John Cummins
Waterford · Fine Gael · Ireland
“To ensure a structured and comprehensive examination of the issues, the task force was organised under four work themes: structures, funding, functions and governance and accountability within the local government sector.”
“At the outset, I thank Senator Fitzpatrick for raising this important issue this morning. I am acutely aware of the strong interest that exists within this House in matters relating to local government.”
“Engagement took place with a wide range of organisations and representative bodies, including employer and employee representatives, community and voluntary organisations, academic experts and other key stakeholders.”
“I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft: Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) Regulations 2026, Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) (No. 2) Regulations 2026, Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) (No.”
“In that context, I welcome the opportunity to address the House and to provide an update on the progress made today in advancing that recommendation and strengthening local democracy more generally.”
“The task force was charged with delivering its report within the challenging timeframe of six to nine months. However, considerable preparatory work already completed across the sector provided a strong foundation and enabled that timeline to be achieved. The task force, as the Senator rightly pointed out, was chaired by Mr.”
The complete record
Every one of 1,038 lines we hold for John Cummins, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 6 of 21.
“That is 4,500 vacant and derelict homes that now have families and individuals living in them today, with up to €70,000 in grant support provided by the Government.”
“Every local authority is engaging with the scheme and has paid out grants but, as I said, processing times at both the front end and back end of the process vary from local authority to local authority. That is a challenge. We are working with local authorities to ensure all of them come within a much shorter range than is the case at the moment. We will continue to work with the local authority sector from a financing perspective in terms of the staffing required, and every local authority has a vacant homes officer and has been provided with €100,000 for support and administration of this grant scheme. An excellent scheme has been introduced by the Government, with16,000 applications, 12,000 approvals and 4,500 grants paid out.”
“From a Department perspective we are monitoring processing times by local authorities. There is a significant discrepancy between the lowest and highest. I have outlined that the average processing time is eight weeks but I acknowledge that some local authorities are significantly above that. We are working with them to ensure we can get that down to the average. I understand the complexities and difficulties associated with projects like this from a financing perspective, trying to line up contractors and difficulties that can occur. We are providing funding to local authorities. We are trying to assist them in reducing processing times to ensure what is an excellent scheme is rolled out effectively across the country.”
“It has proved very successful and the changes now being made, build on that to maximise the number of vacant and derelict properties being brought into use as homes across across our villages, towns and cities.”
“Alongside these changes, approval was also given to provide an additional top-up of existing grant levels where an entire commercial building is converted into more than one residential unit. An additional €20,000 will be made available for the creation of a second residential unit and a further €20,000 where three or more units are created in the building. This will be on top of the existing grant of €50,000 to €70,000 as appropriate. The Department is progressing work on the vacant above-the-shop grant and the expert advice grant. It will be for made available for delivery by local authorities in the coming weeks. Additional information not given on the floor of the House The vacant property refurbishment grant is one of the many measures introduced and being introduced to tackle the scourge of dereliction and vacancy head-on.”
“Building on the success of the grant and in line with the agreed action in the new housing plan, the Government in December approved extending availability of the grant to 2030, with 20,000 grants to be paid. Approval was also given for the introduction of a vacant above-the-shop grant, with a package of up to €140,000 to be made available in cases where a vacant above-the-shop space is being converted or refurbished for residential use and the commercial elements remains. The additional grant amount for these properties recognises the complexities involved in bringing this space into residential use. The package includes an expert advice grant of up to €5,000.”
“The vacant homes unit in the Department monitors delivery of the grant and engages with local authorities on an ongoing basis, identifying issues and providing support and guidance in relation to the administration and processing of grant applications. Support is also provided to local authorities by the property optimisation unit within in the Housing Agency. This engagement supports efficient delivery of the grant and a consistent approach by local authorities in grant administration throughout the country. In line with the action contained in the housing plan, additional annual financial support of up to €100,000 per annum will be provided to local authorities to assist with grant administration.”
“Once the local authority is satisfied all required documentation is in order, it will then pay the grant. Payment of the grant at the end of the process is to ensure the applicant has carried the works applied for and approved and to safeguard that the grant is related to the works completed. The average processing time for applications received in the past year from date of receipt to date of decision is 67 days. The average processing time for applications received where all required information to support the application is received at the outset over the same period is 48 days. I propose to attach the information requested as part of the Official Report.”
