Written Answers Nos. 667-686
667. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of confirmed Asian Hornet nests identified in Ireland in 2025 and to date in 2026; the counties affected; and the actions taken to eradicate them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35323/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraA total of 2 Asian Hornet nests were confirmed in Ireland in 2025, in the Cork area. The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department put in place a protocol, including risk assessment, to ensure the safe and efficient removal of the nest. International best practice was followed during this operation, and technical support was provided by experts from the UK, the NPWS, and The Irish Pest Control Association.
The nests were not destroyed but were instead transferred to the National Museum of Ireland where valuable research was conducted to further inform our knowledge and response to the Asian Hornet.
In a separate incident the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) dealt with an Asian Hornet nest near Belfast in October 2025.
No Asian Hornet nests have been identified in Ireland to date in 2026.
The National Biodiversity Data Centre has published a new reporting tool and new information to support accurate identification of the Asian Hornet. Links to the tool and to information on the Asian Hornet are set out below:
https://invasives.ie/asianhornetreporter.
https://invasives.ie/asianhornet/report/.
668. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there is grant aid available for septic tanks in close proximity to char habitats, given that char fish are a protected species (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35342/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraGrant assistance may be provided in certain circumstances under the Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems scheme for the remediation or replacement of defective systems, including septic tanks, where they are found to pose a risk to the environment.
Eligibility is not based on proximity to specific habitats or species; however, environmental sensitivities may be taken into account in determining environmental risk under the scheme. Grant support is targeted at systems that are found, following an inspection, to be defective and that present a priority environmental or public health risk.
In accordance with the law, the proper maintenance and operation of the domestic wastewater treatment systems is the responsibility of the owner.
669. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he has examined the feasibility of increasing the retirement age for firefighters to 65 years (details supplied), including any engagement with representative bodies and local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35392/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 2024, the Courts, Civil Law, Criminal Law and Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024 was enacted. This Act amended, among other matters, the law in relation to the age at which certain public servants are required to retire. Part 11 of the Act provided the then Minister for Public Expenditure National Development Plan Delivery and Reform (M/PENDR), to make orders, enabling line ministers – Justice, Defence, and Housing – to make regulations regarding the retirement age of uniformed services. Indeed, these regulations were made in August 2024, with the consent of M/PENDR, raising the mandatory retirement age to 62.
I note An Garda Síochána has legislation to extend beyond the mandatory retirement age contracts for certain individuals, and then only with the consent of the Garda Commissioner and the Minister for Justice. However, I understand that this is for a very small number of serving members and only in exceptional circumstances.
Given that this matter has been addressed less than two years ago in consultation with staff representative bodies, there are no plans to revisit it presently.
670. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide a list of all capital projects including social and affordable housing, water services, heritage and local authority-led projects funded under the remit of his Department which have been completed on time and within budget in the Wicklow Wexford Constituency in each of the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33973/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.
|
Name of Project |
Year Completed |
|
Preservation works at Old Hero Mines Site, Wicklow Mountains National Park |
2023 |
|
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 |
671. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the estimated cost and the implications that would arise from extending the voluntary extension of the retirement age to 65 for retained firefighters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33994/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder 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, including the potential costs of employing staff, irrespective of their role. My Department does not hold data at this granular level.
The 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 Services Act, 1981 & 2003. My Department supports fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a central training programme, issuing guidance on operational and other related matters and providing capital funding support for equipment and priority infrastructural projects.
In 2024, the Courts, Civil Law, Criminal Law and Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024 was enacted. This Act amended, among other matters, the law in relation to the age at which certain public servants are required to retire. Part 11 of the Act provided the then Minister for Public Expenditure National Development Plan Delivery and Reform (M/PENDR), to make orders, enabling line ministers – Justice, Defence, Health and Housing – to make regulations regarding the retirement age of uniformed services. Indeed, these regulations were made in August 2024, with the consent of then M/PENDR, raising the mandatory retirement age to 62.
Given that the retirement age of firefighters was addressed less than two years ago in consultation with staff representative bodies, there are no plans to revisit it presently.
672. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the establishment and meeting frequency of the five working groups (details supplied) committed to in the October 2024 Ministerial Action Plan on planning resources; if he will list the specific recommendations these groups have made to date regarding immediate staff shortages in local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34039/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 15 October 2024, my Department published a Ministerial Action Plan on Planning Resources to respond to capacity challenges in the planning sector. This Action Plan provides a detailed roadmap to increase the pool of planning and related expertise needed to ensure a planning system fit for future needs. It sets out 14 high-level actions that provide a coordinated pathway to ensure a sustainable pipeline of planning and related expertise into the future, addressing the areas of education, recruitment and retention, as well as measures to encourage greater innovation and efficiency.
Funding was secured in Budget 2025 to support delivery of the recommendations under this Action Plan (attached for ease of reference) and a Steering Group was established to coordinate and oversee the development of the Action Plan which will remain in place to oversee the implementation and ongoing review of the Action Plan.
My Department is currently working on a number of measures to increase staffing levels in the local government planning sector. In this regard, my Department is collaborating with the local government sector and key stakeholders on the delivery of a programme of supports to planning authorities. These supports include the provision of staffing resources and expertise to enable planning authorities to perform their functions efficiently and effectively.
In October 2023, approval was conveyed to the filling of an initial 101 posts in the local authority planning sector under Phase 1 of a programme of supports for planning resources. A further approval issued in January 2025 for 112 posts - 56 graduate planner posts and 56 staff officer posts - to support the Planning function within local authorities.
In March 2025, the occupation of town planner was added to the Critical Skills Occupation List (action 9 of the MAP) following my Department’s detailed submission to the Economic Migration Policy Unit of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
In May 2025, a national recruitment campaign was launched to recruit graduate planners into Ireland’s local authorities (action 4 under the MAP), which was supported by my Department. Regional interviews were held in late July 2025, and almost all posts are currently filled.
Benchmark research to inform a marketing communications campaign to promote planning as a career in Ireland has recently commenced under Working Group 1 (action 1 of the MAP).
Funding supports have been provided to HEIs also under action 1 of the MAP to increase the uptake of undergraduate and postgraduate places on accredited planning courses in Ireland.
Engagement is ongoing with potential third level co-ordinating providers who are in a position to deliver a Planning apprenticeship type programme to support the development of professional planners by integrating on the job training with off the job learning. It is hoped to have a structure in place shortly. This is in line with action 3 of the MAP.
In addition, my Department currently funds a Grade V and Grade VI administrative posts within the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) to primarily support the work of the Planning Resources Working Group and to work with the HR Executive in the LGMA on the Graduate Planner Recruitment Programme respectively.
More recently, under Phase 3 of the programme of supports, 31 new full-time posts in the local authority planning services were approved across the 31 local authorities and funding for local authorities to support a summer intern programme for second and third year University planning students was also recently approved.
A subgroup was established in June 2025 to carry out a review of Qualifications for Planning Posts in the Local Government Sector (action 10 of the MAP). This review was to evaluate the current qualifications required for planning posts within the Local Government sector, assess whether these requirements align with the needs of the sector and the diverse pool of talent available, identify any barriers that may prevent access to planning roles; and provide an assessment of and recommendations for improving or modernising qualifications criteria to attract a wider pool of talent into the Planning profession for consideration by Working Group 4 (System Review) and the Steering Group established under the Ministerial Action Plan for Planning Resources. This review is nearing completion and should be completed shortly.
The following formal Working Group meetings have taken place to date. However, it should be noted that there have been additional meetings of each of the working groups to progress activities under each of their MAP actions.
