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94. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he, the Department or the Gníomhaireacht Forbartha Talún has had any negotiations or discussions with institutional land owners in Dublin 8, 10 or 12 (details supplied) in relation to purchasing, swapping or co-developing their land or part thereof for social, affordable rental, affordable purchase a…

95. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will report on the grant support available for the provision of expert conservation advice to private owners of vacant traditional houses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12725/25]

100. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide the final quarter social and affordable housing figures for 2024, including the full-year figures for social new build, acquisitions, cost rental and affordable purchase. [12585/25]

110. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there are plans to introduce or expand urban renewal schemes to rejuvenate town centres as part of new housing developments; if such plans include grant supports for building over existing businesses in town centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12707/25]

213. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications further to Parliamentary Question No. 194 of 6 March 2025, the total amount of funding awarded under the community energy grant to the retrofitting of MUDs; the amount of funding that was provided to energy poor homes; the way in which ‘energy poor homes’ are defined; the total amount of funding provided to appr…

341. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when he expects the Land Development Agency to begin delivering houses for Limerick, given it has yet to lodge a planning application for direct delivery in Limerick since their inception, despite being active in Limerick since 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13075/25]

387. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if his Department have advised the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in relation the turnkey purchases for houses rather than various forms of direct build or forward purchasing; if he has advocated for the increased use of turnkey as a method of delivering social and affordable homes, in comparison to other methods of de…

816. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the temporary waiver scheme in respect of development contributions for planning for houses will be continued for the foreseeable future. [12977/25]

821. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider reviewing the Government criteria for the local authority affordable housing schemes, which stipulates that just 30% of new homes in such schemes are ring-fenced for local applicants, with a view to substantially increasing this figure; and if he will make a statement on the matter…

825. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the housing grants available for a person (details supplied) living in a home who’s owner is now deceased; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10773/25]

838. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will engage with the Housing Agency regarding a cost rental tenant-in-situ application (details supplied) to prevent a person from becoming homeless; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11015/25]

845. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of fossil fuel boilers that were granted funding through the housing aid for older persons grant in 2023 and 2024, per local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11132/25]

851. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a supplementary estimate will be brought forward to revise the December 2024 estimate arising from the Cabinet memo allocating €450 million to the delivery of social and affordable housing; if so, when; and the amount allocated to each funding stream for 2025. [11153/25]

855. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to confirm the 2025 social housing tenant-in-situ target, with a breakdown for each local authority area; if a circular communicating this and the new restrictions to the scheme has been issued to local authorities; if not, when it will be circulated; if he will commit to publishing the circular on his Departmen…

856. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of social housing tenant-in-situ purchases concluded in 2024, with a breakdown by local authority area, providing an average purchase cost for the total number of such acquisitions and an average for the acquisitions in each local authority area [11158/25]

857. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding any initiative proposed by his Department that seeks to address long-term vacancy in privately owned housing units [11190/25]

869. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of persons in receipt of housing assistance payments at the end of each of the past ten years. [11310/25]

870. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount paid in housing assistance payments in each of the past ten years and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [11311/25]

891. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on planned new social and affordable housing units for east Cork over the next five years, including expected unit size, cost, completion deadline and any additional details. [11587/25]

892. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of persons on the housing list in east County Cork, by local electoral area. [11588/25]

893. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when he will introduce a legislative amendment to clear the way for the Housing Agency to conduct technical reviews and issue second appropriate remediation option determination to the local authority under the defective concrete block grant scheme. [11611/25]

895. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has any plans to increase the income thresholds to qualify for social housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11640/25]

901. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the affordable housing plans for counties Roscommon and Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11688/25]

903. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans for affordable housing in County Offaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11694/25]

905. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department will review the case of a person (details supplied) who is renting elsewhere while reconstruction works are ongoing on their house, covered by the defective concrete blocks grant scheme, to release funding at an earlier stage to assist this person in paying for rent while the works are ongoing.…

There has been no ambiguity regarding what I have previously said in the House. This is the first time Deputy Byrne has raised this issue in the House with me on oral questions. There has been no ambiguity regarding this issue from my point of view. I do not care what people read in the paper. The reality is I have consistently said and am on the record as saying that I thought it was regrettable …

