Cormac Devlin
Question:6. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his targets for the delivery of starter homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12736/25]
Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions
Housing Provision
The programme for Government specifically references to starter homes. There is a very strong challenge in housing generally to deliver increased supply but the provision of starter homes to give individuals and families the prospect of owning a home is something we need to deliver on as a Government. Will the Minister of State outline his targets on this?
I thank the Deputy for raising this question. I know housing delivery in particular is something he is very passionate about and that he has always been dedicated to.
As part of the programme for Government, the Government committed to launching a new, comprehensive starter home programme across the public, private and approved housing body, AHB, sector. This promotes home ownership and secures long-term rental tenures for young people and fresh start applicants. As stated in the programme for Government, the starter home programme will support and deliver an average of 15,000 starter homes per year, including through the first home scheme and the help to buy support, in addition to other affordable purchase and cost rental schemes.
The Government is fully committed to delivering affordable housing at scale and to continue accelerating housing supply across all tenures. The Government’s ambition is to build on the progress made to date under housing for all, and deliver more than 300,000 homes in the period from 2025 to 2030 equating to an annual average of more than 50,000 homes per year, building up to 60,000 in 2030. Work on translating these revised national housing targets into local, tenure-specific targets is ongoing and at an advanced stage. This work is expected to be completed in the coming months and will be published after the work on the revised national planning framework is complete.
These tenure-specific targets will both inform the revision of existing affordable housing targets and further inform the development of the starter home programme supports set out in the programme for Government which will be set out in the new housing plan.
Yesterday, we saw the figure for house price growth of 8.1% last year. The Minister of State will understand there is a lot of concern among first-time buyers, both individuals and families, that the prospect of owning their own home is getting further and further away from them. That is something the Government needs to be acutely aware of. While I welcome the provisions in the programme for Government and the commitments to the help to buy and first home schemes and the continuation of the croí conaithe, etc., we need to keep these under review and try to do everything we can as a government to make home ownership a reality for as many people as we can. I ask the Minister of State and the Department to redouble their efforts on this with the provision of starter homes, which will allow home ownership to become a reality for the majority.
The Deputy is right. The trends relating to the cost of purchasing properties is concerning but we firmly believe the best way to address that is by delivery. That is why we are committed to delivering 300,000 homes from 2025 to 2030. Since Housing for All started we have delivered 10,000 affordable solutions and that is gathering momentum. Keys for many of the affordable housing schemes in our county of Cork have been given out over the past 12 months or so and there are more in the pipeline. That is something we have to focus on.
A total of 15,000 starter homes a year will make a difference as well as the expansion of the first home scheme and repurposing the local authority home loan, which people have availed of but we need to make it flexible. The Deputy mentioned reviewing the targets. The Minister has committed to a flexible and agile approach to this so that if solutions need to be adapted, we can do so.
The target of 15,000 a year is significant and something that the Government will do its level best to achieve. The specific measures I outlined earlier are very welcome.
I want to raise one specific point about the first home scheme. It is an important vehicle for home ownership. It is a form of affordable housing, without doubt, but many new properties are falling outside the limits of the scheme. That needs to be reviewed in my constituency of Cork South Central where new three-bed semi detached houses are over the limit for the first home scheme. We do not necessarily want to chase price growth and we do not want to be part of the problem by increasing house prices but we have to examine the scheme if it is not working for many prospective purchasers.
Reviewing the home loan and making it more workable and accessible for more people is very welcome and the expansion of the first home scheme to secondhand properties is something that the programme for Government also commits to.
The Deputy raised a relevant point about the first home scheme. It is increasing in popularity as reflected by the numbers of people choosing to avail of it. If the goalposts seem to be moving in respect of the cost of houses and many properties are falling outside the scheme, the Minister has made a commitment to be flexible and agile in reviewing the schemes if that is needed. That will be ongoing. Decisions made on an approach to housing will not be set in stone. The previous Government and this Government have shown, and will show, that flexibility and adaptability.
Housing Provision
Séamus McGrath
Question:7. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans for ramping up the delivery of affordable purchase homes and his targets for the coming years. [12532/25]
This also relates to affordable housing. There will be full agreement across the House on the need to increase our delivery of affordable housing. I am pleased that in the city and county of Cork many developments have been brought forward by the city and county councils. My question relates to the ramping up of delivery of affordable housing. It is a critical vehicle for those seeking home ownership. We need to be very ambitious in our targets and I seek detail on that this morning.
I know from our time shared on Cork County Council the delivery of affordable housing was something on which the Deputy was insistent and I am glad that much of this is coming to fruition. The Government is fully committed to working with all stakeholders to deliver affordable housing at scale and to continue accelerating housing supply across all tenures. The Government’s ambition is to build on progress to date under Housing for All and deliver more than 300,000 homes in the period from 2025 to 2030 with an annual average of more than 50,000 homes per year building up to 60,000 in 2030. These revised national housing targets will inform the revision to existing social and affordable housing targets at a local authority level and work is ongoing in this regard.
Since 2021, more than 10,000 affordable housing supports have now been delivered from a standing start via our delivery partners and schemes such as the affordable housing fund, the first home scheme and the vacant property refurbishment grant are making it affordable for many to purchase a home. To date, nearly 1,300 local authority affordable purchase homes have been delivered and a substantial pipeline is in place to deliver affordable purchase homes. This is being supported with resourcing for the local authorities, with more than 140 additional staff assigned to work on their affordable housing programmes, ensuring we will see delivery ramped up.
