Christopher O'Sullivan
Cork South-West · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“The aim of the hierarchy of the plan-making, as set out in the Act of 2024, is to improve scope for the various tiers of the planning system to more closely relate to one another, therefore providing greater clarity and consistency for all involved, from individual citizens and residents' groups to landowners and developers and ultimately…”
“My understanding is that a ten-year modernisation programme has already been undertaken by the Courts Service and significant progress has been made in improving the availability and use of court data.”
“Under the Act of 2024, the national planning framework continues to spearhead and explicate the planning agenda and sits at the pinnacle of the plan-led system and structure, whereby all tiers of planning from regional to local align with strategic objectives set out in the national planning framework.”
“The Senator has suggested that such plans would identify strategic development priorities, including settlement hierarchy, infrastructure corridors, climate adaptation measures and areas for regeneration; set out indicative phasing for major infrastructure and public investment; include spatial mapping of long-term development objectives;…”
“The Bill also facilitates the completion of the work of the Valuation Tribunal and the facility for the local authority to issue the levy demand and, where necessary, for An Coimisiún Pleanála to deal with any appeals to the demand that may arise in those existing cases currently with the tribunal.”
“As the system of plan-making in the State has just been revised and is being implemented for the first time, the introduction of another layer of plan-making could undermine the new hierarchy that was carefully arranged and agreed following extensive engagement with a range of stakeholders, including the Office of the Attorney General, an…”
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“This will ensure that EAAP priorities are shaped by public and stakeholder input and remain responsive, inclusive and grounded in lived experience. A targeted stakeholder consultation has taken place on tackling energy poverty. This follows on from a recent meeting with representatives from the community and voluntary pillar such as Age Action Ireland, the National Women's Council of Ireland and the environmental pillar in respect of their proposals on energy poverty. Consultation sessions with business groups and the Electricity Association of Ireland, EAI, and retail electricity suppliers have also been held. In addition, the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, has engaged with the four biggest energy retailers in recent months to ensure that hardship funds and focused measures are in place for any customers in difficulty.”
“The task force is now working intensively on the preparation of an energy affordability action plan, which will be completed in quarter 3 of 2026. The action plan will examine cost drivers in the energy sector and identify short-, medium- and long-term measures to enhance the affordability of energy for households and businesses. The action plan will be built on four key pillars: addressing the price of energy, sustainable demand and enhancing flexibility, addressing energy poverty and customer protections, and energy affordability for businesses. Intensive work on the action plan by NEAT subgroups, for example those on energy demand and grid financing, assisted by external advisory support, will continue over the coming weeks. This work will be supported by a process of engagement with relevant stakeholders.”
“In addition to the wide-ranging support already provided by the Government, we recognise that more needs to be done to help households and businesses that are under pressure as a result of increasing energy prices. The cross-government national energy affordability task force, NEAT, will play a key role in that regard. The task force is preparing an energy affordability action plan as well as co-ordinating the national response to the energy shock arising from the conflict in the Middle East. This structure will ensure a co-ordinated and coherent response to the energy crisis that is aligned with the programme for Government commitments and longer term action on energy affordability. The report of the task force, which included measures for consideration in budget 2026 including those I mentioned earlier, was published last November.”
“The budget package also provided significant supports to help householders with the cost of heating and other energy bills. The fuel allowance increased by €5 to €38 per week and, for the first time, families receiving the working family payment now qualify for the fuel allowance. In addition, people moving from disability allowance or the blind pension to take up work will retain their fuel allowance for five years. The budget also included an extension of the 9% VAT rate that applies to gas and electricity. The wide array of measures clearly demonstrates the huge focus the Government has placed on assisting ordinary people and families with the cost of living.”
“This brings the total annual value of the child support payment to €3,016 for each child under the age of 12 and €4,056 for each child over 12. Record increases were announced in respect of the carer’s allowance income disregard, with an increase of €375 to €1,000 for a single person and an increase of €750 to €2,000 for a couple. The income limit for carer’s benefit will also increase by €375 to €1,000 per week. This change will take effect from this month. Also included in the budget package were across-the-board increases of €10 per week to maximum personal payment rates, benefiting people such as pensioners, people with disabilities, carers and lone parents, with proportionate increases for people receiving a reduced payment rate and qualified adults. These changes took effect from January.”
