Parliamentary questions

635. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there is any planning regulation that stipulates that a medical service provider, such as a pharmacy or GP surgery, must have car parking access or set down within a reasonable distance from the building; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14165/26]

636. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the Monuments Service will provide a wheelchair accessible entrance at a cemetery (details supplied; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14197/26]

637. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a private home purchaser can combine the first home scheme with the croí cónaithe cities scheme. [14199/26]

638. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of ECCE-only childcare services that are considered exempt and not exempt from paying commercial rates in 2025 and 2026, as per paragraph 10, schedule 4 of the Valuation Act 2001. [14240/26]

639. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of ECCE-only childcare services that have received commercial rates bills in 2025 and 2026. [14241/26]

640. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of sessional childcare services that are considered exempt and not exempt from paying commercial rates, as per paragraph 10, schedule 4 of the Valuation Act 2001. [14242/26]

641. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of sessional childcare services that have received commercial rates bills in 2025 and 2026. [14243/26]

642. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his definition of ECCE, sessional and part-time childcare services; and how commercial rates are applied to each of them. [14244/26]

643. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of part-time childcare services that are considered exempt and not exempt from paying commercial rates, as per paragraph 10, schedule 4 of the Valuation Act 2001. [14245/26]

644. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of part-time childcare services that have received commercial rates bills in 2025 and 2026. [14246/26]

645. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of childminders that have had their homes assessed for commercial rates in 2024, 2025 and 2026. [14249/26]

646. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of childminders that have received bills for commercial rates in 2024, 2025 and 2026. [14250/26]

647. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of ECCE childcare services that have had their premises assessed for commercial rates in 2024, 2025 and 2026. [14251/26]

648. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if, given the significant increase in population, he will increase the number of city and county councillors nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14320/26]

649. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he has obtained legal advice to support the position that complaints concerning the administration, delay, procedures, resourcing or transparency of the Defective Concrete Blocks Appeals Panel fall outside the remit of the Office of the Ombudsman by virtue of the panel being described as independent; if …

650. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether it is the position of his Department that homeowners affected by defective concrete blocks have no external or independent complaints or oversight mechanism available to them in respect of delay, maladministration or procedural unfairness in the appeals process; if so, the way in which this position is c…

651. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the role of his Department in determining or influencing the operation of the Defective Concrete Blocks Appeals Panel, including its terms of reference, appointment process, funding, staffing levels, procedures and timelines; whether, in view of this role, he accepts that the administration and operation of the …

652. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether hemp-based construction materials, including hempcrete and bio composite products are being considered within public procurement frameworks and housing policy as part of efforts to reduce building emissions and construction costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14329/26]

653. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has issued policy guidance or circulars to local authorities regarding the governance and leasing of publicly owned sports facilities to third parties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14332/26]

654. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has any role in approving, reviewing or providing guidance on governance structures for sports facilities owned by local authorities and leased to external bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14333/26]

655. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has issued guidance to local authorities on community consultation processes in respect of publicly owned sports and recreational facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14339/26]

656. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason the exemption for protected structures is listed as a potential exception in urban areas of high population under the short-term letting regulations and does not apply to rural areas where many historic structures are not suitable for long-term lets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14…

657. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide a list of all State agencies within his Department that allocate programme and project funding to section 39, section 56 and section 10 organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14394/26]

658. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the State agencies within his Department that have made provision for the pension auto enrolment payment as part of their allocation to funded organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14412/26]

659. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has considered or supported small-scale, clustered or integrated housing developments specifically designed for adults with intellectual disabilities who wish to live independently while remaining close to their peers and community, such as a proposed development of 15–20 universally desig…