Questions

152. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reforms or changes that have been made on foot of the recommendations of the Oireachtas Committee on Future Funding of Domestic Water Services; if he plans any statutory changes or reforms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31420/26]

153. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the budget allocation for both the built heritage investment scheme and the historic structure fund in the years of 2025 and 2026, in tabular form; and the amount drawn down by approved project in 2024 and 2025 and 2026. [31036/26]

154. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps being taken to ensure consistent application of the National Guidelines for the Assessment and Allocation Process for Social Housing Provision for People with a Disability; when a circular was last issued in this area; whether consideration will be given to issuing a circular to local authorities to reinforce the applicatio…

155. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of new Traveller-specific housing units delivered in each year from 2019 to 2025, with a breakdown for each year by new group housing, major refurbs, new halting site bays, major refurbs of bays, caravan loans, emergency replacement mobiles and acquisitions, in tabular form. [31168/26]

156. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when he will request local authorities to include a Traveller-ethnic identifier in their reporting of homelessness in order to establish the level of homelessness in the Traveller community. [31169/26]

157. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware that Louth County Council has been required to pause the general acceptance of Housing Adaptation Grants, Mobility Aid Grants and Housing for Older Persons Grants in 2026 due to the level of demand and funding already committed; whether additional funding will be made available to local authorities later this year …

158. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total amounts based on current or latest data, of rent arrears owed by social housing tenants in each local authority area; the number of social housing households that the corresponding rent arrears relate to per each local authority area, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31218/26]

159. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the procedure being put in place to provide for developer-built water and wastewater infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31261/26]

160. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to review the first home schemes threshold for areas outside of Dublin where house prices have risen significantly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31323/26]

161. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if consideration will be given to introduce a temporary price stabilisation condition for developments participating in either the help-to-buy or first home scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31325/26]

162. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has prepared a business case for the purchase of 1,500 acres of land at Aghavannagh Mountain in Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31326/26]

163. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding the mechanisms in place to support agencies under his remit with the increased costs of employing staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31364/26]

164. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding the mechanisms in place to support agencies under his remit to manage the increase in the minimum wages in recent years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31382/26]

165. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding the mechanisms in place to support agencies under his remit to manage increasing operating costs including insurance, energy and fuel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31400/26]

678. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when Part IV of the Planning and Development Act 2024 will be fully commenced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29567/26]

679. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the Dowth Hall Demesne and National Park will be open to the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29571/26]

680. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the instruction to the NPWS to consider a suite of options for the control of cherry laurel; when he expects the NPWS to report back with a determination of the most appropriate measures; whether a public consultation will be held on the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29576/26]

681. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current status of the fire services Bill; will this Bill move to the next stages. [29688/26]

682. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department is engaging with local authorities with a view to giving rates relief to childcare facilities given these facilitates are now being required to pay commercial rates even though they are providing an essential service to the community, and as a result of this additional cost many of them will not be reopening in Sept…

683. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to confirm if he has received an application for the interim remediation scheme by an owners' management company of apartments and duplexes (details supplied); if so, the works that are planned and/or the works that have been carried out to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29754/26]

684. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the new Shannon bye laws will require commercial operators to get a licence to operate a commercial activity on the waterway; and if there will be a fee to obtain this licence. [29762/26]

685. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if Waterways Ireland will review the waiting list for the Grand Canal Dock; and the number of persons that currently have a boat on the waterway and who applied to be on the waiting list in the past five years.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29763/26]

686. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if Waterways Ireland will provide a break down on the amount spent on an annual basis for the past five years with PR and communication companies in preparing for appearing at Joint Oireachtas Committees. [29764/26]

687. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the rationale for linking rent increases in the first two years to CPI for new build, purpose-built student accommodation, with no 2% cap where the development commenced after 10 June 2025, as outlined in the National Student Accommodation Strategy 2026–2035; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29077/26]

688. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the financial support, assistance or grant aid that can be accessed via his Department or at local authority level funded by his Department, that persons can access in order to assist with discoveries of items and or remains of cultural and historic significance (details supplied). [29982/26]