Parliamentary questions

446. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total cost to the Exchequer for the staffing of local authority planning and building control functions in 2025; and the number of staff that the funding covers. [47291/26]

447. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total cost to the Exchequer from the staffing of local authority housing departments in 2025; and the number of staff that funding covers. [47292/26]

448. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of new long term social housing leases entered into by local authorities in 2025; and the total annual cost of these leases in a full year. [47293/26]

449. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware of delays within Tailte Éireann in processing mapping, registration and related property matters that are affecting homeowners’ ability to progress applications under the defective concrete blocks grant scheme; the number of applications that have been delayed as a result; the average waiting time…

450. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will confirm whether the issue of homeowners under the enhanced defective concrete blocks grant scheme who have reached the maximum grant cap and are unable to reclaim engineering and professional fees incurred, in some cases up to €6,000 and paid prior to scheme approval, will be considered as part of the…

451. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way in which the approval by his Department of new staff posts impacts on the annual allocations to local authorities; if there is latitude for changes following the LPT baseline review 2023 for staffing and other changes approved by his Department; if the baselines are fixed pending the next baseline revi…

452. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if local authority staffing is still subject to workforce planning; if so, if he will provide the criteria used and the documents underpinning the workforce plan; the baselines used; if this is reviewed post the publication of a census of population; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47315/26]

453. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Questions Nos.1691 and 1695 of 14 April 2026, the number of new staff sanctioned for hire in all local authorities in each of the years 2022 to 2025 and to date in 2026; and the number of new hires realised in those years. [47317/26]

454. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps his Department is taking to eliminate the growing financial shortfall facing applicants under the defective concrete blocks (DCB) enhanced grant scheme; if he will address the policy anomaly where grant rates are legally tied to pre-2008 'like-for-like' specifications, while homeowners are legally mand…

455. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason there has been a near two year delay in the installation of a water tap promised by Waterways Ireland (details supplied); if he will provide a timeline for the installation of the tap; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47413/26]

456. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the development of an executive management board to direct Waterways Ireland, as recommended in 2021 (details supplied); the timeframe for the establishment of such a board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47414/26]

457. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he recognises the financial difficulties being faced by older persons and pensioners due to increases in rents under local authority differential rent schemes; if consideration will be given to introducing protections for pensioners and those on fixed incomes who are seeing their rents increase based on sma…

458. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if, in light of the fact that IS465 now includes the testing of foundations for deleterious materials, if existing legislation will be amended of a statutory instrument signed so that the defective concrete block scheme will include funding to replace foundations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. […

459. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Government if his Department is considering measures to deal with disputes between neighbours over trees or other vegetation on private land, particularly where those trees are blocking sunlight; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47519/26]

460. Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department plans to review boundaries in advance of the 2029 Local Election; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47559/26]

461. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware of the number of Housing Adaptation Grants annually approved but not drawn down by the application as they are unable to fund part or all of works needed up front; the assistance that is available to those in this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47584/26]

462. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware of the number of Mobility Aids Grants annually approved but not drawn down by the application as they are unable to fund part or all of works needed up front; the assistance that is available to those in this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47585/26]

463. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware of the number of Housing Aid for Older Persons Grants annually approved but not drawn down by the application as they are unable to fund part or all of works needed up front; the assistance that is available to those in this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47586/26]

464. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total landholding of his Department, broken down by county, including the amount currently unused or vacant, the portion zoned for development, and the number of sites that include vacant or derelict properties. [47628/26]

465. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the timeframe for funding and delivery of the 82 Housing Infrastructure Investment Fund projects approved recently given that the total cost of the projects approved is €862 million while the allocation for HIIF under A.21 for 2026 is €205 million. [47636/26]

466. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the options available when a person cannot afford the necessary GP fees to fulfil criteria for a form of housing assistance when the person does not qualify for a medical card or GP-visit card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47658/26]

467. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the basis on which he decided not to intervene in respect of lands at Strandhill, County Sligo (details supplied); whether his office received any representations from any landowner, developer, or public representative in relation to those lands prior to that decision; and if so, to identify who made such represe…

468. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the upcoming National Planning Statement on short term lets will be published; if he intends to provide planning exemptions for historic properties that cannot contribute to long-term housing supply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47774/26]

469. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has concerns that the lack of a minimum threshold under Regulation (EU) 2024/900 in relation to hosting an online transparency notice may place serious burdens on those engaged in political life, particularly at local government level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47851/26]

470. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider making grant aid available to persons on limited incomes seeking to purchase and install modular homes in line with the Planning and Development Act 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47857/26]