Parliamentary questions

1094. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has reviewed the governance structures of housing delivery agencies to ensure they are aligned with measurable output targets, rather than process-based metrics; and if so, the details of that review. [59223/25]

1095. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there are any plans to designate Drogheda as a city in law, and for local Government administrative purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59227/25]

1096. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason the remainder of the Planning and Development Act 2024 has not yet been commenced, by way of ministerial order pursuant to section 1(3) of the said Act, and in particular section 9 (Exempted Development) thereof. [59228/25]

1097. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department (details supplied) ever consulted with the former Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth prior to making the Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (No. 4) Regulations 2022 (S.I. No. 605 of 2022) and the Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (No. 4…

1098. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to set out the precise legal and factual basis upon which the Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (No. 4) Regulations 2022 (S.I. No. 605 of 2022) and the Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (No. 4) Regulations 2023 (S.I. No. 376 of 2023) were made; the submissions received and by whom on …

1099. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department (details supplied) ever took legal advice from the Attorney General prior to making the Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (No. 4) Regulations 2022 (S.I. No. 605 of 2022) and the Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (No. 4) Regulations 2023 (S.I. No. 376 of 2023); and if…

1100. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if it is his intention to lower the voting age to 16; if there are plans for a referendum on this matter, and the timeline for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59261/25]

1101. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding guidance on the new short-term rental regulations register and planning exemptions due to be issued to local authorities; the timeline for this to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59292/25]

1102. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way in which his Department supports Dublin City Council in monitoring and reporting bathing water quality at designated sites such as Dollymount Strand and North Bull Island; if he will detail resourcing and oversight mechanisms to ensure compliance with EU Bathing Water Quality Regulations; and if he wi…

1103. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware of delays to the progression of affordable purchase schemes as local authorities must now redo costing for affordable purchase considering the changes to the VAT on apartment sales; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59326/25]

1104. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has responded to the request by Leitrim County Council for funding support to deal with historic structural issues around an unfinished estate (details supplied); and if his will Department provide funding support for this unfinished housing estate. [59336/25]

1105. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of State property under the remit of his Department (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59339/25]

1106. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if carer’s allowance income is accessible when local authorities assess the income of a person in receipt of social housing supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59347/25]

1107. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if homeowners who have already undertaken remediation works due to confirmed pyrite damage will be eligible to retrospectively claim support under the defective concrete blocks scheme, once their local authority is included; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59367/25]

1108. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the updated Exempted Development Regulations will be finalised and published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59401/25]

1109. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware that the original protected station building at MacDonagh Junction in Kilkenny has been served with a derelict site notice by Kilkenny County Council; if his Department will engage with CIE/ Iarnród Éireann and the local authority to secure the preservation and restoration of this heritage struc…

1110. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the latest update on the proposal to remove planning requirements for log cabin-type residential structures for back gardens; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59444/25]

1111. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 265, 266 and 267 of 18 September 2025, to confirm that there is in fact no list, public or otherwise, for new potential sites for consideration as candidate terrestrial SAC sites; the only list is the currently identified sites, candidate and designated on www.npw…

1112. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 270 of 18 September 2025, where the Minister specifically states in his reply: “There are no plans at this time to expand the number of such terrestrial sites", to confirm for the 22 sites of the 40 alluvial woodland sites monitored that are not in an SAC, that des…

1113. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 270 of 18 September 2025, where the Minister specifically states “There are no plans at this time to expand the number of such terrestrial sites," if he will confirm the implication in the reply is that Rathcoole alluvial Woodland is therefore not actually on a lis…

1114. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 270 of 18 September 2025, where the Minister specifically states in his reply “There are no plans at this time to expand the number of such terrestrial sites," to confirm for the 22 sites of the 40 alluvial woodland sites monitored that are not in an SAC, that they…

1115. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide the Abridged Estimates Volume for Budget 2026 for Vote 34 including the provisional subhead and programme level allocations. [59536/25]

1116. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has conducted or commissioned any review of the operation or impacts of the Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (No. 4) Regulations 2023 (S.I. No. 376 of 2023), which removed the requirement for planning permission for certain developments providing accommodation for persons seeking…

1117. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has sought or obtained legal advice on whether the exemption from normal planning procedures for accommodation centres for international protection applicants is compatible with Ireland’s obligations under the UNECE Aarhus Convention, particularly regarding the public’s right to information and…

1118. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department is considering legislation to permit retention planning applications for sites currently used as accommodation centres that may not have obtained appropriate planning permission, having regard to recent case law (details supplied). [59655/25]