Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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1014. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to extend certain planning exemptions to convert vacant commercial properties into new homes (details supplied); if he will confirm his plans to extend or review the scheme before the end of 2025; and his views on whether the scheme has been a success and produced the potential to create 3,429 new homes throughout the country between 2018 and 2024 and is worthy of a further extension. [58137/25]

Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)
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1142. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government in view of planning exemptions introduced in 2022, the number of those exempted dwellings for which material changes were made for the purposes of providing accommodation; if they are subject to enforcement by local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60179/25]

Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)
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1143. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if the review of planning exemptions introduced in 2022 will be completed by year end 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60180/25]

Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)
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1144. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his views on whether the planning exemptions introduced in 2022 have been successful; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60181/25]

John Cummins (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1014 and 1142 to 1144, inclusive, together.

Turning vacant properties into homes is a key pillar of Housing for All. S.I. No. 75/2022 - Planning and Development Act (Exempted Development) Regulations 2022, provides an exemption from the requirement for planning permission for the conversion of certain types of vacant commercial property into residential use, such as ‘living over the shop’ accommodation and conversion of vacant pubs, up to a maximum of 9 residential units.

Draft regulations have been laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas providing for an extension, until 31 December 2028, of the exemption for conversion to residential use set out under S.I. No. 75 of 2022.

Following engagement on the draft regulations with the Joint Oireachtas Committee for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and receipt of positive resolutions of both Houses of the Oireachtas as required under section 262(4) of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, I, as the Minister of State with responsibility for Planning, will sign the regulations into law at the earliest opportunity once finalised.

The use of the 2022 Regulations requires the developer to notify the planning authority at least two weeks prior to the commencement of any proposed change of use and related works. Planning authorities are required to maintain a record and to submit annual returns to the Department on the notifications received in the preceding year including the location and number of residential units to be provided.

My Department publishes these returns annually and prepares a Planning Exemptions Story Map to provides further background information and spatial analysis of notifications received. Up to the end of 2024, local authorities received 1,457 notifications from developers intending to avail of the exemptions. If enacted, this would result in 3,429 new homes across the country.

In 2024 alone, 292 notifications were received relating to the provision of 713 new homes, which is the highest annual number of notified units since 2018.

Notifications have increased steadily since with an average of 2.35 homes per notification.

The returns indicate significant development activity in response to the provision of the exemptions and highlight urban areas where local authorities are successfully tackling urban vacancy. The information is available at: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/publications/notifications-received-by-local-authorities-under-planning-permission-exemptions-for-converting-commercial-property-into-homes/