Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chair for his kind remarks and words of welcome. I look forward to working with him and his committee. I also look forward to working with my ministerial colleagues, the Minister and the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan.

I welcome the opportunity to discuss with the committee the Estimates for 2023 in the areas of local government, planning, Traveller accommodation and support, and housing for people with a disability and older people.

Supporting vulnerable households with their housing needs continues to be of paramount importance. I am particularly pleased, therefore, that over €259 million in dedicated funding is being provided in 2023 to meet the needs of our vulnerable people, including older people, people with a disability and members of the Traveller community.

For older people and people with a disability, some €92 million is being provided for private housing adaptation grants and adaptation grants for local authority-owned social homes. Both grant schemes enable adaptation works and are critical to ensure that people with disabilities and older people can stay at home for longer. Housing for older people and people with a disability is also funded by the mainstream capital programmes such as local authority social housing and the capital assistance scheme. The latter provides funding to approved housing bodies for specialist housing. A sum of €137 million is being allocated in 2023.

A sum of €27 million in dedicated funding is being provided in 2023 to support the Traveller community. Capital funding is being increased by 11% to €20 million, which will support a range of Traveller-specific accommodation schemes, including halting sites and group housing schemes. This also includes critically important work on the implementation of the recommendations set out in the Traveller accommodation expert review report.

On local government, the Local Government Fund’s primary purpose is to channel local property tax to local authorities following collection by the Revenue Commissioners, as well as supporting certain local authority initiatives. This programme includes a contribution to the Local Government Fund of €421.3 million in 2023 to support the local government sector in providing a range of essential services at local level, including assistance towards increased pay and pensions costs arising under national pay agreements; the local property tax equalisation payments; and important local government initiatives across the country, including supporting shared services.

In 2023, income sources into the Local Government Fund are estimated to be local property tax of €10 million and payment from the Vote of €421.3 million. The payment from the Vote includes the Exchequer contribution to LPT equalisation of €118 million. The total LPT allocations for 2023 are just under €609.9 million, which includes the impact of all local variation decisions.

On planning, where there is significant activity, a few key programmes merit mention. Some €136 million is being provided for the urban regeneration development fund in 2023, which was recently launched by the Minister; €5.8 million in current and capital funding is being provided towards the cost of the activities of the Land Development Agency in 2023; over €31 million in funding is being provided for the operational budgets of An Bord Pleanála and the Office of the Planning Regulator; and €5.4 million is being provided to augment local government planning resourcing and training.

As mentioned by the Minister, Tailte Éireann has been established. It will provide the authoritative property registration system, national mapping and surveying infrastructure and property valuation service for the State. A sum of €84.1 million in capital and current funding is provided for the operation of Tailte Éireann in 2023.

I thank the Chair and members for giving their time this afternoon. I will now hand over to my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan. He will speak about the important work being funded in the areas of heritage, electoral reform and the water and marine environment.