Wednesday, 27 May 2026

Written Answers Nos. 129-136

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  • Vótálacha na Dála
  • Vótálacha an tSeanaid
  • Vótálacha Coiste
• Ceisteanna Parlaiminte
  • Ceisteanna scríofa
  • Ceisteanna ó bhéal
• Leideanna cuardaigh
• Nuair a bhíonn tionchar tromchúiseach ag aithrisí

Departmental Contracts

Ceisteanna (129)

Aidan Farrelly

Ceist:

129. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a schedule of contracts will be provided that his Department and bodies under his aegis have had with an organisation (details supplied) and/or its subsidiaries; the value of each; the type and/or name of each project; if any project has been abandoned, paused, put on hold and completed; if any projects over ran on cost and delivery; and if so, the details of same. [40421/26]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.

The following deferred reply was received under Standing Orders.

My Department does not currently, nor has it previously, held any schedule of contracts with The Indra Group.

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	[e-mail]
An Fóram Uisce	[e-mail]
Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority	[e-mail]
Construction Industry Register Ireland	[e-mail]
Docklands Oversight and Consultative Forum	[e-mail]
Gas Networks Ireland	[e-mail]
Heritage Council	[e-mail]
Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency	[e-mail]
Housing Finance Agency	[e-mail]
Land Development Agency	[e-mail]
Local Government Management Agency	[e-mail]
National Oversight and Audit Commission	[e-mail]
National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee	[e-mail]
Office of the Planning Regulator	[e-mail]
Property Services Appeal Board	[e-mail]
Property Services Regulatory Authority	[e-mail]
Pyrite Resolution Board	[e-mail]
Residential Tenancies Board	[e-mail]
Tailte Éireann	[e-mail]
Uisce Éireann	[e-mail]
Valuation Tribunal	[e-mail]
Waterways Ireland	[e-mail]

Housing Policy

Ceisteanna (130)

Thomas Gould

Ceist:

130. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to that the assistant chief executive of Dublin City Council informed the Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage that Dublin City Council submit the results of housing maintenance surveys to the Department through IT infrastructure (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40440/26]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The management and maintenance of local authority social homes, including pre-letting repairs and the re-tenanting of vacant properties, is a matter for each individual local authority under s.58 of the Housing Act 1966. Local authorities must also ensure all tenanted properties comply with the provisions of the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019. To this end, local authority elected members and officials must make adequate budgetary provision for housing repairs and cyclical maintenance utilising the significant housing rental income available to them as part of the annual budgetary process.

Notwithstanding local authority responsibilities in this regard, my Department is providing €260 million this year to support the remediation and maintenance of local authority social homes across a range of funding programmes. This includes €40 million under the Planned Maintenance and Voids Programme to support stock condition surveys, planned maintenance works, and the efficient turnaround of vacant local authority owned homes.

More than 15,000 stock condition surveys have been completed to date. The surveys and the stock condition data emerging from them are managed by the respective local authorities through an ICT Asset Management system hosted by the LGMA. Ultimately, surveys are completed, uploaded and used primarily by local authorities for the purpose of informing their respective planned maintenance work programmes, and to support the sector's continued transition from a reactive voids approach to a proactive planned cyclical programme of inspection, repair, and replacement. While updated headline data, namely the quantum and percentage of surveys completed, is available weekly to the Department, it currently does not have direct access to the system. Notwithstanding, the substance of the surveys undertaken by local authorities, the substance of those surveys, and the condition of their respective social housing stocks, remain matters entirely for those authorities and should be addressed directly to them.

Progress to date, as reported by local authorities via the ICT Asset Management System, is set out in the table below.