My Department publishes programme-level statistics on affordable and social housing delivery activity by local authorities and delivery partners in each local authority area. Data up to quarter 3 2024 is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website. Affordable housing schemes are operating at scale and this momentum will continue as the pipeline is developed by local authorities alongside AHBs and the Land Development Agency.
I welcome the Government’s commitment. One particular group to whom I have committed to being a strong voice in the House is those prospective purchasers who find themselves falling between the supports.
They are those individuals, couples and families who are outside the social housing income limits. Their income is over those limits so they do not qualify for social housing. Affordable housing really should be the vehicle for them to gain home ownership. Unfortunately, we find in many cases that they are not able to avail of the affordable housing schemes simply because they are not affordable enough for them. This issue has been raised previously but we need to provide some assistance to those individuals and families. The affordable housing scheme needs to be reviewed. We need to make it more affordable as well as increasing overall targets and improving our delivery. It has to be accessible and affordable. We have to deal with the cohort who are not currently getting support from Government. I know the programme for Government addresses this but I would like to see it happen at the earliest possible time.
I am very familiar with his passion for affordable housing. He was always an advocate for social housing of all sorts and in Cork county in particular, he has been one of the key voices in ramping up the delivery of different affordable housing solutions. There is a project to deliver 60 cost-rental homes in Kilnagleary, Carrigaline, which is very close to the Deputy's home area and is something he advocated for. Our commitment today is that such projects will be ramped up at speed and we will deliver them as quickly as we can. Since the publication of Housing for All, 10,000 affordable housing solutions have been delivered. We need to do more; we need to accelerate that delivery. That is the commitment given by the Minister and the Department today. I agree with the Deputy about homeowners who are falling between the cracks. In my previous answer, I spoke about the need for flexibility and adaptability. The momentum is there.
The Minister of State's words of commitment are welcome. Issues relating to additional staff for local authorities are very important. There is a fundamental issue in respect of affordable housing that very often when proposals come to local authorities, the default position seems to be to fall back on social housing delivery rather than affordable housing. That mindset needs to change. We have to build the systems so that affordable housing becomes a reality. The cost to the State of affordable housing is a lot less. It is providing a mechanism for the cohort I described to gain home ownership. We need to ramp it up. Affordable housing needs to be affordable and, at present, in many cases, it is not. The State is already subsidising the delivery of affordable housing to a large extent but we have to do more to give hope to those individuals and families who are trying to gain home ownership.
I thank the Minister of State for making specific reference to the schemes in south Cork. They are schemes I am very aware of and I am putting a strong focus on trying to ramp up delivery. It is good to hear the commitment this morning.
Before Housing for All, there were no affordable housing schemes. Many of these schemes are in the process of being designed or built, or keys are being handed over for the first time. There is momentum and we expect acceleration in terms of scaling up and the number of affordable housing schemes that will be available. I have to give credit to Cork County Council officials in particular. Their social housing delivery has been among the best, top notch, and they deserve credit for that. I also see their embrace of affordable housing schemes in my own area, which the Deputy will be familiar with, in places such as Bantry, Clonakilty and Bandon where the first affordable homes schemes are coming online. That should be replicated throughout Ireland. The Minister has committed to these type of schemes being replicated throughout the country. I appreciate the Deputy's concern about the issue and his constant dedication to pushing these housing solutions across County Cork.
Vacant Properties
Maurice Quinlivan
Question:8. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the plans he has to increase the funding per unit for refurbishing vacant and derelict local authority houses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12669/25]
My question is about local authority vacant homes, known as voids. Are there any plans for Government to increase the money allowed to each local authority per unit? It is an issue that causes concern across the State, particularly when people live next door to a local authority house that is boarded up, which can be the case for a number of years. Is the Minister of State increasing the funding per unit?
I thank the Deputy for the question. I know voids and refurbishment are issues he has raised previously. The management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, is a matter for each individual local authority under section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. Local authorities also have a legal obligation to ensure all their tenanted properties are compliant with the provisions of the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019.
Notwithstanding this, my Department provides annual funding support to local authorities in preparing vacant units for re-let under the voids programme. Since 2014 to the end of 2024, Exchequer funding of €361.6 million has been recouped to local authorities, which has supported the refurbishment and re-let of 25,672 dwellings. The emphasis of the programme is on those refurbishment works necessary to comply with the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 to ensure quick turnaround and re-letting times. All future works should be deferred and carried out under planned maintenance over the life cycle of the asset. Under the voids programme, there is no upper cap that can be spent on an individual dwelling providing the overall average per dwelling of €11,000 is maintained. Funding is also available under the energy efficiency programme of up to €48,850 and can be used in parallel with voids funding where turnaround times are not affected. As part of the programme for Government, consideration is being given to the introduction of a new voids programme with a view to further improve turnaround times of vacant social housing units.
I thank the Minister of State. I am not sure I heard him correctly in respect of a limit of €11,000. Limerick council gets €11,000 per unit for each house it does up. The average cost per unit to the council is €48,000. The cost of refurbishment is a major problem, which the council cannot afford itself. We need to look at the issue clearly. Local authorities such as Limerick cannot refurbish these properties without meaningful support from central government. The current grant was not even increased in line with construction inflation. These sites are eyesores which bring down the value of property when they could be used to house local families. I was dealing with a family recently who are living in emergency accommodation in a hotel. The mother was looking out at the estate she comes fro, where three local authority houses have been boarded up for more than two years. The system is not working properly. As I have said in this House previously, void houses can be a magnet for antisocial behaviour and dumping rubbish, with people gathering around them. It is not fair on the neighbours. We need a better system whereby councils are funded and can deliver the return on these houses.
