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436. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration his plans to review the current court fees regime, in light of concerns that High Court stamp fees may impede access to justice for individuals seeking to vindicate fundamental rights in areas such as housing, social-welfare entitlements, disability rights, education access, and equality or discrimination claims; an…

525. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether she has issued any policy direction or guidance to the Health Service Executive regarding the retention, disposal, or repurposing of residential properties; whether consideration has been given to the use of such properties in addressing housing or accommodation pressures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29294/26]

86. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the measures for housing liaison officers, health supports and funeral grant supports announced in the recent package of supports via the Department under the auspices of the Supports for Survivors for institutional Abuse Act 2025 are only for those survivors from Industrial and reformatory institution; and if the Government will…

120. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 1828 of 14 April 2026, concerning Moanveanlagh bog, if there are ongoing investigations into finding alternative sites; if the compensation scheme will end in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28819/26]

122. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide details of the number of legal actions against his Department that have been resolved without going to court in line with the 2023 State Litigation Principles; if his Department is fully applying the State Litigation Principles in seeking to resolve any current or outstanding legal actions; and if he w…

123. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 1691 and 1695 of 14 April 2026, the number of new staff sanctioned for hire in Kildare County Council, Kerry County Council, Fingal County Council and Meath County Council in 2026, and of new hires realised in 2026 to date. [28844/26]

124. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the body or bodies responsible for compiling and publishing the monthly homelessness figures; the methodology and data sources used in their preparation, including the role of local authorities and the Pathway Accommodation and Support System; the definition of homelessness applied in these reports; and if he …

125. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when he will confirm the eligibility of small local, family-owned businesses for the vacant above-the-shop grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28881/26]

126. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the existing derelict sites levy can be applied as a charge on the site. [28903/26]

127. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether it is possible to pro-rata charge the derelict sites levy from the date of valuation. [28904/26]

128. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the new derelict sites tax whether he has considered compulsory sale orders. [28905/26]

129. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he is aware that local authorities are applying derelict site levy waivers on the grounds of goodwill gestures; and whether this is allowed. [28906/26]

130. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether provision exists for the negotiation of payment of a derelict sites levy to reduce the amount paid and waive the remainder. [28907/26]

131. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding the flexible working and remote working policies in place for civil servants in his Department; if there is any discrepancy in these policies based on seniority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28923/26]

132. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding the flexible working and remote working policies in place for staff that work for any agencies under the remit of his Department; if there is any discrepancy in these policies based on seniority; if this policy is under the control of the agency itself or if it is directed by the Department;…

133. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if any review is ongoing in relation his Department’s policy on flexible working and remote working for civil servants in his Department, particularly in the context of increased fuel prices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28959/26]

134. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline the funding that is being provided to Local Authorities to support the management of the derelict sites register; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28972/26]

136. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans for designating urban development zones; the timeframe for such plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29172/26]

138. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans and timeframe to transition to new ten-year development plans; if he has considered synchronising all plans to start from 2029 to ensure a common evidence basis plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29174/26]

139. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the review of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29184/26]

140. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when his Department will finalise and publish the guidelines for local authorities on the provision of allotments and community gardens, referenced in previous departmental replies as being progressed "as soon as is practical"; to provide the specific publication quarter now targeted; to outline the reasons for…

141. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide a list of all meetings held by his Department in the preparation of the forthcoming guidelines for local authorities on allotments and community gardens, to include the date of each meeting, the attendees, and the matters discussed, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matt…

142. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will list all external stakeholders, representative bodies, local authorities, State agencies and NGOs that have been consulted by his Department in the development of the forthcoming allotment and community garden guidelines; to indicate whether a formal public consultation is planned prior to finalisati…

143. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will examine the introduction of statutory per capita targets for the provision of allotments and community gardens by local authorities, having regard to comparator jurisdictions such as Denmark where approximately 50,000 plots are provided for a population of similar size; if such targets will be includ…

144. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps his Department has taken and will take, to ensure that planning authorities give effect to the requirement under the Planning and Development Act 2024 to reserve land for use and cultivation as allotments and prescribed community gardens within their development plan sustainable-places strategies; and…

I want to raise the issue of the national development plan and, in particular, health infrastructure and the delivery of it under the national development plan. For many of the Members in this House who support the Government each week, we want to know that our colleagues in Cabinet are making the national development plan a priority and that those projects within it are a priority. However, more …

I thank Deputy McAuliffe for raising this issue. All of us on these benches agree with him because, thankfully, we are now in a position where we can provide a significant level of capital funding. Roughly speaking, we are planning on spending €275 billion out to 2035. That is badly needed for housing, for the enabling infrastructure for housing and a growing population and for the delivery of mod…

I thank Deputy Ó Muirí for raising this matter. He is entirely right. Every lever and every stage of the process needs to be expedited in relation to homes, housing and getting the housing market moving. Tailte Éireann tells us that it is working to address the registration backlog through both increased resources but also improved processes. It also makes the fair point that many applications are…

I thank the Deputy for counting how many days I have been in the Dáil. I am grateful to the people of Wicklow for returning me to this House each and every time I have asked them. I never take that for granted. I work very hard for them and for this country. I think the Deputy has been here since 2016 and I am sure he tries his best for his community too. In relation to University Hospital Limeri…

Tá an ghéarchéim thithíochta uafásach. Today, it has been revealed by the Simon Communities Locked Out of the Market report that there are zero properties available within standard housing assistance payment, HAP, limits. This is the first time any Simon Communities report has shown there is not one property available. Where are people to go and how are they supposed to afford the extortionate ma…

I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 39 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputy Barry Heneghan - To discuss the north city arterial main water main works due to commence in north Dublin. Deputy Michael Cahill - To discuss the severe cuts in SNAs across multiple schools in Kerry. Deputy Paula Butterly - To disc…

