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401. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount expended by the NPWS in respect of clearing and disposing of illegally dumped materials on sites it manages in 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026, by year, site and amount expended; and the steps the NPWS has taken to mitigate and prevent dumping on its sites. [52988/26]

402. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update in relation to the standardisation of the differential rent scheme. [52994/26]

403. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there are plans to reintroduce the temporary development contribution waiver scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52997/26]

404. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will announce the anticipated rise in income limits before the Dáil rises for the summer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53096/26]

407. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department is in contact with local authorities in relation to the implementation of the national Guide to Fire Safety in Existing Traveller Accommodation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53269/26]

408. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the Department, agency, body or authority responsible for the publication of SI 79/2008 - Bathing Water Quality Regulations 2008; the Department, agency, body or authority responsible for updating, amending, extending or abolishing the content of SI 79/2008 - Bathing Water Quality Regulations 2008; and if he wi…

409. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the Department, agency, body or authority responsible for the publication of SI 79/2008 - Bathing Water Quality Regulations 2008; the Department, agency, body or authority responsible for updating, amending, extending or abolishing the content of SI 79/2008 - Bathing Water Quality Regulations 2008 (details supp…

411. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide details of all grant schemes currently available through his Department for which individuals or community groups are eligible to apply; the purpose of each grant scheme; the eligibility criteria; the application process; the opening and closing dates for application; and if he will make a statement on t…

412. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if Waterways Ireland has issued encroachment licences on the River Shannon or its lakes in the past two years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53437/26]

413. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if Waterways Ireland has issued an encroachment licence on SAP'S and SPA'S on the river Shannon or its lakes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53438/26]

414. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if Waterways Ireland has issued encroachment licences; if they went before the North South Ministerial Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53439/26]

415. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if Waterways Ireland has issued encroachment licences; if they are generating revenue for Waterways Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53440/26]

416. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether Galway City Council has drawn-down funding provided through call two of the urban regeneration and development fund for the development of an innovation and creativity district designed to build deep structural links between the city, academia, research, innovators and industry comprising of four projec…

417. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether Galway City Council has drawn-down the full funding provided through call two of the urban regeneration and development fund for progression of a transport connectivity proposal which focuses on connectivity, permeability, facilitating compact growth and creating multi-modal connections and is comprised…

418. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has details on the proportion of the allocated €39.44 million spent on each individual project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53445/26]

647. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the level of capital funding allocated in each of the past five years, and planned for the coming three years, to support the delivery of small-scale community-based housing for persons with intellectual disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52674/26]

648. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if a formal cross departmental structure is in place between her Department, the Department of Health and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to support the delivery of residential placements for persons with intellectual disabilities; if so, the timelines or targets in place; and if she will m…

426. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the key measures taken to enhance water services since January 2025; his priorities for same for the rest of 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53477/26]

427. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the key measures taken to support right-sizing since January 2025; his priorities for same for the rest of 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53478/26]

435. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has reviewed documentation supplied in correspondence (details supplied); his response; if he will meaningfully engage with this group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53605/26]

436. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there are plans to expand the eligibility criteria for the defective concrete blocks grant scheme to include non-primary residences once remediation works have been completed for those currently availing of the scheme; if he plans to create some form of register whereby those whose non-primary residences a…

437. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the roll-out of the fuel income support scheme for the construction industry; when applications will open; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53635/26]

438. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of active cost-rental tenancies in operation and to provide a breakdown of the number of cost-rental tenancies by cost-rental landlord (details supplied). [53653/26]

439. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will address concerns regarding recent proposed legislation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53658/26]

46. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the recently published report ‘A Living Land’ in relation to solar renewable energies; his views on solar farms and land use on agricultural farms; if his Department has considered the report when speaking to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage about the upcoming solar planning guide…

Once again, I wish Paschal Donohoe, setting aside our significant political differences, the best on a personal level. I know he is a reader of books, and one book I know he has read, because we have talked about it, is by Thomas Piketty about the growing inequality in wealth in the world. The Deputy might therefore be interested in, or indeed maybe supportive of, my appeal to the Government not t…

I am a little disappointed that the senior Minister for housing is not here to answer on this very important issue. The Ringfort development in Rathmolyon, County Meath, has been plagued by mismanagement, delay tactics and questionable dealings that have left five families locked out of their homes for more than five years. It has been more than five years since couples put a booking deposit down …

I thank Deputies Boyd Barrett and Murphy and their colleagues for bringing this motion to the House today, which we are happy to support in a cross-party manner. With all due respect to the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, I am absolutely disgusted, for want of a better word, that the Minister is not here on her first full day, at least even for the start of the debate. Along with Ukraine, this i…

I 100% reject Deputy Bacik's false narrative on the Government's position on housing and her vagueness about the Labour Party's position. I sum up the Labour Party's housing policy and the attitude of its members to housing as: whatever the Government proposes, we oppose.

