Questions

367. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the criteria used in determining the regional property price caps under the first home scheme; whether a review of the cap applicable to county Carlow has been undertaken in the past 12 months; and if he will consider aligning Carlow's cap of €375,000 with those of neighbouring counties cap of €400,000, including Laois, Kilk…

379. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department monitors the geographic concentration of proposed and approved onshore wind energy developments; the number of turbines approved and proposed in county Kilkenny; and whether consideration is given to ensuring an equitable distribution of renewable energy infrastructure across regions. [70343/26]

381. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he is satisfied that communities affected by strategic infrastructure developments, SIDs, have adequate opportunities to participate in the planning process; and if he will outline any proposals to enhance public participation. [70347/26]

400. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the Local Government Reform Act 2014 removed the status of Kilkenny as a city, and that it continued to have the special clauses inserted in the legislation to ensure the continuation of this status and elect a mayor in line with all previous legislation enacted, such as the Local Government Act 2001 and all other legisla…

469. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department will provide funding for a georadar study of the heritage site at Brownshill Dolmen, County Carlow, similar to the survey completed at Newgrange passage tomb in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49071/26]

127. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an outline of his Department's current actions and future plans in the area of biodiversity which is within the remit of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48204/26]

187. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if guidelines and measures are in place to ensure rezoning for residential priority is given to plots of land that are shovel ready; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48203/26]

329. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide a list of all capital projects including social and affordable housing, water services, heritage and local authority-led projects funded under the remit of his Department which have been completed on time and within budget in Carlow in each of the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a sta…

330. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide a list of all capital projects including social and affordable housing, water services, heritage and local authority-led projects funded under the remit of his Department which have been completed on time and within budget in Kilkenny in each of the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a s…

1626. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether national planning guidelines specific to utility scale ground mounted solar photovoltaic developments have been, or are proposed to be, issued under the Planning and Development Act 2024; whether the absence of such dedicated guidelines means that planning authorities are currently determining major solar applicatio…

1627. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the practical effect the EU (Planning and Development) (Renewable Energy) Regulations 2025, which transposed Renewable Energy Directive III (Directive (EU) 2023/2413) into Irish law, will have on the weight a planning authority is required to give to its own county development plan policies when determining applications des…

1629. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the national guidance or methodology planning authorities are required to apply when assessing the indirect visual and setting impacts of utility-scale renewable energy developments on monuments listed on the Record of Monuments and Places under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2004; whether it is considered adequate pra…

157. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the development of the national centre of excellence for traditional skills; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16774/26]

262. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the percentage of the €150 million in urban regeneration and development funding circulated to local authorities that has been drawn down to tackle dereliction, to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17661/26]

192. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures being taken to ensure thatch cottages remain part of our rural vernacular by supporting thatch cottage owners who face prohibitive insurance premiums; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4946/26]

196. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when updated wind farm regulations will issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4947/26]

576. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total funding allocated to Carlow County Council for housing grants in 2025, under housing aid for older people grant, housing adaptation grant for people with a disability and mobility aids grant, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71936/25]

577. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total funding drawn down by Carlow County Council for housing Grants in 2025, under housing aid for older people grant, housing adaptation grant for people with a disability and mobility aids grant, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71937/25]

567. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if persons with Fáilte Ireland registered, self-catering cottages, who already have planning permission as holiday accommodation will be required to apply for further planning permission under the proposed Short-Term Letting and Tourism Bill 2025 or is current planning permission sufficient; and if he will make a statement o…

568. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if Tinnahinch-Graiguenamanagh will not be affected by the proposed rent pressure zone planning regulations given it has a population of fewer than 10,000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63036/25]

567. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the updated planning guidelines for wind farms will be issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54619/25]

32. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to allow for cluster developments in small rural villages across Carlow and Kilkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53453/25]

109. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the consideration which has been given, in view of the review of planning in rural areas, has been given to ensuring that people can build homes on their own land in Carlow and Kilkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53456/25]