I agree that void houses are an issue, not just from an antisocial behaviour point of view. They are low-hanging fruit in terms of getting houses back into the social housing stock, where they are desperately needed. Some local authorities are better than others but, to be fair, a lot of progress has been made. More than 25,000 voids have been returned to the housing stock in recent years, which means the schemes we have introduced are working. I do not have specific figures in respect of Limerick local authority. Certain local authorities are excellent in terms of turnaround speed, getting their voids back into the housing stock quickly and availing of the grants that are in place. To clarify, the average allowed per house is €11,000 but there is no upper limit per house for refurbishment. This can also be done in conjunction with the energy efficiency schemes. A significant amount is available under those schemes. I agree with the Deputy that we need to get all voids back into the housing stock as quickly as possible.
Limerick council has done a very good job when it can, when it has the money. The process is cumbersome. They have to through bundles; they cannot just do one but have to do a couple. It takes quite a while to come back. Many of the houses that are boarded up have only minor works to be done. While waiting for authorisation from the Department, they end up being boarded up, which costs €3,000 to €4,000. Nobody wants to live next to a house that is boarded up. It is not fair when there is family coming to visit. The estate does not look great. The issue here is making the process simpler and funding the councils to be able to deliver. For instance, in Limerick there are always 200 vacant houses. When we get 20 done, 20 more come onstream. There is no plan to address this, to get it back to zero and start again. That is what we need to do. We need to change the system. It is low-hanging fruit, as the Minister of State said. This is the fastest way to deliver social housing and people are in need of those properties.
I will try to be constructive but, following on from my colleague, €11,000 is a joke of an amount of money. I appeal to the Minister of State to increase that amount. A local authority that has a property that will cost between €50,000 and €80,000 to fix will leave it idle and fix the voids that are cheaper.
The Government is only giving €11,000 plus the grant for the retrofitting, so call it €25,000. Therefore, all the cheaper houses are done first, but what happens then is that the local authorities are leaving the houses that are worst affected idle for years. Houses in my constituency have been left idle for three or four years and it then causes antisocial behaviour and dumping. Can the Minister of State imagine the environment in which the children are growing up? Without criticising the Minister of State because he is new into the job - I said this to previous housing Ministers and I will say it to him now - will he please increase the funding? Many local authorities do not have the budgets to carry out that work. In Cork, there are hundreds of boarded-up void houses. Can the Minister of State imagine being homeless and looking at them? It is a sin.
I thank Deputy Gould for his contribution. As I said, €11,000 is not a limit - more can be put into individual houses - but that is an average. It can also be combined with those energy efficiency grants. Much can be done in terms of improving houses with those energy efficiency grants, which, as I said, are upwards of €48,000. If there are problem areas, I know the Minister, Deputy Browne, has an open-door policy. If there are geographical areas or certain areas in which certain issues need bespoke approaches, I am sure conversations can be had in that regard. However, to say the scheme is not working is unfair. Some 20,000 voids have been brought back into use. Obviously, I was more familiar with the county council than the city council but certainly the work that Cork County Council did in bringing a lot of these long-term voids back into use was quite impressive. To say the scheme is not working is unfair, but if there are problematic areas or houses that have been void long-term then perhaps there can be discussions in terms of bespoke solutions.
Question No. 9 taken with Written Answers.
We move now to Question No. 10 in the name of Deputy O'Reilly.
Rental Sector
Louise O'Reilly
Question:10. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for a breakdown of the purchases progressed under the tenant in situ scheme in Fingal west for 2023 and 2024; the number of applicants in total for both years; the projected purchases for 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12894/25]
The question is a fairly straightforward one. I am looking for some information regarding the tenant in situ scheme. It genuinely seems like the third or fourth secret of Fatima, or whatever it is. Trying to get information out of the county council can be incredibly difficult but it should not be because this is a very important intervention. It is a homeless prevention measure. For the avoidance of any doubt, any person who applies for the tenant in situ scheme and does not get it is given some very helpful advice by the county council, but the Minister and I both know they are just heading straight into emergency accommodation.
The tenant in situ acquisitions programme has been a key measure in the prevention of homelessness since its introduction in 2023. Therefore, Government has agreed funding to continue the programme for 2025. My Department has notified local authorities on the extension of the programme, and a circular setting out the arrangements will issue shortly.
In 2023, Fingal County Council purchased a total of 221 homes, exceeding the allocation of 125. In the first nine months of 2024, Fingal completed 116 secondhand acquisitions, exceeding its allocation of 100. My Department does not hold data on the number of acquisition applications that have been withdrawn or rejected, nor does it hold data on the timelines for such acquisitions. This information, and the details for requesting a review on decisions made, may be available from individual local authorities.
My Department publishes comprehensive programme-level statistics on a quarterly basis on social housing delivery activity by local authorities and approved housing bodies in each local authority. Comprehensive data on social and affordable housing is published on my Department's website up to quarter 3 2024, including completed acquisitions. Data for all of these schemes up to quarter 4 2024 is being collected and collated at the moment.
