Questions

386. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department or the National Parks and Wildlife Service has undertaken any assessment of the heritage, biodiversity, environmental or public amenity value of Newbury Demesne, Carbury, County Kildare; if his Department has considered the potential of historically and environmentally significant landscapes such as Newbu…

392. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of a site (details supplied); whether any decisions, directions or determinations have issued since the meeting; if not, the reason for the delay; when a determination is expected; whether the excavation works and report submitted will satisfy the landowner’s financial obligations in respect of any further investigat…

163. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way in which the new Towns and Cities Regeneration Investment Fund will support towns in Kildare North that were previously outside the URDF thresholds, such as Kilcock, and those that have been approved for URDF previously such as Maynooth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37557/26]

224. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to detail the infrastructural upgrades deemed necessary to support planned housing delivery in Kildare North; the basis on which these projects have been prioritised relative to other areas; the extent to which current departmental assessments align with local authority development plans; and if he will make a statement on the …

1681. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether any artificial intelligence tools or systems are currently being used within his Department or in agencies under its remit; the purposes for which these tools are being used; whether any departmental guidance or governance structures have been developed to support their responsible use; and if he will make a statement …

1714. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of civil and public servants in his Department and agencies under its remit who have received training in AI, data literacy, or digital skills in the past year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25038/26]

226. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way in which his Department will ensure strong oversight and quality standards under the new contractor-led pathway within the buy and renew scheme; the way in which this approach will support timely delivery of refurbished social homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17541/26]

154. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way in which local authorities will assist in delivering START programme projects in Kildare north, particularly in the Clane-Maynooth area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14770/26]

166. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps he will take following recent 2025 data indicating house price rises of 7.9% in Maynooth, 9.15% in Celbridge and 11.8% in Naas; the measures he will take to improve affordability in these areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4950/26]

264. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the actions he will take to ensure that the projected rise in housing completions to 37,000 in 2026 is achieved, given that output is conditional on progress in delivering enabling infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4951/26]

1494. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the National Planning Statement will issue in 2026; if it will make childcare provision a binding requirement, including fit-out and operational phasing, and introduce a presumption against the change of use of crèche sites, with reference to an area (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2211…

1495. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to issue a circular confirming that childcare demand in apartment schemes must be based on child-yield methodology, and that any on-site facility must be at ground-floor level with safe access and outdoor play space in rail-accessible locations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2213/26]

283. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the district heating exploration within the Maynooth Town Centre Renewal (URDF Call 2; €1.9 million), including the technical findings and decision gate progress; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [72705/25]

284. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the Harbourfield Park project within the Maynooth Town Centre Renewal (URDF Call 2; €1.9 million), including the dates for Part 8, tender and commencement on site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [72706/25]

285. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has approved any cost re baselining for the Maynooth Town Centre Renewal to address inflationary impacts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [72707/25]

286. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether capital will be provided under the URDF or its successor to deliver the priority projects identified in the Leixlip Town Renewal Masterplan, including streets, public realm and site assembly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [72708/25]

287. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage how the Town Centre First policy and the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) can be combined with the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) to advance town centre projects from plan to implementation, with clear key performance indicators and phasing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [72709/25]

288. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to detail the funding routes available for towns in Kildare north which have comparable regeneration needs but historically sat outside the URDF large town thresholds (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [72710/25]

289. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the new Towns and Cities Infrastructure Investment Fund will explicitly include towns in Kildare north, or whether the RRDF and Town Centre First will be the primary route; and to outline the timeline for access (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [72711/25]

299. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the eligibility under the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund Calls 1, 2 and 3; the amounts allocated, profiled and drawn down to date; the key milestones achieved for towns in Kildare North (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73046/25]

300. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reasons for delays or slippage in the delivery of projects funded under the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund Calls 1, 2 and 3, with reference to the proposed second Liffey crossing in Celbridge and the Maynooth town centre works, in view of the significant allocations made to County Kildare under these calls; and if …

301. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when approval Gate 1 will be completed, approval Gate 2 and Gate 3 scheduled for the Celbridge/Hazelhatch Link Road and second Liffey crossing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73049/25]

302. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department will commit to the end 2027 completion date referenced locally for the Celbridge/Hazelhatch Link Road and second Liffey crossing, in view of the €10.23 million allocated under call 2 and the €400,000 allocated under call 1 for technical assistance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73050/25]

303. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the timeline for the establishment of the Towns and Cities Infrastructure Investment Fund to replace the URDF; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73051/25]

304. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether towns that have URDF masterplans but limited capital and towns outside the URDF's historic thresholds will be eligible for site assembly, public realm and enabling infrastructure under the new fund (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73052/25]