|
Working Group 1 |
Working Group 2* |
Working Group 3 |
Working Group 4 |
Working Group 5 |
|
18 March 2025 15 April 2025 17 June 2025 16 July 2025 5 Nov 2025 10 Feb 2026 4 Mar 2026 |
5 March 2025 4 Dec 2025 |
28 Feb 2025 12 March 2025 29 April 2025 26 June 2026 10 Sept 2025 20 Nov 2025 |
28 Feb 2025 19 March 2025 15 May 2025 19 Nov 2025 |
21 March 2025 15 April 2025 13 May 2025 24 July 2025 16 Sept 2025 |
*Actions under this working group were carried out mainly by the LGMA, and were mainly complete, which meant there were less meetings
673. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage in view of the commitment to 'significant resources in the 2024 Action Plan, to provide a breakdown of the way in which the funding secured in Budget 2025 has been allocated specifically to frontline planning posts in local authorities versus administrative or department-level oversight; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34040/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder 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 he or she is responsible. My Department oversees workforce planning for the local government sector, including the monitoring of local government sector employment levels. Granular data, in terms of the number of planning and administrative staff employed in each local authority, is not collected by my Department and the relevant information would be available directly from each local authority.
On 15 October 2024, my Department published a Ministerial Action Plan on Planning Resources to respond to capacity challenges in the planning sector. This Action Plan provides a detailed roadmap to increase the pool of planning and related expertise needed to ensure a planning system fit for future needs. It sets out 14 high-level actions that provide a coordinated pathway to ensure a sustainable pipeline of planning and related expertise into the future, addressing the areas of education, recruitment and retention, as well as measures to encourage greater innovation and efficiency.
Funding was secured in Budget 2025 to support delivery of the recommendations under this Action Plan and a Steering Group was established to coordinate and oversee the development of the Action Plan which will remain in place to oversee the implementation and ongoing review of the Action Plan.
My Department is currently working on a number of measures to increase staffing levels in the local government planning sector. In this regard, my Department is collaborating with the local government sector and key stakeholders on the delivery of a programme of supports to planning authorities. These supports include the provision of staffing resources and expertise to enable planning authorities to perform their functions efficiently and effectively.
In October 2023, approval was conveyed to the filling of an initial 101 posts in the local authority planning sector under Phase 1 of a programme of supports for planning resources. A further approval issued in January 2025 for 112 posts - 56 graduate planner posts and 56 staff officer posts - to support the Planning function within local authorities.
In May 2025, a national recruitment campaign was launched to recruit graduate planners into Ireland’s local authorities, which was supported by my Department. Regional interviews were held in late July 2025 and almost all posts are currently filled.
In addition, my Department currently funds a Grade V and Grade VI administrative posts within the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) to primarily support the work of the Planning Resources Working Group and to work with the HR Executive in the LGMA on the Graduate Planner Recruitment Programme respectively.
More recently, under Phase 3 of the programme of supports, 31 new full-time posts in the local authority planning services were approved across the 31 local authorities and funding for local authorities to support a summer intern programme for second and third year University planning students was also recently approved.
Funding of €10,909m was secured in Budget 2025 for pay related expenditure. The sum of €6,189,221.54 was subsequently recouped by local authorities and the LGMA in 2025. Table 1 attached sets out the planning and administrative sanctioned posts allocated to Planning Departments in local authorities under Phases 1-2 of the programme of support and posts recently approved under Phase 3.
674. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide the latest workforce data for the local government planning sector, specifically identifying the percentage of current senior and executive planners eligible for retirement within the next five years; the way in which the 2024 Action Plan specifically addresses this imminent loss of institutional knowledge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34041/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder 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 he or she is responsible. My Department oversees 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 of potential retirements at particular grade levels is not collected.
The planning process underpins the delivery of many public policy, societal, economic, and environmental objectives in Ireland. Arising from the Government’s very significant focus on, and commitment to, the delivery of housing, physical and social infrastructure, environmental protection and climate transition through a sustainable and robust planning system, the required staffing levels in local authority planning departments have grown significantly in recent years.
In support of the planning function within local authorities, 101 planning related posts were approved in October 2023. Further approval for 112 additional posts issued in January 2025 of which 56 were planning related staff officer posts and 56 graduate planner posts. In May 2025, a very successful national recruitment campaign, supported by my Department, was launched to attract graduate planners into Ireland’s local authorities in accordance with Action 4 of the Ministerial Action Plan. Almost all posts are currently filled. More recently, 31 new full-time posts in the local authority planning service were approved across the 31 local authorities.
