Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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773. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of WTE accountants that are employed by his Department as of 27 May 2025; and if he will provide corresponding figures as of 1 June 2022, in tabular form. [29378/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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At present my Department does not employ any member of staff in the specific civil service grades of Professional Account Grade 1, 2 or 3. There was one member of staff serving in my Department on 1 June 2022 in the grade of Professional Accountant Grade 2. There are general service staff, including for example, Assistant Principal Officers and Principal Officers with Accountancy Qualifications working in roles where those qualifications are very appropriate, for example the Accounts team, Audit team and Departmental Finance.

My Department does not generally keep a record of all qualifications held by staff members, and accordingly there may be staff working in various roles in the Department who have an accountancy qualification but applied for different or indeed, general open panel positions.

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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774. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the cost of the additional staff sanctioned to An Bord Pleanála in 2023 and 2024 and the cost of increasing the sanction by a further 30 staff across clerical, administrative and inspector posts. [29382/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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An Bord Pleanála (the Board) is the national independent statutory body with responsibility for the determination of planning appeals and direct applications for strategic infrastructure and other developments under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and certain other Acts.

There are now more people working at the Board than at any time previously. Since October 2021, the Department has facilitated sanction for 117 new staffing posts and 5 new full-time Board members in ABP. As of 30 April 2025, 291 people were working in ABP: 276 staff and 15 Board Members. This is an increase of more than 50% since 2021. There is currently a 7% staff vacancy rate that is subject to an ongoing recruitment process.

The Ministerial Action Plan for An Bord Pleanála in 2022 established a process for increasing financial and staffing resources to the Board in preparation for the transition of the organisation to An Coimisiún Pleanála. As a result of this, more funding is being made available to An Bord Pleanála than previously. The Board has received increases in Exchequer funding over the past few years with an allocation of €40.6 million for 2025, an increase of approximately €7 million on the 2024 allocation of €33.9 million. The 2024 allocation was an increase on the €30.1 million Exchequer funding to the Board in 2023.

Recruitment and retention of staff remains an operational matter for the Board and as such the Department does not hold the specific information in relation to staff categories as requested. In light of this arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my Department to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. This provides a speedy, efficient and cost effective system to address queries directly to the relevant bodies. The contact email address for An Bord Pleanála in this regard is Oireachtasqueries@pleanala.ie.

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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775. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the cost of the additional staff sanctioned to local authority planning sections in 2024 and 2025; and the cost for every additional 100 staff sanctioned for planning authorities across the same grade as the additional sanctions in 2024 and 2025. [29383/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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On 15 October 2024, my Department published a Ministerial Action Plan on Planning Resources to respond to capacity challenges in the planning sector. This Action Plan provides a detailed roadmap to increase the pool of planning and related expertise needed to ensure a planning system fit for future needs.

Funding was secured in Budget 2025 to support delivery of the Action Plan and a Steering Group was established to coordinate and oversee the development of this Action Plan. This group remains in place to oversee the implementation and ongoing review of the Action Plan. Five Working Groups, the members of which are key stakeholders, have been established to progress grouped actions in the areas of education, national recruitment, international recruitment, system reform and innovation and efficiency.

A copy of the Action Plan can be accessed on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/51194-ministerial-action-plan-on-planning-resources-october-2024/.

In October 2023, my Department conveyed approval to the filling of an initial 100 additional posts, subsequently increased to 101 posts, in the local authority planning sector under the first tranche of a programme of supports for planning resources. A further approval issued in January 2025 for 112 additional posts - 56 graduate planner posts and 56 staff officer posts - to support the Planning function within local authorities. Local authorities were notified of their allocation for Phase 2A graduate planner posts on 17 April 2025. A graduate planner recruitment campaign was launched on 13 May 2025 to attract graduate planners into Ireland’s Local Authorities, which was supported by my Department. The occupation of town planner has been added to the Critical Skills Occupation List which will allow eligible non-EEA professionals from outside of Europe to benefit from streamlined employment permit processes, making it easier for Irish employers to recruit and retain international talent in this vital sector. Information on posts is expanded on in tabular form (3 worksheets attached) which provides a breakdown by planning post etc.