County	Total Properties	Surveys Completed	Completed Surveys (%)
Carlow	2,292	233	10.2%
Cavan	2,351	117	5.0%
Clare	3,277	665	20.3%
Cork City	11,850	199	1.7%
Cork County	8,197	285	3.5%
Donegal	5,244	0	0.0%
Dublin City	26,685	1,198	4.5%
Dun Laoghaire	5,525	914	16.5%
Fingal	7,050	170	2.4%
Galway City	2,789	200	7.2%
Galway County	3,391	67	2.0%
Kerry	4,647	400	8.6%
Kildare	6,576	183	2.8%
Kilkenny	3,063	358	11.7%
Laois	2,430	29	1.2%
Leitrim	1,202	465	38.7%
Limerick	6,137	1,963	32.0%
Longford	2,337	71	3.0%
Louth	4,699	343	7.3%
Mayo	2,388	0	0.0%
Meath	4,847	1,899	39.2%
Monaghan	1,990	185	9.3%
Offaly	2,255	411	18.2%
Roscommon	1,916	474	24.7%
Sligo	2,401	28	1.2%
South Dublin	10,619	2,828	26.6%
Tipperary	5,671	211	3.7%
Waterford	6,460	389	6.0%
Westmeath	2,532	64	2.5%
Wexford	5,549	769	13.9%
Wicklow	5,688	406	7.1%
Total	162,058	15,524	9.6%

Emergency Accommodation

Ceisteanna (131)

Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh

Ceist:

131. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to expand emergency accommodation in Kildare given persistent shortages in beds in the county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40478/26]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

My Department's role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at a local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless services rests with individual housing authorities. Section 10 of the Housing Act 1988 sets out the purposes for which costs may be incurred by housing authorities in respect of the provision of homeless accommodation and related services.

While responsibility for the provision of accommodation for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities, the administration of homeless services is organised on a regional basis, with nine administrative regions in place. Kildare is included in the Mid East region for the purposes of homeless administration, along with Wicklow and Meath, with Kildare County Council as the lead authority.

A homelessness consultative forum has been established in each of the nine homeless regions in accordance with Chapter 6 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2009. It is a matter for the Management Group of the consultative forum, in the first instance, to determine the type and range of homeless emergency accommodation and related services, operational matters such as new services to meet capacity demand, and the funding required to address homelessness in each region. The Management Group can then bring forward proposals to my Department that meet the needs of homeless individuals in their administrative area.

Each region submits an annual expenditure programme to my Department and my Department approves a funding allocation. My Department regularly engages with local authorities in relation to the demand for, and funding requirements of, homeless services and local authorities can submit new proposals to meet the demand for services at any stage during the year.

An expenditure programme for 2026 has been submitted by Kildare County Council in respect of the Mid East region. My Department is currently engaging with the Council to finalise the funding allocation. Housing authorities continue to recoup expenditure for homeless services from my Department at regular intervals during the process of reviewing the submitted regional expenditure programmes.

Budget 2026 provides a total allocation of €563.5m to address homelessness. This includes €513.5m in current funding to ensure local authorities can provide sufficient emergency accommodation as well as essential related services including homelessness prevention supports, day services, and tenancy sustainment measures. Additionally, €50 million in capital funding will allow local authorities to invest in the construction or acquisition of properties suitable for use as accommodation for homelessness purposes.

[ ]

Housing Provision

Ceisteanna (132)

Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh

Ceist:

132. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to develop social and affordable homes in Kildare county over the coming year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40479/26]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

I am pleased to inform that Kildare County Council has a strong social housing pipeline in place with 629 homes at various stages of design and procurement at the end of 2025, including 296 homes on site. Details of the projects in Kildare’s pipeline can be found in the Social Housing Construction Status Report on my Department’s website (www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/collections/social-housing-construction-projects-status-reports/). Kildare’s pipeline builds on its very positive social housing delivery in recent years, which has exceeded its 2022-2025 social housing targets. From 2022 to 2025, Kildare County Council delivered 1,722 new build social homes against a target of 1,619.

Kildare County Council is also showing a strong commitment to developing a detailed starter homes programme in response to identified affordability needs in its area. Kildare County Council’s target is to deliver 226 starter homes from 2022 to 2026. A delivery programme of 227 starter purchase homes is currently in place of which 115 have been delivered up to end 2025. Under the First Homes Scheme, as of end Q1 2026, 1,333 approvals have been issued in Kildare. From 2022 to 2025, CREL has delivered 283 homes in Kildare. A further 74 homes are due for delivery in Kildare by the end of 2026. Kildare has also had two successful applications under the Secure Tenancy Affordable Rental Investment (STAR) Scheme, which will deliver 150 homes. In addition to this, construction is at an advanced stage on the site of the former Devoy Barracks, where the LDA will deliver 219 new homes. Phase 2 of this project has 153 affordable, cost rental and social homes targeted for delivery in 2026.