“They will then arrange for a qualified person to visit the property to check the refurbishment work being applied for and to assess the proposed cost. Once this process is complete, the local authority will make its decision on the grant application, which is then issued to the applicant. Applicants have 13 months to complete the works from the date of approval but in exceptional circumstances where an applicant cannot complete the works applied for under the grant within this 13-month period, the local authority may grant an extension of the approval period at its discretion. Following confirmation of a successful application and the works being completed, the local authority will conduct a final property visit to review that the work has been completed in line with the grant application.”
“Since its introduction in 2022, the vacant property refurbishment grant has been a key support to bring back vacant and derelict properties into use as homes. To the end of 2025, over 16,000 grant applications have been received nationwide and over 4,514 were paid out, amounting to €247 million. My Department publishes data on applications for the grant on its website on a quarterly basis, which includes the number of applications, approvals and the total number and value of grants paid per local authority. Prior to the decision being made on grant applications, local authority reviews the applications to ensure that grant conditions are met and the required supporting documentation has been submitted.”
“I propose to take Questions Nos. 154, 156, 169, 191, 198, 207 and 255 together. Tackling vacancy and dereliction is a key objective of this Government as reflected in the new housing plan, delivering homes and building communities. The vacant property refurbishment grant, which is funded under the croí cónaithe towns fund, provides a grant of up to €50,000 for the refurbishment of vacant properties for the occupation as a principal private residence and for properties which will be made available for rent. A top-up grant of up to €20,000 is available where the property is derelict, bringing the total grant available for a derelict property up to €70,000. In order to qualify for the grant, the property must be vacant for two years or more at the time of application.”
“Deputy Murphy had an opportunity to make his comments. I am responding to him. He is determining the outcome of the review. I am saying that a review is under way and that proposals will be brought to the Minister in the second half of this year. There are varying discrepancies between some local authorities. I am not determining what the outcome will be. Some local authorities have a higher percentage and some have a lower one. I am not going to determine what the outcome of the review will be until it has been undertaken.”
“I thank the Deputy. In the premise of his follow-up question, he is determining the outcome of this review. He is stating the outcome of it will be that we will go to the highest rent provided by a local-----”
“It is probably appropriate at this point that there be a more streamlined system where local authorities cannot have as broad a range as they have had heretofore.”
“The Deputy asked whether it will result in increased or decreased rents. As I outlined in my initial response there are significant differences in rent schemes from local authority to local authority. Somebody with a given income in one council may be paying more than someone on a similar income in a different local authority area. There is a national framework contained in the housing plan. Options will come forward to the Minister in the second half of this year. Obviously we will look at what the best system and approach is at that point. It is true to say that in some local authority systems, it ranges between 10% and 20% of income and different approaches are taken to secondary earners. We set a broad framework.”
“However, rents can vary widely and disparate approaches mean social tenants on similar incomes can pay significantly different rents for similar properties merely because of the local authority area they reside in. The new housing plan Delivering Homes, Building Communities commits to reviewing rents paid to local authorities and AHBs with a view to introducing a national framework that provides a consistent and equitable system of rents and protects vulnerable households.”
“Local authorities should review their rent schemes regularly to ensure they are equitable and appropriate to the household means. The Government’s priority is to accelerate the delivery of social housing, with a significant funding package to support this ambition. It is therefore increasingly important that social housing supports are targeted appropriately and managed efficiently. Central to this is ensuring that the social housing rents charged remain appropriate to household means and that charging structures protect the most vulnerable households, including those with children. The current system of 32 individual rent schemes has its strengths.”
“I thank the Deputy for the question. Currently, local authorities charge rent under the Housing Act 1966 and this is known as the differential rents system. It is a critical piece of the State's welfare apparatus that subsidises housing costs and supports households who cannot meet their long-term accommodation needs from their own resources. The making or amending of such rent schemes is generally a matter for the executives of local authorities within the broad principles set out by my Department, including that rent levels should be based on income and reflect tenants’ ability to pay and also that they contain a hardship clause under which tenants can pay a reduced rent for a specified period and under certain circumstances.”