The only thing more predictable than this Government's plans failing is the Taoiseach's weekly attempt to come in here and blame the Opposition, the planning system or the courts for a mess of the Government's own creation. The fact is the Government is driving housing off a cliff and the best the housing Minister can do is to tell people to hang in there. Hang in there and do what exactly? Shoul…

I am glad to have the opportunity to speak on this issue. I apologise; I was gathering notes when I came into the Chamber. I want to join others by referring to poor little Harvey Morrison Sherratt and all that he endured, as well as the arduous campaign his family have waged for justice ever since his death. It is very important to recognise that there is going to be the statutory public inquiry…

I have been 18 years in public life, having served as a city councillor in Cork and as a TD for almost a year in this House. Not a day or week goes by when I do not meet a parent with a child with a special need or difficulty, or a child in need of an operation. They are put to the pins of their collars and are desperate. Although I am not a parent myself, I see from my brother and in-laws how the…

Today, we note the resignation of the Minister, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, as he leaves the Government to take up a senior position with the World Bank. Paschal and I have been constituency colleagues in Dublin Central for many years and I wish him, his wife and his family well. I genuinely hope that the next chapter in their lives brings them good health and much happiness. Today, we must confront …

Further changes have been announced at Cabinet today. The Tánaiste, Deputy Simon Harris, becomes the Minister for Finance, his sixth position in Cabinet in nearly a decade. The Minister, Deputy Helen McEntee, becomes the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade; the Minister of State, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton, has been appointed to the Cabinet as the Minister for Education and Youth; the Minister …

It is now three years and nine months since Russia undertook its illegal invasion and occupation of Ukrainian territory. The impact of this war continues to be felt most immediately in Ukraine, where it is estimated around 15,000 civilians and up to 80,000 members of Ukrainian military are dead and the number of wounded in that country runs to hundreds of thousands. Notwithstanding their brutal di…

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to these statements on Ukraine as we approach the fourth winter since Russia launched its full-scale illegal invasion. I again acknowledge the Ukrainian ambassador, H. E. Larysa Gerasko, and community representatives, who are very engaged with all of us in the House. I put on record our solidarity with them, rooted in the principles of the UN Charter and in …

I am glad to get the opportunity to talk on this very important matter this evening. I, like everyone else, commiserate with the people of Ukraine who have gone through so much. What is going on is terrible as is the length of time it has been going on. We have to recognise that Ireland has played a major part in welcoming, as was said previously, up to 120,000 people from Ukraine. Of course, I w…

I am nodding. The Minister mentioned household composition tests and people working, but the problem I have is where a person who returns to a house is not working and is getting a social welfare payment. These are low-income households and these are the people who must be targeted. I mentioned last night that I have come across three or four cases of this in the past two weeks alone. I asked last…

I agree there is certainly one fundamental difference between Sinn Féin and the Government when it comes to housing. Sinn Féin wants this plan to fail because it believes it will do well if our housing plan fails. We intend to work every night and day to build housing but Sinn Féin thrives on the misery-----

First, I want to extend my deepest sympathy to Deputy Sheehan's colleague Deputy George Lawlor on the passing of his mum, Betty. I understand he delivered a very heart-warming tribute to her yesterday and I join Members across the House in extending my sympathy to him and all of his family at this difficult time. I thank Deputy Sheehan for raising these issues. I accept that he does not want the …

Do you know what I could not figure out? There are tens of thousands of boarded-up houses across the State that people are looking at every day. There is nothing in this for them. Do you know what I will tell you? There are thousands of houses owned by local authorities that are destroying communities because they are boarded up for years. There is nothing in this document for them. The Government…

I am pleased to speak on Science Week 2025, marking its 30th anniversary. This year's theme, "Then. Today. Tomorrow.", asks us to take an honest look at how far we have come, where we now stand and what choices we must make to secure a fair and sustainable future for our young people and for research in Ireland. Science Week began three decades ago as a relatively modest outreach effort. Today, i…

Go raibh maith agat. Before I start on the main topic of my contribution, because it is pertinent to the school in question, I will take a moment to acknowledge that the community of the Divine Mercy Senior National School staff, students and the wider school community have experienced a particular tragedy this week. They are in my thoughts and prayers and have the full support of the community be…

Wandering and malnourished horses remains an issue in urban areas across the country. I have raised this many times over a number of years in this Chamber. It is an ongoing issue for Limerick. The late former Limerick TD, Mick Lipper, raised the issue in this House as far back as December 1977. Unfortunately, it remains a challenge that many Limerick communities continue to face. There remains a …

One of the greatest fears facing parents of children with disabilities and parents of adult children with disabilities is what will happen when we are no longer here. Who will care for my son? Who will care for all of these children, including adult children? It is a question that causes sleepless nights for so many people. Ultimately, we need a clear, compassionate pathway for lifelong housing an…

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." As colleagues know, Standing Order 174A provides that pre-legislative scrutiny is not required for a social welfare Bill which gives effect to budget measures. This Bill provides the legislative basis for the key social welfare budget measures. It also provides for some technical amendments to the Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Act…

The 2001 planning guidelines for local authorities on early learning and childcare settings were issued under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000. The guidelines are intended to ensure a consistent approach to the treatment of planning applications in respect to the land use planning aspects of early learning and childcare provision. The 2001 guidelines have contributed to the crea…

I do not disagree with the Deputies. I am conscious this is a logjam and a challenge that should not be there in the first instance. I have always been of the view that where you have housing, you need to have early learning and childcare facilities. You need to have schools. You need to have, as the Deputy said, community developed around it. There are too many stumbling blocks and it has been ma…

As I have said in the House before, I reject both the assertions from the Department of public expenditure and the comments made earlier this year on housing and data centres. They are not correct. Government policy is clear on this. We have a growing population and growing housing stock, thankfully. Price review 6, when published before the end of this year, will show how we will meet that future…

I refer to a person who has worked abroad to save money in order to come back and build a house in Ireland. Due to the contribution they are making to the cost of building, they are unable to receive any grants and are also excluded from solar energy grants. People with a set income are only entitled to borrow a certain amount of money. They may also receive support from parents. Where parents pr…