“It is important to note that the fuel supports announced this year build on the suite of measures to assist households with cost-of-living pressures announced as part of budget 2026. A total of €28.9 billion will be spent on social protection in 2026, including over €1.15 billion of new measures targeted to assist households. The measures contained in the budget are designed to support the most vulnerable in our society with the cost of living and there is a particular focus on tackling child poverty. The package includes the largest child support payment increase in the history of the State, with a weekly increase of €16 to €78 for children aged 12 and over, which is a 26% increase, and a weekly increase of €8 to €58 for children under 12 years, which is a 16% increase.”
“The benefit of carbon tax is obvious, with 2026 seeing a record capital budget of €640 million, including €558 million from carbon tax receipts, allocated to the SEAI residential and community energy grant schemes. This allocation will support 73,000 home energy upgrades to make homes warmer, healthier and more comfortable, with lower emissions and lower bills. The allocation also includes a record €340 million for the warmer homes scheme, which provides fully funded upgrades for those in energy poverty and is targeting 11,500 upgrades this year. A total of 53% of the allocation for SEAI residential and community schemes in 2026 is for the warmer homes scheme.”
“However, as Deputies will be aware, carbon tax is a core part of Ireland’s climate policy and our aim to reach net zero by 2050. The need for society and the economy to decouple from fossil fuel dependence is even more apparent now given the volatility of international fuel markets. The best way of insulating our economy and society from fuel prices shocks is to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. Carbon tax funds are allocated for expenditure on measures that will achieve this, including the continuation of a national retrofitting programme, investment in community energy efficiency measures and funding the greener farming practices.”
“Accordingly, the Government has continued to actively monitor all relevant strands of information, including global energy market dynamics and domestic retail pricing trends. Following this review, the Government announced an updated approach on 30 June. This approach is informed by very significant reductions in crude oil prices, as well as retail fuel prices, over recent weeks. It is therefore appropriate to begin the process of reversing the temporary reductions in mineral oil tax. It is important to emphasise that there will be no cliff-edge effects for consumers; rather, the restoration of pre-March 2025 mineral oil tax rates will be done in a gradual and phased way. The motion also calls for an end to increases in carbon tax.”
“There is a deferral of the planned increase in carbon tax scheduled for 1 May until the budget and an increase in the maximum repayment amount available under the diesel rebate scheme for qualifying road haulage and bus transport operators from 5.7 cent to 12 cent per litre for quarter 1 and quarter 2 of 2026. We have also developed a new €120 million road transporter support scheme, as well as supports for coach operators providing Local Link services. A €100 million fuel subsidy support scheme for farmers, agricultural contractors and fishers has also been opened. These measures were introduced on a temporary basis to provide some relief from fuel price inflation. As stated at the time of the interventions in March and April, the Government reserves the right to review and alter the policy approach, as necessary.”
“Providing supports to alleviate this pressure has and will continue to be a priority. We have taken action to help households and businesses with the cost of fuel and energy, such as the expanded fuel allowance, tax reductions on energy and significantly expanded retrofitting programmes. On 12 April, the Government agreed a €500 million package of fuel supports. This is in addition to the initial €250 million in targeted supports announced in March. These packages are among the largest per capita interventions in any EU member state. Key measures introduced include a reduction in excise on petrol, diesel and marked gas oil, MGO. When taken with the reduction in the NORA levy, that means 32 cent off a litre of diesel, 27 cent off a litre of petrol and 7.4 cent off MGO.”
“I speak on behalf of the Government on this wide-ranging motion regarding the cost of living. I reiterate that the Government opposes this motion and puts forward its own countermotion. The proposed countermotion outlines and affirms that energy affordability is a priority of this Government and highlights the significant supports that have been provided by the Government to help households and businesses with the cost of fuel and energy, including the introduction of one of the most comprehensive support packages in the EU. The conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine have caused significant disruption to global energy markets. The Government is also very aware and concerned about the pressures placed on households and businesses while high energy costs are rising due to the conflict.”
