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269. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance to consider altering the criteria for the help to buy scheme to allow non new-build houses to be included; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54310/26]

355. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will introduce a programme for the installation of water harvesting devices in as many homes in the State as possible to offset the effects of droughts and floods caused by climate change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54410/26]

356. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if as part of Budget 2027 he will consider bringing forward a scheme run by the SEAI to increase the number of residential water butts as a water saving measure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54762/26]

357. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of SHD applications which were remitted back by the High Court to An Coimisiún Pleanála for consideration and decision which remain undecided; the timeline for decision on these applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54304/26]

358. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position on advancing legislation on ReNure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54312/26]

359. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether consideration has been given to establishing a national register of homes affected by defective concrete blocks, including properties that are not eligible for the existing remediation schemes; whether such a register could be used to provide a more accurate picture of the overall scale of the problem;…

360. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether consideration will be given to extending the RAS pilot to cities outside of Dublin namely Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54343/26]

361. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the implementation of the 23 recommendations contained in the Review of the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) published in January 2025; the number of recommendations fully implemented to date; the timeline for the remaining modifications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. […

362. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the timeline for the full completion of the Cork City Northwest Quarter Regeneration Plan. [54358/26]

363. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the timeline for the enactment of Killala Garden; and the plans for residents who remain in homes throughout these phases. [54359/26]

364. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether any funding application or feasibility study has been supplied on regeneration in Blackpool, Cork. [54361/26]

365. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the Tarry Path regeneration in Mayfield in Cork. [54362/26]

366. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage given the regional capacity allocations for solar deployment, the way in which the Regional Renewable Energy Strategy will be implemented at local authority level; the methodology that will be used to decide which allocation is made to each local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54382/26]

368. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to urgently investigate the algae formation on Lough Leane and Muckross Lake, Killarney, County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54435/26]

369. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the proposed exempted development regulations for residential dwellings; when the regulations are likely to be in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54489/26]

370. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of retained firefighters serving each fire station in County Clare compared with the approved establishment. [54529/26]

371. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of emergency call-outs attended by Clare fire service, by station, in each of the past five years. [54530/26]

372. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number and value of built heritage investment scheme grants awarded in County Clare during each of the past five years. [54531/26]

373. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of EU Presidency policy and administrative officers now employed on temporary contracts across his Department, in Ireland and abroad; if these individuals can apply to internal civil service competitions for these temporary contracts; the plans being developed to retain these individuals once the…

374. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding all actions in each of the Climate Action Plans 2021 to 2025 under the remit of his Department; to provide a breakdown of the legacy actions remaining, broken down by the year of the climate action plan they were initially included in; and the estimated timelines for completion, in tabular form…

375. Deputy Gillian Toole asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way in which chief executives and directors of services are accountable to him in the event of budget over spending, projects deviating from original scope and the common good not being upheld; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54650/26]

376. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if as part of Budget 2027 he will examine introducing a local improvement scheme for local authorities to access that would fund the power washing of cities and towns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54761/26]

169. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the number of meetings he has had with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage on the Derelict Sites Tax. [54186/26]

243. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to review correspondence from a person (details supplied); if he will clarify if this grant is available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54229/26]

244. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on his Department's efforts to address deficits in wastewater infrastructure in the villages of Craughwell and Clarinbridge in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53744/26]

We in the Department, across the Government and across the House support secretaries and caretakers. Earlier this year when they went as far as industrial action, many people stood with them because they understood and accepted the importance of caretakers and secretaries to school communities. It is important that we give that voice across the House, whether those speaking are in government or in…

I thank Deputy Healy-Rae for raising this. There are more times we agree on things than we disagree. Especially as a neighbour's child, I would like him to think that. On this, I agree with him. If you travel the road from Abbeyfeale to Duagh - I am sure he knows that road very well - there is part of that road in Kerry where there is a very well-developed group of houses with a single entrance ou…

I thank the Minister of State from being here. She is from the relevant Department, and I appreciate it. That should be the norm in this House. It used to be. An exceptional piece of journalism was published last week by the Limerick Leader. The front page article spoke about the catastrophic failures in University Hospital Limerick, UHL, which we have discussed in the House. No other topic have …

Next July Ireland will assume the EU Presidency. It poses a significant opportunity for our country and a chance to help steer Europe's policy agenda. While some in this Chamber aim to undermine and devalue our EU membership, the reality is that Ireland's joining of the European bloc has boosted our economic success, strengthened our international influence and safeguarded peace on our island. In …

I was born and reared in, and am proud to come from and represent, a rural constituency. I have a major concern regarding couples or individuals who are building one-off homes in rural areas. They are ending up having to pay significant development contributions to local authorities, on average well in excess of €5,000. The development levy waiver introduced by the previous Government was a super …

I ask the Government to urgently review social housing income limits. The situation is getting worse and worse. One of the biggest phenomena I am coming across is people who are on working family payment, a payment that has given to people precisely because they do not have enough income to live, getting the payment and then being knocked off the list as it takes them over the threshold. It is unb…

I thank all Members of the House who have contributed with substantive points throughout the debate and discussion this afternoon on a significant and important topic in the times we live in. As the Minister, Deputy O’Donovan, said in his opening statement, the online safety of our children and young people is a top priority for the Government and all of us. We all want our children to enjoy thems…

