Proposals for a €600 million loan scheme aimed at helping small builders to deliver more homes are due to go before Cabinet on Tuesday.
Under the plans being brought by Minister for Finance Simon Harris, there is to be an access-to-credit finance scheme through the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF), with €400 million being set aside in equity and the banks expected to provide a further €200 million.
ISIF is a State body that invests in areas such as housing, climate action and transport. The intention of the package – to be unveiled by Mr Harris and Minister for Housing James Browne on Tuesday – is for ISIF to be in a position to deliver up to 5,000 homes of all tenure types in the coming years.
Separately, Mr Harris is expected to seek Cabinet approval for the new medium-term fiscal framework, which will anchor Government spending and tax plans for the next five years and is due to be published later this week. The Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (Ifac) last month warned the State is “flying blind” without the updated medium-term fiscal plan.
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Meanwhile, there is to be an overhaul of Ireland’s legal system under proposals to be brought to Cabinet by Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan, including in the area of judicial reviews. It is understood Mr O’Callaghan will seek Government approval for the drafting of the Civil Reform Bill 2025 aimed at streamlining the administration of civil justice and access to justice.
[ Judicial reviews blocking vital infrastructure and housing to be restrictedOpens in new window ]
There has been concern in recent times that judicial review proceedings are delaying infrastructure projects including those needed to pave the way for housing developments. Under the plans due before Cabinet there would be a public interest test at the centre of the judicial review process, where judges would have to consider the public interest weighed up against harm to an applicant as they deliberate on such cases.
A separate proposal in the legislation is to increase the monetary jurisdiction of the District Court from €15,000 to €20,000 and of the Circuit Court from €75,000 to €100,000, a measure that would allow more cases to be heard in lower court, easing pressure on the High Court. Another proposal included in the planned reforms would be to require plaintiffs in personal injury cases to distinguish between pre-existing injuries and injuries that are the subject of their claim.
Elsewhere, Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment Darragh O’Brien is to seek approval for draft legislation reforming energy infrastructure rules. The existing legislation only allows ESB Networks to own a line that brings electricity from a generator to a customer. The planned Private Wires Bill 2026 would allow electricity wires to be owned by private developers in limited circumstances – such as to a single electricity user or to allow for on-street charging of electric vehicles.
Minister for Children Norma Foley is to brief colleagues on her plans for early learning and school-age childcare in advance of the publication of the phase one report on the early years action plan.
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon is expected to bring plans to set up a food vision group for the seafood sector. It comes after Irish fish quotas were cut as part of a European Union fisheries deal last week.
The new group will be similar to one in place for the beef and sheep meat sectors and it will examine ways for the industry to innovate and add value to its products. It will comprise representatives of fishing, aquaculture and seafood organisations as well as officials from the department and agencies such as Bord Iascaigh Mhara.