I am looking for the specifics with regard to 2025 as well. I have constituents but I am not going to give the Minister too many details because it is absolutely mortifying for people to have their entire private lives traipsed across the Dáil. I know a woman who is the survivor of domestic abuse, and so is one of her daughters who she is living with. It is herself, her daughters and her grandchildren. They have now been given a notice to quit, and the advice they got from the council was that if they were receipt of a valid notice to quit to contact the homeless services. People are told that if they have a housing application with another local authority, they should direct it to the parent authority and if they do not have one, they can join the housing list. People are advised to get themselves private rented accommodation. There is no private rented accommodation in my constituency - absolutely none, zero. That advice is quite frankly insulting. Just so the Minister knows, this woman told me it is hopeless. She said she cannot sleep with the stress. She works nights, and she spends her days awake, frantic, worrying about where she, her daughters and grandchildren are going to live. If the council has that information from the Minister, that is welcome. However, what it needs is an instruction from the Minister's Department to get going on purchasing these homes. As I said, for the avoidance of any doubt, it is a homeless prevention measure for people who are not successful under this scheme or who have to leave because the scheme takes too long and who are going into emergency accommodation. There is no rental accommodation for them.
I thank the Deputy for this important question. I am very much aware of the housing crisis right across this country that causes very serious pain and suffering for individual families as a result. That is why I am determined to get our housing deliveries increased at a significant level. The tenant in situ scheme is a programme to ensure that people do not become homeless. That is why €325 million has been made available for this year. Local authorities will be issued a circular in the very near future notifying them of their allocation of funding to purchase houses under the tenant in situ scheme.
The advice people are given is that their application will be noted, and a member of the team will be in contact once they have further details and clarity from the Minister's Department. It is, therefore, incredibly important that he gets that information out as soon as possible. It is long overdue but as is often the case with this Government, it might be better late than never. We are talking about human beings. The stress of this is unbelievable. I am not sure if it gets through to the Minister what it must be like to go to sleep every night and to just not know. People do not want to overhold, but they are being advised that this might be the only option because there is nowhere else for them to go. There is nowhere for them to rent - I think we can all agree on that - and emergency accommodation is not where people want to go, particularly if they have kids who have additional or special needs or if they themselves have special needs.
I am dealing with a man in his 60s who is overholding. The stress of that is absolutely incredible. They are waiting for information from the Minister's Department with regard to a homeless prevention measure in the middle of a housing crisis the Government has caused. I really do not get any sense of urgency from the Minister this morning with regard to this, and I will convey that back to my constituents, but it will give me absolutely no pleasure to do it.
We have a supplementary question from the Deputy's colleague.
The tenant in situ scheme has been one of those successes with regard to preventing homelessness. We need that circular or the criteria to issue as soon as possible and, obviously, the funding to be provided to local authorities. We have had a huge number of cases. Louth County Council made a large number of purchases that saved an awful lot of people from dreadful circumstances, but a huge number have been stalled within the last period. I accept checks and balances with regard to purchasing houses that are up to standard are needed but there have also been times when the local authority is not looking at old local authority housing stock and is literally looking at what are almost brand new houses, and I have spoken to the Minister before about how there needs to be flexibility with regard to the money from, let us say, a maintenance point of view. While I accept they need to be up to a certain specification, there needs to be flexibility. That needs to be built into the system. I can think of one young woman in a house in a local authority housing estate that should be bought even from an estate management point of view. It would be a win all round, including for her, for that particular estate and so on. That flexibility needs to be in place but we need this to happen as soon as possible.
I can assure the Deputies that this is an absolute priority for me. It is not ideal that it was not resolved before the general election. The funding is now in place. I will be acting with absolute speed to get this circular out. The very same people who are in that very distressing situation come to me. It might surprise Deputy O'Reilly but they do come to Fianna Fáil TDs as well-----
I see the responses you send them. You should be ashamed.
-----and they come to my office and my clinics.
I would not be-----
The Deputy does not have a monopoly on sympathy in these situations. We are doing everything we can to address the housing crisis.
Housing Provision
Catherine Ardagh
Question:11. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the support his Department is providing for the provision of cost-rental apartments at St Michael’s Estate in Inchicore; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12742/25]
St. Michael's Estate in Inchicore was meant to be a flagship cost rental development, but progress, as we know, has been slow. Planning permission was granted in July 2023. Dublin City Council is seeking a loan of €132.5 million to fund the cost rental units. Given that work on the site was due to start this month - main construction is not now expected until November - can the Minister clarify what exactly is causing the delays and whether loan approval is holding up the project?
I thank Deputy Ardagh for raising this very important question regarding St. Michael's Estate in Inchicore. She has been pursuing a campaign and working extremely hard on the matter for some time.
Under Housing for All, the Government set out plans to deliver 54,000 affordable homes, including 36,000 affordable purchase and 18,000 cost rental homes, by 2030. To deliver on this objective, the Government has put in place a comprehensive range of supports for affordable home ownership and cost rental homes being delivered by local authorities, approved housing bodies, the Land Development Agency and via the first home scheme, which is a strategic partnership between the State and retail banks.
