Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North-Central, Fianna Fail)
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88. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of one bed, two bed, three bed and four bed houses that have been constructed or acquired by Cork City Council and Cork County Council, since 2020 to date in 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65629/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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My Department publishes comprehensive programme-level statistics on a quarterly basis on social housing delivery activity by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies in each local authority. This data is available to the end of Q2 2025 and is published on the statistics page of my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/.

My Department also publishes the Social Housing Construction Status Report (CSR), which provides details of social housing developments, their location and their funding programme that have been completed, are under construction or are progressing through the various stages of the design and tender processes. The most recent publication was for Quarter 2 2025. The Q2 2025 CSR and all previous versions of the CSR are available on the Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/collections/social-housing-construction-projects-status-reports/.

A version of the Q2 2025 CSR file can also be downloaded for analysis by local authority, Approved Housing Body etc. at this link: .

The table below sets out the number of social housing new builds and acquisitions by Cork City Council and Cork County Council by number of bedrooms (1-4) between 2021 to Q2 2025. Unit level details such as bedroom number were only reported from 2021 onwards, therefore 2020 has been excluded from this table. This data represents 2,801 of the 4,990 social homes constructed or acquired by Cork City and Cork County Councils in those years and my Department is working with local authorities to obtain data for the outstanding units.

John Paul O'Shea (Cork North-West, Fine Gael)
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89. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the steps his Department will take to assist Cork County Council in addressing high levels of vacancy and dereliction in towns and rural areas across Cork; if additional supports under the croí cónaithe scheme, urban regeneration and development fund and other schemes will be made available to encourage refurbishment and reuse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65168/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Working to end dereliction and vacancy is a key priority in the Government's new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities. The Plan will ensure that the activities and resources used to address vacancy and dereliction are co-ordinated, and that legislative powers are used proactively to work to bring dereliction and vacancy to an end.

The Vacant Homes Action Plan outlines the range of initiatives and funding mechanisms that have been introduced in recent years and these measures are successfully reducing the levels of vacancy and dereliction right across the country, including Cork County.

One of the key measures in the Action Plan is the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, introduced in July 2022. The grant provides up to €70,000 for the refurbishment of vacant and derelict properties for occupation as a principal private residence and for properties which will be made available for rent.

Since the launch of the Grant, Cork County have received the second highest number of applications nationwide with over 1,260 at the end of Q3 2025. Over 280 grants have now been issued upon completion of refurbishment works, amounting to over €15 million paid out so far.

Under Delivering Homes, Building Communities, the grant will be improved and expanded, with a new 'Above the Shop' grant and a new Expert Advice Grant to support property owners to bring these vacant upper floors into use as homes. Additional financial support will be provided to local authorities to assist them in the administration of the grant.

A new Derelict Property Tax will be introduced, administered and collected by the Revenue Commissioners, to bring derelict properties back into use.

Another focus is the active and timely use of the Derelict Sites Act, increasing the number of properties on the Derelict Sites Register and increasing and enforcing the collection of levies.

Under the CPO Activation Programme, local authorities are required to take a proactive and systematic approach to tackling vacancy, and actively use their compulsory purchase powers where engagement is unsuccessful.

Other measures taken include extending Call 3 of the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund, introducing a contractor led renewal programme to help tackle dereliction and extending the planning permission exemptions for the conversion of certain vacant commercial properties to residential use.

All 31 local authorities have a full-time Vacant Homes Officer in place as a key point of contact in their Vacant Homes Office teams. My Department provides annual funding to each local authority to reinforce their capacity to ensure a dedicated focus on tackling vacancy and dereliction.

Vacant Homes Officers are supported in their role by the Vacant Homes Unit in my Department, the Housing Agency and through the Vacant Homes Officer Network.

The new measures outlined in the Plan will build on these schemes and the significant work that has been done and outcomes achieved over the past number of years.

I firmly believe the commitment Government has made to addressing vacancy and dereliction and the actions under Delivering Homes, Building Communities will play a vital role in delivering homes across the country.

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin (Wicklow-Wexford, Sinn Fein)
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90. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the amount of housing adaptation grant funding that will be provided in 2026 for counties Wicklow and Wexford; the number of social housing tenants that are awaiting essential works in both counties to date, by age category, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59145/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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My Department provides funding to local authorities under the Disabled Persons Grants scheme (DPGs) to carry out works on social homes to address the needs of older people, people with a disability or overcrowded situations. Typical works include adaptations such as stair-lifts, level deck showers, ramps and grab rails, widening door opening widths, and improving circulation spaces. Extensions to provide for ground floor bathrooms and bedrooms can also be supported.

The programme will provide €25m to local authorities in 2025 The budget for 2026 will increase and the details will be finalised shortly.

My Department will shortly request local authorities to identify their expected funding requirements for 2026. This process ensures local authorities are able to meet the needs of their tenants within the available funding envelope, while emergency cases will be provided for as they arise throughout the year.

Prior to formally notifying local authorities of their allocations for 2026, and to remove impediments to priority works, they are allowed to commit up to a maximum value of 65% of this year's allocation on works to completed next year.

Once allocations allocations for next year are notified, it will be a matter for each local authority to prioritise the works required within the funding available and per the terms of the DPG scheme.

Data on the number of tenants awaiting essential works are not collected by my Department and should be sought directly from the respective local authorities.