“The communications, as outlined in my initial response, are there in terms of the meetings and the continued engagement that Uisce Éireann has committed to, including the designated liaison officer, for whom contact details are on the website, and the continued engagement with the emergency services, Dublin City Council and the public transport providers to ensure that as much of that communication is maintained insofar as is possible while works are being undertaken. I hear what the Deputy is saying in terms of the engagement. I think there is a broader point that has been made by Deputies. It has been raised by the Minister and me with Uisce Éireann in terms of communications. The Deputy will have seen some feedback that was provided to all Oireachtas Members recently by Uisce Éireann in terms of public representative engagements.”
“I will take his request back to the Minister, Deputy Browne, and I am sure Deputy Heneghan will speak to him in the context of the Deputy's request. As the Deputy will appreciate, any works of this nature are very significant and will be disruptive. Obviously, only management and mitigation measures can be put in place. That will change depending on the circumstances that exist at any given time, given the nature of works at any given time.”
“Uisce Éireann's contractor has been engaging with local stakeholders, including Dublin City Council, emergency services, public transport providers such as Dublin Bus, refuse collection companies and schools, to help ensure that the project runs as smoothly as possible. Emergency services, refuse collection companies and public transport operators have been provided with a detailed traffic management plan so that they can make necessary arrangements. Since the works have commenced, Uisce Éireann has been closely monitoring traffic conditions and will continue to review traffic management plans, incorporating feedback from elected representatives and local residents, as the Deputy is doing here this evening on behalf of his constituents. I am informed that a dedicated community liaison officer for the project is in place.”
“Uisce Éireann has also been engaging with Dublin City Council's active travel section to co-ordinate projects within the Kilbarrack area, and Fingal County Council roads division regarding co-ordination with forthcoming resurfacing works along the R105 Dublin Road. Before the works began, Uisce Éireann's contractor issued letters to homes and businesses in the area with details of the traffic arrangements. Variable message signage will also be displayed at the junction of Greendale Road and Dublin Road and at the Causeway Road junction. This signage may move throughout the duration of the works as necessary.”
“Uisce Éireann has also committed to providing elected representatives with updates every two weeks. To date, updates have been issued on 17 February and 20 February. Uisce Éireann also hosted a community information evening on Thursday 29 January in Kilbarrack. Residents and businesses along the route from Causeway Road to Bayside Boulevard, including Greendale Road and Thornville Road, were invited. Information on traffic management measures that will be in place in order to complete the works safely was shared at this event. Access for residents, businesses, property owners and emergency vehicles will be maintained throughout. It is expected that this phase of works will be completed by the first quarter of 2027.”
“It is a critical piece of infrastructure for cross-city water transfers between key storage facilities at Ballymore Eustace and Leixlip and part of a wider programme of work to enhance water resilience across the greater Dublin area. It is my understanding that Uisce Éireann has undertaken extensive communication and community engagement before and during these works. In 2025, the Uisce Éireann project team attended meetings of the Clontarf flood alleviation scheme joint working group to provide updates on the project to Dublin City Council, elected representatives, local businesses and resident representatives. Uisce Éireann also recently hosted two elected representative briefings in advance of commencement of works on the project with Dublin city councillors on Thursday 22 January and Fingal county councillors on Friday, 23 January.”
“The Deputy has a job to do to represent his constituents when he comes in this Chamber. No one will ever challenge him on that, least of all me. The response I have here paints a somewhat different picture from that painted by the Deputy. It is important that I reflect it on the record of the House, but I am happy to engage further in my follow-up reply. The works in the Clontarf area commenced on 16 February and relate to a new €25 million strategic water pipeline that will significantly improve resilience, connectivity and long-term water security across north Dublin city area. The north city arterial main will also provide the additional network capacity required to enable the delivery of 12,000 new homes, supporting future growth across the entire region.”
