Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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403.To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will consider waiving development fees for large extensions on homes similar to the waiving of fees for new builds, where it can be demonstrated that the extension allows the family remain in their existing home and not warrant a new or larger home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25077/24]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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On 25 April 2023, the Government approved additional measures under the Housing for All Action Plan to incentivise the activation of increased housing supply and help reduce housing construction costs, including the introduction of temporary time-limited arrangements for the waiving of local authority “section 48” development contributions and the refunding of Uisce Éireann water and waste water connection charges.

The schemes originally applied for 1 year to all permitted residential development that commenced on site between 25 April 2023 (the date of the Government Decision approving the measure) and 24 April 2024, and is completed not later than 31 December 2025. On 23 April 2024, the Government approved an extension for the waiving of local authority “section 48” development contributions in respect of residential development commenced up to 31 December 2024 and the refunding of Uisce Éireann water and waste water connection charges in respect of residential development commenced up to 30 September 2024.

My Department issued Circular Letter PL 08/2023 on 21 July 2023 and the associated supplementary Guidance Note on the detailed operational arrangements in relation to the development contribution waiver scheme and the Uisce Éireann connection charge refund scheme. The Circular Letter and Guidance Note are available at the following link -www.gov.ie/en/circular/9b113-circular-pl-082023-temporary-time-limited-waiver-in-respect-of-development-contributions-operational-guidance-for-local-authorities/ .

In particular the guidance notes that “Residential extensions or the refurbishment of existing vacant/derelict properties are not included in the waiver scheme as the measure is intended to help boost the delivery of new housing supply, address cost and viability issues faced by the construction sector, and incentivise the activation of new housing commencements.”

It is not proposed to extend the scheme to include home extensions.