Under the Ministerial Action Plan on Planning Resources, the occupation of town planner was added to the Critical Skills Occupation List in accordance with Action 9 of the Ministerial Action Plan. Funding for local authorities to support a summer intern programme for second and third year University planning students was also recently approved.
675. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of planners who have been reassigned or recruited to ACP from local authorities since January 2024; the measures in place to backfill these critical vacancies at the local level, regarding the transition of An Bord Pleanála to An Coimisiún Pleanála (ACP); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34042/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder 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 he/she is 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 of vacancies in specific work areas or the reasons for such vacancies, is not collected and consequently is not available in my Department.
Where vacancies arise for existing posts, the majority of local authorities operate under a delegated sanction whereby they can replace vacancies up to Grade VII and equivalent without recourse to my Department for sanction. Local authorities are required to seek sanction from my Department for posts at Grade VIII and equivalent and higher.
The recruitment and filling of posts in the local government sector is undertaken both by individual local authorities and publicjobs. Following the approval of a staffing sanction request by my Department where such is required or in the case of a vacancy that does not require sanction from my Department, it is a matter for the Chief Executive, under Section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, to progress the appointment as appropriate.
676. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide a list of all capital projects including social and affordable housing, water services, heritage and local authority-led projects funded under the remit of his Department which have been completed on time and within budget in Fingal in each of the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34060/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.
|
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 |
677. Deputy Micheál Carrigy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide a list of all capital projects including social and affordable housing, water services, heritage and local authority-led projects funded under the remit of his Department which have been completed on time and within budget in Longford in each of the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34090/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.
|
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 |
678. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the research that was carried out by his Department prior to the recent changes to planning regulations for modular homes, specifically in relation to the potential for a loss of privacy for neighbouring homes and residents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34111/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra679. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the research that was carried out by his Department prior to the recent changes to planning regulations for modular homes, specifically in relation to the potential impact on the work of local authorities and their county development plans. [34112/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra680. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the engagement that was had with architects and town planners prior to the recent changes to planning regulations for modular homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34113/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra681. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the engagement that was had with senior management within local authorities prior to the recent changes to planning regulations for modular homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34114/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra682. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the mechanisms that are in place for local authorities to raise concerns related to recent changes to planning regulations for modular homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34115/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 678, 679, 680, 681 and 682 together.
I refer to my reply to Question no. 335 of 7 May which sets out the position in this matter.
683. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 358 of 27 November 2025, for an update on the number of affordable homes being provided in the Wicklow part of the Wicklow-Wexford constituency; to confirm that none of the affordable purchase houses in the Wicklow County Council area referenced were in the Arklow Local Electoral Area and to specifically outline what new affordable homes are under construction or have been provided in the constituency which comprises primarily the Arklow LEA and the southern part of the Blessington LEA, that is not homes in Bray, Greystones or the Wicklow LEAs, with the exception of Brittas Bay DED. [34206/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra684. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 358 of 27 November 2025, for an update on the number of affordable homes being provided in the Wexford part of the Wicklow-Wexford constituency; and to specifically outline the new affordable homes under construction or that have been provided in the constituency which comprises primarily the Gorey LEA and the northern parts of the Kilmuckridge and Enniscorthy LEAs ( this includes towns such as Kilmuckridge, Ferns and Bunclody but does not include Enniscorthy town nor any homes in the Wexford, Rosslare or New Ross LEAs. [34207/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 683 and 684 together.
The new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities, reinforces and expands the range of existing affordable housing measures being implemented by the Government. In particular, a new Starter Homes Programme aims to deliver an average of 15,000 affordable housing supports annually to 2030. To underpin the delivery of the Starter Homes Programme, the Government is investing an unprecedented level of funding by way of a package of exchequer funded affordability measures, investment through the Land Development Agency and lending by the Housing Finance Agency.
The expanded delivery under the new housing plan will build upon the significant progress already made under our previous plan, Housing for All, with over 22,000 affordable housing supports having been delivered to the end of 2025, including over 1,000 supports in Wicklow and over 410 in Wexford.