I understand that the Minister of State is taking this matter on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Naughton. I appreciate him being here. I am disappointed that the Minister is not here. This matter relates to waiting lists for post-primary school places in north Kildare. This has been a persistent and growing issue in my constituency of Kildare North, which is one of the fastest growing constituenc…

I thank the Deputies for giving me the opportunity to discuss the Government's position on the Second Stage of this Private Members' Bill. The Bill, brought forward by Senator Higgins and Deputy Gibney, is well intentioned. However, the priority for this Government is delivering the critical infrastructure that Ireland needs while ensuring value for money for Irish taxpayers, which this Bill could…

I thank Deputies Ahearn, Boyd Barrett and O'Reilly for their contributions. This whole experience of bringing forward the Bill, talking to countless colleagues across the Government and Opposition benches over recent weeks and then coming to the House to receive the news that the Government is not going to support it makes me, as a new TD, so sad. I hear every day from the leaders of the Minister…

I thank all Deputies for the opportunity to speak on what is an important matter. At the outset, I acknowledge the upset that has been experienced by communities across the country, including mine, County Waterford, in recent weeks as a result of Storm Chandra. The Government will not oppose the motion because we recognise the importance of the issue. We want to ensure that we can continue to pro…

Go raibh maith agat, Chair. I welcome the cross-party support for this motion and the fact that the Government will not oppose it. However, I do want to say very clearly, it is one thing not to oppose this motion but it is another thing to implement fully the practical measures we have proposed that will have a significant impact in so many thousands of families and businesses right across this co…

What we have seen over the past few weeks shows how desperately unprepared the State was for the extreme weather we have experienced. This was not unpredicted. It was predicted 20 years ago that the impact of climate change was precisely going to be much wetter weather. The latter expresses itself in extreme events. Unfortunately, this is the music of the future. This is what climate change looks …

I thank the Minister of State for all his work and his engagement with Clontarf since I was elected to this House. This is a story that needs to be put on the record. I am speaking to people from across Ireland who think that Clontarf and north Dublin residents objected to a wall. We are seeing flooding across my constituency, including in Howth on one of the beaches. I welcome what has been done …

-----empathically to families who have lost everything. That has added up to a hill of beans for those families over that period of time. I accept that the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, wants to get things done. I accept his bona fides in relation this. He has been this position for a year at this point. We have to get to the root of the problem here. The construction of flood defences is drow…

When the Taoiseach considers the context of 17,000 homeless people, including 5,000 homeless children, when you consider the fact that rents have gone up 117% between 2010 and 2025 when the EU average is 28.8%, when you consider that house prices are up €200,000 since 2015, he comes in here week after week and says that his approach is working. Every day he stands up and defends his approach and s…

I think that is a real issue in terms of getting supply. I did not interrupt the Deputy. She and her party have a habit of continuing interrupting when we try to respond to their points. I have no issue with a debate in the House, but I am making valid points. I have read her party's housing construction policy. In my view, it is not going to add value in the next two to three years. It could not.

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I am absolutely at one with him in terms of a commitment to investment in renewable energy. Ireland put a lot of eggs in that basket over the past decade and is continuing to do so. In 2023, Ireland was ranked second in the world in onshore wind energy generation. I am not too sure that is appreciated even in Ireland. We will continue to build o…

As the Taoiseach said, the Kenova Report is a difficult read but it is an absolutely essential one for all of us in this House. Everyone must face up to the wrongs of the past honestly and squarely if we are to achieve lasting peace and reconciliation on this island. The survivors and the families of the victims of the atrocities detailed in this report, and society as a whole, deserve no less. We…

Today, this House is asked to reflect on the findings of Operation Kenova, findings that go to the heart of how the conflict on this island has been understood, explained and justified for decades. For too long, the story of that conflict was presented as one in which the British state was a neutral arbiter, acting reluctantly, forced by circumstance into extraordinary measures. That story shaped …

Is rud suntasach é foilseachán na tuairisce ar Oibríocht Kenova. Is léiriú cuimsitheach é ar scéalta dorcha ár n-oileáin agus ar thréimhse a d'fhág fulaingt, pian agus cailliúint inár ndiaidh. Is meabhrú dúinn é freisin go bhfuil scéalta na n-íobartach le hinsint agus le cloisteáil fós, agus gur gá dúinn freagra cuimsitheach a thabhairt dóibh. Like colleagues on all sides of the House, I acknowle…

This is a really serious issue. It is an issue the Irish Government has not done the right thing on for a number of years. I will give a couple of reasons. There are three elements to all this. There is what has happened in the Troubles in relation to Irish citizens; what the role of the British state was in those actions; and what exactly the Irish Government did to make sure justice and truth we…

Sinn Féin will be supporting the Minister's amendments from the Seanad, which are largely technical, as well as the amendment that explicitly clarifies the defence of live broadcasts. We will, however, be opposing the Bill itself. While the Bill contains important provisions with regard to strategic lawsuits against public participation, SLAPPs, for example, and Sinn Féin remains willing to engag…

We are trying to solve what is a housing crisis driven by a supply crisis. What have we heard from the Opposition? Have we heard a single solution? The Deputies' only proposal - Deputy Boyd Barrett referred to misery - is to freeze the housing crisis into a permanent misery. That is what they are looking to do.

What we have to do is provide housing solutions. We have to drive the supply of homes if we are going to solve the housing crisis in this country.

A Freudian slip from the Deputy there. We are driving on and addressing the housing crisis. We want to solve it in order that we can get people into the homes they need. That is why we are driving on with building social homes, affordable homes and private homes. It is also why we are bringing in stronger protections for tenants. In relation to the amendments, Standing Order 204 states the follo…