To assist the delivery of cost rental homes by local authorities, funding is made available by my Department from the affordable housing fund to reduce the delivery cost of homes to local authorities and thereby reduce the cost of rents to a level at least 25% below market rents in the area. Dublin City Council is availing of the highest level of funding support available from the fund, at €150,000 per unit, to facilitate the proposed redevelopment of lands at Emmet Road, Inchicore, which includes the site of the former St. Michael’s Estate. A total amount of €66.15 million has been approved in principle from the fund to support the 441 cost rental homes proposed within the project. The development will have 578 homes in total, a community hub library, a creche, a supermarket, other retail outlets and a series of new public open spaces to create a vibrant new neighbourhood in Inchicore.
That is all very welcome but construction is yet to start. It looks like it will not be starting until late this year, with a completion date in 2028. As the Minister explained, this is a fantastic project of 578 mixed-tenure units plus 52 social housing units by Circle Voluntary Housing Association. It will be a fantastic development, but is there anything that the Minister can do to expedite the funding for the project or to provide direct financial support to the council in order that there will not be any further delays with the funding?
I again thank Deputy Ardagh for raising this matter. I know how hard she has pursued it. I do not foresee any further delays. There should not be any further delays. As stated, €66.15 million has been approved for allocation from the fund. This is an exceptionally large amount of money that is needed. Such a large amount deserves to be granted in respect of a project of this type. I will certainly do everything I can to ensure that we get shovels in the ground this year and get this much-needed project off the ground.
Dublin City Council plans to outsource the management of this development. Can the Minister confirm if that decision will affect the affordability of tenancy protections for cost rental tenants? Additionally, if the €132.5 million loan is not approved quickly, what alternative measures can be taken to ensure that the project moves forward without further setbacks?
This project has been the subject of considerable debate in this Chamber and of strong cross-party support since it was announced in 2018. There will be further delays. Those delays will be as a result of the imposition of the four-stage approval process by the Department. The four stages include unnecessary design approval, cost appraisal and lengthy procurement. We argued with Darragh O'Brien previously that this could be used as a pilot to run those approvals in parallel with tendering and procurement. We stated that we would work with the Department to try to achieve that. The latter is something that Dublin City Council would like to see. Is that something the Minister is willing to explore?
Will the Minister confirm if the loan approval sought by Dublin City Council been sanctioned by his Department? If not, when will it be granted?
I thank the Deputies for their questions. Unfortunately, I cannot comment on the management situation. In the context of Deputy Ó Broin's question, I will get an answer for that. I do not have the information to hand.
Housing Schemes
Catherine Ardagh
Question:12. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the support his Department is providing the tenant in situ scheme in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12743/25]
The tenant in situ scheme has been hugely successful for many constituents in Dublin South Central. Nationally, it has prevented 20,000 people from losing their homes. Colleagues from across the House have all had people coming to our clinics who waiting for this scheme to be properly recommenced. In light of the announcement of additional funding, which is very welcome, how many extra homes will be secured through the scheme by Dublin City Council specifically, particularly given the huge demand that exists in the city of Dublin?
I thank Deputy Ardagh. Tenant in situ acquisitions have been an important measure in the prevention of homelessness since their introduction in 2023. Government has therefore agreed to continue such acquisitions in 2025 and has increased the funding available for second-hand social housing acquisitions from the €60 million allocated under Housing for All to €325 million. This is being done through the allocation of an additional €265 million.
My Department has been engaging with local authorities on the operational details for the second-hand acquisitions programme. A circular setting out the arrangements will issue shortly. That may be an answer to the Deputy's specific question in respect of Dublin City Council.
Under revised arrangements for second-hand acquisitions in 2025, local authorities will receive a capital funding allocation for the acquisition of homes for the following priority categories: tenant in situ, the elderly and disabled persons, exits from homelessness and buy and renew acquisitions that tackle vacancy. The provision of a capital funding allocation will help promote best practice in obtaining value for money and will provide local authorities with the flexibility to respond to needs and priorities locally within the categories of need being prioritised.
Tenant in situ acquisitions continue to be supported and prioritised where other solutions cannot be found for the affected tenants. It is a matter for local authorities to assess the circumstances of each case and decide the appropriate action. The arrangements for 2025 will ensure a more targeted and focused acquisitions programme.
I thank the Minister. The extra funding is extremely welcome. The demand for the scheme continues to grow. We all have people literally looking to get into our constituency offices to try to find out when the scheme will be recommencing. Can the Minister confirm if the new allocation will fully meet the need that exists or will a further increase be required? Are there measures in place to speed up the process relating to purchases, especially as some tenants have been left waiting months. The bureaucracy relating to trying to get approved for these schemes has been very difficult to deal with in the past. Obviously, different local authorities have different methods of conveying the properties. Some do not use electronic fund transfers and some are only using cheques. Is there a streamlined process for local authorities to purchase properties?
I thank Deputy Ardagh. In fairness to her, she is one of the many Government backbenchers who have called for both the continuation of the tenant in situ scheme and clarification in respect of it. We are glad to be able to confirm that the tenant in situ scheme will continue this year. It is important to provide clarity for people out there. I absolutely agree with the Deputy on that. The scheme has been a success. Well over 2,000 households have avoided homelessness because of the tenant in situ scheme. That is why the Minister said earlier that there is a commitment to continue with the scheme.
As to whether or not local authorities will be resourced enough to deliver what is necessary, as with all Housing for All solutions, adaptability and agility are very important. In addition, some local authorities have been better than others in terms of delivery of social and affordable homes, but that has to be the key focus. The best way we can end homelessness and provide homes for all is by housing delivery. That, along with availing of the supports available under the tenant in situ scheme and the delivery of social and affordable homes, has to be a key priority of local authorities.
