I thank Deputy Gould for raising this very important matter. I am happy to have the opportunity to discuss the regeneration on the northside of Cork city on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Browne. The regeneration of social housing is a matter, in the first instance, as the Deputy knows, for local authorities. It is their responsibility to identify an opportunity to advance regeneration programmes in line with the circular N11/2007 policy framework for the regeneration of local authority estates in their respective administrative areas. The Cork north-west quarter regeneration master plan and implementation report was published in 2011. The strategy outlined a departure from previous policy, with a proposal to carry out wholesale demolition of the housing stock in Knocknaheeny that had not been the subject of previous refurbishment works. To date, over €96 million has been allocated to projects that are either completed or on-site under this particular regeneration programme. Up to the end of 2025, 121 social housing units had been completed, and a further 165 units are on-site and progressing, while 127 units are in the pre-construction phase. The current programme runs until 2028, and it is envisaged that projects will be ongoing until this date. The programme is funded project by project as submissions are received and reviewed by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Additional funding for Cork city is also being provided to support a social, economic and environmental programme, SEEP, to address the physical regeneration of housing and support wider community infrastructure projects, and the social and economic interventions which seek to address the causes of disadvantage in communities. This is funded on an annual basis, with an overall allocation of €450,000 in 2025. It is a matter for the council to shortlist the most appropriate projects that fit with the objectives of the social housing regeneration project in terms of revitalising the area and the built environment. I must highlight that while the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is supportive of social inclusion initiatives within the overall regeneration programme, in order to ensure that maximum funding for housing regeneration is directed towards improving physical housing infrastructure, these complementary initiatives should be funded from appropriate funding sources. The council was made aware in 2024 that funding under the SEEP would be reducing in 2025, and that arrangements should be made for alternative funding should it wish to maintain such social inclusion initiatives into the future. The Department of Culture, Communications and Sport has significant sports capital grant programmes to assist in the development or refurbishment of sporting facilities and the provision of sports facilities, while requests related to youth services funding should be directed towards the Department of children and the Department of justice for youth diversion projects. As the Deputy knows, Cork has received substantial funding under the urban regeneration and development fund, which comes under the Department. In total, it has received €407 million under that programme for the Cork city docklands, Grand Parade quarter, Tivoli docks and Kent Station yard, which is funded 75% by the Department. It is absolutely the case that we want to continue to regenerate areas like Knocknaheeny. It is a priority for the Government, as outlined in my response. A number of housing units have been completed, and the remaining units will be completed. We continue to work with Cork City Council, but the onus is on Cork City Council to bring forward those projects. In relation to taking six years to complete a housing scheme, perhaps Deputy Gould can talk to me offline in relation to that. Who is responsible for that? Is it the council? I do not know. Perhaps the Deputy will elaborate in his follow-up.

Sentiment score: 0.23

What I said in my response was that the current programme runs until 2028 and they are the projects that the council have put forward for the regeneration, which encompasses 121 units that have been completed, 165 units that are on site, and 127 units that are in pre-construction phase. We in the Department will always assess any application that comes in from local authorities, be they turnkey housing units, regeneration projects like this or Part 8 plans that the councils put forward. We are open to applications from every local authority in this State to come forward with social and affordable schemes, but it is the local authorities' responsibility to bringing forward those schemes. We now have a single-stage approval process in place with standardised designs where local authorities will have responsibility for putting forward the projects to the Department. This is for any project that is under €200 million. These will go through a single-stage approval process within the Department. This is to try to avoid the situation that has happened heretofore where councils blamed the Department and the Department blamed the councils. Under these new rules, there will be no hiding for councils that are not putting forward projects. They will not be able to say a project is at stage 2 or 3 within the Department. There will be none of that. We want the local authorities, Cork City Council and Cork County Council included, to bring forward schemes to us. The Deputy is right. He represents that area in the same way I represent working class areas in Waterford that have gone through regeneration and still have to go through regeneration. We are both passionate about regeneration programmes but I also acknowledge that it is the responsibility in my area for Waterford City and County Council to bring forward those schemes that we, as a Department, can fund from Dublin.

Sentiment score: 0.03