Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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52. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if consideration will be given to granting housing functions to Údarás na Gaeltachta; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22990/26]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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There are no plans to transfer statutory functions currently resting with the local authorities in respect of either housing or planning to Údarás na Gaeltaachta. 

The commitments to the Gaeltacht in the Government’s Housing Plan are clear. In addition to the national support schemes being made available to the general public, it is promised that a National Planning Statement for the Gaeltacht will be published in the first half of 2027 and that Údarás na Gaeltachta will work with Uisce Éireann and local authorities to explore the feasibility of the provision of serviced sites suitable for housing in Gaeltacht Language Planning Areas. 

In addition, the Údarás na Gaeltachta (Amendment) Bill 2024, which is currently at Report Stage, contains a provision to provide Údarás na Gaeltachta with the power to dispose of lands held by the organisation to an approved housing body (within the Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Act, 2019) or a housing authority (within the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1992) for the purpose of providing housing in the Gaeltacht.

Údarás na Gaeltachta is undertaking important work to provide employment for Gaeltacht communities and it would not be appropriate to reduce the organisation's emphasis on fulfilling that role. The organisation will, therefore, have a secondary role in terms of supporting housing in the Gaeltacht.