Ken O'Flynn

968. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if she will consider providing emergency maintenance or capital funding for Mayfield Sports Complex, Cork City, under the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme or other departmental schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60143/25]

969. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if her Department will assess Mayfield Sports Complex for inclusion in the next Sports Capital and Equipment Programme in view of its role in delivering swimming, athletics, and martial arts training to schools and community users; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60144/25]

971. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department will engage with a park (details supplied) in County Cork, to provide short-term financial assistance or promotional support following its closure arising from avian influenza restrictions; the existing support mechanisms for regional tourism assets affected by such events; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59256/25]

972. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider the establishment of a contingency fund or emergency assistance scheme to support non-commercial tourism, educational, and conservation institutions, such as a park (details supplied) when closures are imposed for public or animal-health reasons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59257/25]

1038. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware that the structure of first-time buyer supports, including the help-to-buy scheme and the first home scheme, effectively restricts first-time buyers to the purchase of new-build properties; if he accepts that this limitation disadvantages buyers in regional towns where second-hand housing stock is more readily available and often more affordable; if he will acknowledge the evidence that these schemes have contributed to price inflation in new developments; and if he will consider extending eligibility for such supports to include the purchase of existing homes, particularly in areas where the supply of second-hand housing is strong but affordability remains a barrier. [58583/25]

1090. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if section 9 of the Planning and Development Act 2024 has been commenced by ministerial order, and if not, the reason for this. [59207/25]

1091. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the statutory basis upon which S.I. No. 376 of 2023 was made; and if the Attorney General advised that the regulation complied with Article 15.2.1° of the Constitution. [59208/25]

1092. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has conducted a comparative analysis of Ireland’s housing stock per capita versus other EU countries, in view of recent commentary highlighting that Ireland has among the lowest housing availability per person in Europe; and if he will publish this data annually. [59221/25]

1093. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reforms planned to reduce the timelines for planning application decisions for major housing and infrastructure. [59222/25]

1094. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has reviewed the governance structures of housing delivery agencies to ensure they are aligned with measurable output targets, rather than process-based metrics; and if so, the details of that review. [59223/25]

1096. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason the remainder of the Planning and Development Act 2024 has not yet been commenced, by way of ministerial order pursuant to section 1(3) of the said Act, and in particular section 9 (Exempted Development) thereof. [59228/25]

1097. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department (details supplied) ever consulted with the former Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth prior to making the Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (No. 4) Regulations 2022 (S.I. No. 605 of 2022) and the Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (No. 4) Regulations 2023 (S.I. No. 376 of 2023) as required by section 4(5) of the Planning and Development Act 2000; and if so, the outcome of these consultations; if a copy of the relevant inter-department correspondence will be provided together with the minutes of all such meetings. [59229/25]

1098. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to set out the precise legal and factual basis upon which the Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (No. 4) Regulations 2022 (S.I. No. 605 of 2022) and the Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (No. 4) Regulations 2023 (S.I. No. 376 of 2023) were made; the submissions received and by whom on the matter. [59230/25]

1099. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department (details supplied) ever took legal advice from the Attorney General prior to making the Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (No. 4) Regulations 2022 (S.I. No. 605 of 2022) and the Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (No. 4) Regulations 2023 (S.I. No. 376 of 2023); and if so, if the Attorney General advised that such regulations, as promulgated under section 4(2) of the Planning and Development Act 2000, would not contravene the requirements of Article 15.2.1° of the Constitution. [59231/25]

1116. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has conducted or commissioned any review of the operation or impacts of the Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (No. 4) Regulations 2023 (S.I. No. 376 of 2023), which removed the requirement for planning permission for certain developments providing accommodation for persons seeking international protection; if he will provide the findings of any such review; and if he intends to amend or revoke these regulations. [59652/25]

1117. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has sought or obtained legal advice on whether the exemption from normal planning procedures for accommodation centres for international protection applicants is compatible with Ireland’s obligations under the UNECE Aarhus Convention, particularly regarding the public’s right to information and participation in environmental decision-making. [59654/25]

1118. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department is considering legislation to permit retention planning applications for sites currently used as accommodation centres that may not have obtained appropriate planning permission, having regard to recent case law (details supplied). [59655/25]

1119. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has held any consultations with the Department of Children, Equality and Disability regarding the planning status, safety certification or long-term use of buildings converted to accommodate persons seeking international protection under the 2023 exempted development regulations; and if he will publish any memoranda or guidance arising from those consultations. [59656/25]

1120. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he intends to bring forward amending legislation to ensure that the development or material change of use of any structure or land for the accommodation of international protection applicants shall be subject to the normal planning process under the Planning and Development Act 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59657/25]

1124. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether Cork City Council has submitted an application under the energy efficiency upgrade programme phase 2, or any successor scheme, for the retrofit of social housing units at Glenamoy Lawn and Árd Bhaile in Cork city; if so, to state the date on which the application was submitted, the total funding sought and when a decision is expected on the application; and if no application has yet been made, to outline the reasons for the delay, and whether discussions have taken place between his Department and Cork City Council in relation to progressing such an application. [59780/25]

1140. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if Cork City Council has submitted, or intends to submit, an application under the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund or any other local government funding mechanism for the refurbishment or redevelopment of Mayfield Sports Complex; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60145/25]

1146. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will examine the feasibility of introducing a targeted PRSI rebate or similar relief to offset the rising wage and operating costs being reported by experience economy employers. [59627/25]

1228. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection if persons residing in Ireland under international protection or temporary protection who apply for an exceptional needs payment are subject to verification of declared means, including any assets, income or bank accounts held outside of Ireland; if such checks are carried out in practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59959/25]

1229. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of exceptional needs payments that have been approved for persons residing in Ireland under international protection or temporary protection since 2022; the total value of these payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59960/25]

1230. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection if persons residing in Ireland under temporary protection from Ukraine are eligible to apply for carer’s payment; if applications from such persons are subject to the normal means test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59961/25]