“I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "notes that the Government: — remains deeply concerned about the conflict in the Middle East and Gulf region; — is acutely aware of the impact on households and businesses of the recent increases in the cost of living, and is actively monitoring the current geopolitical situation and its impact on costs; — affirms that affordability is a priority for this Government; and — has taken action to help households and businesses with the cost of fuel and energy, by introducing one of the most comprehensive support packages in the European Union (EU); affirms that: — the Government is deeply aware of the pressures placed on households and businesses by cost-of-living pressures; — the National Energy Affordability Taskforce (NEAT) was established in June 2025, to identify, assess and implement measures that will enhance energy affordability for households and businesses, while delivering key renewables commitments and protecting security of supply and economic stability; — in recent months, the Government introduced a €750 million package of fuel supports, which is among the largest per capita of any EU state; — these measures have been further extended until 1st September, 2026, at an estimated cost of €270 million; — the Value-Added Tax (VAT) rate on electricity bills has been reduced to 9 per cent, until 2030; — enhanced social protection payments have been introduced, including an increase to the fuel allowance rate, and an expansion of the eligibility rules; — successive budgets have provided targeted support to help households with cost-of-living pressures; — the NEAT continues to work intensively on an energy affordability action plan to be submitted to the Government in quarter 3 of this year; — this action plan will be focused on short-, medium- and long-term measures, to support households and businesses to meet energy costs; — the action plan will be built on four key pillars: — addressing the price; — sustainable demand and enhancing flexibility; — addressing energy poverty and customer protections; and — energy affordability for businesses; — this will be a crucial element of the Government's work to improve competitiveness, complementing the current Action Plan on Competitiveness and Productivity; — a range of protections are in place for customers experiencing difficulties in paying their bills, including through the Department of Social Protection, who can provide support through the Additional Needs Payment, to help households meet expenses, including those who face difficulties with fuel bills; — a record capital budget of €640 million, including €558 million from carbon tax receipts, has been allocated to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, supporting 73,000 home energy upgrades to make homes warmer, healthier and more comfortable, with lower emissions and lower bills; — the allocation also includes a record €340 million for the Warmer Homes Scheme, which provides fully funded upgrades for those in energy poverty and is targeting 11,500 upgrades this year; — Ireland has legally binding targets for the collection and recycling of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, and the Deposit Re-turn Scheme is ensuring we meet those targets; — the fully refundable deposit amount balances affordability with incentivising consumers to return the empty container, and the return rate of nearly 77 per cent shows that this is working; — under the EU accounting framework, reporting and disclosure obligations are determined primarily by the size of a company, with different requirements applying to micro-, small-, medium-sized and large undertakings, reflecting the principle that reporting obligations should be proportionate to the scale of the business, and is applied consistently across the EU; — accordingly, grocery retailers are subject to the same accounting and disclosure requirements as other companies of a comparable size, and companies operating in Ireland, including those connected with other EU member states, are subject to harmonised reporting frameworks under EU law; — any proposal to introduce additional reporting obligations, for a particular sector, would therefore need to be considered in the context of Ireland's obligations under the EU accounting framework, and the existing size-based system of corporate reporting; — Budget 2026 reduced the VAT rate for the construction and supply of qualifying apartments and apartment blocks, from 13.5 per cent to 9 per cent, until the end of 2030, as part of a social policy to deliver higher density housing; — a 0 per cent VAT rate may be applied to a maximum of seven of any of the categories included under Annex III of the EU VAT Directive, however, as Ireland already applies the 0 per cent rate to the maximum number of categories, there is no scope to expand this to the construction of new housing; — the national housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025-2030, contains a suite of measures to support domestic and international investment in the delivery of new rental properties, in particular, the supply of new apartments; — the recently enacted Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2026, provides improved security of tenure for tenants, while also encouraging more private investment in the rental market; and — the Act, effective from 1st March, 2026, introduced a national system of rent control, with rent increases to be capped by inflation, measured by the Consumer Price