Parliamentary questions

1316. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has considered that Dublin Zoo does not provide elephants with the appropriate environment where they could forage foods naturally; the potential this has on their welfare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20511/25]

1317. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has taken steps to ensure optimal temperatures for elephants in Dublin Zoo, given that wild Asian elephants have evolved and lived in tropical and subtropical climates. [20512/25]

1318. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline when he will commence a proposed exemption under planning rules for independent slurry storage construction. [20534/25]

1319. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there is central Government funding available for purchase of a site by Dublin City Council (details supplied). [20572/25]

1320. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the State has adequate lands to deliver on the restoration ambition outlined in the Nature Restoration Law which includes lands profiled under Article 4 and Article 11 of the Nature Restoration Law. [20610/25]

1321. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage what guidelines or provisions are in place to ensure an adequate supply of cost rental properties for single people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20616/25]

1322. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when additional funding will be allocated to local authorities for the housing aid and housing adaptation grants given that some local authorities have already closed some of these grants to new applicants. [20621/25]

1323. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a community can make a submission to the Electoral Commission regarding the location of their voting station; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20623/25]

1324. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the national planning framework revision figures will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20624/25]

1325. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage what immediate measures are being implemented to address the critical shortage of rental properties available under the Housing Assistance Payment scheme, given that only 41 such properties were available nationwide in March 2025, representing just 4% of all rental listings; and if he will make a statement on…

1326. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline the number of successful applications for the Croi Conaithe cities scheme in 2024; the amount of funding approved to successful applicants in the same year; the number of apartments involved in the successful schemes in 2024; and the number of applications to date in 2025; and how many have been ap…

1327. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline the total number of residential development applications with An Bord Pleanála at present; the number of residential units involved in total in these applications, including all applications, including one-off houses and applications for multiple units; and the average period of time since these re…

1328. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to confirm which body is responsible for providing a full technical review of a defective concrete block grant scheme application; whether responsibility is with the Housing Agency or the relevant local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20667/25]

1329. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of houses purchased by each of Carlow County Council and Kilkenny County Council under the tenant-in-situ scheme in each year since the scheme was launched; if his Department refused any such purchase during the same period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20679/25]

1330. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the general reviews and timelines for the first home scheme threshold; when the next review of the regional price caps will take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20695/25]

1331. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason as of April 2025, none of the six appeals that were confirmed to be in progress as of early December 2024 under the enhanced defective concrete blocks scheme have been heard; the status and expected timelines for the resolution of these appeals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20696/2…

1332. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current position of the technical review of the enhanced defective concrete blocks scheme announced on 6 November 2024; if the scheme will not provide a mechanism to bypass the statutory right to appeal as set out in the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022; and …

1333. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he plans to extend the provisions of S.I. No. 75/2022 – Planning and Development Act (Exempted Development) Regulations 2022, which allow for the change of use of certain vacant properties to residential use without the need for planning permission, beyond the current expiry date of 31 December 2025; and if …

1334. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures he is taking to increase housing supply in Kilkenny, including social housing and affordable housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20718/25]

1335. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the measures he is taking to increase housing supply in Carlow, including social housing and affordable housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20719/25]

1336. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the budget allocation granted to Kilkenny County Council for the tenant-in-situ scheme for 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20720/25]

1337. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount allocated to Carlow County Council for the tenant in-situ-scheme for 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20721/25]

1338. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will report on the marine protected areas legislation; to provide an update; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20762/25]

1339. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if people leaving IPAS accommodation in Dublin who have been granted leave to remain, are in employment in Dublin and have children in schools in Dublin, are eligible to access emergency accommodation in Dublin; if not, the reason; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20793/25]

1340. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Housing; Local Government and Heritage to report on any instructions given or planned, for the appointment criteria to be considered in the upcoming appointment of new members to the board of the HFA, to ensure that board appointments include candidates that can enable the agency to adapt to the changing global economic environment and its local …