Questions

276. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he considers the number of notices of termination or eviction notices issued in the private rental sector to be a core housing performance and policy indicator; if so, the way in which this indicator is monitored and assessed by his Department; if not, the reasons for his position; and his views on the role such data plays i…

279. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has any plans to protect pet ownership in private rental accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8925/26]

286. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether any rental accommodation scheme tenant whose tenancy ends through no fault of their own is guaranteed an offer of alternative accommodation or housing support sufficient to prevent homelessness; to set out the specific statutory, policy, or administrative basis for such a guarantee, if it exists; to clarify the criteria by w…

711. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he will examine the introduction of targeted incentives to support small scale landlords to remain in the rental market; and whether he will engage with the Minister for Finance on options to reduce the financial pressures contributing to landlord exit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8598/26]

292. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he accepts that a growing cohort of working households in private rental accommodation are effectively excluded from both social housing, affordable housing supports and cost rental; the targeted policy responses that exist for this group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7166/26]

293. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average length of private tenancies in Ireland; how this compares with other EU jurisdictions; and if he accepts that short-term tenancies, and annual leases, contribute to housing insecurity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7168/26]

294. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he accepts that greater long-term, secure rental options are required for households not eligible for social housing but unable to access home ownership; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7170/26]

295. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of private landlords who exited the rental market in each of the past five years; and what assessment has been made of the impact on rental availability and rents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7171/26]

296. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he accepts that continued reliance on both small-scale private landlords and large institutional and investment funds may not be sufficient or appropriate to meet long-term, secure rental demand; and if alternative, non-profit or social-purpose delivery models are under consideration to provide stable, long-term rental ac…

303. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the income accrued by social housing tenants renting a room in their property and availing of the rent a room tax relief is also disregarded for the purposes of calculating the social housing tenants differential rent. [7202/26]

306. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when his Department first issued formal guidance to local authorities on the operation of the tenant rent-a-room scheme for local authority tenants; which local authorities formally confirmed to his Department that the scheme had been implemented; and the steps his Department took to ensure the scheme was operational in every local …

307. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department required local authorities to submit data on the tenant rent-a-room scheme, including applications received, approvals granted, and rooms made available; whether any regular monitoring or reporting framework was put in place by his Department for this scheme; and if not, the reasons no such oversight mechanism…

308. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has carried out any internal review or evaluation of the tenant rent-a-room scheme for local authority tenants since its introduction; whether the significant gap between projected housing supply and actual delivery has been examined; and the policy changes or corrective actions which are now being considered …

309. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department issued any circulars, directives, or follow-up instructions to local authorities where no applications were received or where the tenant rent-a-room scheme was not operational; and the steps that were taken by his Department to address non-implementation by local authorities. [7210/26]

310. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department assessed administrative, insurance, tenancy, or welfare interaction barriers faced by local authority tenants under the tenant rent-a-room scheme prior to its rollout; whether such barriers contributed to the extremely low uptake; and the responsibility his Department accepts for the failure of the scheme to t…

86. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the research or evidence he has that demonstrates than an increase in high-cost private rental accommodation will, over time, bring down rents. [6639/26]

601. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has assessed the impact of enhanced security of tenure provisions on properties that may be required to be sold within a short timeframe due to obligations under the nursing home support scheme or estate administration; and if he will publish any such assessment. [5433/26]

602. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he accepts that the requirement to sell properties with tenants in situ may significantly diminish the value of estate assets, thereby placing executors in breach of their fiduciary duty to protect the value of estates; and whether this issue will be addressed in the context of tenancy law reform. [5434/26]

603. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department will issue clear guidance for families and executors managing properties subject to nursing home support scheme loans, to ensure that compliance with tenancy legislation does not prevent compliance with legal obligations to repay State loans or distribute estates; and if he will make a statement on the matter.…

604. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he will commit to a review of residential tenancy legislation as it applies to properties tied to nursing home support scheme loans and estate administration, with a view to introducing targeted exemptions or safeguards for affected families; and the timeline for such a review. [5436/26]

608. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on whether the Rental Tenancy Board has sufficient powers to support landlords that are seeking to recoup rent arrears from tenants that have vacated their property; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5494/26]

609. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding any review of existing powers of the Rental Tenancy Board that would seek to give the organisation greater powers to enforce rental regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5495/26]

610. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on whether it is appropriate for the Rental Tenancy Board to support a landlord with an attempt to recoup rent arrears from tenants that have vacated their property; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5496/26]

646. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to concerns related to the new rental legislation that is coming into effect on 1 March 2026 in relation homes that are rented out to support the care of the owner in a nursing home (details supplied); the actions he will take to ensure that this matter is addressed prior to the regulations coming into…

647. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the actions he is taking to address cases of low quality rented property; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6031/26]