Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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20. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will review the recent changes to the local authority housing adaptation grants regarding central heating systems, and to allow the grant to fund the replacement of new oil or gas boilers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34599/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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My Department provides funding under the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and Disabled People, to assist those 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 European Union (Energy Performance of Buildings) Regulations 2024 transposes into Irish law Article 17(15) of Directive 2024/1275 of the European Parliament on the energy performance of buildings. The Regulations provide that from the 1 January 2025 public bodies shall not provide any financial incentives for the installation of stand-alone boilers powered by fossil fuels, other than those already approved under EU funds.

As a result, grants under the Housing Aid for Older People Grant scheme can no longer be provided for the installation of new stand-alone boilers powered by fossil fuels. The grant scheme is still available for applications in respect of costs relating to the repair of an existing fossil fuel boiler, or the purchase and installation of a second hand fossil fuel boiler by a qualified contractor.

Grants under the scheme may also be paid in respect of the repair or replacement of all other parts of a central heating system such as new radiators, oil tanks or pipework, regardless of connection to an existing fossil fuel boiler. Grants continue to be paid in respect of non fossil fuel heating such as electric or biomass heating solutions, for example wall mounted electric heaters or wood pellet stoves, provided they are a suitable option given applicant’s circumstances. The detailed administration of the schemes is the responsibility of local authorities, therefore the qualifying works is a matter for consideration and decision on a case-by-case basis by the local authority within the scope of the grant scheme.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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21. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will ensure that the higher rates of homeless HAP are made available to people currently in rental accommodation so that they do not have to become homeless first to access the higher rate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35891/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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A key principle of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is that eligible households source their own accommodation in the private rental market. The accommodation sourced by tenants should be within the prescribed maximum HAP rent limits, which are based on household size and the rental market within the area concerned.

Since 11 July 2022, each local authority has statutory discretion to agree to a HAP payment up to 35% above the prescribed maximum rent limit or up to 50% in the case of homeless households in the Dublin region. Additional flexibility was also given, from this date, for local authorities to apply a couple HAP rate to single person households for new tenancies. Recognising that newer tenancies are at a higher cost than those tenancies already in place, the measure only applied to new tenancies. It is a matter for the local authority to determine if the application of the discretion is warranted on a case by case basis and also the level of additional discretion applied in each case.

Additional supports are available under HAP for homeless households or households at risk of homelessness nationwide including financial supports and access to the Place Finder service. To qualify for these specific additional supports available to homeless households, a household must have been determined by the relevant local authority to be homeless within the meaning of section 2 of the Housing Act 1988.

Local authorities oversee a range of homeless prevention and tenancy sustainment measures, and are prioritising tenancy support services, prevention, and the use of the Place finder service for HAP tenancies.