My Department is currently working on a number of measures to increase staffing levels in the local government planning sector. In this regard, my Department is collaborating with the Local Government Management Agency on the delivery of a further programme of supports to planning authorities. These supports include the provision of staffing resources and expertise to enable planning authorities to perform their functions efficiently and effectively.

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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776. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the additional cost to the Exchequer for every additional 1,000 social housing units delivered through the following schemes, SHIP construction, SHIP turnkey, CALF construction, CALF turnkey, CAS construction, CALF turnkey, and social housing acquisition. [29384/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Cost information on the delivery of social homes through the various construction streams, is collated by my Department at development/project level rather than at individual housing unit level. The cost of constructing new homes is dependent on a range of variables, such as the location, the scale of the development and the size and type of the homes involved. As such, the limitations of using average cost data to project future costs should be noted.

The table below sets out the estimated cost of delivering an additional 1,000 social homes through the various delivery streams.

• Above SHIP Construction estimated costs are based on Department's Q2 2025 All-in BUC's.
• The All-in BUCs reflect a composite figure / unit , which are based on the analysis of returned data from recently tendered social housing schemes and include the following:

- The addition of allowances for site purchase costs, design team fees, utilities, site investigations, surveys, public art etc. as appropriate

• The above estimated costs also include a further allowance of 10% (on the construction element) for abnormal works. Abnormal costs are those which would be considered as project specific (i.e. not a typical construction cost). For example, a standard housing scheme will include strip foundations and blockwork rising walls. If however, existing ground conditions require the use of piled foundations and ground beams, the additional cost for using this type of foundation is considered an abnormal cost
• Inflation excluded
• Assumed location / unit mix (per 1000) as follows:
• Dublin Region (600 units / 60%)

- 240 apartments (60Nr. 1bed; 140Nr. 2bed; 40Nr. 3bed)

• Outside Dublin (400 units / 40%)

- 115 apartments (35Nr. 1bed; 60Nr. 2bed; 20Nr. 3bed)

• Above costs reflect overall additional capital funding required to deliver the number of additional units specified. This funding would likely be expended over a period of 2+ years
• SHIP Turnkey,CAS construction, CAS turnkey figures are based on the most recent data available and are based on 2024 average costs.
• CAS Turnkeys include Group homes which are counted as tenancies.
• The delivery of homes does not always occur in the same year as expenditure.
• Under CALF, many projects including turnkey developments can avail of the Accelerated CALF facility. The accelerated CALF can be applied to facilitate site purchases or stage payments to a developer, deposits for properties under construction or for sale and to facilitate the acquisition of homes requiring works, which necessitate access to the properties.

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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777. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the additional cost to the Exchequer for every additional 1,000 affordable housing units delivered through the following schemes, CREL construction, CREL turnkey, AHF construction, and AHF turnkey. [29385/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Under Housing for All, the Government set out plans to deliver 54,000 affordable homes, including 36,000 affordable purchase and 18,000 cost rental homes, by 2030.

A comprehensive implementation strategy is in place to support the various affordable housing schemes now being delivered by a range of delivery partners.

The Exchequer cost of delivering new homes is dependent on a range of variables, such as the location, the scale of the development and the size and type of the homes involved, together with the cost of labour and materials applied to the project in question, in addition to ongoing maintenance and management fees for cost rental homes.

The Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) funding is available to Approved Housing Bodies who provide cost rental homes. Overall State funding under CREL provides up to 55% of capital costs, of which up to 20% can be equity, on a sliding scale as necessary for viability at appropriate rent levels, subject to scheme criteria.

The percentage CREL funding in 2024 varied, but the mode was 55% of the capital costs of homes (the maximum allowance). The average cost to the Exchequer for delivery of CREL homes (CREL funding) approved in 2024 was approximately €214,000 per home. Scaling up from this figure, the cost to the Exchequer for 1,000 additional new-build CREL homes approved would be approximately €214 million.

The Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) subsidy is available to local authorities as a direct subvention on local authority housing development costs at rates of €50,000, €75,000, €100,000, and €150,000 per affordable unit depending on (a) the density of housing units per hectare on the development, and (b) where the development is located. It is also worth noting that the AHF subsidy is comprised of a 95% Exchequer payment together with a 5% local authority contribution.

Having regard to the differing levels of AHF subsidy available in the circumstances described above, depending on the density and location, the Exchequer cost of grant aiding the delivery of 1,000 affordable homes by local authorities would be in the range from €47.5 million to €142.5 million.

To note, these are estimated figures and the actual site and project specific costings for a particular number of additional units would need to be provided to give an accurate Exchequer cost of increasing deliver.

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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778. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the additional cost of increasing the funding for housing adaptation grants by 25%, 50% and 100%. [29386/25]

Peter Cleere (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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834. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government for clarification in relation to housing for older people grants eligibility where a person is residing in a retirement home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30060/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 778 and 834 together.

My Department provides funding under the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and Disabled People, to assist people in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. The suite of grants, which include the Housing Adaptation Grant for Disabled People, the Mobility Aids Grant and the Housing Aid for Older People Grant, are funded by my Department with a contribution from the local authority. The grant is therefore essentially available to people living in private houses. The detailed administration of the scheme including assessment, approval, prioritisation and budgetary apportionment is the responsibility of local authorities.

Budget 2025 provided for an increase of €25m in the funding provision for the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and Disabled People, with €99.5 million allocated for 2025, continuing the year on year increases since 2014. Increasing the 2025 Exchequer funding by 25% would cost an additional €24.875 million, while an increase of 50% would cost an additional €49.75 million, and an increase of 100% would cost an additional €99.5 million.

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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779. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the additional cost of increasing the funding for social housing retrofits by 25%, 50% and 100%. [29387/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme (EERP) aims to retrofit a local authority home to a minimum BER rating of B2. It is expected that 36,500 local authority owned homes will be retrofitted under this programme out to 2030. €90m is available to the programme in 2025 to upgrade approximately 2,500 homes. The table below indicates the increase in funding required based on the percentage increase.

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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780. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the additional cost of increasing the funding for social housing maintenance including the voids programme by 25%, 50% and 100%. [29388/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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From 2014 to the end of 2024, local authorities were provided over €361m of Exchequer funding for the remediation of 25,672 dwellings. The funding was introduced originally to tackle long term vacant units and is now increasingly targeted to support authorities to ensure minimal turnaround and re-let times for vacant stock.

Under the Planned Maintenance/Voids Programme, €31m is available in 2025 of which €10m is ring fenced for Planned Maintenance. The table below indicates the increase in funding required based on the percentage increase.

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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781. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the additional cost of increasing the funding for estate regeneration by 25%, 50% and 100%. [29389/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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My Department currently funds multi-year programmes of social housing regeneration projects.

As set out in the Programme for Government my Department is working on updating the current regeneration strategy (circular N11/2007 Policy Framework for Regeneration of Local Authority Estates) to ensure that focus, resources and funding is available to Local Authorities for the acceleration of social housing regeneration projects in Dublin and other areas that have ageing estates and flat complexes in need of remedial works and/or re-building.

Funding linked to regeneration projects also come from other Capital funding sources where appropriate, for example funding for re-build projects where housing is being demolished and re-built (e.g. O’ Devaney Gardens) is being provided through the Social Housing Investment Programme (SHIP) subhead (A.3).

Funding for social housing regeneration & refurbishment utilising the Estate Regeneration sub-head (A.15) in 2025 is estimated to be €50m. This amount is based on projects approved by the Department and scheduled for recoupment in 2025. It should be noted that this estimate is for the Estate Regeneration subhead (A.15) and does not include funding for the re-building of social housing at projects such as Dorset Street and O' Devaney Gardens which are being funding through SHIP subhead (A.3).

Increasing this by 25%, 50% and 100% in future years would amount to €62.5m, €75m and €100m.