Index, and in times of high inflation, rent increases are capped at a maximum of 2 per cent; and further notes that: — the latest Eurostat report, comparing electricity prices across the EU, outlines that Ireland had the 5th highest for household electricity prices in the second half of 2025, when adjusted to take account of the 'Purchasing Power Standard', i.e., practical affordability, taking account of household income and so on; — the most recent report from the Commission for Regulation of Utilities shows that 319,000 (14 per cent) of domestic electricity customers were in arrears in March, unchanged since December, and that a much lower 8 per cent (184,000) of domestic electricity customers were in arrears for over 90 days, approximately the same level as May 2025; — the four biggest energy retailers have confirmed that hardship funds and focused measures are in place, for any customers in difficulty; — switching energy supplier or plan could save the average electricity customer up to €500 annually; — the Government has also established the NEAT, to identify, assess and implement measures that will enhance energy affordability for households and businesses, while delivering key renewable commitments, and protecting security of supply and economic stability; — the Government remains committed to ensuring that low-income households benefit from Ireland's renewable energy transition, and will continue to explore how best to integrate solar and other technologies into our energy poverty retrofit programmes; — carbon tax funds are allocated for expenditure on measures including the continuation of a national retrofitting programme, investment in community energy efficiency measures, and funding for greener farming practices, as part of Ireland's climate policy and our aim to reach net-zero by 2050; — the temporary deferral of the 1st May carbon tax increase will result in lower carbon tax revenues of €22 million in 2026; — neither the Government, nor the Minister for Transport, have a direct role in the setting of M50 toll rates, as these are instead governed by statutory byelaws, and are managed by Transport Infrastructure Ireland; — additionally, toll revenues from the M50 are fully reinvested in the operation, maintenance, protection and renewal of the national road network, and abolishing the M50 toll would cost the €250 million in revenues that would instead have to be raised from general taxation; — recruitment within the Health Service Executive is complex and has been devolved to regional structures, who are best placed to assess service needs and prioritise posts, and a recruitment pause would directly undermine this approach and could result in increased reliance on agency staff, ultimately driving up costs rather than reducing them, and thereby restricting the funding for hiring more front-line staff; — the Government is already progressing a significant reform programme, to link healthcare funding more directly to the level of activity delivered to patients through implementation of Activity Based Funding (ABF), which represents a fundamental shift in how hospital budgets are set; — a structured implementation plan is in place, with shadow ABF processes being rolled out across 2026–2027, allowing funding models to be tested and refined before full implementation from 2028; — achieving value for money must be sought at all stages of policy formation, and it is the responsibility of every Minister, public and civil servants within all Departments; — earlier this year, the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation published Circular 21/2026 Expenditure Control and Escalation Processes, this sets out the various phases of an expenditure control escalation process for use across Government, and the corrective steps that may be implemented where expenditure risks and overruns are identified, and this new escalation process will strengthen effective budget oversight through enhanced governance and a focus on value for money, ensuring that expenditure ceilings are credible and deliver effectively on Programme for Government commitments; and — this builds on Value for Money Circular 18/2025, which highlighted the roles and responsibilities in the delivery of value for money, as well as the robust guidance, codes of practice, and circulars underpinned by legislation, and informed by best practice in the pursuit of value for money, and it is the responsibility of the Accounting Officer for each Department to ensure that they manage expenditure sustainably, and in accordance with this allocation.".”
“That onus is on us, but there is also an onus on us to ensure that where rejuvenation is happening naturally, we support it rather than being a hindrance to it.”
“It is fair to say that there is an onus on the planning authority to take into consideration the direction of travel when an area within a city like Dublin is starting to reimagine or rejuvenate itself. Other than that, I cannot say much more, but I take the Deputies' point. We have a lot of work to do, certainly within my Department and section in terms of heritage funding, to ensure that we invest in the incredible built heritage in that part of the city. They are throughout the city, but particularly in that part of city there are some absolute gems that we have not invested in for far too long or perhaps paid enough attention to from an enforcement point of view to ensure that the owners of those properties are bringing them back to life and protecting them.”
