Paula Butterly (Louth, Fine Gael)
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249. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if there are plans to extend the Uisce Éireann rebate considering the success and significant response to the rebate, in particular the significant positive impact it had for first-time builders who faced various rising costs and benefitted greatly from the rebate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22122/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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In April 2023 the Government introduced the temporary time-limited waiver for local authority “section 48” development contributions and a refund scheme for water and wastewater connection charges payable to Uisce Éireann. This was part of a suite of measures to help reduce housing construction costs and to incentivise increased housing supply. The schemes applied for 1 year initially to all permitted residential development that commenced on site between 25 April 2023 and 24 April 2024, and was to be completed not later than 31 December 2025.

On 23 April 2024, the Government approved an extension for the waiving of the development contributions in respect of residential development commenced not later than 31 December 2024 and the refunding of Uisce Éireann water and waste water connection charges in respect of residential development commenced not later than 30 September 2024. The date for the completion of development works on qualifying houses under the schemes was extended from 31 December 2025 to 31 December 2026.

It is not proposed to extend the terms of the scheme again beyond that already approved by Government.