Questions

251. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport to consider increasing the weekly payment for the basic income for the arts pilot given currently it is below minimum wage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35103/25]

252. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if certainty will be given to artists, by extending indefinitely the basic income for the arts pilot scheme and support the wider community of artists and give the recognition and financial security that this important sector in County Kerry deserves; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35121/25]

253. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he will give detailed consideration to a recent briefing note of the Northern & Western Regional Assembly: Regional Infrastructure Priorities for the Northern and Western Region, June 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35167/25]

254. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to the concerns of short-term letting hosts (details supplied) that have a single listing that is a dwelling in their garden; if any exemption has been considered for properties of this nature that cannot become a viable long-term home regarding registration and planning permission requirements; and if…

255. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to introduce legally enforceable standards for works carried out by builders, to protect the public from so-called cowboy builders; to establish a register of builders against whom legal actions have been taken successfully allowing the public to review the standing of builders before contracting work from them; and if he will …

256. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the Marine Protected Areas Bill 2022; when he expects the Bill to go before the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35152/25]

257. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for clarification on a matter regarding the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2025, and short term lettings (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35006/25]

258. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the substantial investment projects planned for north Dublin to improve the range of services and amenities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35014/25]

259. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding any research into explicitly including the sale of nicotine inhaling products into the planning permission process for local authorities, thus allowing local councils to evaluate the public health impacts of such sales on their communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35021/25]

260. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to cases whereby school teachers are forced to give up jobs due to being unable to afford accommodation in Dublin; if he has considered supporting the provision of dedicated housing for teachers and other frontline workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35023/25]

261. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the plan to extend rent pressure zones to all areas of Ireland has taken into account operators such as small farmers, who earn small sums to supplement their income heading in to wintertime as a means of survival of their livelihood; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35024/25]

262. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the plan to extend Rent Pressure Zones to all areas of Ireland, has taken into account that County Kerry attracts many tourists and is heavily reliant on short-term lets where small operators earn small sums to supplement their income heading in to wintertime as a means of survival of their livelihood; and if he will make a st…

263. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount funding provided to Kerry County Council and the number of group water schemes completed over the past ten years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35031/25]

264. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason holiday lets cannot be registered with the RTB if people are living in them long term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35035/25]

265. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if apartment owners who have already paid for remediation works to be carried out, due to their urgent nature, will be included in the remediation scheme for fire safety defects in apartments and duplexes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35062/25]

266. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the planning regulations and guidelines being developed for solar farms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35068/25]

267. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the rural housing guidelines; and whether any changes to them are expected. [35069/25]

268. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to confirm that local authorities (details supplied) would not deem an application for the housing adaptation grant as incomplete, where outstanding supporting documentation is required, and return it by post along with supporting documentation to the applicant but instead accept the application, retain the documents and request furt…

269. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to review the case of landlords in the rent pressure zone in Kerry (details supplied); to clarify the definition of a large landlord; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35089/25]

270. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on his Department’s efforts to establish a unit in the Housing Agency to regulate owners’ management companies to ensure effective governance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35099/25]

271. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if consideration can be given to increasing the property price ceiling for houses in Galway city for which support can be sought from the first home scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35119/25]

272. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 1314 of 29 April 2025, when letters of assurance will issue to homeowners that have had their homes remediation under the scheme; the number of letters of assurance issued and the number of homeowners awaiting a letter of assurance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35145/25]

273. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the actions he is taking in the short and medium-term to support the night-time economy through the creation and protection of cultural spaces through clearer planning definitions, promote creative partnership models to activate vacant properties, encourage regular engagement between the cultural, nightlife, and development se…

274. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Social Protection if his attention has been drawn to the plight of foster parents’ difficulties in qualifying for back to school clothing and footwear allowance for foster children due to means test being applied for assessment (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35020/25]

275. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a domiciliary care allowance application for the daughter of a person (details supplied) for who it is documented and has medical difficulties; if serious consideration will be given to granting this allowance due to these difficulties and the level of care required; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35061/25]