1617. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the efficiency and reform proposals that his Department has submitted to the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation in response to their request for such proposals with a deadline of the 17 July 2026; the impact that these spending cuts will have on public services within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55539/26]

Following the Government decision to apply an expenditure levy on Votes in 2027, the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation notified my Department that a levy of €5m will apply to my Vote Group's current expenditure allocation in 2027. The levy of €5m equates to 0.13% of my Vote Group's current expenditure allocation for 2026.

Thanks to ongoing progress on the implementation of efficiencies and reforms, my Department will be able to absorb this reduction without significant impact on the delivery of critical services.

As outlined in our response to the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, our programme of efficiencies and reforms includes measures to streamline the Department’s internal processes and procedures, initiatives to support innovation and reform in local authorities and bodies under the aegis of the Department, and a broad strategy of using capital investment to tackle the underlying challenges facing the Department and reduce ongoing current expenditure pressures.

I wish to highlight particularly:

• A strong focus on delivery of new social housing, particularly through construction, which will reduce pressure on the support schemes funded through the Department’s current expenditure programmes (HAP, RAS, etc.);

• Ramping up of capital investment in state- or NGO-owned homeless accommodation, which will enhance service and help reduce expenditure on privately provided homeless accommodation;

• Continued support for digitisation and innovation projects within the Department, local authorities, and bodies under the aegis of the Department.