I propose to take Questions Nos. 83, 106 and 169 together. I thank Deputy Neville for raising an important question on housing projects currently under construction in Kildare North and those expected to commence before the end of 2026. My Department publishes data on residential commencement notices in each local authority every month. Commencement data shows commencement notices were lodged in respect of 2,099 new homes in May, more than double the 1,035 notices received in May last year. Commencement notices for 13,120 new homes were lodged from January to May this year, up 161% on the 5,033 notices received in the same period last year. This progress is being mirrored across the country. In Fingal, some 1,623 commencement notices were lodged from January to May this year, over 11 times more than the same period last year. In Dublin city, 1,047 commencement notices were lodged, on par with the corresponding period in 2025. In Kildare, 439 commencement notices were lodged from January to May this year, up 40% on the same period last year. While it is not possible to predict when developments with planning permission will commence on site, some 1,406 planning permissions for new homes have been granted in Kildare in the last 12 months, to the end of quarter 1 of 2026, conveying an increasingly stable pipeline. Increasing the supply of new homes is critical to alleviating pressures in the housing market, helping to moderate price growth and ease affordability challenges across the country, ensuring everyone has a range of housing options available to them, whether they want to buy a house, rent one, or are in need of social housing. In this regard, supply has increased significantly over recent years. Over the last five years, to the end of quarter 1 of 2026, almost 153,000 new homes have been delivered. This compares with 85,262 in the previous five-year period and just 29,278 in the five years before that. Delivering Homes, Building Communities seeks to build on this, and significantly accelerate delivery of new homes by focusing on activating land and creating the optimal environment to encourage housing activity, including regulatory reform, tax incentives and the largest ever capital investment in the history of the State, with €275 billion invested in infrastructure over ten years through the national development plan. The Government is already implementing a host of actions to boost delivery. The recently revised national planning framework is a major step forward in this regard and will help to increase capacity and accelerate homebuilding across the country, while the new housing activation office, HAO, will work to address infrastructure barriers to housing delivery as a matter of priority. The HAO is taking a proactive and targeted approach to increasing housing commencements by focusing on the early identification and resolution of infrastructure constraints that can delay development and by co-ordinating investment across key delivery partners. As part of this work, the Government launched the €1 billion housing infrastructure investment fund, HIIF, in January 2026, which is managed by the HAO and designed to ensure that essential enabling infrastructure is in place to unlock housing land. Under call 1 of the fund, I approved 82 projects last week. These projects have the potential to unlock land to deliver 86,000 new homes, with capacity for a further 113,000 homes over time. These projects range from local activation measures in towns and cities to larger strategic investments capable of supporting housing delivery at scale. The announcement I made last week represents the first step in building a pipeline of housing enabling infrastructure to support communities and housing delivery for many years to come. Looking ahead, the housing activation office is actively developing future calls under the HIIF, building on the success of call 1 and strengthening the focus on strategic land banks and new communities aligned with public transport, along with broadening the range of delivery partners. Additionally, the Planning and Development (Amendment Act) 2025 is essential legislation to deal with expiring planning permissions and to encourage activation of housing. An enhanced Land Development Authority, LDA, is working to deliver more private housing, as well as social, affordable and cost-rental houses. Increasing the number of new apartments being constructed is an essential component of the Government's housing ambitions, given the compact growth priority in the national planning framework. The new plan has taken decisive action to reduce the overall cost of apartment construction while increasing delivery in our urban areas. Budget 2026 introduced a suite of taxation measures aimed at stimulating the supply of new apartments, such as reducing the VAT rate on the sale of new apartments to 9%, and introducing an enhanced corporation tax deduction for apartment construction costs. My Department is also progressing the preparation of a draft national planning statement for the Government’s consideration to replace the current apartment guidelines. The overall purpose is to strike an effective regulatory balance, ensuring that apartment development meets the needs of society in terms of standards and quality, while promoting an increased level of overall output. Sectoral feedback and preliminary data on planning permissions and commencements suggests that the sector is responding positively to the renewed environment for apartment delivery. My Department continues to systematically monitor investment, planning and commencement activity in apartments to examine the pipeline for new apartments and inform ongoing policy consideration in this area. The programme for Government commitments relating to housing are well reflected in the new plan and, combined with the unprecedented level of investment the Government has committed, will bring about a very significant scale-up in the delivery of housing over the coming years, address the needs of the most vulnerable in our communities, make buying and renting homes more affordable and support the development of villages, towns and cities across the country.