“Just to respond in general without commenting on specifics, we have to take a balanced view of this. There may be a business within an area, whether it is a cafe, a commercial enterprise or shop of some sort, that will have gone through the step-by-step planning process and been successful in getting its planning application approved. There may be a sense of unfairness if others do not go through that same process, if the Deputies know where I am coming from. That said, in my limited experience of Stoneybatter, it is obvious to someone like me that it is starting to rejuvenate itself in many ways. The Deputies live there and are aware of this day to day. There is a real sense of entrepreneurship and a growing association with it becoming a really good place to eat, with a lot of restaurants and cafes popping up.”
“I know that there are beautiful Georgian buildings on that side of the city and that Deputy Gannon has been raising the issue of dereliction for a long time. He may perceive that there has been a lack of attention to that issue and all of sudden there is attention on this particular issue that the Deputies are referring to. I take the Deputies’ point and I might come back to it in my supplementary response.”
“In addition to the appeals process, if any person has a planning issue that is systemic in nature, they can refer the matter to the OPR or a referral may be made to the Office of the Ombudsman if the issue relates to an individual matter, such as the way a local authority has carried out its administrative functions. The response goes on in the same vein. I take the Deputies’ point, and they will understand how limited the Department and, by extension, the Minister and I as a Minister of State in that Department are in relation to commenting on individual cases. The Deputies made a point about the standard application of enforcement across the city. That should be same when it comes to dereliction.”
“It is a matter for the relevant planning authority to consider each application on a case-by-case basis and to decide, in accordance with the provisions contained in the legislation, whether to grant the permission, subject to or without conditions, or to refuse permission. Where an individual has participated in the planning process or is directly affected by a planning decision of a planning authority, they may lodge an appeal to the commission in accordance with section 37 of the 2000 Act. Furthermore, any person who has participated in the appeals process, or shows that they have sufficient interest, may seek a judicial review of the relevant decision of the commission.”
“Where any person is unsure if planning permission is required, they may seek a declaration from the relevant planning authority under section 5 of the 2000 Act as to whether their case "is or is not development or is or is not exempted development" within the meaning of the Act. When a person submits a planning application under section 34 of the 2000 Act, irrespective of whether the proposed development is located in an urban or rural location in any county, the relevant planning authority, in making its decision, shall have regard to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.”
“Under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage shall not exercise any power or control in relation to any particular case with which a planning authority or An Coimisiún Pleanála is or may be concerned. This means that the Minister is explicitly prevented from intervening in such cases, which is of utmost importance to maintain the independence of the planning authority or commission. In fairness, Deputy Gannon already alluded to how he was aware of that. All development proposals require planning permission, unless they are specifically exempted under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, or the supplementary Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended.”
“This gives me an opportunity to update Members on the current procedures governing planning application decisions in general, noting the restrictions on my ability to comment on individual planning decisions. I am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Browne. I wish to explain at the outset that the role of Minister in relation to the planning system is primarily to provide a policy and legislative framework for the planning authorities, An Coimisiún Pleanála and the Office of the Planning Regulator, OPR, in performing their statutory planning functions.”
“I thank the Deputies for raising this issue. I congratulate Deputy Ennis on his recent election. What a day for his family, friends and supporters. It is an incredible achievement. It is great to see the two constituency TDs from the same party working so closely together. It is not that common, by the way. I am grateful that they have raised this issue. I appreciate that there is a sense of vibrancy in Stoneybatter. I am familiar with it. There are some great food locations and cafes, so I understand where the Deputies are coming from with this. The response that I am going to read out was drafted not knowing what angle the Deputies were coming from, but I might come back to it in the supplementary response.”
“Absolutely. I know the Department is aware of ALONE's submission, which will be taken into account. The review was quite recent. Senator Scahill makes some very good points. Assistive technology is allowed and is catered for but we need to give better support to the local authorities to allow them to have a bit more discretion. It probably has to be within reason. There has to be a definite, obvious benefit to the person who is applying. The cases the Senator has given clearly prove that. We have a much enhanced scheme. More funding is going into it. I get the point that local authorities are oversubscribed. That is a good thing in some ways as it indicates awareness that the grants are out there. Anyone who has served on a local authority is fully aware of how the grants can change lives.”
