Parliamentary questions

159. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the implementation of the Irish Sign Language Act 2017 (ISL) within his Department and its associated public bodies, including details of any ISL strategies that have been developed; and if no ISL strategy has been developed to date, the details of plans his Department has to address th…

591. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of landowners whose land appears on the annual map for 2025 residential zoned land tax published on 31 January 2025 requested to change the zoning to reflect the economic use of the land; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17626/25]

592. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the cause of a death of a hippo in Dublin Zoo (details supplied); and the steps that have been taken by the zoo to avoid this reoccurring. [16546/25]

593. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if an independent investigation will be carried out into the condition of hippos in Dublin Zoo after contact by an organisation (details supplied); if the results of that investigation will be made public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16547/25]

594. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to respond to the call by an organisation (details supplied) to phase out the keeping of elephants in Dublin Zoo; whether he accepts the evidence provided; and whether he will announce a phase out of elephants from Dublin Zoo, starting with a prohibition on breeding and a ban on the import of elephants to Ireland…

595. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding the rollout of the scheme to address the remediation of defects in apartments and duplexes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16552/25]

596. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to lower the voting age to 16; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16597/25]

597. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount of funding allocated to Tipperary County Council for the tenant-in-situ scheme for the years 2022, 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16603/25]

598. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for a full update on the Cork Events Centre project; the key next stages and estimated timelines; and the exact amount of public funding, from all sources, spent on the project to date. [16047/25]

599. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there are plans to provide a timeline for when local authority homes can avail of the pyrite scheme, considering the urgency of the situation for those living in such houses; if he would address the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16626/25]

600. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the progress that has made on including 'meanwhile use' as an exempted development under the Planning and Development - Exempted Development Regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16661/25]

601. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the breakdown of the funding allocated to each local authority under the void scheme for refurbishing vacant local authority homes, from 2022 to 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16668/25]

602. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on the current housing assistance payment limits; his views on whether these are appropriate taking into account rising rental costs; if he plans to make changes in relation to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16670/25]

603. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide a schedule of all capital projects being delivered or which have been completed by his Department and organisations under the aegis of his Department since 1 January 2020; the total project cost of projects in excess of €500,000, or of any other capital projects below this that have come to …

604. Deputy Seán Fleming asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to list those areas in County Laois that are in the rent pressure zones and the annual percentage increase in rents allowed in these areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16709/25]

605. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the recently introduced regulations that have had the effect of disqualifying pensioners on a low income from seeking financial assistance by way of a grant from a local authority to replace a household boiler that is beyond economic repair will be reversed as the cost of an alternative system like air to …

606. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department could look to increase the local authority home loan in Kildare, given that the figure currently is maxed at €360,000 and the average cost of a house in Kildare is currently above that figure. [16732/25]

607. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he and or his officials have engaged with the chief fire officer and or the local authority management in respect of the establishment of a new fire house in the Monasterevin area of Kildare and in respect of a full upgrade of the existing building. [16760/25]

608. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there are plans to extend the waiver of development contributions and Uisce Éireann connection fees for self-build homes beyond the current expiry date; and his views on whether such waivers will be available into 2025, to continue supporting individuals and families seeking to build their own homes. [16762/2…

609. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on his current approach to flat regeneration; the way in which he intends to support local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16768/25]

610. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of additional units that must be provided before stage 2 funding for Pearse House, Dublin 2 can be released; and if he has considered removing the protected structure status of Pearse House to allow the local authority to complete. [16769/25]

611. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will clarify comments made on 5 March 2024 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16792/25]

612. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to review the eligibility criteria for the housing assistance payment scheme, particularly in cases where a family surpasses the income threshold due to receiving a carer’s benefit allowance for a child with a disability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16795/25]

613. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding the transport-oriented development working group reporting on TOD opportunities in Cork, Waterford, Galway and Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16809/25]

614. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when he last met the CEO of Gas Networks Ireland; and the issues discussed. [16862/25]