Parliamentary questions

421. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether it is the intention of his Department to allow retained firefighters to continue to work until 65 years-of-age; if so, if he will detail the work undertaken by his Department to date; and whether he has consulted with a union (details supplied) on the matter. [47012/26]

422. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware that the cost of doing the initial pyrite assessment for a homeowner is currently €3000 which is not refundable, if the home is not entered into the remediation scheme; his views on whether that this is unaffordable for many households; if he is aware of supports in place to assist with the cos…

423. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware that the erection of solar panels on commercial buildings may render the surface area of those panels part of the rateable valuation of a commercial building; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47063/26]

424. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of vacancy officers and other such vacancy and dereliction-related staff in each of the 31 local authorities, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47090/26]

425. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of new HAP tenancies created in 2025; the number of these that were homeless HAP tenancies; the number that were based on the 30% financial hardship ; the number on the standard rate; and the average costs for each three categories, standard, 30% uplift, homeless HAP 50% uplift. [47103/26]

426. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if grants are available to local authorities to assist with dereliction in towns within their areas of responsibility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47111/26]

427. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if local authorities can step in to improve the appearance of derelict shops and businesses in towns and villages within their administrative areas, where the owner might not be cooperating or where the owner may not be known, allowing an improvement in the street scape; and if he will make a statement on the matte…

428. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if grants are available to local authorities to assist with dereliction in towns within their areas of responsibility; if there are plans to create such funding; if so, the timeline involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47113/26]

429. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if local authorities can, following the CPO of derelict buildings and closed businesses, allow community groups without their own property to take on the responsibility of the CPO property; if grants are available to set up such community group pop-up shops; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47114/26]

430. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a local authority can reduce, defer or suspend a rate demand for a business within their administrative area who are taking over a former derelict building; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47119/26]

431. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if supports are available to local authorities to purchase and develop industrial and warehouse lands and estates within their administrative areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47121/26]

432. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to provide additional funding to the housing aid grants for local authorities who have now closed these grants, quoting lack of funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47125/26]

433. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if all funding is in place to progress the new wastewater treatment system for Beaufort village, County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47129/26]

434. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the remediation scheme for apartment and duplex owners affected by fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects; the eligibility criteria for inclusion in the scheme; when payments are expected to commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47152/26]

435. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has ever considered changes to planning laws to make the provision of solar canopies mandatory when planning permission is being granted for large outdoor carparks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47159/26]

436. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he plans to extend the current waiver on the street furniture charge, which is due to expire at the end of September 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47204/26]

437. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the cost to the Exchequer on average for the delivery of an affordable purchase home (via APF) and a cost rental (via CREL) home in 2025; and with respect to CREL the average all in cost of the unity (ie CREL plus HFA borrowing). [47255/26]

438. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average cost of a buy and renew social home delivered in 2025. [47259/26]

439. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average cost to the Exchequer in 2025 of the delivery of a one person age friendly new build social home and of a two person age friendly social home. [47261/26]

440. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of local authorities that received additional funding from the Exchequer due to LPT collections below the baseline. [47263/26]

441. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of authorities that ran a surplus in 2024 or 2025. [47264/26]

442. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the overall funding provided for DPGs, both social housing and private housing, in 2024 and 2025 respectively. [47265/26]

443. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the overall non-specific funding provided to local authorities in 2026. [47266/26]

444. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when he will publish the local Government Taskforce Report. [47267/26]

445. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total cost to the Exchequer arising from the staffing of An Coimisiún Pleanála in 2025; and the number of staff that the funding covers. [47290/26]