“In cases where assistive technology is clearly beneficial then perhaps a bit more scope should be given but the schemes allow for some assistive technologies. The changes to the means test have been significant in terms of the increased income allowed. Senator Scahill is talking about a particular instance when it applies to individual whom the grant is for. I totally accept his point about better data. If we can collect better data it will lead to better decision-making and possibly shape the scheme going forward. We are always open to adapting and improving the schemes and to review them, as has been seen with the current schemes.”
“The review also recommended that the Department of housing provide updated guidance to local authorities on housing adaptation assistive technologies relating to the fixtures and fittings of a property which qualify within the schemes having regard to the evolving nature of such technology. My Department has provided guidance to local authorities and will continue to do so as technologies evolve. The key point in regard to assistive technologies is that guidance is provided. Assistive technologies are allowed. Perhaps we need to examine if they are too prescriptive, whether they need to be broader and if we need to give a bit more discretion to local authorities on assistive technology. I hear a phone ringing. I feel a bit like Roy Keane now. Whose phone was that?”
“Works which may be considered include adjustable height countertops and automated or voice-activated doors, lighting and heat controls. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage completed a review of the housing adaptation grant for older people and the people with a disability scheme in 2024. The regulations for the housing adaptation grants for older people and disabled people, which came into effect on 1 December 2024, provide the legal basis for the introduction of the recommendations set out in the review. The key changes included an increase in the grant limits of over 30% and a 25% increase in the income thresholds, while also revising the means test. The legislation also adjusts the burden sharing for local authorities by reducing the local authority funding contribution to 15%, as the Senator also outlined.”
“The detailed administration of the scheme, including the assessment, approval, prioritisation and budgetary apportionment is the responsibility of local authorities. The housing adaptation grant for disabled people is available to carry out works of adaptation that, in the opinion of the local authority, are reasonably necessary for the purposes of rendering a house more suitable for a member of a household who has an enduring physical, sensory, mental health or intellectual disability. In general, these grant schemes can be used for works such as level-access showers, accessible bathrooms, access ramps, stair lifts, fixed-track hoists or extensions. Grant aid may also be considered for assistive technologies which are infrastructure related or essential technological adaptations to the fixtures and fittings of a property.”
“These grants are available to people with an enduring physical, sensory, mental health or intellectual disability, as well as to older people who experience mobility issues or require essential repairs to their home in order that they can continue to live independently at home. In budget 2026 we provided an annual increase of €30 million, with almost €130 million in Exchequer funding available for the scheme, or over €152 million when accounting for the local authority contribution. As the Senator has said, this significant increase in funding will support the payment of some 17,000 grant claims, as well as the continued implementation of the revised grant limits, income thresholds and the increase in the Exchequer contribution from 80% to 85%.”
“I thank Senator Scahill. There are three main asks in his opening remarks, namely, broadening the scope when it comes to assistive technology, means-testing and assessment of income and better data, which is also a good point. I will outline the scheme. The Senator already mentioned how it has been expanded and improved. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage provides funding to local authorities under the housing adaptation grants for older people and the disabled people scheme to assist people in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs.”
“The Senator's overarching point is something that we need to take back to the senior Department to try to get more oversight in terms of the effectiveness of submissions. When a scheme is designed, it cannot just be a fait accompli . If there is genuine feedback, it has to be taken into account in some way, as opposed to there just being a box-ticking exercise.”
“I get the Senator's point about section 38 developments. In a Part 8 process, the members of the council have a vote. Ultimately, if there is an overwhelming feeling that the scheme will not work, they can take that democratic decision. In situations where that is taken away, I understand the difficulty the Senator outlined. Sometimes there may be an attitude that the council knows best, and not enough cognisance is taken of the submissions that are made. I have seen this happen time and time again. There have been incidents where we get it wrong, though. I remember in my town of Clonakilty, a Part 8 process happened and I was vehemently opposed to the redevelopment of a square. It has turned out to be probably one of the best things that has ever happened to my home town. It is tricky and tough.”
“What I picked up from the reply was that the chief executive may include a comment on each individual submission. Maybe that is where things can be teased out further going forward. Maybe there should be requirements to actually put in a comment on each submission. I get the Senator's point. There may be valid submissions made, but the chief executive's report may not include a detailed response as to why that submission was not taken into account.”
