Parliamentary questions

200. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to extend the development contributions waiver scheme for houses commenced after 31 December 2024 for one-off housing and self-build housing. [10663/26]

201. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to increase the maximum market value purchase ceiling under the local authority home loan in County Cork from €330,000 to €450,000, to align with the current ceiling under the first home scheme, as the existing limit is resulting in many purchasers who have received loan approval from the local authority being un…

202. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to review correspondence (details supplied); the additional funding available in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10759/26]

203. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when he will publish the National planning statement to support short term lets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10892/26]

204. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the details on a vacant property (details supplied); the purchase cost of the property; the total sum spent on refurbishment; the initial deadline for the refurbishment of these properties; when his Department approved the purchase; to set a timeline for the refurbishment, in tabular form; and if he will make a s…

205. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to urgently provide a significant allocation of funding to Kerry County Council to allow them to treat/eradicate Japanese Knotweed which is spiralling out of control across the county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10920/26]

206. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will address concerns raised in correspondence regarding short-term lettings (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10923/26]

207. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he is aware of concerns raised in recent commentary regarding the persistent failure to enforce planning law against unauthorised quarrying activities, including the observation that affected communities are increasingly forced to rely on environmental and EU legislation rather than domestic planning…

208. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he is aware of instances in County Galway where unauthorised quarry operations have continued for prolonged periods without effective enforcement action by Galway County Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10942/26]

209. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has assessed whether Galway County Council has adequate staffing levels, technical expertise, legal resources and funding to effectively pursue planning enforcement actions against unauthorised quarries; the measures, if any, the Government plans to take to support Galway County Counci…

210. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has engaged with Dublin City Council regarding flooding and sea overtopping affecting the Clontarf Baths area; whether any local authority coastal protection or flood mitigation works are planned or under consideration; whether additional supports may be made available to the local autho…

211. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he accepts that, given his Department does not collect or hold data on the qualifications of serving local authority engineers, no quantified assessment was carried out prior to July 2025 to determine how many existing engineers-whose qualifications had been assessed and accepted at the time of appointme…

685. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the discussions between the Minister and the Northern Executive Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, on collaboration between both administrations on water quality issues in Lough Neagh and surrounding environment; the actions which have been agreed; if there is a timeli…

686. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the supports which are currently available for first time buyers of second hand homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9163/26]

687. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider expanding the first home scheme for purchasers of second hand homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9164/26]

688. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to clarify in primary legislation that where the practical hallmarks of a tenancy exist (exclusive possession of a room, rent, fixed term, shared common areas), the arrangement is treated as a tenancy for the purposes of the Residential Tenancies Acts, and rent pressure zone rules; and if he will m…

689. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason an approved housing body cannot continue to provide property management services at (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9179/26]

690. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether funding is available for independent mediation between communities and local authorities. [9197/26]

691. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the protections that will continue to be in place for smaller landlords in the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No.2) Act 2024; if he is aware of growing concerns among smaller landlords that the Bill will create challenges for them and may lead to an exiting from the market of smaller landlords; if he will con…

692. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department will be formulating plans to address the recent declaration by the EU of sika deer as an invasive species; if such a plan involves a cull of sika deer; and if so, the State agencies that will be used to assist or carry out such a cull. [9229/26]

693. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he will consider introducing national planning guidance or legislative requirements to provide for the installation of swift nesting boxes in new residential and public developments; if his attention has been drawn to initiatives led by Fingal County Council, including the provision of swift boxes i…

694. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has examined the potential biodiversity benefits of requiring swift nesting boxes in new developments, given their low cost, minimal maintenance and role in protecting a declining species; whether such measures could be incorporated into national biodiversity or climate adaptation policy; …

695. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the supports or grants available to local authority tenants to replace exterior doors when the replacement of such is outside the scope of the rental agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9285/26]

696. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider the importance of tourism to Killarney town by urgently reviewing the proposed guidelines in respect of short-term lets and increasing the population of the towns that the new strict planning guidelines will apply to from 10,000 up to 15,000; if this crucial industry for Killarney and Count…

697. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current timeline for bicycle storage to become exempted developments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9417/26]