Sentiment score: 0.34
I agree with the Deputy. I thank him and all his Government colleagues for ensuring that County Kildare got a substantial amount of funding under the housing infrastructure investment fund that will, critically from the perspective of my Department and that of the Government, unlock housing. It will also, no doubt, help to unlock key community services as well. As the Deputy will be aware six projects in Kildare were approved. These include part of the Newbridge southern outer orbital relief road, the Naas northwest quadrant and canal quarter in Naas, the Naas inner relief road, the Captain's Hill upgrade in Confey, Leixlip, the Celbridge-Hazelhatch mobility corridor, and phase 1 of the MOOR at Crewhill in Maynooth. The Deputy is also right, however, in relation to water infrastructure. In approving these types of funding under the housing infrastructure investment fund, we are using the housing activation office where we have Uisce Éireann and the ESB. We are ensuring coherence such that where roads funding has been made available, we also have the electricity supply, water supply and wastewater treatment capacity to ensure housing is delivered in these key areas.
Sentiment score: 0.35
Again, I thank Deputy Neville for raising important issues in County Kildare, particularly north Kildare, with which he is most familiar. The key infrastructure projects announced under the housing infrastructure fund are critical. It is also about working with ESB Networks and Uisce Éireann to ensure all the required additional capacity is put in place so the community facilities raised by the Deputy, be they crèches, sports facilities, schools or healthcare facilities, can also be put in place. We must have a co-ordinated approach. We are very much doing that through the Housing Activation Office. That is very important.
Sentiment score: 0.14
I thank Deputy Sheehan for raising what is an important issue, namely, measures to reduce cost-rental rents. The cost-rental model was first introduced under the plan Housing for All and it has been continued and significantly expanded under the new plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities. It is designed to provide secure, long-term homes for households on moderate incomes at rents that are significantly below private market levels. The cost-rental support schemes in the new housing plan are key measures in seeking to address affordability challenges in the rental sector. This is why, under the new housing plan, the Government has committed to growing the provision of affordable cost-rental properties across the country. What has been achieved in this area in the past number of years is significant. Cost-rental housing did not exist in this country five years ago. From a standing start in 2021, and because of the actions of this Government and the unprecedented level of funding provided in successive budgets, almost 6,000 new cost-rental homes had been delivered up to the end of last year and a substantial pipeline is currently in place. This is supporting people on moderate incomes who would otherwise struggle to afford rent to move into good quality homes at rents they can afford. It provides long-term security of tenure, provides a home and gives people who avail of the schemes a chance to plan for their future. We are only getting started. I am not for one moment suggesting that we have done enough. We must do more. Clearly, we are not yet at the stage of supplying enough cost-rental homes to meet the demand. We have more work to do to ensure that units are made available at rental levels that remain affordable and sustainable. This remains a key challenge and one that is a priority for me and my Department. While this is a real success story, I am not resting on my laurels. The homes that have already been delivered at heavy discounts to equivalent private rental market rates are meeting real demand, are incredibly popular and are providing much-needed secure and affordable homes in the rental sector. I am providing substantial funding to local authorities, the Land Development Agency and approved housing bodies to support cost-rental delivery. Since the introduction of the tenure in 2021, approximately €2.25 billion in departmental funding has been approved for cost-rental projects.
Sentiment score: 0.33
I thank the Deputy again for his question on cost rental. As I have already pointed out, approximately €2.25 billion in departmental funding has been approved for cost-rental projects since 2021. In addition, significant loan financing is being made available through the State's Housing Finance Agency. Also, the reduction of VAT on new apartments to 9% under budget 2026 is playing an important role in reducing costs. All of these supports lower the net cost of delivery, enabling more cost-rental homes to be delivered and ensuring more affordable rents for tenants. My Department's funding comprises non-repayable grants, equity investments and long-term loans at very low interest rates, which enable rents to be set below full cost recovery levels. As a result, cost-rental homes can be provided at rents that are significantly more affordable and considerably lower than comparable rents in the private market. Cost-rental homes provide a significant saving for the tenant, and I am aware that tenants who benefit are very appreciative of both the rents and the security of tenure the homes provide.
Sentiment score: 0.33
Again, I thank the Deputy for his question. If you have a pure cost model, you will have very significant variations in what the cost-rental rent will actually be. We have taken the approach of trying to ensure consistency below market rent values. A 30% discount below market rent value is a significant deduction, albeit in circumstances where rent is high, which I acknowledge. However, if we decouple and go purely with a cost model, based on the cost of providing the apartments, we could have apartments beside each other that could have very different rents based on very different costings. In some cases, there could be a reduction in the discount. That would provide a level of inconsistency and a lack of equity in the approach. That is where we have taken the view and approach we have taken, setting the rent based on the market rather than the cost inputs.
