Questions

414. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department, the National Monuments Service, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, or an agency under his remit has assessed, or intends to assess, the suitability of High Island (Ardoileán), Claddaghduff, County Galway, for acquisition by the State in light of its archaeological and cultural significance (details su…

415. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of approvals under the local authority home loan scheme for each local authority in 2024 and 2025 and to date in 2026; and the resources provided to each local authority under the local authority home loan scheme in 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026, in tabular form. [71658/26]

416. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the engagements by him or officials in his Department concerning the failure of Wicklow County Council to commence any social or affordable housing schemes in Arklow, County Wicklow; and the pressure he may be able to place on the council to develop housing in the town. [71709/26]

417. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way in which his Department and the Housing Activation Office are ensuring that significant housing and population growth in Balbriggan, Skerries, Rush and Lusk is matched by the timely provision of supporting infrastructure, including schools, childcare, public transport, water and wastewater infrastructure and primary healthc…

418. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to identify the housing projects or zoned residential lands in Balbriggan, Skerries, Rush and Lusk which have been identified to his Department or the Housing Activation Office as being constrained by deficits in water, wastewater, electricity, transport or other public infrastructure; the estimated number of homes affected; the na…

419. Deputy Natasha Newsome Drennan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the review of the 2006 wind energy development guidelines; and when new guidelines will be published. [71689/26]

420. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the details of new build social housing projects in Balbriggan, Skerries, Rush and Lusk which are included in his Department’s social housing construction pipeline; the number of homes in each project; and the current stage of delivery. [71686/26]

421. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of affordable purchase homes in Balbriggan, Skerries, Rush and Lusk which have received funding approval, approval in principle or other approval from his Department; the number of homes involved in each project; and the current stage of each project. [71683/26]

422. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of cost rental homes in Balbriggan, Skerries, Rush and Lusk which have received funding approval, approval in principle or other approval from his Department; the number of homes involved in each project; and the current stage of each project. [71685/26]

424. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department is considering applying a rent pressure zone to older persons' accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71780/26]

425. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage For a breakdown on the parameters around the fresh start criteria to be eligible for a Local Authority Home Loan and if a voluntary surrender of prior home, without insolvency and/or bankruptcy currently does, or potentially will in the future meet the criteria for a fresh start application. [71803/26]

426. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will clarify whether a person whose local authority tenancy remains in place throughout a custodial sentence has an entitlement to return to that dwelling on release whether this entitlement is affected by the length of the sentence; whether different local authorities operate different policies in such circumstances; and if h…

427. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the national guidance issued to local authorities regarding the retention, termination and reallocation of social housing where the tenant is imprisoned. [71921/26]

428. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department collects national data on under-occupation of local authority housing stock; and whether national guidance or targets are in place to ensure that scarce social housing is appropriately matched to household need. [71920/26]

429. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount allocated in 2027 for housing adaptation grants for older people and people with a disability, and the number of grants expected to be funded, within the over €750 million provided in Budget 2027 to address specific housing needs, compared with the €130 million for 17,000 grants provided in Budget 2026. [71821/26]

430. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether any assessment has been undertaken of the extent to which increases in local property tax receipts since 2021 have resulted in additional local authority services or have instead contributed to maintaining existing levels of service provision; and if he will provide details. [71901/26]

431. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the proportion of Local Property Tax paid by a homeowner that represents a net additional contribution to the funding of local authority services, as opposed to funding that would otherwise have been provided through the Exchequer or other local authority revenues; and if he will set out the way in which this is calculated. [71905/2…

432. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether increases in local property tax receipts result in any corresponding reduction in Exchequer funding to local authorities under the current funding model; and, if so, the mechanism by which such adjustments are calculated. [71902/26]

433. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the strategic review of the approved housing body sector, the analysis of cost rental schemes including the cost rental equity loan scheme, and the financial analysis of the capital advance lease facility funding model, each of which the Budget 2026 Expenditure Report stated was due for completion in 2026; wheth…

434. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount of additional revenue raised nationally through increases in the local property tax local adjustment factor in each of the years 2024 to 2026; whether this revenue is additional to the local authority's baseline funding; and the way in which such additional revenue is accounted for in determining overall local authority f…

435. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason the number of housing assistance payment and rental accommodation scheme tenancies provided for falls from some 61,000 in the Budget 2026 Expenditure Report to approximately 56,000 in the Budget 2027 Expenditure Report, notwithstanding provision for over 8,000 new tenancies in each year. [71819/26]

436. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to the Budget 2027 Expenditure Report, which states that €5.6 billion in capital expenditure is being provided to Programme A – Housing in 2027, the reason the Estimates for Public Services 2027 set out in the same report provide capital of €5,201 million for Programme A, compared with €5,218 million in 2026; and a re…

437. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage what proportion of local property tax receipts retained by each local authority constitutes additional discretionary funding available to that authority; and what proportion represents funding incorporated into its baseline or otherwise replacing. [71899/26]

438. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the proportion of local property tax collected within each local authority administrative area that is retained by that local authority; whether any portion is transferred, redistributed or otherwise adjusted through the national LPT funding model; and if he will provide a breakdown for each local authority for 2024, 2025 and 2026. …

439. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of Starter Home supports delivered in 2026 to date under each of the first home scheme, the vacant property refurbishment grant, the starter homes purchase scheme, cost rental and help to buy, in tabular form; and the way this compares with the 17,757 supports delivered in 2025. [71817/26]