“As Minister of State with responsibility for local government, I am looking forward to receiving the recommendations of the local authority task force, which has the aim of trying to give more powers to local government. This is one of them. This is a reserve function. It is an executive decision to bring forward measures to ensure that stock can be maintained. They have set it at 18% as opposed to 15%, but it is also grounded on the fact that those on the lowest incomes pay the least amount in rent and those on the highest incomes will pay the highest amount. That is a fair and equitable system. It is the system of differential rents that we have in place to support the most vulnerable in this country.”
“If the Deputy will allow me to respond, he gave an example of a tenant with two or three years of a contract. That does not exist. Part 4 tenancies are created after six months, and tenants have protections under the residential tenancies legislation. The new legislation that was passed applies to new tenancies created after 1 March. On the Deputy’s broader point in respect of the rent scheme, which I commented on in my initial contribution, it is a matter for each of our 31 local authorities to set their differential rent schemes. Many people in the Dáil look for devolved functions and more powers for local councils. The Deputy sat on a council. I remember meeting him at various engagements.”
“This builds on the work and analysis my Department has been undertaking, which identified that the current differential system varies significantly across the 31 local authorities. While rents are based on household income, the amounts charged and the approaches taken in calculating those rents differ considerably. Proposals will be submitted to the Minister, Deputy Browne, for his consideration in the second half of this year, and any decision to implement a standardised national rents framework will be considered thereafter.”
“The Dublin City Council scheme raises the proportion of income reckonable for rent calculation from 15% to 18% and also takes into consideration the incomes of all subsidiary earners in the household, including adult children who are working. Dublin City Council's new rent scheme is, therefore, progressive in that those households who collectively earn more pay a higher proportion of their income in rent, similar to the PAYE system. The new housing plan entitled Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025-2030 commits to reviewing the rents paid by social housing tenants with a view to introducing an equitable system of rents that is fair, progressive, sustainable and that protects the most vulnerable.”
“As part of its devolved function in administering rent schemes, my Department understands that Dublin City Council has recently undertaken a major review of its differential rent scheme with the intention of making it fairer and progressive whereby those who earn more can pay more while still protecting those on lowest incomes. Recent analysis by Dublin City Council found more than one fifth of council households have an after-tax income of greater than €1,000 per week. I understand that households in receipt of social housing in the Dublin City Council area pay heavily subsidised rents, with the average charge across the scheme at €83 per week. This average rent is reported to rise to €108 under the changes.”
“I thank Deputy Ellis for tabling this Topical Issue matter. The Housing Act 1966 provides for the charging of rent by local authorities on social housing tenancies. Rents are based on household income levels, with those on lower incomes paying lower rents and those on higher incomes paying higher rents. This system is known as the differential rents system. It is a critical piece of the State's welfare apparatus, subsidising housing costs and supporting households who cannot meet their long-term accommodation needs from their own resources. The making or amending of such rent schemes is a matter for local authorities within broad principles that are set out by my Department.”
“I thank the Deputy for his comments. He will know I moved on the agricultural exemptions prior to Christmas. The next phase is domestic exemptions, which will include modular to the rear. We are finalising those. It does not require legislation. It is regulation and has to go before the Oireachtas joint committee, which I expect to be able to do after Easter. We will get there as soon as we can. After domestic, it will be infrastructure. We are progressing that work. I thank everybody for-----”
“I say that to every Member of this Chamber, be they in government or opposition. Objecting to housing at a time of such need is simply madness.”
“In 2026 alone we will see overall capital funding of just over €9 billion for housing, so contrary to what the Opposition is saying here the State is the single biggest investor in housing in the country. We as a Government recognise we have to accelerate the delivery of homes. This will require unlocking additional land through zoning and through our local authorities and removing structural barriers to the building of homes whether those are due to the planning system, infrastructure or land availability. It also means providing a record level of investment, which we are doing as a Government. It also means appealing to those who are objecting to housing to take a look at the wider good, the common good and the need that is out there before they make an objection to housing.”
“Of course I want to see a reduced number of judicial reviews, as Deputies have referenced, but it is important to note in the context of the comment on the slowest planning process, that all LRD applications for housing of 100 units or more have all been disposed of by An Coimisiún Pleanála in less than 16 weeks and the cases the commission has on hand have reduced from a high of 3,700 in May 2024 to 1,300 cases last month. In the context of investment in housing, the national development plan indicates we will spend €102 billion over the next five years. Some €40 billion of this funding will be provided for housing and related water services to 2030. This demonstrates how seriously we as a Government are treating this matter. The funding will support vital water infrastructure projects and address historical bottlenecks in the system.”