I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the exercise by the State of the option or discretion under Protocol No. 21 on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the area of freedom, security and justice annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, to take part in the adoption and application of the following proposed measure: P…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Leas-Cheann Comhairle. Cuirim fáilte roimh an deis labhairt ar an rún seo. Is mian liom an deis seo a úsáid chun roinnt pointí tábhachtacha a ardú faoin Aontas Eorpach agus an daonlathas. This is another example of a Protocol No. 21 motion that has come before the Dáil on which, once again, there has been a very short deadline for discussion before signing up. While Irelan…

I will follow on from Deputies Ward and Ó Broin as regards where the regulation is based on block. As I said earlier, I have been a building contractor all my life. The same grit goes into block as goes into lintels, only it is a different sized chip. Lintels were 8 in. by 4 in., but now they are a regulated 8 in. by 8 in. even though it is the same material. It is just certified differently. It j…

I support these amendments. They are sensible amendments and they lay out what is wrong with this scheme. Although this is legislation to lift the cap and the cap needs to be lifted, the fact is that lifting the cap alone, in combination with what the Minister is proposing here, is not enough. We know what works and we know what does not work. The end-to-end Fingal pyrite scheme has worked really …

I wish to speak to amendments Nos. 5, 6 and 7. Unfortunately, this is a bit like playing handball against a haystack because I do not believe the Minister is going to change his mind on any of these amendments. Through the vote we have had on the amendment on blocks, he has made Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael TDs from all of the impacted counties, including Mayo, do something they know is absolutely wr…

There are a few points I wish to make on these amendments. First, option B is what a lot of people in County Clare are getting. It means that outer and inner leaf will have to eventually be demolished, but the roof has to be kept. That is what they are being told. They are all telling me it is impossible to get a contractor. When contractors come out and look at the property, they wonder whether t…

I will now address Amendment No. 8, which was tabled by Deputies Ó Broin, Doherty, McGettigan, Conway-Walsh and Mac Lochlainn. I take the points made by the Deputies that there is an urgent need to increase capacity throughout the country. There is also an urgent need to increase affordability in the housing sector and to increase capacity in the private rental sector and the rental sector in gene…

I move amendment No. 16: In page 6, between lines 5 and 6, to insert the following: “Amendment of section 5 of Principal Act 4.Section 5 of the Principal Act is amended by the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (5): “(5) A designated local authority shall be responsible for the performance, in its designated local authority area, of the functions assigned to it by or under…

I am glad Deputy Mac Lochlainn referenced the fine Government TDs that we have in Donegal. Deputies Gallagher and McConalogue are speaking to the same constituents the Deputy is speaking to. They are listening, they are hearing them and they represent them. The Opposition does not have a monopoly on how they represent the people of Donegal and those impacted by defective blocks. The Government De…

I want to go back to something Deputy Ó Broin said earlier. It goes to the point I am trying to make. I am dealing with a constituent at the moment who is in a semi-detached house. She has met the damage threshold but the house next door has not. If she can be included in the scheme and the house next door has been told it does not meet the damage threshold, by what mechanism under what is propose…

-----a viable housing market. There are many thousands of young couples who want to buy and own their own homes. The State plays a certain role in terms of the enabling provisions around infrastructural development in the economy and also supporting it through help to buy and other affordability schemes, but we also need to ensure that the market can deliver the other element of housing supply in…

It is incredibly disappointing to see this legislation brought to Second Stage with the Government having refused to allow the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade to conduct pre-legislative scrutiny. It is the unfortunate result of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael ingratiating themselves with each other producing the worst of outcomes. What we have here is Fianna Fáil adopting Fine Ga…

The CETA agreement is dangerous for Ireland and may even be worse than Mercosur. I do not believe it is in the interests of the Irish people. I urge the Government not to ratify it and, if necessary, to put it to the people to decide in a referendum. It undermines our sovereignty and, basically, our right to decide our own destiny. It risks entrenching the corporate power of billionaires over Iris…

This innocuously named Arbitration (Amendment) Bill is a sell-out to the corporations. It is the definition of the corporate takeover of Europe and the Government wants to sign us up to this. If we do, it will be very difficult to get out of it. As Dr. Oisin Suttle in the Maynooth department of law wrote in a thing I was reading this morning, in other areas of international law, where a state sign…

I am grateful for the opportunity to close this debate. I thank Deputies for their contributions and consideration of the Arbitration (Amendment) Bill. I look forward to the opportunity to respond in this period to some of the issues raised. Crucially, I remind Deputies of the ultimate reason the Government is introducing this legislation, that is, to put Ireland, as a country that so greatly bene…

I ask the House to note I am not opposing the motion and I welcome the opportunity to debate this important issue. The Opposition put forward a similar motion in May of this year which we, as a Government, did not oppose either. This Government has continued to progress key measures to access assessments of need as well as therapies since that motion went unopposed and I welcome this opportunity f…

I thank the Minister of State for her visit to the CRC in Dublin Bay North. It was great to see her and long may her visits to north Dublin continue. This topic was one of the first things I spoke about in this House as well. When we were in discussions on government formation as regional Independents, it was big part of our negotiations. We made a clear commitment in the programme for Government…

I appreciate the past examples. I remember soldiering on some of them together in past iterations of government. We need to get this right, however. My predecessor announced that timeline on budget day. I think we will all agree that we actually do not want to collect much revenue from the tax. Rather, we want people to take derelict properties and sites and put them back into use. The purpose of …