“I am not sure if the Senator was ever involved in a Part 8 process. I certainly was. In Cork, there certainly were examples where there might have been a major housing development that was given planning permission under Part 8, and where there was quite a lengthy back-and-forth process between the chief executive and his team and the members of the council. I found it quite effective in that where local residents might have raised concerns, we were able to tease them out. I think the whole point of the Part 8 process is that it does actually in many ways give more of an input from the public. They have two opportunities to have a say in the in the final scheme. They can place a submission during the public consultation period, but also they have their members who, at the end of the day, will be the ones making the decision.”
“The report includes a list of the persons or bodies who made submissions in accordance with regulations and may also include recommendations regarding amendments or mitigation measures where appropriate. The elected members are required to consider the report before making a decision on the proposal in the interests of proper planning and development. The statutory process affords the opportunity for consultation before a decision is made by the elected members on a Part 8 proposal. I guess that outlines the Part 8 process. The Senator already knew that; she already knows exactly how it works. To answer her question in terms of transparency, the comments on each submission and why submissions may have been rejected or accepted, it appears to be down to each local authority and there seems to be a bit of a case-by-case basis involved.”
“Any submissions or observations in respect of a proposed development can be made during this period or a period of not less than two weeks after the end of the period for inspection. This equates to a period of not less than six weeks for the public to submit any observations or submissions. The planning authority sends similar notices during this period of time to prescribed bodies to afford them the opportunity for input. Following on from the end of the consultation period, the chief executive of the planning authority is required to prepare a report summarising and outlining the submissions received, while evaluating the planning merits of the proposal.”
“The process is designed to ensure transparency, public participation and democratic oversight in relation to development projects. Article 81 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 requires that the local authority give notice of a proposed development in an approved newspaper and must fix a site notice or site notices on the land on which the proposed development would be situated. Article 81(2) of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 sets out the information that must be included in the public notice for a proposed Part 8 development by a local authority. The plans and particulars relating to a proposed development are required to be available for inspection for a period of not less than four weeks beginning on the day of the publication of the notice.”
“I thank Senator Costello for raising this issue. It is an interesting one and certainly provides food for thought in regard to the Part 8 process, how it works and how effective it is. I will go through the Part 8 process to explain how it works and then add a couple of comments afterwards. The local authority own development approval process, commonly referred to as the Part 8 process, is set out under section 179 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and the associated Part 8 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended. Part 8 approval is a reserved function of elected members. Part 8 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 establishes the statutory procedure through which a local authority may undertake development on its own behalf.”
“That is an exciting development for a few reasons. It allows a lot of those villages and towns where wastewater treatment is at capacity to expand and see people move in, which is key.”
“I thank the Deputy again. He raises a very important and relevant point, especially for our smaller towns and villages. This is where, as I was saying at the end of my last contribution, the significant investment announced by the Minister of almost €12 billion under the national planning framework and national development plan will allow Uisce Éireann to build capacity with respect to personnel and the funding of major infrastructure projects as well. Outside that there is capacity and we have heard of recent developments on the developer-led infrastructure that will allow developers to put in place their own wastewater infrastructure, where appropriate or up to a certain number of houses. That is obviously to be done in close collaboration with the EPA to ensure there are no legacy issues there.”
“On the question about villages and towns, Uisce Éireann, as far as I can see, is really building capacity and increasing investment in those villages and towns to deliver wastewater treatment.”
“I thank the Deputy. He makes a valid point on employment in the county, and it is a key challenge. If you take not just the tech and pharmaceutical sectors but also CUH, which is such a big employer, many of the incredible team of nurses, doctors and other staff need access to housing. That is a challenge we have to address but we are doing so. There are key ways that the Minister in particular has directed travel in the last number of months. The city and county development plans are being reviewed at the moment and going through their public consultation phase. That needs to accelerated so appropriate land can be zoned, and with that investment will come. The private sector is responding well to apartment buildings through the incentives there. Housing activation funding for Cork has been very generous.”