“It will focus on projects that can move quickly at scale because we want strong, deliverable projects that can hit the ground running and start unblocking housing delivery immediately. Before I reference the investment in housing in the context of the national development plan, there are a couple of planning matters some Deputies have referenced this evening. It is important to note all local authorities, with the exception of the Cork authorities, which are moving to it shortly, now have eplanning in place and over 80% of applications are being made online. References to truckloads of paper being required for planning applications are therefore no longer valid.”
“The office, which will be headed up by a new deputy secretary general for housing activation, has undertaken both formal and informal engagement with various stakeholders to identify and address infrastructure barriers to housing delivery and to develop a co-ordinated programme of investment with key infrastructure agencies and the local government sector. Last month the Government announced a new multi-annual €1 billion housing infrastructure investment fund to support direct investment in housing-enabling infrastructure. The new fund will be managed by the housing activation office and will complement investment by infrastructure agencies such as Uisce Éireann and ESB Networks as part of a more co-ordinated approach.”
“As part of Delivering Homes, Building Communities, Government has introduced a suite of complementary measures, including the introduction of a 9% VAT rate on the sale of apartments, which the Opposition opposed, with the sole aim of increasing viability. A fourth call for expressions of interest under the croí conaithe cities scheme was introduced in July of last year and it is helping activate thousands of planning permissions for apartments in our five cities. The housing activation office was established in April of last year to accelerate homebuilding by unblocking infrastructure delays and co-ordinating investment in servicing zoned land. The office supports public infrastructure planning and investment for the delivery of new sustainable communities and transport-orientated development.”
“The State will support the wider use of standardised designs across the public and private sectors to promote efficient delivery and will drive the adoption of efficient and innovative construction practices, as well as the use of modern methods of construction, at a greatly increased scale to build a more resilient, effective and efficient sector. To achieve the delivery of 300,000 new homes under the Delivering Homes, Building Communities action plan, we will require an estimated €20 billion of development finance per year as we all recognise that level of investment is sought in a highly competitive international environment. One of the key challenges identified is apartment viability.”
“It is not something that any one sector, agency or profession can deliver in isolation. It depends on partnership between central and local government, between the public and private sectors, between planners, developers, infrastructure providers, financiers and communities themselves. The Government's new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities, recognises this and expects that all people and organisations will play their part in delivering the homes we need and tackling the challenges we face in housing today.”
“From May 2021 to the end of last year, a total estimate of almost 64,000 houses and duplex units have received planning permission with a condition restricting bulk purchase or multiple sales to a single purchaser. The trend in the bulk acquisition of houses is down significantly since 2023 and this will continue in the time ahead because of the owner-occupier guarantee, which we, as a Government, introduced. It is the case that the bulk purchase of houses referenced in the motion before us relates to residual planning permissions that were received before May 2021, of which there are now a significantly reduced number. Indeed, it is a fact that institutional investors are now net sellers of properties in Ireland. Housing delivery at scale and pace requires us to stimulate supply in the housing market.”
“These guidelines seek to provide an owner-occupier guarantee by ensuring that new own-door houses and duplex units in lower density housing developments should no longer be bulk-purchased by institutional investors in a manner that causes the displacement of individual purchasers or social and affordable housing, including cost rental. This measure does not apply to housing to be provided for social and affordable housing purposes or apartments. It should be recognised that through this measure, we have succeeded in preventing the inappropriate bulk purchase of a significant number of homes and securing those homes for purchase by homeowners.”
“This is significant progress, which the Opposition motion ignores. Of course, we know that we need to do more. The Government has implemented a range of measures to ensure a balanced housing market across all tenure types. In May 2021, conscious of the need to increase stock for home ownership, the Government introduced a series of measures designed to prevent bulk buying of houses and duplexes. A higher stamp duty of 10% was introduced where ten or more houses are acquired within a 12-month period. That rate was increased to 15% in budget 2025. The section 28 guidance for planning authorities on the regulation of commercial institutional investment in housing aimed to prevent multiple housing and duplex units being sold to a single buyer.”