Under the new housing plan, Kildare County Council will prepare a Housing Delivery Action Plan (HDAP) setting out their planned delivery of social and affordable housing to 2030. In preparing their HDAP, Kildare County Council will reflect local need to ensure the right mix of homes to respond to need and priorities. Existing HDAPs run to the end of 2026 and it is expected that new HDAPs, which will run to 2030, will be in place by the end of Q3 2026. Kildare County Council’s current HDAP is available on their website at the following link kildarecoco.ie/YourCouncil/Publications/Housing/Kildare%20County%20Council%20Housing%20Delivery%20Action%20Plan.pdf

Vacant Properties

Ceisteanna (133)

Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh

Ceist:

133. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of housing units owned by Kildare County Council currently not in use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40480/26]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The management and maintenance of local authority social homes, including pre-letting repairs and the re-tenanting of vacant properties, is a matter for each individual local authority under s.58 of the Housing Act 1966. Local authorities must also ensure all tenanted properties comply with the provisions of the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019. To this end, local authority elected members and officials must make adequate budgetary provision for housing repairs and cyclical maintenance utilising the significant housing rental income available to them as part of the annual budgetary process.

Notwithstanding, my Department will provide some €260 million as a contribution towards the remediation and maintenance of local authority homes through various funding programmes in 2026, with €40 million alone allocated to a revised Planned Maintenance and Voids Programme to specifically support the efficient turnaround of casually vacant homes by local authorities.

Data on delivery under the programme between 2014 and 2025, including for Kildare County Council, are available on my Department's website at www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/collections/other-local-authority-housing-scheme-statistics/#voids-programme.

Work in relation to the 2026 programme is ongoing and data in relation to delivery will be published early in 2027.

Data on the quantum of social homes vacant at a moment in time, the length of time they've been vacant, the reasons they're vacant, and the steps being taken to bring them back to productive use, are a matter solely for local authorities. Accordingly, data on the quantum of social homes owned by Kildare County County Council, and vacant at any time, should be sought directly from the Council.

That said, data on the management of social homes are published by the National Oversight and Audit Commission (NOAC) in its Annual Reports on Performance Indicators in Local Authorities. These reports provide a range of information in relation to social housing stock, including levels of vacancy and average turnaround times in local authority owned properties.

The most recent NOAC report for 2024 is available at www.noac.ie/noac_publications/report-77-noac-performance-indicator-report-2024/.

Housing Schemes

Ceisteanna (134)

Eoin Ó Broin

Ceist:

134. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on a software system (details supplied) for management of CAS, CALF and so on; the total cost of same; and whether it is now fully operational. [40496/26]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

Project Díon is a large scale digital transformation project being led by my Department with relevant stakeholders (including the local authorities) to introduce more streamlined, efficient and automated processes and enhanced reporting capabilities across over 30 housing programmes.

The project has been in the implementation stage, which involves the development and roll-out of the system, on a phased basis, over a number of years. Partial roll-outs of Phase 1 were completed on 20 November 2025 and 12 March 2026. Further phases of the project are progressing with additional roll-outs expected later this year.

Housing Provision

Ceisteanna (135)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Ceist:

135. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide a comprehensive list of all upcoming cost rental and affordable purchase homes in the greater Dublin area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40503/26]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Deputy James Browne)

Under Delivering Homes, Building Communities, the Government is fully committed to continuing to accelerate housing supply across all tenures, including starter purchase and cost rental.

The new plan builds upon the significant progress made under our previous plan Housing for All, with over 17,700 supports delivered in 2025 alone, across the Starter Homes Purchase Scheme, the Cost-rental scheme, the First Home Scheme, the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant and the Help to Buy Scheme. This represents an increase of 21% compared to the 14,604 supports delivered in 2024.

