relevant stakeholders, is now being drafted by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel. Once this process is finalised I will quickly bring the Scheme to Government for approval so as to enable the remediation of social housing stock to begin in the near future.
526. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No.1759 of 14 April 2026, to outline the administrative processes between now, including the Order, and the date on which the scheme will be available in Meath; exactly which 'relevant parts of Meath County Council' are to be designated part of the DCB scheme, that is, whether it includes the whole of county, or particular municipal districts, geographical areas or individual properties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32967/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 which underpins the enhanced Defective Concrete Block Scheme was commenced in June 2023.
The Scheme is currently open to applications in five counties, namely Clare, Donegal, Limerick, Mayo and Sligo.
An order for the inclusion of a local authority in the enhanced DCB Grant Scheme may only be made by an Order of the Government.
I have recently received Government approval for the designation of parts of the administrative area of Meath County Council under the scheme. I am now in the process of arranging for the moving of a motion for a Resolution in each House of the Oireachtas and subject to the passing of such a Resolution I will then request the Government to make the Order.
Accordingly, I expect that the designation process to allow for the inclusion of parts of the administrative area of Meath County Council in the scheme will be finalised shortly.
