Parliamentary questions

172. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the mechanisms in place for engagement between his Department and local authorities to identify and resolve obstacles to housing delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4949/26]

173. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the revised defective concrete blocks scheme will provide retrospective reimbursement to homeowners in Fingal who have already completed restoration or remediation works prior to the council’s inclusion in the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5055/26]

174. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for a breakdown of the number of properties which have availed of the planning exemption for change of use from commercial to residential, in 2025, by local authority, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5022/26]

175. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to his reply on the operation of the first home scheme; his views on whether the current county-by-county price ceilings are creating significant distortions in housing delivery, particularly where counties such as Tipperary have substantially lower ceilings than neighbouring local authority areas; if …

176. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the Voids Return Programme will open for 2026; the total funding to be made available; and whether the €11,000 average cap will remain in place [3474/26]

177. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he is considering any additional measures to alleviate concerns of landlords and tenants in advance of the introduction of rental reforms for new tenancies, which is prompting some landlords to consider leaving the market, leaving tenants without a place to live; and if he will make a statement on the m…

178. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will report on the Starter Homes Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4866/26]

179. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will issue an order to allow the cutting of turf at bogs locations (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3673/26]

180. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures he is taking to support local authorities to tackle vacancy and dereliction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5043/26]

181. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware of social housing tenants in Galway city and county experiencing housing maintenance issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4966/26]

182. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on the provision of allocated housing for those that work in frontline public sector jobs including teachers, nurses and members of An Garda Síochána; if this is under review within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3346/26]

183. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the ongoing work in his Department to update the national planning statement on wind energy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3730/26]

184. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline any policies that his Department has in relation to in-fill housing in local authority estates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4920/26]

185. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current uptake of the first home scheme in County Offaly; the steps being taken to increase awareness and access; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4948/26]

186. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the supply of affordable purchase properties and plans to reform the Affordable Purchase Fund. [4549/26]

187. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the planning guidelines for solar farms as detailed in the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3348/26]

188. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason for the delay in getting housing developments started on State-owned lands in Dublin 8 and 12 (details supplied); the timeframe for commencement of building work; and the number of homes expected to be built on each site. [4426/26]

189. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the ongoing contact that is taking place, and planned, with local authorities in relation to monitoring housing targets on a monthly basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4933/26]

190. Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the actions he is taking to address vacancy and dereliction across the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4868/26]

191. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures he is taking to ensure that the formal transfer of responsibility for private water and wastewater system is sped up; to outline the process through which this takes place; if there is dedicated staffing/engineers in each local authority to carry out these duties; and if he will make a statement on the m…

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]

193. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures he will take to support rightsizing during 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4873/26]

194. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider extending the operation of the fresh start principle to separated or divorced partners seeking to buyout their former partner from the family home with the assistance of the local authority mortgage. [4942/26]

195. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will amend the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2025 to continue rent control between tenancies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4678/26]

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]