Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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469. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the specific measures for biodiversity that have been funded under Budget 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51007/21]

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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On the 12 October, my colleague Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD, Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government and Planning, Peter Burke TD, and I announced an overall budget package for 2022 of just under €6bn for the Department.

I am pleased that, as part of this wider allocation, heritage funding for 2022 will amount to €133.5m (a 36% increase on the previous year) across capital and current, contributing to the conservation of Ireland’s heritage for present and future generations.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department, which has responsibility for biodiversity, is the single largest component of that allocation, at over €47m. This represents a total increase of 64% since I became Minister – bringing funding for biodiversity and nature back up to a level not seen since before the financial crisis.

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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470. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the status of and position regarding the projects funded under Budget 2021 including those that have been completed and those that have yet to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51008/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has a wide and diverse business agenda, covering a broad range of functions that are delivered primarily by local authorities and bodies under the aegis of my Department.

Details in relation to specific projects (which are being advanced primarily by local authorities and Irish Water) under my Department's range of capital programmes as part of Project Ireland 2040: National Development Plan 2021-2030 are set out in the Investments Projects and Programmes Tracker published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on their website at the following link:

www.gov.ie/en/collection/580a9d-project-2040-documents/.

In addition, MyProjectIreland, a citizen-focused interactive map developed as part of Project Ireland 2040 in partnership with Ordnance Survey Ireland, provides details of projects around the country.This is available to be viewed at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/f828b-myprojectireland-interactive-map/.

In terms of Social Housing, the Social Housing Construction Status Report is published on a quarterly basis, and contains detailed information new build social housing activity. This is sorted by local authority, and gives a list of the status of individual projects that make up the new Build programme for that local authority. The most recent publication covers the period up to the end of Q2 2021 and is available at the following link:

www.gov.ie/en/publication/d7709-social-housing-construction-projects-status-report-q2-2021/.

With respect to water services projects, the prioritisation and progression of individual projects is a matter for determination by Irish Water.  Irish Water has established a team to deal with queries from Oireachtas members on issues arising in relation to its activities.  The team may be contacted via email to oireachtasmembers@water.ie or by telephone on 1890 578 578.Alternatively, Irish Water provides full details of their projects and plans to improve water and wastewater services on their website at the following link: www.water.ie/projects-plans/.