Questions

350. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the Apartment and Duplex Defects Remediation Scheme Bill 2024; and when he expects the Bill to be published. [69912/26]

423. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware that the erection of solar panels on commercial buildings may render the surface area of those panels part of the rateable valuation of a commercial building; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47063/26]

217. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of housing completions in Dublin south-west in each of the past five years and to-date in 2026, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44650/26]

218. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of housing completions anticipated in Dublin south-west in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44651/26]

701. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of BER exempt domestic properties in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34638/26]

702. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether there are any mechanisms in place to prevent spurious or incorrect BER exemption claims on domestic properties; if there is any oversight or monitoring of domestic properties which claim BER exemptions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34639/26]

151. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when a successor to the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan 2021-2025 will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31419/26]

152. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reforms or changes that have been made on foot of the recommendations of the Oireachtas Committee on Future Funding of Domestic Water Services; if he plans any statutory changes or reforms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31420/26]

680. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the instruction to the NPWS to consider a suite of options for the control of cherry laurel; when he expects the NPWS to report back with a determination of the most appropriate measures; whether a public consultation will be held on the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29576/26]

573. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way in which the 20,000 population threshold area will be determined with regard to the new short-term letting regulations; if specific maps or guidelines will be published; whether a “grandfathering” clause will be included and what criteria will apply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16185/26]

574. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage with regard to the new short-term letting regulations, whether a requirement to obtain commercial planning permission for a property will mean it will become liable for commercial rates; if commercial planning is granted for a short-term let, will there be a clear and straightforward process to revert the property to residential us…

580. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider expanding the “Fresh Start Principle” to include individuals who have experienced credit damage arising out of a separation or divorce but are now financially stable for the purpose of mortgage applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16330/26]

581. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to advise on a policy issue (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16331/26]

604. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the present guidance for gardeners on hedge management; whether small-scale hedge trimming is prohibited between the 1 March and 31 August under section 40 of the Wildlife Act 1976, or whether this activity falls under the exceptions for agriculture; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16684/26]

153. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide details of all occasions in which he or his predecessors exercised the power conferred on them under Section 15(3) of the Climate Action & Low Carbon Development Act (2015), which states that ‘the relevant Minister may, from time to time, give a direction to a relevant body requiring it to adopt such measures as are …

761. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department provides grants to schools engaging in nature-based education for the purchase of necessary equipment such as waterproof clothing, gardening tools, storage equipment and materials for outdoor activities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11609/26]

644. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to list the roles within public or semi-State organisations under his Department that are excluded from the single public service pension scheme; the number of people employed in those roles, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3621/26]

654. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an up-to-date contact list for queries from Oireachtas Members to agencies under his Department, in tabular form. [3875/26]

381. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the suite of options for the control of cherry laurel that he has proposed to the National Parks and Wildlife Service for consideration; for an update on the work being undertaken by the NPWS in considering those options; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2968/26]

1443. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the interim remediation scheme for fire safety defects in apartments and duplexes will come back into effect having seemingly been suspended for procurement law reasons; the number of payments to date that have been made to OMCs via the scheme; whether the Housing Agency is actively contacting OMCs who have already carried ou…

1449. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps his Department is taking to recognise the positive impact that allotments and community gardens have had on Irish society over the past 100 years (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1555/26]

499. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a builder can be compelled to carry out remedial works on the roof of a home at no cost to the homeowner where breaches of NSAI S.R.82:2017 – Slating & Tiling: Code of Practice have been found; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73278/25]

558. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when a review of the National Landscape Strategy for Ireland 2015-2025 is expected; if his Department are working on a successor strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71615/25]

559. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the progress made on the recommendations of the review of the NPWS 2021 (details supplied); to clarify their respective roles and interactions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71616/25]

560. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reasons the Kish and Bray Banks have not been included in the NPWS northwest Irish Sea special protection areas despite being designated as important bird areas by an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71617/25]