Sentiment score: 0.18
I thank the Deputy for his question about addressing rent increases in Kerry. As he will know, the key to solving the housing crisis, which includes homelessness and high rents, is through increased supply. That is why the Government is providing record funding towards the supply of homes. It is also why we are taking emergency measures to address the delivery of homes. We are also taking other measures. As the Deputy will be aware, under the housing infrastructure investment fund, we announced significant funding for County Kerry only last week for additional housing. My understanding is that those projects are shovel ready and will be ready to move quickly. The Lohercannon distributor road, L6715 Ashgrove Road and link road directly unlock lands for 450 residential units and indirectly unlock a further 788 homes, with an indicative cost of under €10 million. The Killarney strategic links and new transport link between the N22 Killarney and bypass and the R876 Park Road directly unlock lands for 500 residential units and indirectly unlock a further 581 residential units, at an indicative cost band of €10 million to €20 million. This shows our commitment to Kerry and to delivering additional houses in the county, not just through funding housing delivery but also ensuring the infrastructure is put in place, working with the ESB and Uisce Éireann, to ensure that the other capacity measures go through with it. Affordability is central to the Government's housing policy under Delivering Homes, Building Communities, which targets the delivery of 300,000 new homes by 2030, including 72,000 social homes and 90,000 affordable homes. The Government is committed to tackling high rents and ensuring an increase in the supply, as I say, of affordable, high-quality rental accommodation through continued significant capital investment, including cost-rental, affordable purchase and social homes, in a manner that respects the security of tenure for renters by ensuring equity and fairness for tenants and landlords. On the topic of the delivery of more social homes, last year we built the highest number in the history of the State. That also frees up properties in the rental market to help control prices.
Sentiment score: 0.21
I thank the Deputy. We are making significant funding available to increase the numbers of social and affordable housing. I encourage the Kerry local authority to maximise the use of the available funding to deliver social homes and affordable purchase homes across County Kerry. The Department will not be found wanting in supporting an increase in the supply of homes. The key to challenging high rents is, as I say, supply. That is not just the supply of private homes. We must also ensure that more social homes are built. As I say, that moves people who are availing of the housing assistance payment, HAP, for example, into social homes and frees up properties in the private rental market. That will help to address availability and affordability. All of these measures are interconnecting. I am conscious that rents are too high. I am conscious that people are struggling to find properties to rent and that is why the Government is providing record funding to address the housing crisis not just on the east coast but in every county across this country.
Sentiment score: 0.23
We want Kerry County Council to provide more affordable purchase homes. The Department and Government would support it. Those homes are essential. I want everybody, across the spectrum, to be able to get the homes they need in their own local community, whether through private purchase, affordable homes or social housing. It is essential that everybody can access a home. Affordable purchase is essential for people who are on lower incomes but incomes that are above the social housing thresholds to be able to get that permanent home. I want the local authority in County Kerry to provide more affordable purchase. The Government is, as I say, providing record funding. We have built record numbers of social homes. We have also built a record number of cost-rental homes. All of this is about driving supply to address the crisis. Every home built helps to alleviate that, no matter what its tenure.
Sentiment score: 0.01
I thank Deputy McGuinness for raising the very important issue of strengthening local democracy and also seeking the reconstitution of boroughs or corporations similar to the structures that existed previously. The Local Government Reform Act 2014 dissolved 80 town councils, which represented about 14% of the population, including Kilkenny Borough Council. A lot of these were their own separate legal entities and this gave significant strength and control to local authorities and also allowed people to have a very strong say in what was happening in their towns and cities. The previous town council system, it is alleged, also led to duplication in administration and electoral terms, something I think is questionable. Instead, the Act saw the introduction of 95 municipal districts representing 100% of the population in 25 of the 31 local authorities at sub-county level, while area committees would operate in the three city authorities of Cork, Dublin and Galway, and the three Dublin county authorities. These local areas, of course, are not councils. Each municipal district can include several towns and villages and their hinterlands, with local matters dealt with at a municipal district level and wider strategic issues decided at the county level. The result is an integrated administrative structure in each county that maximises operational efficiency while ensuring devolved decision-making throughout the county. Nonetheless, the Deputy will be aware of my view and that of the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, that councillors have seen a reduction in their powers. We want to see a rebalancing of powers towards them to ensure they can hold the officials in our local authorities to account and can ensure their towns and cities are being delivered for in a fair and equitable manner. That is why the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, and I established the local democracy task force, which was a key commitment in the programme for Government, in July 2025.
Sentiment score: 0.28
We have given this considerable consideration on the local democracy task force. The Deputy is right that my town lost its council and it diminished the representation at the time. The local government task force was established to build on the considerable body of work previously undertaken by the AILG - which represents councillors - the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities and Seanad Éireann. The local democracy task force presented its final report to me on 4 March 2026 and the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, and I will be bringing this to Government over the coming weeks. This will strengthen our local democracy and the powers of our local councillors.
Sentiment score: 0.00
I agree that direct access to local democracy is absolutely essential and that is what the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, and I will be ensuring through the local democracy task force and our input. That connection will be reconnected through empowering our local councillors to hold the local officials to account. It will also mean that where representations are being made by local people, they can effect those changes and also be able to communicate those changes to people when they are happening. We are fully in alignment in terms of re-empowering our local democracy by giving direct access to local democracies, local people and local councillors. Myself and the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, will achieve this through the local democracy task force and the implementation plan that will follow.
Sentiment score: 0.18