I agree with the Deputy. To be honest, unfortunately, it is not isolated to one cohort in society. People in this House get their fair share of it as well and it is totally unwarranted. Whether a person is in Opposition or Government, there is a common thread that unites all of us who put our name on a ballot paper and get in here. The abuse some people get, particularly women Members of this Hous…

When Fine Gael entered Government in 2011, we had 641 children living in emergency accommodation. After 15 years of Fine Gael in government, propped up by Fianna Fáil for most of the time, we now have over 5,000 children homeless. That is a disgrace. It is not an accident. It is a direct result of the Government's bad policies. One example of that is cutting the funding for the tenant in situ sche…

We have more than 5,000 children in emergency accommodation, a figure that is both shocking and shames the State. Yesterday, the Government rightly apologised to institutional abuse survivors. It was a hard-fought for and very much delayed apology. As I have said previously here, I have absolutely no doubt that a future government will be issuing an apology for the damage homelessness has done and…

Homelessness is a moral stain on our society, of that there is no doubt. I have watched over the past decade as the number of people becoming homeless and entering emergency accommodation has climbed each year and as increasing numbers of people, particularly younger people, beg in the streets. Even older people are not spared the impact of the failed housing policies of successive Governments. W…

I move: That Dáil Éireann shall take note of the Report of the Joint Committee on Artificial Intelligence entitled "First Interim Report", copies of which were laid before Dáil Éireann on 12th December, 2025. Tá áthas an domhan orm an chéad tuarascáil ón gComhchoiste Um Intleacht Shaorga a mholadh. Tá an teicneolaíocht iontach seo ag athrú ár sochaí agus is ceart go bhfuil an tír seo ag glacadh …

I welcome the opportunity to address the House. I sincerely thank Deputy Byrne, as Cathaoirleach of the Joint Committee on Artificial Intelligence, and the overall committee for the important work they have undertaken in their first interim report, which is the subject of this motion. The extensive engagement by the committee that informed this work, including the range of views and perspectives g…

I thank Deputy Ó Snodaigh. I am very pleased I have temporary responsibility for the issue of commemorations in the Department of culture. I agree with the Deputy that it is important that we should celebrate the great rescue by the Catalpa and how it carried out the rescue of the six military Fenians. The 150th anniversary of that important event is approaching in April this year and I commend th…

I think we all have to admit that we stumble from disaster to disaster in this House. We had the SNA disaster last night. We have the disaster of housing with 17,000 people who are homeless in this country. Now we are talking about the disaster of GP care. There are seven GPs per 10,000 people in this country. There is a falling rate of GPs, with GPs retiring. A total of 70% of GPs cannot take on …

From listening to speakers across this House, there is clearly huge pressure on our national GP system. I acknowledge the extent of the work by Deputy Toole during the formation of the Government. The knowledge she has from her first-hand experience in healthcare is something we need to listen to. Whether it is our SNAs, teachers or any sector, the workers and the people who are on the ground know…

I do not need to tell the Minister of State the upset this has caused. He will have heard it from his constituents, as well as Members of this House. I want to address the circular. It is deeply disrespectful the role SNAs play. It does not properly define the spectrum of issues they have to deal with. It does not address the various issues that prevent children in our schools from achieving their…

Aontaím go hiomlán leis an méid a dúirt an Teachta Toole ar deireadh ansin. Bheadh sé i bhfad níos fearr dá mbeadh "all needs assistants" an t-ainm ar SNAs. Bhí mé i go leor scoileanna i mBaile Átha Cliath thuaidh. Má tá tú i scoil ar bith sa tír, feictear duit go ndéanann na daoine seo gach rud. Tá sé sin soiléir dom ó mo chuid ama féin sa scoil nuair a bhí mé óg, agus leis an méid atá tar éis te…

The fear being experienced by minorities in this country, people who are working and living here, is not mentioned. None of Sinn Féin's speakers have mentioned it either. If Sinn Féin were to be fair, it would concede that most of the party's speakers have used their time to talk about profiteering and all of the other problems but have never focused on the racism being generated in society. All o…

