Questions

578. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the National Parks and Wildlife Service has undertaken an ecological assessment of the damage caused by the July and August 2026 wildfires on Slievenamon, including Slievenamon Bog NHA (Site Code 002388); the findings of any such assessment; and whether Slievenamon has been identified for consideration under Ireland's Nat…

605. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has engaged with Hedgerows Ireland and other environmental organisations regarding proposals for enhanced legislative protection of hedgerows; whether consideration is being given to incorporating such proposals into the National Nature Restoration Plan or forthcoming amendments to the Wildlife Acts. [74140…

606. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current status of the review of the Wildlife Acts; whether proposals to strengthen the statutory protection of mature, historic and ecologically significant hedgerows are being considered; whether his Department has examined the provisions of the Protection of Hedgerows Bill 2024; and the anticipated timeframe for bringing fo…

340. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the publication and commencement of the proposed National Planning Statement on rural housing will require planning authorities to initiate statutory variations to their County Development Plans where existing policies are inconsistent with the new National Planning Statement; whether planning authorities will be required…

341. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether, following the commencement of the National Planning Statement on rural housing, the planning policies and objectives contained within existing County Development Plans that are inconsistent with the statement will cease to have effect immediately, or whether such policies will remain in force until amended through the st…

229. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide details of all inputs that his Department made prior to the adoption of Regulation (EU) 2024/900; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44741/26]

242. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the eligibility criteria for the vacant property refurbishment grant, including the Vacant Above The Shop Grant; whether micro enterprises, small companies, partnerships or other non-individual ownership structures are eligible to apply; and whether such eligibility was considered at design stage; and if he will consider broadeni…

175. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to his reply on the operation of the first home scheme; his views on whether the current county-by-county price ceilings are creating significant distortions in housing delivery, particularly where counties such as Tipperary have substantially lower ceilings than neighbouring local authority areas; if he will give a polic…

225. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether, in light of representations from the construction sector, including concerns raised by an organisation (details supplied), he accepts that lower first home scheme price ceilings in counties such as Tipperary are actively discouraging private housing delivery, as developers face higher construction costs without correspon…

656. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has reviewed the approaches taken by different local authorities in defining and assessing ribbon development in their county development plans; whether variations exist between counties in how ribbon development is calculated; and if so, whether he considers such variation to be consistent with national pl…

657. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether national planning policy provides sufficiently clear guidance to local authorities on the treatment of backland or backyard development; whether his Department is aware of significant variation between county development plans in facilitating or restricting such development; and whether updated guidance is under considera…

658. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he plans to issue updated national guidance or circulars to local authorities to ensure a consistent approach to ribbon development and backland development across the State; and if so, the proposed timeline for same. [3905/26]

1478. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the rationale for limiting eligibility for the vacant property refurbishment grant (including above-the-shop accommodation) to individual applicants only; whether he accepts that this restriction is limiting the scale and pace of delivery of homes in town centres; and if he will outline any plans to extend eligibility to compani…

1479. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of applications approved to date under the vacant property refurbishment grant for over-the-shop or upper-floor accommodation; the number refused, by county, on the basis of applicant status; and whether consideration has been given to amending the scheme to better unlock the significant vacant residential potential a…

1480. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he accepts that the current requirement that the vacant property refurbishment grant be paid only to individuals is acting as a barrier to town centre regeneration; and if he will outline the changes, if any, that are under consideration to ensure the scheme aligns with the objectives of the Town Centre First policy. [21…

1481. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has undertaken any analysis comparing the vacant property refurbishment grant with other housing activation schemes that permit applications from companies or delivery partners; and if he will publish or outline the findings of any such analysis. [2150/26]

1482. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he agrees that restricting the vacant property refurbishment grant to individuals limits the ability to bring multiple units back into use in a single development; and if he will consider introducing a parallel stream of the scheme for multi-unit or mixed-use properties owned by non-individual entities. [2151/26]

1483. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a review the operational rules of the vacant property refurbishment grant which is planned in 2026; and whether such a review will specifically examine applicant eligibility with a view to increasing delivery of above-the-shop and town centre housing. [2152/26]

348. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has assessed the impact on small and medium-sized enterprises of recent and proposed increases in local authority commercial rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67128/25]

349. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is engaging with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to ensure that local authority funding pressures do not unduly increase costs for small businesses through higher commercial rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67129/25]

350. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has undertaken, or will undertake, a whole-of-Government review of local authority funding pressures, including roads, housing, climate adaptation and other statutory functions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67134/25]

371. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total revenue and capital funding provided by central government to each local authority in each of the years 2020 to 2024 and 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67119/25]

372. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has carried out an assessment of the financial sustainability of local government; his views on the fact that many councils are facing a funding crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67120/25]

373. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide data on the proportion of each local authority's revenue that is derived from commercial rates; the trend in this figure since 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67121/25]

374. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has assessed the extent to which local authorities are being forced to increase commercial rates to balance their budgets; the expected number of local authorities increasing rates in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67122/25]