Questions

220. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide the number of ecologists, ornithologists, hydrologists, hydrogeologists and environmental scientists, respectively, employed in any capacity at An Bord Pleanála at the beginning of 2025. [54340/25]

221. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide the number of ecologists, ornithologists, hydrologists, hydrogeologists and environmental scientists, respectively, engaged on a panel of consultants at An Bord Pleanála at the beginning of 2025. [54341/25]

222. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of occasions on which the services of a specialist consultant in ecology, ornithology, hydrology, hydrogeology, or environmental science, respectively, were engaged by An Bord Pleanála in 2024. [54342/25]

223. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide the number of ecologists, ornithologists, hydrologists, hydrogeologists and environmental scientists, respectively, employed as inspectors at An Bord Pleanála at the beginning of 2024. [54343/25]

224. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide the number of ecologists, ornithologists, hydrologists, hydrogeologists and environmental scientists, respectively, employed in any capacity at An Bord Pleanála at the beginning of 2024. [54344/25]

237. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider an exemption from planning permission for the installation of bike sheds in front gardens; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54534/25]

238. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding the proposed planning exemption for small bike sheds in gardens; the work ongoing in his Department into this proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54543/25]

239. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will address the points raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54544/25]

17. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the methods his Department is currently assessing to speed up the planning process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53744/25]

71. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the public consultation for review of exempted development received submissions advocating for the introduction of a statutory exemption from planning permission for the installation of electric vehicle charging arms on public footpaths (details supplied); his views on applying such a planning permission exemption if the conti…

79. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on plans to provide a clear regulatory framework for the installation of small-scale modular or ‘backyard’ units, to support families seeking accommodation solutions on their own property; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53678/25]

81. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the rural housing guidelines; the timeline for publication of the guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53905/25]

84. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the proposed change to the exempted development regulations. [53747/25]

89. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the progress being made to update and publish the rural housing planning guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53881/25]

98. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to urgently amend the national planning framework and the sustainable rural housing guidelines as county development plans are aligned with these national policies which prohibits many applicants building a family home on their own land and buying a site and building a permanent place of residence around the town or village where …

108. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures he intends to take to address the failure of some local authorities to implement national planning and rezoning recommendations in a timely and consistent manner; if he will publish details of the councils which are not complying; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53756/25]

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]

113. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update on the alignment of county development plans with the National Planning Framework; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53885/25]

121. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department intends to exercise its powers to directly rezone land where local authorities fail to do so in line with national housing and planning objectives; the legislative basis for such intervention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53757/25]

232. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the means by which he will ensure that any party reform or planning policy does not simply favour large developers at the expense of local communities, quality standards and affordability, given that the Central Bank has publicly stated that planning rules, not financial constraints, are now the principal barrier to increasing hous…

236. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department are evaluating plans to introduce a separate, streamlined planning process for infrastructure delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53970/25]

291. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is satisfied by the adequacy of measures in the Planning and Development Act 2024, intended to disincentivise and criminalise the practice of seeking or offering money to withdraw planning objections where persons do not have a genuine interest in amending or objecting to plans. [53297/25]

300. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide a detailed outline of the strategic environmental assessment (SEA) process that can be undertaken between the drafting of a draft Ministerial Direction following recommendations from the Office of the Planning Regulator and the preparation and publication of the corresponding final Ministerial direction; the cri…

96. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the legal powers given to local authorities to grant retention planning to developments which were built without a grant of planning; whether consideration has been given to legally precluding local authorities from granting such retention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52350/25]

536. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on proposals to review planning laws in relation to permitting the installation of cabin-type accommodation in back gardens to temporarily house family members who cannot source housing elsewhere in view of the current housing crisis; if he will confirm that permissions will be granted solely to accommo…