To date, the Affordable Housing Fund is supporting the delivery of over 7,200 new homes, including over 6,000 local authority starter purchase homes, with grant assistant of over €655m in place, with a significant amount of this delivery being in Dublin.

Within the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown area, for example, 70 starter purchase homes were delivered in 2025 at Woodbrook in Shankill (30 homes) and at Shanganagh (40 homes). A further 40 homes are scheduled to be delivered at St. Laurences Park in Stillorgan.

In Dublin West, Fingal County Council is delivering 370 new starter homes at Churchfields in Mulhuddart, in a mix of 290 starter purchase homes and 80 cost rental units. Over 300 starter homes at Churchfields have now been delivered, with the remaining homes expected to be completed and delivered by the end of 2026.

The Land Development Agency (LDA), in partnership with Dublin City Council (DCC), are progressing plans for the development of Cherry Orchard Point in Dublin 10. This ambitious development will be delivered across a number of phases. Construction has begun on Phase 1, and a planning application for Phase 2 has been approved. Phase 1 will deliver 708 new homes overall — 547 cost rental and 161 social homes. The first homes in Phase 1A are expected to be completed by Q2 2028.

In addition, the LDA is working in Partnership with Dublin City Council to develop Phases 2 and 3 of the Dolphin House Estate Regeneration Project. This regeneration scheme will deliver between 600 - 900 social and starter purchase homes.

The LDA and a number of Approved Housing Bodies are also delivering cost rental homes in areas such as Rathborne in Ashtown (399 homes) and Parkwest Pointe in Dublin 12 (228 homes) which will be delivered in phases from 2026 - 2028.

My Department, along with the Housing Agency and the Housing Delivery Coordination Office of the Local Government Management Agency, will continue to advise and support all local authorities in their response to delivering stater homes to meet affordable housing needs in all key urban locations nationwide. The emphasis is on collaborating to identify, develop and deliver viable starter home opportunities.

Information on upcoming and current starter home availability in Dublin and throughout the State is available on: affordablehomes.ie.

Defective Building Materials

Ceisteanna (136)

Robert O'Donoghue

Ceist:

136. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage given the recent confirmation that homes in Dublin Fingal are now to be included in the defective concrete blocks grant scheme (details supplied); whether Fingal County Council have been instructed on the implementation on the scheme by his Department; when precisely applications can be made from residents in Dublin Fingal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40531/26]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The 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 recently received Government approval for the designation of parts of the administrative area of Fingal County Council under the scheme. I subsequently arranged for the moving of a motion for a Resolution in each House of the Oireachtas. These Resolutions passed through each House of the Oireachtas and I then requested the Government to make the Order.

Accordingly, the designation process to allow for the inclusion of parts of the administrative area of Fingal County Council has now been finalised.

The detailed operation of the Scheme is a matter for the designated local authorities and the Housing Agency in the first instance. Their respective roles are set out clearly in the 2022 Act.

Local authorities have responsibility for the administration of the Enhanced DCB scheme. This includes the initial validation of applications, notifying homeowners of the Housing Agency's determinations on damage threshold, the appropriate remediation option and grant amount, determination of the grant payable for alternative accommodation and storage costs and immediate repair works and the subsequent payment of grants to successful applicants.

My Department has had regular engagement with local authority teams who operate and administer the scheme.

Further to this end, updated Ministerial Guidelines to facilitate, promote and support a consistent approach to the operation and administration of the enhanced defective concrete blocks grant scheme by designated local authorities are currently being drafted by my Department. Ensuring that the guidance is comprehensive and that the enhanced scheme will work for everyone, is a main priority.

My Department is also currently drafting an updated “Your Questions Answered” document to ensure homeowners have the most up to date information available to them.

Any query a homeowner has relating to an application to the scheme should be addressed to their local authority, Fingal County Council, in this instance, or check their website for any updates: [https://www.fingal.ie/] .

However, as the process to designate the relevant parts of the administrative area of Fingal County Council for entry to the Enhanced DCB Scheme has just been finalised, some initial time to allow the local authority to stand up the administration process may be required and the Department will actively engage with Fingal to ensure that is done as speedily as possible.

• Written Answers Nos. 122-128
• Written Answers Nos. 137-144