Has the Government considered streamlining the application process? Do all local authorities have the necessary resources to ensure quick turnaround once the circular is issued? If demand exceeds the current budget, will further funding be made available by the Department?
In the context of what I said earlier, we all get that the tenant in situ scheme absolutely worked and saved people from homelessness. We are very worried about the tighter criteria. I am specifically asking for some flexibility where local authorities have for the past while been almost only looking at brand-new purchases, or close to that, because they were afraid of getting caught, for want of a better term, on the hook from the point of view of maintenance. There is a problem with maintenance in general. We have all dealt with those who work in maintenance and know that at times it is a question of robbing Peter to pay Paul. We need to look at this particular solution. Estate management issues can often be addressed where it makes sense to buy back the house in a local authority housing estate that is occupied by a very good tenant. We need situations like that to end in success for all in order to remove the threat of people falling into homelessness.
I thank the Deputies. Addressing Deputy Ó Murchú on the issue of flexibility, the Minister already mentioned that in the context of any circulars or correspondence to local authorities, there will be a degree of flexibility. It will be certainly up to local authorities to implement the scheme.
There is nothing at all wrong with having some form of prioritisation. Most schemes involve prioritisation. It is good practice. I do not think it is something we should row back on in the context of this scheme.
Deputy Ardagh spoke about streamlining the process. Local authorities will be urged to turn around, as quickly as possible, any tenant in situ purchases where this is deemed to be a solution to avoid homelessness. The proper resources will be provided in that regard. In order that there be no ambiguity, I reiterate that the tenant in situ scheme will continue. That is down to calls from the Opposition but also from many of our backbenchers, who have, for the past few weeks, been urging the Government to continue with the scheme. That will happen.
Water Charges
Naoise Ó Cearúil
Question:13. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will rule out any return of water charges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12727/25]
Ba mhaith liom gach rath a ghuí ar an Aire, an Teachta Browne agus an Aire Stáit, an Teachta O’Sullivan. I wish the Minister, Deputy Browne, and the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, well in their new briefs.
In the programme for Government, there is no mention of water charges. However, there was an article in the Irish Independent last week and then a furore was created by the Opposition on social media to the effect that there was in some way an attempt to facilitate the return of water charges. Will the Minister rule out any return of water charges?
I thank the Deputy for tabling this important question. I will address some of the issues that have arisen. The Government decided in 2017 that water charges would not be levied on domestic customers and that the funding of domestic water services would instead be met through general taxation and paid through my Department's Vote. This position remains unchanged.
There is a provision for charging for excess use of domestic water services contained within the Water Services Act 2017. This provision is known as the household water conservation charge. It reflects the recommendations made in 2017 by the Joint Committee on Future Funding of Domestic Water Services and the previous programme for Government commitment to implementing these recommendations. The rationale behind the household water conservation charge was to encourage water conservation. It was not intended as a revenue measure.
No further work is being done on this issue. This measure is not in the current programme for Government. as the Deputy rightly pointed out, and there are no plans to introduce it.
That is reassuring. The Opposition spokesperson on housing blew this up on social media, saying that the Government was trying to sneak this in by the back door. The Minister confirmed in the media - he has done so again now - that there is no attempt to reintroduce water charges. It is incredulous that there was an attempt to construe that there was going to be a return to water charges. It is clear that there is no attempt on the Government's part to introduce water charges. This Government has listened to the people. Water charges are not mentioned in the programme for Government.
I again thank the Deputy for raising this matter and giving me the opportunity to reiterate the Government's position on it. I reiterate that there is no work being done on this issue. The measure is not in the current programme for Government. There are no plans to introduce it. We will not be taking any further action in relation to it.
There is a wider conversation to be had about excess water usage in society. By and large, households are responsible when it comes to use of water. It is great that the Government is committed to not reintroducing any type of water charges or introducing water charges for excess use.
While this discussion is going on, the people of Lismore in County Waterford are without water again today. This will be the seventh time in recent months that the entire town of Lismore has been without water. Outages are becoming more frequent. They last 24 hours or more in many cases. They are impacting local businesses, families and a care home. One of the largest secondary schools in County Waterford has been closed on several occasions because of water outages. These outages are also impacting childcare facilities.
A delegation from Lismore has requested meetings with Uisce Éireann. Is the Minister willing to meet with a delegation of townspeople from Lismore to discuss this issue in the interests of ensuring that the town is prioritised. We have all this talk of water charges, excess use and wastage at a time when we have a system that is not fit for purpose, with Victorian pipes and a lack of capacity. Will the Minister meet with a representative delegation of people from Lismore to discuss this issue?
I wish to inform the Minister and the other Deputies talking about excess water usage that water in Cork is undrinkable. Some of the time, it is not fit for human consumption. In Gurranabraher, the area in which I live, test data is coming back stating that the levels of manganese are so high that the water is unfit for human consumption. Still, we cannot get a "do not consume" notice from Irish Water. The HSE is washing its hands of the matter and the EPA is running for cover. Right now, there are water charges in Cork, because people are spending between €20 and €30 per week on water. Does the Minister know that manganese can have a devastating effect on young children's neurological development? That is what the people of Cork are drinking. Many people do not have the money to buy water, and that is what Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have given to us.
