Parliamentary questions

425. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the key measures taken to support first-time buyers since January 2025; his priorities for same for the rest of 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53476/26]

426. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the key measures taken to enhance water services since January 2025; his priorities for same for the rest of 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53477/26]

427. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the key measures taken to support right-sizing since January 2025; his priorities for same for the rest of 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53478/26]

428. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the key measures taken to boost overall housing supply since January 2025; his priorities for same for the rest of 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53479/26]

429. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for a report on the work of the Housing Activation Office since January 2025; his priorities for same for the rest of 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53480/26]

430. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the Government will consider restoring grants for the recommended demolition and rebuild (Option 1) for homeowners who commenced this option at their own expense and were previously downgraded to a lesser option by the Housing Agency; as the publication of the revised IS 465:2026 now confirms that Option 1 wa…

431. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the specific pathways that exist for people with intellectual disabilities who are homeless or at risk of homelessness to access appropriate housing, care and support; the way in which his Department co-ordinates with the HSE, disability services, local authorities and homeless service providers in such …

432. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider a review option and compensation scheme for homeowners who proceeded with an option 1 demolition and rebuild of their home under the defective concrete blocks grant scheme, in line with the recommendation of their engineer but not in line with the option provided for by the Housing A…

433. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to introduce a major low-cost sites scheme in County Kerry and across the country as part of the solution to the housing crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53596/26]

434. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to increase the qualifying threshold for social housing to allow low income workers qualify for housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53597/26]

435. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has reviewed documentation supplied in correspondence (details supplied); his response; if he will meaningfully engage with this group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53605/26]

436. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there are plans to expand the eligibility criteria for the defective concrete blocks grant scheme to include non-primary residences once remediation works have been completed for those currently availing of the scheme; if he plans to create some form of register whereby those whose non-primary residences a…

437. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the roll-out of the fuel income support scheme for the construction industry; when applications will open; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53635/26]

438. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of active cost-rental tenancies in operation and to provide a breakdown of the number of cost-rental tenancies by cost-rental landlord (details supplied). [53653/26]

439. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will address concerns regarding recent proposed legislation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53658/26]

440. Deputy Ann Graves asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) has been penalised by the rules adopted; and if he will consider amending current legislation to ensure early retirees can also access the treatment benefit scheme. [52659/26]

441. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on a disability allowance application (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52678/26]

442. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost in 2027 if the household benefits package increased to €50 per month. [52715/26]

443. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps he recommends for a carer's allowance applicant who meets all eligibility criteria but currently works over the 18.5-hour weekly limit, where the applicant intends to reduce their employment hours immediately upon approval but faces financial hardship preventing them from doing so before a formal decision is made; if a pro…

444. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Social Protection if there is a specific policy within his Department that seeks to preclude those elected to local authorities from any boards that he may appoint; the rationale behind any such policy; the way in which it aligns with encouraging participation in local government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52862/26]

445. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Social Protection to commit to preparing legislation to not automatically exclude members of local authorities from consideration for appointment to State boards; and to set out the reasons such persons would be excluded. [52880/26]

446. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of jobseeker's benefit and jobseeker's allowance, respectively, in each of the past five years, in tabular form. [52905/26]

447. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of new applications for jobseeker's benefit and jobseeker's allowance received in each of the past five years, in tabular form. [52906/26]

448. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons currently in receipt of jobseeker's payments who have been continuously in receipt of such payments for more than two years, more than four years, more than six years, more than eight years and more than ten years, in tabular form. [52907/26]

449. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated annual Exchequer cost associated with persons who have been in receipt of jobseeker's payments for more than two years; more than four years; more than six years; more than eight years; and more than ten years, in the most recent year for which figures are available. [52908/26]