Parliamentary questions

614. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline the difference in function, authority and outcome between the statutory independent appeals process, and the proposed technical review process; to confirm whether a technical review constitutes a new determination, a re-assessment, or an advisory exercise only; and if he will make a statement on the m…

615. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether details of the technical review process, including who conducts it, governance arrangements, and decision-making criteria, will be published in advance of homeowners being invited to participate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5574/26]

616. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the anticipated completion date for the review of IS,465; the expected timeline for the commencement of the technical review application process following its completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5575/26]

617. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when Limerick City and County Council will receive clarification from his Department on their tenant-in-situ funding for 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5592/26]

618. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has obtained legal advice on whether the proposed regulations under section 294 of the Planning and Development Act 2024, which would cap recoverable costs even for successful applicants in environmental proceedings, are compatible with Ireland’s obligations under EU law and the Aarhus Convention; whether a…

619. Deputy Ann Graves asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on the fact that Fingal County Council (FCC) has not applied the derelict sites levy for the last published year and have not collected any levies, which is a legal requirement of the council; to confirm whether there are 15 sites in total, subject to the derelict sites levy in the FCC area; whether site…

620. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware of an Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) survey conducted in 2025 which notes that salmon stocks on the Boyne and Kells Blackwater rivers has seen a catastrophic collapse, down to 10% of the conservation limit for the catchments; if he will consider whether it appropriate at this time to publish an…

621. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide a breakdown of expenditure by his Department and bodies, agencies or organisations under his remit on paid verification services on a platform (details supplied) or any other verified account products, for each of the years 2023, 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026; the number of verified accounts held unde…

622. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he intends to move Offaly from grade 3 of the housing income eligibility and instead place them in grade 2; if he intends to reassess the income thresholds for social housing in Offaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5652/26]

623. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average re-letting time for vacant local authority dwellings in 2025, as reported in the local authority performance indicators, broken down by local authority. [5668/26]

624. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average all-in cost per social housing unit delivered in 2025 under Housing for All, disaggregated by build, acquisition, and leasing. [5669/26]

625. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of properties which were listed on local authority derelict registers as of 31 December 2025; and the number of compulsory purchase orders initiated and completed under the Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015. [5670/26]

626. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average duration of planning appeals determined by An Bord Pleanála in 2025, as published in its Annual Report, broken down by development type. [5673/26]

627. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of vacant homes identified in the Census 2022 and subsequent vacancy estimates; and what actions under Housing for All target these units. [5674/26]

628. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the local democracy taskforce have reviewed the report of the expert advisory group on local government arrangements in Galway, published in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5765/26]

629. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether consideration is being given to extending the fresh start principle to include applicants who were required to sell a previous principal private residence due to long-term illness or disability, including circumstances where the sale arose from loss of earning capacity or a medical necessity to relo…

630. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has examined cases in which households affected by disability exceed income thresholds for social and affordable housing supports, yet are unable to realistically access the private housing market due to reliance on a single income and reduced long-term earning capacity; and the polic…

631. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether local authorities are permitted to exercise discretion in the assessment of local authority home loan applications to take account of long-term disability, illness-related changes in household circumstances, and the presence of dependent children; and if not, whether provision will be made for such …

632. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether cross-departmental work is underway to address situations in which households affected by long-term disability fall between income supports, housing supports, and access to market housing; if not, whether such an approach will be considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5781/26]

633. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to clarify, in respect of the defective concrete blocks grant scheme, whether the 78-week timeframe applicable to the determination of appeals continues to run where an appeal is paused or cannot be progressed pending the completion of a technical review arising from the ongoing revision of I.S. 465; if he will …

634. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether, under the defective concrete blocks grant scheme, the way in which the statutory 78-week timeframe for appeals is suspended where an appeal cannot be determined pending a technical review linked to the revision of I.S. 465; whether this position has been communicated to the housing agency and local auth…

635. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 310 of 4 December 2025, if a further update will be provided in relation to correspondence between the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Mid and East Antrim Borough Council in relation to the spreading of agricultural litter and manure on designated sites; and if h…

636. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason that local authorities cannot carry over their unspent tenant-in-situ allocation from year-to-year if necessary. [5881/26]

637. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will review the local authority price ceilings for the purchase of second hand properties. [5882/26]

638. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will reconsider his Department’s guidance that second hand properties should be in good condition, with no more that €10,000 spent on minor works. [5883/26]