Cork City Council was to meet with Irish Water, the HSE and the EPA yesterday. The meeting was cancelled because Uisce Éireann will not come to city hall to answer questions. For two and a half years, we have had dirty and unsafe water in the second city in this State. The Deputy is coming in here talking about water charges. For five years, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have stopped-----
Do not shout at me, Deputy.
Come on Deputy, you are way over time.
Where in the programme for Government is a referendum on water-----
Cathaoirleach, he is way over time.
Deputy, sit down. Thank you.
-----to protect the people.
Let us stick to the initial topic.
I welcome the new Deputy's strong opposition to the introduction of this unjustified charge. I just want to let him know that in a matter of weeks we will table legislation - to be debated in this House - to remove Part 2 of the Water Services Act 2017 to ensure that neither this nor a future Government can introduce such a charge. I very much look forward to the Deputy's and the Minister's strong support for removing that Part from the original legislation. We simply do not trust his Government on this issue. However, if the Deputy puts his money where his mouth is when we introduce the Bill and votes for it, we might take a different view on the matter.
Hear, hear.
We are dealing with major infrastructural issues with regard to Uisce Éireann. There are housing developments in respect of which there are plans to put in initial water treatments schemes on the basis that there is not capacity in the rest of the system. In the part of Dundalk I live in, we have an issue in removing wastewater. We have had near flooding incidents on multiple occasions. We have had a long-term issue with brown water and manganese reacting with chlorine. Pilot schemes are in operation and seem to be successful, but we need to see all this working as soon as possible.
I concur with Deputy Ó Broin and welcome the fact that there seems to be opposition across the board at this stage regarding the return of water charges, because they are not the solution. A major part of that has been the reaction of the public over the past while. That is what will determine that there will be no return of water charges. We would like absolute support for Deputy Ó Broin's legislation.
There will not be any return. That has always been clear. There was a proposal by the previous Government to bring in water conservation charges. It is noticeable that Sinn Féin did not table a Bill to change the legislation during the previous Government's term of office. It has now put forward a Bill that has made the front page of a newspaper. It is interesting that when it was proposed to do this, Sinn Féin did not have any particular legislative proposals to stop it.
We voted against the Government legislation.
On Lismore, I do not have the information to hand. I will certainly raise the matter with Uisce Éireann, however. If the Deputy sends me the details, we will follow up on that. Of course, I am sure the situation in Cork is always kept under review by Uisce Éireann. However, I will again raise that matter with Uisce Éireann.
Question No. 14 taken with Written Answers.
Housing Policy
Barry Heneghan
Question:15. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the role of accessibility officers in Dublin City Council and Fingal County Council; what oversight is in place to ensure future housing developments meet universal design standards; and if additional measures are being considered to improve accessibility in social and affordable housing projects. [12947/25]
Go n-éirí leis an Aire ina phost nua. Will the Minister provide an update on the role of accessibility officers in all councils, but particularly Dublin City Council and Fingal County Council? What oversight is in place to ensure future housing developments meet universal design standards? Are additional measures being considered to improve accessibility in social and affordable housing projects?
I thank the Deputy for raising this important question on the role of accessibility officers in Dublin City Council and the oversight mechanisms that are place to ensure future housing developments meet universal design standards.
These are issues in respect of which he has long campaigned, even before he came to the Dáil.
Under the Disability Act 2005, each local authority is required to have at least one officer authorised to act as an access officer. Per the Act, the access officers in each local authority are responsible for providing or arranging for and co-ordinating assistance and guidance to persons with disabilities in accessing the services provided by the local authority. Each chief executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority.
Part M of the building regulations sets out the minimum statutory requirements that a building must achieve in respect of access and use. Part M aims to ensure that regardless of age, size or disability, new dwellings are visitable. The accompanying technical guidance encourages building owners and designers to have regard to the design philosophy of universal design and to consider making additional provisions where practicable and appropriate.
Housing for All provides the overall framework within which the National Housing Strategy for Disabled People 2022-2027 operates. Under it, we are committed to ensuring that affordable, quality housing is made available with an appropriate mix of housing design types provided within social housing, including universally designed units. Local authorities play a key role in the planning and provision of social housing in their areas and decide on the number and types of dwellings to provide based on identified need. The National Disability Authority is undertaking an economic and social evaluation of the universal design housing model. My Department will consider this analysis as soon as it is published.
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. I thank him for noting that this is something I did at local level. I would really like to see it carried through. As he stated, an independent framework is provided for in section 63 of the Local Government Act. However, section 26 of the Disability Act 2005 places an obligation on public bodies, including local authorities, to have one accessibility officer. I have spoken to people in Dublin City Council and Fingal County Council. In that context, I want to know what enforcement mechanisms the Minister has to push local authorities to comply with the Disability Act 2005. As many accessibility officers work part time and do not have clear job descriptions, their work on disability inclusion is often treated as an add-on rather than the main focus.
Their work should certainly not be treated as an add-on; it should be focused on ensuring compliance with the Disability Act. We have had a number of these officers in my local authority in County Wexford. They have been absolutely excellent in ensuring that the relevant requirements are met. I will certainly reach out to the local authorities to remind them of the importance of this role. I will also remind them that the role should be focused on the terms of what the officers involved should be doing, that is, ensuring people with disabilities have fair and equitable access – not just equality but actual equitable access - and ensuring their rights are being upheld. This is a human rights issue.