These statistics were provided by the Red Cross. I debated this with Sinn Féin's housing spokesperson on RTÉ radio. There is an implication that refugees are affecting the housing market. That has been said lots of times. It has been said about Donegal. They are not. Sinn Féin needs to point out the source of the housing crisis. It is Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael handing things over to vulture funds.…

I move amendment No. 16: In page 26, after line 30, to insert the following: “Transparency of accommodation contracts 14.(1) The Minister shall publish all contracts, subcontracts, financial schedules, performance reports, and compliance assessments relating to accommodation or services provided to international protection applicants. (2) Publication shall occur no later than 30 days after the…

I welcome all the SNAs in the Gallery. I apologise that I could not stop to chat to them; I was running to a committee. I recognised some of them. I was not being rude; I swear. I thank the Minister of State for his visit to St. Michael’s House today. I have often seen him in special schools in north Dublin. It is great to see him there, taking that hands-on approach. What we saw today was the SNA…

Aontaím leis an Aire agus táim an-bhuíoch den airgead atá ar fáil do dhaoine le míchumas. An pointe atá á dhéanamh agam ar son na ndaoine i mBaile Átha Cliath thuaidh is that the families are struggling and I again call for more adequate funding for the facilities in the institutions I mentioned. I also want to bring the Minister's attention to the case of Seán Horan, a resident in St. Michael's …

Tá an Phríomh-Oifig Staidrimh anois ag rá go bhfuil an gnáthphraghas tithíochta i mBaile Átha Cliath tar éis dul chomh hard le €500,000. Tá an Rialtas i gcónaí ag rá linn go bhfuil praghsanna tithe ró-ard, ach tá siad ag ardú bliain i ndiaidh bliana faoin Rialtas seo. Ní fadhb í seo do Bhaile Átha Cliath amháin. Tá praghsanna tithe ag ardú níos gasta taobh amuigh de Bhaile Átha Cliath ná mar atá s…

Of course I recognise that house prices are still far too high for far too many, but I also recognise that the figures - the very same set of figures the Deputy has quoted - show more home transactions last year than the year before, and more first-time buyers last year than the year before. They are real people too. They exist in the Deputy's community and mine. Six hundred people every single we…

My gut was right there. The Minister of State actually met the group last Wednesday. I look forward to hearing how that meeting went and I will ask her to update the Deputy directly in relation to that. That was to kick off a conversation in relation to how we can have that more holistic view. In terms of practical steps that we are taking this year, €65 million has been provided for new responses…

The image I am holding up is not a real image but an AI-generated image of the front of a house on daft.ie at the moment. Estate agents are more and more posting AI-generated false images on platforms like Daft. This is misleading. It is also predatory at a time when the housing situation is so bad. The response from the advertising regulator, however, has been effectively that it is fine provided…

I thank the Deputy for raising an issue that has not come to my attention before and for bringing it to our attention. A broader point I will make, while not taking away from the seriousness of the issue, is that people generally view a house before buying or renting it, obviously. That is not the point the Deputy is making, though. It is misleading to people, it can waste their time and so on. I …

I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend Planning and Development Regulations, 2001 (S.I. No. 600 of 2001) to provide for exemptions from planning permission for certain categories of public art murals where such work has artistic or cultural merit, has the permission of the owner of the building or structure on which it is displayed, is not a commercial advertis…

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to raise this important matter. Doris, Gareth, Dennis, Alex, Barra, Eunice, Ciarán, Ashley, Éowyn and Chandra were some of the fiercest storms to batter our country in the past ten years. They brought strong winds, rain and flooding, and left a trail of destruction behind them. In light of recent severe weather events, and the flooding we have again …

Flooding is a fairly complicated scenario. It might look simple to address and devastating for families but there are a lot of different parts to this. The first thing people need to understand relates to towns especially. When Dublin was being developed, a certain number of pipes were put in, maybe 12 in., 14 in. or 18 in. in diameter. Then it was decided to build more houses and buildings, which…