Parliamentary questions

830. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to clarify the role of local authorities in the regulation of commercial drone delivery operations, including their responsibilities in respect of planning oversight, noise impact assessments, operational parameters such as flight times and routes and public consultation; and if he will make a statement on the…

831. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on whether Circular EL 02/2011 is an impediment to recruiting planners from abroad, including returning Irish citizens; and if he has any plans to review the circular to ensure overseas experience in related professional capacity is taken into account when making decisions for salaries. [30032/25]

832. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if consideration has been given to increasing the income threshold for cost rental housing outside of Dublin, in particular taking into consideration the number of dependents that are in a household; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30045/25]

833. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage given that the €1,500 cap on educational supports for councillors undertaking QQI-accredited courses was set in 2014 and has not been adjusted since, if he will acknowledge that the real value of this support has effectively decreased by approximately €500 due to inflation, representing a 33% reduction in valu…

834. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for clarification in relation to housing for older people grants eligibility where a person is residing in a retirement home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30060/25]

835. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the marine protected area legislation; if this legislation will be a Bill in its own right and not amending legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30088/25]

836. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the conservation measures in place for Páirc Náisiúnta na Mara; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30089/25]

837. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if powers have been delegated to the Ministers of State in his Department; and if so, to list those delegated powers and the Ministers to whom they are delegated. [30223/25]

838. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will address the housing crisis and provide affordable and social housing by directing local authorities in Kerry and across the country to zone lands and grant planning permission for good quality modular homes (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30236/25]

839. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will commit to taking full legislative responsibility of the multi-unit development sector into his brief before Summer recess; if he will implement the regulations to tackle service charges and sinking funds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30302/25]

840. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the plans in place to raise the current means limit to qualify for social housing in Donegal and nationwide (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30306/25]

841. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the regulations on service charges and sinking funds for multi-unit developments which were drafted in February 2022; the reason for the delay in their implementation; and whether a timeline will now be provided to ensure that these regulations are in place before the end of 2025, as referenced in t…

842. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware that, when assessing people for homelessness and access to emergency accommodation, local authorities are applying a local connection protocol (details supplied) which has no basis in law; if he will direct the County and City Management Association to withdraw this protocol, given the serious lega…

843. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will review the 2001 Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Childcare Facilities in order to address gaps in the guidelines which are leaving communities without adequate access to childcare; his views on the effectiveness of the current benchmark of 20 childcare places per 75 dwellings; if he has engaged w…

844. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if each of the developments being progressed by the Land Development Agency include the provision of childcare facilities; if the Land Development Agency has engaged with the Department of Children, Disability and Equality with regard to the delivery of childcare facilities on public land; and if he will make a s…

845. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures his Department has put in place to make sure that the Housing Agency has enough resources in 2026 through the budgetary process in order that it can commence regulating the owners' management companies sector as promised in the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. …

846. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will review the decision not to provide funding to Galway County Council to take ownership of Dunguaire Castle, Kinvara, County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30412/25]

847. Deputy Gillian Toole asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the direction being given to local authorities for balanced, common-good and needs-based planning in the areas of renewable energy production, social infrastructure and housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30421/25]

848. Deputy Gillian Toole asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the professional qualifications required by local authority planners, to adjudicate on renewable energy projects submitted for planning permission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30422/25]

849. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his view on considering the inclusion of critical infrastructure such as water treatment plants in the new exempted development regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30445/25]

850. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if regulations dealing with service charges and sinking funds, which were drafted in 2022, will be implemented before the end of 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30463/25]

851. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the Housing Agency will commence regulating the owner management company sector as promised in the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30464/25]

852. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for the breakdown of the value of commercial rates collected by Kilkenny and Carlow County Councils for each of the years 2020 to 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30470/25]

853. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the planning development charges imposed by county councils on successful applicants for one off houses will be suspended for a period to encourage the construction of homes and to reduce the costs involved; if a nominal flat once off charge will be considered; if an analysis of the impact of these charges…

854. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of social housing projects that will now be transferred from the Peter McVerry Trust to local authorities and other approved housing bodies; to provide a breakdown of this by local authority area and number of units; and the number of social housing projects that will now not proceed as a result of th…