Parliamentary questions

1426. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to reconsider the importance of tourism in County Kerry and especially Killarney town by reconsidering the short-term lets policy (details supplied) and allow a waiver for the proprietors of short-term lets who have been in business three years or longer in relation to the need to apply for planning permissio…

1427. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the An Coimisiún Pleanála - Plean IT system will be fully operational and fully accessible for members of the public to interact with its portal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1118/26]

1428. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of properties by local authority area that have availed of the vacant property refurbishment grant under the croí cónaithe fund, by each year since its inception to date. [1119/26]

1429. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the full range of powers available to local authorities to address derelict properties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1120/26]

1430. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the funding options available for the construction of a second bridge over the Avoca river at Arklow, County Wicklow, in order to unlock areas in the town for development and relieve traffic pressures on the existing bridge. [1122/26]

1431. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average price of a new home in the Gorey local electoral area, County Wexford; the number of successful applications under the first home scheme in that LEA in 2025; the number of affordable homes provided in that LEA in 2025; the number that are currently being planned; the projected completion dates in t…

1432. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average price of a new home in the Arklow local electoral area, County Wicklow; the number of successful applications under the first home scheme in that LEA in 2025; the number of affordable homes provided in that LEA in 2025; the number that are currently being planned; the projected completion dates in …

1433. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage given the significant difference in home prices across local authority areas, if he will consider introducing qualifying thresholds for the first home scheme based on local electoral areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1125/26]

1434. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the research undertaken by his Department on the potential impact on small landlords of changes to the residential rental rules on 1 March, 2026; and if any modelling was carried out of the impact of landlords potentially leaving the sector. [1127/26]

1435. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide a list, by each local authority which offers pre-planning meetings and the circumstances under which they will offer such meetings, including whether they will offer such meetings to those seeking to build just one home. [1128/26]

1436. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the work of the housing delivery office including its current membership; the number of meetings it has had to date; the dates of those meetings; the actions that have been taken to date including inviting and accepting invitations for infrastructure funding; and to provide an update on …

1437. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total expenditure on social and affordable housing by local authorities, approved housing bodies and the Land Development Agency in 2024 and 2025; and the breakdown, by funding stream and by delivery agent (details supplied). [1153/26]

1438. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the fire safety defects remediation scheme will fully open for applications; the eligibility criteria and timelines; if roof and water ingress issues be included in any State-supported remediation scheme; the practical support that can be offered to apartment owners currently facing unsafe conditions a…

1439. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount each county council has spent on tourism in 2023, 2024 and 2025; the amount they have budgeted for 2026, by each county council nationwide, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1324/26]

1440. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of applicants on local authority housing waiting lists, including those receiving HAP and RAS payments, broken down by county council, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1327/26]

1441. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the progress of the apartment and duplex defects remediation Bill; the issues identified by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1348/26]

1442. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware of reports that REITs are increasing rental prices for car parking spaces adjoining homes at a rate that far exceeds the rate of allowable increase in property rents in a rent pressure zone and that the RTB has no legislative ability to offer guidance or protection to renters whose spaces are now b…

1443. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the interim remediation scheme for fire safety defects in apartments and duplexes will come back into effect having seemingly been suspended for procurement law reasons; the number of payments to date that have been made to OMCs via the scheme; whether the Housing Agency is actively contacting OMCs who hav…

1444. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans for legislation to specifically provide for planning with regard to quarries, including enforcement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1461/26]

1445. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of staff employed in each local authority that are specifically focused on planning enforcement. [1463/26]

1446. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of third level students currently accommodated under the rent a room scheme by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1495/26]

1447. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding the apartments and duplex defects remediation scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1504/26]

1448. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide clarification to a query regarding engineering qualifications in the Local Government sector (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1521/26]

1449. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps his Department is taking to recognise the positive impact that allotments and community gardens have had on Irish society over the past 100 years (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1555/26]

1450. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the proposed apartment, duplex and multi-unit dwelling remediation scheme will provide for the remediation of all multi-unit developments impacted by defective concrete; the anticipated timeline for enactment of the legislation and commencement of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1…