“It is important that I reiterate the real progress that has been made in recent years, as outlined by the Minister, Deputy James Browne, in his opening statement, including those relating to social and affordable housing delivery, and to set out the key changes introduced and our plans ahead to scale up the supply of housing across all tenure types. Some 52,300 social homes were delivered between July 2020 and quarter 3 of 2025. The quarter 4 data will be published soon and will show continued strong performance. Over 14,100 homes have been brought back into use under the voids programme. More than 18,900 affordable housing supports had been provided by quarter 3 of 2025, increasing home ownership for families and ordinary workers. Over the past five years, almost 149,000 new homes have been delivered in this country.”
“I reassert the Government's commitment and determination to tackle the challenges that exist in our housing sector. We understand the need to ensure that sufficient numbers of homes are delivered, be they social, affordable or private, and that is why we are working tirelessly to address the blockages that exist and to implement policies that make a positive difference to supply. While there is still much to do, the motion initiated this evening by Sinn Féin Deputies does not fairly represent the efforts and progress made to date. The Government has, therefore, tabled a counter-motion to reflect its position and the positive actions that continue to be taken.”
“There is dishonesty in the argument that is put forward in that respect. As a Government, we will continue to invest in the supply of homes. I mentioned €9 billion. Our housing plan will deliver 72,000 social homes and 90,000 starter homes supports over the course of the plan. We will continue to increase the investment in the supply of housing because we acknowledge that it is the defining issue of my generation and all generations in the time ahead. I thank Senators for their contributions. I commend the Bill and look forward to being in the Chamber next week to debate it further.”
“Increasing the supply of private rental accommodation is crucial to meeting the housing needs of the public and improving rent affordability. Rent controls are a key protection while housing demand is greater than housing supply. I wish to touch on some comments Senators have raised. One in particular referred to a rent freeze, which is often put out there as a soundbite. It sounds great in theory but we do not have to look too far away for an example. We can look to Berlin, where the government tried this. What happened was that within 12 months, there was a 50% reduction in rental supply and the supreme court ruled it unconstitutional. I did not make that up. They are the facts. Yet, it is touted as the panacea to the challenges we face. We need to be real with the public and be honest when we are making proposals.”
“The Government has committed to providing a stable and predictable rental sector to attract and retain the private investment needed to meet housing demand. The impact of the current rent control system on the supply of new homes for rent has informed the development of this Bill. Its provisions aim to attract more investment into the rental sector as soon as possible, which is vital, not in place of State investment as some have suggested, but in addition to it. We all know that more than €20 billion is required every year to ensure we can increase supply. This year, the State will provide up to €9 billion but it cannot do everything. We require private investment in both the rental sector and in the supply of homes going forward. If we cannot acknowledge that, we are burying our heads in the sand.”
“These reforms aim to encourage investment in, and the development of, new housing supply, including new rental apartments. We are seeing some evidence of increased confidence in investment in the sector since the announcement of these measures last June. In line with the commitment in the programme for Government and a recommendation of the Housing Commission, the Bill provides for a rent price register as set out by the Minister in his introduction. The RTB’s published register will include the rent amount and other relevant tenancy information such as the floor area, number of bedrooms and bed spaces and BER of the dwelling. The aim is for rent information available through the published register to support landlords to set lawful rents and to help prospective tenants to assess the prevailing rents in their area.”
“A point that has not received much coverage is the fact that rent resetting also allows for landlords to charge lower rents for long-term tenants in the knowledge that they will be able to reset to market rent at the conclusion of a tenancy, which was not the case under the previous legislation where such a practice was effectively penalised. Rent resetting will be also be allowed at the end of each six-year period of a long-standing tenancy that commenced on or after 1 March 2026. Given the critical need to attract investment in new apartment development for the rental market, rent increases for apartments, subject to both a commencement notice and a certificate of compliance on completion under building control regulations on or after 10 June 2025, will be linked to the rate of inflation as per CPI without the application of the 2% cap.”