Parliamentary questions

686. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide further information on the shared accommodation scheme pilot for young people in Cork City referenced in Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025-2030 and in the National Youth Homelessness Strategy 2023-2025, including information on the number of young people supported by the scheme since…

687. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the policy framework governing the granting, revocation and review of outdoor seating or street furniture licences by local authorities, including those relating to licensed premises; whether his Department has issued any guidance to local authorities in this regard; and whether he has received any representat…

688. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of vacant or derelict hotel and guesthouse properties in each county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34354/26]

689. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on current guidelines for local authorities installing solar PV on social housing; if local authority tenants are eligible to apply for a grant for these either through their local authority or the SEAI; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34366/26]

690. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a survey has been done of electricity costs in social housing before and after retrofitting works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34367/26]

691. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current average processing times for Section 49 cases within Tailte Éireann; the number of such cases currently on hand categorised by length of time awaiting assessment such as zero to six months, six to12 months, 12 to 18 months, 18 plus months; the reason a case (details supplied) lodged on 24 July 2025…

692. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware that there can be a significant gap between grants awarded by the local authority and the actual cost of adaptation; if he can outline the supports that are in place for persons who cannot make up the shortfall specifically in the case where an occupational therapist has recommended significant…

693. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding any mechanism in place within his Department that allows for civil servants to transfer on secondment to an equivalent role within the European Union, without negatively impacting their pension and other employment rights; his views on the merits of such a scheme; and if he will make a state…

694. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when will there be a decision made on the protected disclosure that was submitted by a person (details supplied). [34498/26]

695. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the National Parks and Wildlife Service have given consideration to acquiring the 1,500-acre land parcel for sale in Aghavannagh, County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34565/26]

696. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on measures taken by his Department to improve water quality in Ireland, specifically, actions relating to Lady's Lake in Wexford, the Blackwater River and Lough Carra; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34569/26]

697. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on his Department's consideration of Fingal County Council's proposals for housing at Tuckett's Lane Park, Howth received in 2025. [34573/26]

698. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when in 2025 his Department received updated proposals from Fingal County Council for housing at Tuckett's Lane Park, Howth [34574/26]

699. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to set out the process whereby Fingal County Council was informed by his Department that it must remove green roofs from housing proposed for Malahide Road, despite the provision of such green infrastructure being an objective of policy at national, regional and local levels, and the reasons for those instru…

700. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether local authorities, approved housing bodies and the Land Development Agency have been given to understand by his Department that they should not include green roofs in housing proposals. [34576/26]

701. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of BER exempt domestic properties in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34638/26]

702. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether there are any mechanisms in place to prevent spurious or incorrect BER exemption claims on domestic properties; if there is any oversight or monitoring of domestic properties which claim BER exemptions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34639/26]

703. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department is currently reviewing the mandatory retirement age for members of the Fire Service; the stage that review is at; when he expects further information or recommendations to be available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34701/26]

704. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department is examining the introduction of an extension scheme for firefighters approaching the current retirement age, similar to the system available to members of An Garda Síochána, whereby personnel may apply to continue in service subject to efficiency, maintained fitness levels, and the successfu…

705. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if any proposed changes to the retirement age for firefighters would require legislative or regulatory amendment; and if so, the expected timeframe for such changes to be drafted, approved and enacted, should this be proceeded with; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34703/26]

706. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide a list of all capital projects including social and affordable housing, water services, heritage and local authority-led projects funded under the remit of his Department which have been completed on time and within budget in Cork North-West in each of the past five years, in tabular form;…

707. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the new National Planning Statement on Solar Energy; and to provide a timeline for its publication. [34750/26]

708. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there is to be a review of local election boundaries in advance of local government elections in 2029; and a timeline for any such review. [34818/26]

709. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there is any update on the expected publication date of the Taskforce on Local Democracy report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34837/26]

710. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the supports, remedial measures or discretionary arrangements that are available to a person who purchased a vacant or derelict property but was not advised by the local authority or any relevant State body at the time of purchase of their potential eligibility for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant; whet…