Questions

384. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current status of the legislative or departmental guidelines regarding the restructuring of legacy shared ownership loans into annuity loans; if his attention has been drawn to cases where local authorities have failed to process restructuring applications for several years, leading to the 'expiry' of the loan through no fault …

637. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a private home purchaser can combine the first home scheme with the croí cónaithe cities scheme. [14199/26]

665. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide the STAR allocations to each organisation that has been awarded equity payments under this scheme, with a breakdown by scheme and amount of STAR awarded, in tabular form; and the number of applications from private investors and, separately, the LDA, that have not progressed or have been refused to date. [14570/26]

666. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the formal review of the housing assistance payment scheme will conclude; when a revised HAP scheme will be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14664/26]

669. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether a formal decision was taken at Department level to cease centralised data collection and monitoring of the Room for a Student – Local Authority Tenancies Scheme after December 2024; the date on which that decision was made; whether the decision was recorded in writing; and the governance basis upon which that decision was ta…

670. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether any written impact assessment, performance review, or evaluation report was prepared prior to the cessation of central monitoring of the Room for a Student – Local Authority Tenancies Scheme; and, if so, whether he will publish or provide the title and date of any such document. [14682/26]

671. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department holds any current aggregate national participation figure for the Room for a Student – Local Authority Tenancies Scheme for the period after December 2024; and, if not, the mechanism by which he satisfies himself that the scheme remains operational and effective across all local authority areas. [14683/26]

672. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has undertaken any behavioural or financial analysis of the impact of treating income earned under the Room for a Student – Local Authority Tenancies Scheme as reckonable for differential rent purposes; and whether any policy review of that provision is currently under consideration [14684/26]

674. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the funding allocation for the tenant in situ scheme for 2026, including the amounts allocated to each local authority; and the measures in place to ensure that tenants at risk of homelessness, particularly in Dublin Fingal, are protected given the sharp drop in funding and the lack of an alternative scheme; and if he will mak…

675. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason funding for the tenant in situ scheme is being cut, particularly in Dublin Fingal where allocations have fallen sharply from 131 homes in 2024 to just 36 in 2025; the measures being taken to ensure that tenants at risk of homelessness are not left without support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1477…

676. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the Government has any plans to introduce a replacement scheme or alternative supports for tenants who would have been eligible under the tenant in situ programme, in order to prevent families from entering homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14778/26]

677. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way in which he reconciles concerns about local authority “over-reliance” on the tenant in situ scheme with the ongoing urgent housing needs; the guidance or additional resources which are being provided to councils to ensure that at-risk tenants can remain in their homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14…

678. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the shift from an acquisition tenant in situ target approach in 2024 to a capped funding allocation in 2025 is intended to reduce social housing acquisitions overall; and if so, the alternative strategies in place to meet the housing needs of those threatened with homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the ma…

679. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the criteria which will be used to determine which councils receive support under the tenant in situ scheme; whether Dublin Fingal will receive sufficient funding to continue protecting tenants at risk of losing their homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14781/26]

407. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of tenant-in-situ acquisitions completed nationally in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025; the number approved but not yet completed; and the number of applications refused or withdrawn in each year. [13856/26]

781. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to reform and expand eligibility for the secure tenancy affordable rent scheme; the timeframe for any proposed change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11761/26]

807. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total amount allocated to each local authority for tenant-in-situ in 2024 and 2025; the total amount spent by each local authority, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12325/26]

812. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of successful applications up to and including January 31, 2026 for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, by county; and the number of unsuccessful applicants and the amount in funds released to date under the scheme, in tabular form. [12499/26]

407. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when his Department will provide a directive to local authorities to increase the fresh start mortgage initiative, in line with rising property prices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11153/26]

409. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether eligibility for the local authority home loan adequately accounts for demonstrated repayment capacity, particularly in cases where applicants are single-income households due to illness or disability; and if he will outline any plans to revise assessment criteria to ensure that households with sustainable repayment cap…

410. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he acknowledges that single-income households are routinely offered lower loan amounts and less favourable terms by commercial lenders, notwithstanding repayment capacity; and whether the local authority home loan scheme is intended to address this market failure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11229/26]

411. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he has examined the interaction between disability-related income supports and eligibility for the local authority home loan, in circumstances where the withdrawal of a disability allowance results in a household being treated as single-income and subsequently excluded from affordable credit schemes; and if he will mak…

412. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he considers it equitable that a modest disability allowance may be counted as income for means-testing purposes in some contexts, yet the absence of that payment results in households being excluded from affordability supports such as the local authority home loan; if he will review this apparent inconsistency; and if he w…

413. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the risk assessment underpinning the local authority home loan distinguishes between lack of repayment capacity and changed household circumstances arising from long-term illness or disability; and if not, whether he will commit to refining this distinction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11232/26]

414. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to clarify whether the local authority home loan is intended solely for households unable to access credit at all, or whether it is also designed to support households who can access credit only on unsustainable or significantly less favourable terms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11233/26]