Parliamentary questions

651. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to the case of a company (details supplied); the actions he will take to engage with an organisation to prevent this practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47972/25]

652. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on the effectiveness of the enforcement mechanisms under section 18 of the Building Control Act 2007 regarding the misuse of the protected title of architect; if any review of enforcement and regulation of this sector is being considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47973/25]

653. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding the tenant-in situ scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48015/25]

654. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average cost per unit of new build social housing delivered in 2024 by social housing investment programme, by type (details supplied), in tabular form. [48022/25]

655. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there are schemes or loans available to persons (details supplied), to financially assist with purchasing a property; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48026/25]

656. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is creating a dedicating funding stream for local authorities to help provide storm community hubs during extreme weather; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48044/25]

657. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if data is available for first home scheme participants on the distribution of applicants’ credit card limits; the relationship between such limits and approval outcomes, and the guidance given to applicants on managing revolving credit during the application process; and if he will make a statement on the matt…

658. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if she will consult with general practitioners to introduce no charge for signing the postal vote form for those requiring it due to medical reasons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48099/25]

659. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage in light of the second confirmed Asian hornet nest in Cobh, the immediate and medium-term measures being funded for surveillance and nest eradication in Cork Harbour and adjacent districts; the guidance being issued to beekeepers and the public; and the KPI targets for the detection-to-destruction time and survey…

660. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total amount of funding allocated by his Department to each local authority under the housing adaption grant scheme in each of the past five years; if the allocations by his Department were categorised whereby specific amounts were ring fenced for priority 1, 2 and 3, applications; if it is a matter for e…

661. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to urgently amend the National Planning Framework and the Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines, 2005 as county development plans are aligned with these national policies which prohibits many applicants building a family home on their own land and-or buying a site and building a permanent place of residence aro…

662. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will review the help-to-buy and first home schemes in view of reports that many first-time buyers cannot afford new homes in developments such as (details supplied) even when availing of these supports; and if she will outline whether changes are planned to scheme thresholds or eligibility to address afford…

663. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will publish the number of hectares newly zoned for residential use following enactment of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2025; the Department’s projected number of housing units unlocked in Cork City and County for 2025 to 2027 as a result of these changes; and the minimum apartment floor are…

664. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the dates the Asian hornet nests in Cork were discovered; the dates that the nests were destroyed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48269/25]

665. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to account for the delays in publishing the Apartment and Duplex Defects Remediation Bill 2024; and whether he expects the Bill will be ready to commence the pre-legislative scrutiny process by end of 2025. [48337/25]

666. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the full transfer of responsibility for the Multi-Unit Development Act 2011 from the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Integration to his Department has been completed. [48338/25]

667. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the pathfinder process, introduced in 2024, as a precursor to the apartment and duplex remediation scheme. [48339/25]

668. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the means by which his Department is addressing the role of high housing costs in driving child poverty; and whether he accepts that housing affordability is now a primary driver of deprivation among families. [48348/25]

669. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the assessment that has been made of the impact of rent inflation on child poverty; and the policies that are under consideration to alleviate this. [48349/25]

670. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether Cork City Council and Cork County Council will receive proportionate infrastructure funding to deliver on regional housing targets, given the concentration of new housing spend in Dublin. [48388/25]

671. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason persons on the working family payment are not entitled to HAP (details supplied). [48439/25]

672. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps that have been taken to ensure that local authorities respond positively and proactively to the objectives of the National Planning Framework; and if he will outline how the revised framework is being integrated into local development plans to support sustainable growth, housing delivery, and balanced r…

673. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the role the newly established Housing Activation Office will play in assisting local authorities to meet the housing targets set out in the Revised National Planning Framework; and the way in which this will accelerate delivery in areas of high demand. [48551/25]

674. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the mechanisms in place to monitor local authority compliance with the objectives of the Revised National Planning Framework; and if performance indicators will be used to track progress on housing, infrastructure, and sustainability goals. [48552/25]

675. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the risks that have been identified that may impact the timely delivery of the National Planning Framework; and the mitigation strategies being pursued to ensure alignment with housing, infrastructure, and climate targets. [48565/25]