My Department publishes comprehensive programme-level statistics on a quarterly basis, including Starter Home delivery activity by local authority and delivery partners, for each local authority area including Wicklow and Wexford. Data from 2022 to the end of 2025 is currently published on the statistics page of my Department’s website. Data is not currently collated or filtered by local electoral area: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/collections/overall-social-and-affordable-housing-provision/.
To date, my Department has not received any applications or plans for new starter home delivery in the local areas of Arklow, Kilmuckridge, Ferns or Bunclody. In order to further drive the required delivery of Starter Homes under the new plan, local authorities, including Wicklow and Wexford County Councils, will shortly commence the preparation of new Housing Delivery Action Plans (HDAPs), for review by my Department, setting out how the Starter Homes Programme will be implemented within their area. These HDAPs, replacing those previously drawn up under Housing for All, will be informed by affordable housing need within the local authority area and will involve collaboration with the delivery partners, including the Land Development Agency, the Approved Housing Bodies and the wider development sector, as applicable.
685. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the protection a small landlord has when a difficult situation arises (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34217/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraTenants in the HAP scheme must sign a rent contribution agreement to pay a weekly rent to the relevant local authority, in line with its differential rent scheme. As set out in the rent contribution agreement, the tenant must pay this weekly rental contribution to remain eligible for the HAP scheme.
Limerick City and County Council provides a HAP shared service on behalf of all local authorities. This HAP Shared Services Centre (SSC) manages all HAP-related rent transactions for the HAP tenant, local authority and landlord. They follow a clear communication policy for rent arrears. This policy includes regular and early written communication with tenants, landlords and the relevant local authority.
The approach taken by the HAP SSC has been very effective: at the end of Q4 2025, the scheme had a 99% differential rent collection rate, with minimal arrears arising for tenants or local authorities. Therefore, only a very small number of tenants have fallen into difficulty with their differential rent.
From 1 May 2023 when a HAP tenant defaults on their differential rent payment to the local authority, they will be offered the option of a payment plan to assist them in maintaining their tenancy and allow the HAP payment to the landlord to continue. If the tenant defaults on payment of differential rent or the payment plan, under the Landlord Payment Guarantee, the HAP payment to the landlord will be guaranteed for a 12-month period or earlier if the tenancy ends.
If the tenant has not rectified their situation and exited the debt process within three months of the HAP payment to the landlord being suspended, the Landlord Guarantee will be activated.
The HAP SSC will contact the landlord in month three of suspension to obtain confirmation that the tenant remains in the property. Once the confirmation is received, the landlord will then be paid monthly for up to nine months. The initial arrears of three months will be paid retrospectively at the end of the 12-month period or earlier if the tenancy ends.
Issues such as overholding are a matter for the tenant and landlord to resolve with recourse if necessary, to the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) dispute resolution service. The RTB was established as an independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Acts to operate a national tenancy registration system and to facilitate the resolution of disputes between landlords and tenants.
686. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide further information on the shared accommodation scheme pilot for young people in Cork City referenced in Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025-2030 and in the National Youth Homelessness Strategy 2023-2025, including information on the number of young people supported by the scheme since it began; to detail the wraparound supports being provided to the young people participating in the pilot; and whether an NGO is involved in the management of this scheme. [34274/26]
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 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.
Delivering Homes, Building Communities and the National Youth Homelessness Strategy 2023–2025 recognises the distinct needs of 18–24 year olds experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Action 24 of the National Youth Homelessness Strategy identifies shared housing as an appropriate option for single young people.
My Department has provided capital funding to Cork City Council to support the development of 38 modular homes, which will provide transitional accommodation to over 70 young adults, experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness, who are engaged with Tusla Aftercare services. This project is due to be operational in Q2 2026.
Young people in this accommodation will be provided with wraparound supports, including mental health, addiction, primary care, educational, therapeutic and life-skills services. These supports will be delivered by a voluntary organisation with extensive experience in youth services. Tenancy management will be provided by an Approved Housing Body and the operational costs of this project will be jointly funded in partnership between Cork City Council, Tusla and the HSE.
