Parliamentary questions

500. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to issue a directive to permanently abolish commercial rates for Men’s Sheds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51844/26]

328. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide a detailed breakdown of the funding provided for nature restoration. [50403/26]

329. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the estimated cost to double the funding for biodiversity officers, by cap ex and op ex, in tabular form. [50420/26]

330. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has conducted an assessment of the extent to which recent tenancy law reforms have contributed to landlords exiting the private rental market; the findings of such an assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50329/26]

331. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the breakdown of the funding that was provided to retrofitting of local authority homes; the average cost to retrofit a local authority home; and the average BER uplift in each of the years 2020 to 2026, in tabular form. [50354/26]

332. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the breakdown of the funding that was allocated for solar PV in local authority homes in each of the years 2020 to 2026, in tabular form. [50355/26]

333. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if, given Residential Tenancies Board data showing a record number of notices of termination issued during Q1 2026, he will undertake a review of the impact of the Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2026 on landlord participation in the private rental sector; and if he will make a statement on t…

334. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of applicants who have availed of the €1,500 annual payment under the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme, by year, since the creation of the scheme; the total number of new successful applicants who have availed of the €1,500 annual payment under the scheme by year since its creation,…

335. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views that the absence of national planning guidelines for anaerobic digestion and biomethane facilities risks producing inconsistent decisions across local authorities and An Coimisiún Pleanála; the steps he is taking to ensure a coherent national planning framework for such facilities; and if he will make a…

336. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to introduce a grant incentive scheme for social housing tenants to purchase private housing (details supplied). [50507/26]

337. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for the full staffing allocation, according to grade provided to Galway City Council; the additional staffing positions approved for Galway City Council in each of the years 2024 and 2025; the grade level at which the additional staff were sanctioned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50570/26]

338. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the full staffing allocation, by grade provided to Galway County Council; the additional staffing positions approved for Galway County Council in each of the years 2024 and 2025; the grade level at which the additional staff were sanctioned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50571/26]

339. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the development of a new fire station in Galway city; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50572/26]

340. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the publication and commencement of the proposed National Planning Statement on rural housing will require planning authorities to initiate statutory variations to their County Development Plans where existing policies are inconsistent with the new National Planning Statement; whether planning authorit…

341. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether, following the commencement of the National Planning Statement on rural housing, the planning policies and objectives contained within existing County Development Plans that are inconsistent with the statement will cease to have effect immediately, or whether such policies will remain in force until am…

342. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of applications for the vacant above the shop grant since the scheme opened; the number of grants approved; the number of grants drawn down; and to provide a breakdown for this information by local authority area. [50635/26]

343. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to set out the procedures for updating city and county development plans following the adoption of a national planning policy statement by Government, including statutory timelines for public consultation or adoption of the content of the policy statements into existing development plans. [50730/26]

344. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of biodiversity officers in each local authority, by local authority, in tabular form, and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51175/26]

191. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding an application made by Galway County Council to the housing activation office in respect of the next section of the Athenry Ring Road; the progress from his Department to Galway County Council in respect of the Athenry Ring Road; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49963/26]

192. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to confirm whether he has issued guidance or instruction to local authorities regarding the operation of their social housing transfer lists in recent times; and if so, to outline the guidance or instruction and to publish a copy of the correspondence. [49969/26]

193. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to changes to the proposed apartment mix for an LDA site (details supplied); if he is satisfied that the housing need of the area is being met through this new apartment mix; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49996/26]

194. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to changes to the proposed apartment mix for an LDA site (details supplied) that was not included in the public consultation on the proposed development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49997/26]

195. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the five year review of the approved housing body regulatory authority. [50053/26]

196. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to review the fresh start principle within the local authority purchase and renovation loan scheme, in light of cases where families had to sell a previous home due to the disability-related needs of a child; if he will consider extending eligibility so that such families are not excluded from accessing finance…

197. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the published assessment criteria for the community heritage grant scheme; the process by which applications are assessed and refused; the review or appeal mechanism available to unsuccessful applicants; and whether, as the Department funding the scheme, he will seek a report from the Heritage Council on h…