Questions

1667. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the obligations on Uisce Éireann to notify the public and relevant authorities where a discharge incident has occurred or is suspected; and whether there are statutory or policy requirements governing such communication. [24205/26]

1830. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the national policy framework governing the granting of planning permission in areas where wastewater treatment infrastructure is at or beyond capacity; and whether his Department has issued guidance to planning authorities to prevent additional loading in such circumstances. [27210/26]

1831. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the formal mechanisms in place to ensure co-ordination between planning authorities, wastewater service providers, and environmental regulators where infrastructure constraints pose a risk to environmental compliance. [27215/26]

368. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether, prior to the commencement of the Room for a Student – Local Authority Tenancies Scheme on 1 December 2023, his Department prepared any policy modelling, capacity assessment or impact analysis of potential participation levels among local authority tenants; whether such analysis informed Cabinet approval; and whether he will…

391. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of applications received, approved and paid under the vacant property refurbishment grant scheme since its commencement; the total amount of public expenditure disbursed under the scheme to date. [15809/26]

392. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage in respect of approved and paid applications under the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant Scheme the number and percentage of recipients who were Irish citizens; the number and percentage of recipients who were citizens of another EU Member State; the number and percentage of recipients who were non-EU citizens; whether the Departm…

397. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has undertaken any formal governance review of the Room for a Student – Local Authority Tenancies Scheme since its commencement on 1 December 2023; whether any briefing was prepared by his Department regarding scheme performance relative to projected uptake; and whether any policy modifications are under consi…

669. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether a formal decision was taken at Department level to cease centralised data collection and monitoring of the Room for a Student – Local Authority Tenancies Scheme after December 2024; the date on which that decision was made; whether the decision was recorded in writing; and the governance basis upon which that decision was ta…

670. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether any written impact assessment, performance review, or evaluation report was prepared prior to the cessation of central monitoring of the Room for a Student – Local Authority Tenancies Scheme; and, if so, whether he will publish or provide the title and date of any such document. [14682/26]

671. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department holds any current aggregate national participation figure for the Room for a Student – Local Authority Tenancies Scheme for the period after December 2024; and, if not, the mechanism by which he satisfies himself that the scheme remains operational and effective across all local authority areas. [14683/26]

672. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has undertaken any behavioural or financial analysis of the impact of treating income earned under the Room for a Student – Local Authority Tenancies Scheme as reckonable for differential rent purposes; and whether any policy review of that provision is currently under consideration [14684/26]

394. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the date his Department decided to conclude centralised monitoring of the ‘room for a student – local authority tenancies scheme’ after December 2024; the analysis or performance metrics informed that decision; whether any formal submission, briefing note, or internal recommendation supported that decision; and whether he will provi…

395. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the administrative costs incurred by his Department and local authorities in developing, promoting, and operating the ‘room for a student – local authority tenancies scheme’ between December 2023 and December 2024; whether any value-for-money review has been conducted; and whether the cost per additional room delivered has been calc…

396. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the formal reporting framework now exists, if any, to provide his Department with ongoing national oversight of the scheme’s performance; whether any standardised reporting template has been issued to local authorities; and the way he satisfies himself that the scheme remains operational and effective across all local authority area…

402. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department maintains an internal monitoring framework, dashboard or structured reporting mechanism which tracks the number of Notices of Termination issued in the private rental sector as a core housing performance indicator; if so, the frequency at which such data is formally reviewed at senior management or Ministerial…

405. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether a formal policy decision was taken in 2025 to reduce or limit the use of tenant-in-situ acquisitions under the Second-Hand Acquisitions Programme; if so, the date of that decision; whether Cabinet approval was sought; and the policy rationale underpinning the change [13854/26]

406. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total capital allocation provided for tenant-in-situ acquisitions in each of the years 2023, 2024 and 2025; the originally approved allocation for 2026; whether any revised spending ceiling has been issued to local authorities for 2025 or 2026, by local authority. [13855/26]

407. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of tenant-in-situ acquisitions completed nationally in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025; the number approved but not yet completed; and the number of applications refused or withdrawn in each year. [13856/26]

408. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the Department has undertaken any assessment of the impact of reduced tenant-in-situ acquisitions on entries into emergency accommodation in 2025; and if so, if he will publish that assessment. [13857/26]

409. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether any circular, directive or written guidance was issued to local authorities in 2025 limiting, prioritising or redefining the criteria for tenant-in-situ acquisitions; and if so, if he will provide a copy of that guidance. [13858/26]

410. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether funding previously allocated for tenant-in-situ acquisitions has been reallocated to the Buy and Renew programme; the value of any such reallocation; and the policy justification for that shift [13859/26]

411. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average acquisition cost per dwelling under the tenant-in-situ approach in 2023, 2024 and 2025; and how this compares to the average cost per dwelling under the Buy and Renew programme in the same period [13860/26]

412. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the Government intends to continue the tenant-in-situ approach as a core homelessness prevention measure in 2026; and if so, what target number of acquisitions has been set [13861/26]

413. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total annual population increase in each of the years 2022 to 2025; the number of residential housing completions in each corresponding year; and whether the Department has assessed the impact of net migration on housing demand projections to 2030. [13868/26]

407. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when his Department will provide a directive to local authorities to increase the fresh start mortgage initiative, in line with rising property prices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11153/26]