The needs of people with disabilities are something with which I am particularly familiar. This is certainly a matter on which I will follow up. If the Deputy has any particular situations to highlight, he should provide the details to me and I will follow up on them.
It is great that the Minister will reach out to local authorities. I do not want to be Dublin Bay-North centred; this is for all local authorities. The main point is that we are already required by law to protect the rights of disabled people by ensuring there is equality, accessibility and non-discrimination. The Government has a pivotal role in providing local authorities with adequate resources to fulfil their obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This requires a significant increase in funding for local government. I called for that yesterday and I am calling for it again. Local government is what we need to be funding because those involved know the people on the ground and the people they are dealing with. I urge the Government to do that. It creates a more equal system where no region is left behind.
I certainly agree with the Deputy. As someone who has served on a town council and a county council, I am a great believer in local democracy. We will be strengthening the role of county councillors throughout the country. We will be setting up a task force soon which will report quickly to ensure that councillors have their role to be able to hold officials to account where they are not meeting the standards. While we have highly capable officials throughout this country, there are times when perhaps the focus is not put on those key equality issues that should be. I certainly intend to ensure that happens. We will look at the funding piece as well in the context of local authorities. I will certainly pursue this matter.
Question Nos. 16 and 17 taken with Written Answers.
Housing Schemes
Rory Hearne
Question:18. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to reverse the decision to restrict eligibility and funding for the tenant in situ scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12897/25]
This question relates to the tenant in situ scheme, which we discussed last night. Will the Minister reconsider the framing and limitations he is putting on the scheme? While it is welcome that he is committing to continuing with the scheme, this will not actually involve a continuation of the scheme that has been in place because the new limitations will change the nature of it.
Tenant in situ acquisitions were introduced by Government in 2023 in response to a reported uplift in sales by landlords under the HAP and RAS schemes. Such acquisitions have been an important measure in preventing homelessness. The Government therefore agreed to continue the programme in 2025. My Department has notified local authorities about the extension of the programme. A circular setting out the arrangements will issue shortly.
The introduction of additional eligibility criteria for acquisitions this year is to ensure that priority categories such as tenant in situ, elderly and disabled persons and people exiting homelessness can benefit in an equitable manner from the second-hand acquisitions programme. Under revised arrangements for 2025, local authorities will receive a capital funding allocation for the acquisition of homes for priority categories, namely, tenant in situ, elderly and disabled persons and people exiting homelessness, as well as buy and renew acquisitions that tackle vacancy.
The provision of a capital funding allocation will help promote best practice in obtaining value for money and provide local authorities with the flexibility to respond to the needs and priorities locally within the categories of need being prioritised. The tenant in situ acquisitions continue to be supported and prioritised where other solutions cannot be found for the affected tenants. The arrangements for 2025 will ensure a more targeted and focused acquisitions programme.
While I appreciate that the Minister is committing to continuing the scheme, will he provide the evidence to back up why he is targeting it? Why is it not being provided on a general basis in order to give local authorities the flexibility and funding to respond to whatever household is facing eviction or homelessness? Why does it have to be only families? Why is the Minister saying-----
It is not only families.
I know, but prioritisation means local authorities will have to decide. Local authorities will have a certain budget and will be able to purchase properties and keep some people in their homes, but not others. We are in this system of prioritisation rather than a general ability to apply the scheme. That means restricting some local authorities in their ability to do it.
We had a discussion about this matter last night. I mentioned that there are 17 applicants on ice in Waterford at the moment. That is 17 families dealing with anxiety. It is also 17 landlords who are considering pulling out and going to the open market. This signal being sent from the Department is to dissuade applicants. Local authorities are not encouraging people to make applications, but rather the opposite. A clear message is being sent out to landlords to go to the open market and not to engage with the local authority on this. That is leading to an increase in the risk of homelessness. This needs to be addressed again.
We still have not had a proper rationale as to why the Minister has decided to curtail this scheme. Now that single people are excluded from it, and we know single people are not moving on the housing list at the speed we would like due to the shortage of available units, can the Minister outline what new measures the Government will be bringing forward to stop them from entering homelessness and emergency accommodation? This is a major issue.
It is not true that the tenant in situ scheme is being continued as it was. There has been a change to it. In the context of the removal of the funding for refurbishment, will the Minister reconsider this and, in the context of the circular that is to be issued, allocate local authorities funding for refurbishment under the scheme?
In fairness, I think I was supposed to respond before Deputy Hearne, so if he wants to speak after me again, I have no difficulty with that. With the tenant in situ scheme, we believe that criteria need to be applied to it. It was introduced as a temporary measure. It is there as a last resort to prevent people from going into homelessness. I responded to all of this last night. It is somewhat frustrating that no one from the Labour Party or the Social Democrats was there last night for my response. Perhaps the two Deputies are now learning that, due to the pressures in the Oireachtas, there are many times when we cannot be in the Chamber every single moment. Anyway, we will leave it at that.
I answered the question. Single people are not excluded. Putting the contrary out there is complete misinformation. I would be concerned that single people would not apply for the scheme because of the misinformation being put out there by both Deputies. There is flexibility in it. Like so many other schemes, there is a prioritisation being applied. That happens with local authorities for social housing schemes as well. We are prioritising families, older people and people with disabilities. I do not understand why the Deputies have an issue with prioritising the most vulnerable.