“We will do this 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 unprecedented level of investment the Government has committed will bring about a significant scale-up in the delivery of housing over the coming years, while also supporting the development of villages, towns and cities. While it is important to acknowledge the significant challenges ahead, it is equally important to highlight that a continued level of intensity of effort will be ongoing to reach the scale required to meet our shared goal of 300,000 new homes by 2030.”
“This momentum continued into the first quarter of 2026, with 1,047 new homes completed, up 45% year-on-year, and again the highest first quarter completion figure since the CSO data series began. While the Department does not forecast new housing completions in any given year, delivery in 2026 is likely to be strong. The Department is monitoring any headwinds to ensure we buttress supply into 2027 and 2028 appropriately as new measures under Delivering Homes, Building Communities bed-in over 2026 to enable delivery of at least 300,000 new homes by 2030.”
“I thank the Deputy for the question. It is good to see some focus on housing delivery in the rebel county. Increasing the supply of new homes is critical to alleviating pressures in the housing market, helping to moderate price growth and ease affordability challenges, 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. Data on new dwelling completions are published by the Central Statistics Office, CSO, on a quarterly basis. CSO data show overall housing delivery in Cork has significantly increased in recent years. Some 3,722 new homes were completed in Cork last year, an increase of 5% year-on-year and the highest annual delivery since the CSO data series began in 2011.”
“I specifically acknowledge the efforts of the committee members and acknowledge that this voluntary work was time-consuming and difficult. That outlines the current situation. The new standards have just been published. The potential impact is still being realised but, as has been the case since the grant scheme was introduced, we have always amended and adapted it and introduced new measures and provisions. If it is necessary to do so again, we will do that, but the Minister has committed to reviewing the Act as quickly as possible and bringing that report to the Houses.”
“My Department has been working closely over the past few weeks since the publication of IS 465:2026 with the designated local authorities, the Housing Agency and the homeowner liaison officer. A number of meetings have taken place to assess the potential immediate impact of the revised standard on scheme participants. Communications will issue shortly from my Department to update homeowners in detail, where appropriate, on where they stand following the IS 465 revision. This Government has always committed to following the science when it comes to the defective concrete blocks scheme. The approach I have outlined in my speech is once again clear evidence of this. I conclude by thanking the National Standards Authority of Ireland for the time and effort that went into the new standard.”
“Until this important review is complete it would be premature for me to speculate on exactly what changes may be required to the grant scheme with regard to foundations or indeed any other aspect of the scheme. I want to ensure that, as we now have the most up-to-date science, proper time and consideration is given to understanding how this new knowledge impacts the scheme and how we can best use it to assist applicants to the scheme. I am very much aware also of the very real concern out there among homeowners who wish to have clarity and certainty about how their sometimes unique sets of circumstances will be catered for going forward. A balance will have to be struck between a robust and comprehensive review and the need to have this done in a timely manner that pays due respect to the real concerns of homeowners.”
“465:2026 for the grant scheme, with further advice expected in the coming weeks. The initial advice has indicated current scheme participants can continue to proceed with their works under the determination given to them. I emphasise that the review will focus, as per the provisions of the 2022 Act, on the operation of the Act in the first instance. All matters relating to the introduction of IS 465:2026 and its interaction with the grant scheme will be considered as part of the review of the 2022 Act. This will include the matter of foundations. I appreciate that naturally there has been significant focus on the foundations issue arising out of the publication of the revised standard. My understanding is that there were a range of views submitted to the NSAI regarding the impact or otherwise on foundations in the medium to longer term.”
“With the publication of IS 465:2026 we have the most up-to-date science available that will help shape changes to the grant scheme following a review of the operation of the 2022 Act. This requirement is contained in section 51 of the Act. It requires the Minister for Housing must initiate a review within three months of the completion of the review of the national standard, I.S. 465:2018, and that within months of the completion of the review he shall make a report to each House of the Oireachtas with his findings and conclusions of the review. I understand the urgency of this review for homeowners. Officials in my Department have already begun preparation work that will assist the review. A request for legal advice was submitted to the Attorney General's office and it has provided initial advice on the implications of I.S.”