Questions

115. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider introducing legislation or regulations to make it mandatory for all new residential developments comprising of more than ten units to include solar energy systems, or alternative renewable energy technologies, together with battery storage facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [69272/26]

105. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on engagement with lending institutions regarding the potential expansion of the first home scheme to include first-time buyers purchasing second-hand homes; the progress made to date in this regard, any timelines for decisions or implementation; the expected impact such an extension would have on accessibili…

233. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will introduce a statutory instrument requiring developers to provide essential amenities and infrastructure before new housing developments are occupied; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44868/26]

193. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount allocated to each local authority in 2024 and 2025 under the housing adaptation grant for older people and people with a disability, the mobility aids grant, and the housing aid for older people schemes; the amount drawn down by each local authority in those years; the level of underspend, recorded by each local author…

669. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he has examined the feasibility of increasing the retirement age for firefighters to 65 years (details supplied), including any engagement with representative bodies and local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35392/26]

709. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there is any update on the expected publication date of the Taskforce on Local Democracy report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34837/26]

710. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the supports, remedial measures or discretionary arrangements that are available to a person who purchased a vacant or derelict property but was not advised by the local authority or any relevant State body at the time of purchase of their potential eligibility for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant; whether any flexibility …

487. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount allocated to each local authority in 2024 and 2025 under the housing adaptation grant for older people and people with a disability (HAG), the mobility aids grant (MAG), and the housing aid for older people (HOP) schemes; the amount drawn down by each local authority in those years; the level of underspend, recorded by…

492. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider amending Part L of the Building Regulations to introduce a mandatory requirement that all new-build residential properties be equipped with an on-site renewable energy system such as solar panels or other appropriate technologies together with integrated battery storage solutions (details supplied). [31944/26]

157. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware that Louth County Council has been required to pause the general acceptance of Housing Adaptation Grants, Mobility Aid Grants and Housing for Older Persons Grants in 2026 due to the level of demand and funding already committed; whether additional funding will be made available to local authorities later this year …

1017. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to respond to correspondence (details supplied) in relation to housing assistance payment rent limits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18794/26]

1135. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the progress of the drafting and publication of the Apartment and Duplex Defects Remediation Bill 2024, in light of the recent publication of the Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage's report on pre-legislative scrutiny of the general scheme; his response to the recommendations contained in …

763. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider introducing a requirement that all new-build residential properties be fitted with solar panels as standard. [11645/26]

764. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current stage of the Wind Turbine Regulation Bill 2025; the progress made to date; and the expected timeline for its next legislative steps. [11650/26]

651. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of dedicated staff currently employed within the Housing Agency to carry out assessments of letters of recommendation submitted by local authorities in relation to defective concrete blocks; if this staffing level is considered sufficient to meet the demand for timely assessments; and if he will make a statement on the…

207. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he has examined the use of compulsory sales orders, whereby local authorities could compel the sale of vacant or derelict properties, as a means of activating dormant assets and supporting regeneration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3420/26]

58. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the plans to conserve the high crosses at Monasterboice, County Louth, which are experiencing significant deterioration; if he will consider a preservation approach similar to that used in Kilfenora, including the possibility of relocating the crosses to the derelict church on-site with protective overhead covering to safeguard th…

80. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the work underway to accelerate housing supply in rural areas; if he will consider introducing additional measures to assist the construction of one-off housing in rural areas; if he will outline his national strategy for rural housing development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65846/25]

563. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the process to resolve the asbestos issue within Tailte Éireann’s central filing repository; if he can provide an estimate of when this issue may be resolved; if he can provide an estimate of when Tailte Éireann may resume the admission of access requests for all pre-2006 instruments; and if he will make a statem…

1047. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to consider regional cost-of-living adjustments in assessing eligibility for HAP and social housing supports for single and married earners in high-rent areas, who fall just above national thresholds but face housing insecurity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58703/25]

473. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider extending the defective concrete blocks grant scheme to include additional counties, such as Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56930/25]

29. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider introducing a starter home scheme to address the imbalance in affordable housing provision for lower and middle-income earners to enable them to purchase their own homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53182/25]

317. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if her Department will ensure that local authority building control departments enforce compliance with the 2014 Building Control Code of Practice; and the measures which are in place to prevent non-compliance in domestic construction. [52624/25]

275. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider introducing stronger requirements to ensure essential infrastructure, such as public lighting, footpaths, crèche facilities and community amenities, are completed before or during construction, prior to granting permissions to developers, in view of the 70 housing developments in County Louth still awaiting ta…

1187. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Housing; Local Government and Heritage the assessment that have been made regarding the potential public health and recreational impacts of designating rivers like the Fane as heavily modified water bodies, particularly in areas where residents have historically used such rivers for swimming and fishing. [45587/25]