Questions

1052. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether, in light of the NPF Implementation: Housing Growth Requirements Guidelines issued in July 2025 (details supplied) planning authorities are now permitted to expand settlement boundaries and zone land beyond existing built-up areas; whether this zoning headroom must be reconciled with, or takes precedence over, the compac…

1053. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on the introduction of a publicly accessible, redacted online bidding log for active sales, similar to international models to provide real-time assurance to buyers without compromising data privacy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42123/26]

1054. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans for a rightsizing scheme for private homeowners, who own their own home but wish to downsize; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42154/26]

1055. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 560 of 21 April 2026 and 586 of 19 May 2026, in which it was confirmed that his Department can provide Excel versions of the published Local Authority Regional Homelessness Financial Reports directly upon request in compliance with S.I. No. 376/2021; if his Department will now publish the Lo…

1056. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total amount spent by his Department on public procurement in 2025; to provide a breakdown, where available, by goods, services, works procurement expenditure, by expenditure procured directly by his Department and expenditure procured through central purchasing arrangements or frameworks; and if he will make a statement on th…

1057. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department is fully compliant with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Model Publication Scheme Guidance, issued under section 8 of the Freedom of Information Act 2014, specifically the requirements under section D and section E (details supplied); to publish quarterly the contracts awarded above €25,000 (ex…

1058. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps being taken to ensure the long-term ecological and hydrological stability of the River Shannon and Lough Derg in light of the Water Supply Project (Eastern and Midlands Region); if his attention has been drawn to Marine Notice No. 56 of 2026 issued by Waterways Ireland warning that water levels have already dipped below …

1059. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the legal and administrative justification for allowing Uisce Éireann to proceed to the procurement and tendering stage for the Water Supply Project (Eastern and Midlands Region) prior to securing statutory planning permission from An Bord Pleanála; the measures being taken to ensure that this parallel progression does not prejudi…

1060. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the next round of funding is coming on stream under the Historic Structures Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42231/26]

1061. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reasons for the refusal of a Historic Structures Fund 2026 application (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42234/26]

1062. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of bicycle shelters installed across the State by his Department on behalf of Government Departments, local authorities, and State agencies in each of the past five years; the total expenditure incurred in each year; the average cost per unit; and if he will provide a breakdown by Department, local authority and agency…

1063. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total amount spent on IT systems and related projects by his Department and agencies under its remit in each of the past five years; to provide a detailed breakdown of all such projects, including original budget, final cost, and delivery timelines; the number and value of projects that exceeded their original budget or timel…

1064. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage with regard to the planned winding up of the Pyrite Board, the number of houses remediated following a rating of ‘DCR1 with progression’; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42355/26]

1065. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage with regard to the planned winding up of the Pyrite Board the number of houses rated ‘DCR1 with progression’ which were refused remediation by the Pyrite Board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42356/26]

1066. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the Government intends to introduce legislative or regulatory changes requiring planning permission for the conversion of hotels, apartments or guesthouses into emergency accommodation; the mandatory community consultation, and minimum safety standards for such facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42380/2…

1067. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline the guidance given to local authorities and AHBs regarding rent setting for social housing; if there is any guidance regarding service charges in social housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42397/26]

1068. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the staff turnover rate in his Department in the years 2019 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42428/26]

1069. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department will consider increasing the mandatory retirement age for firefighters from 62 years of age to the State pension age of 66; if any review of the current retirement age arrangements has been undertaken or is planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42480/26]

1070. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will introduce interim measures or conditional approvals to allow micro-company owners to qualify for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant without incurring significant tax liabilities, solely to qualify for the grant ahead of the proposed policy review in the second half of 2026; when any structural change to allow for …

1071. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to confirm whether his Department intends to employ a chief architect in his Department and to provide an update on the progress in ensuring the implementation of the State Architecture Policy. [42518/26]

1072. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will outline the current terms and conditions of the rural water subsidy scheme, particularly the requirement under Section 7A for group water schemes (GWS) to submit a full statement of audited accounts with their annual subsidy application; if this audited accounts requirement is a new or recently strengthened condition; th…

1073. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the estimated additional cost to small rural group water schemes of having their accounts professionally audited; if his Department has carried out an assessment of the administrative and financial impact of this requirement on small voluntary-run schemes; and whether his Department will consider introducing a de minimis threshold …

1074. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware that some local authorities previously accepted certified accounts and Tax Clearance Certificates from small group water schemes without requiring a full audit; whether this practice is consistent across all local authorities; and if he will instruct local authorities to apply the terms and conditions in a proportion…

1075. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide details of the advance notice given to group water schemes nationally regarding the audited accounts requirement for the current subsidy round; and whether he will allow a transitional or phased implementation period for smaller schemes to comply with this change without losing entitlement to the subsidy. [42546/26]

1076. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on the fact that the majority of local authority housing maintenance expenditure nationally is reactive rather than planned; the steps he is taking to support local authorities to transition to a planned, cyclical maintenance model; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42549/26]