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234. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans for reducing the rents in cost rental accommodation to reduce the percentage of applicants excluded on affordability grounds. [17591/26]

236. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if additional funding will be provided for Louth County Council to for general repairs required after the recent bad weather; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17663/26]

238. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh den Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage an bhfuil aon céimeanna ghlactha chun stádas Séadchomhartha Náisiúnta agus na cosantaí reachtúla a gheobann leis a bhronnadh d’iomlán an mogall de dhúin barr-cnoca ag Baile an Bhrioscmhálaigh atá lasmuigh de Bealach Coinglais i gContae Chill Mantáin a chreidtear gurb é seo cead baile na hÉireann le b…

241. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of tenant-in-situ acquisitions by Cork County Council since 1 January 2026; the number of these are progressing; the number of these are not progressing; the reasons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17689/26]

242. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether guidance has issued to the Valuation Office and to local authorities to ensure a consistent national approach to the rateability of early childhood care and education providers operating from private property; if so, to provide details of such guidance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [169…

243. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of social and cost rental homes delivered in established urban communities in north Dublin over the past three years, broken down by tenure type and delivery mechanism; and the projected delivery pipeline for the next three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17796/26]

245. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of cost rental homes that will be delivered under Delivering Homes, Building Communities; the actions he will take to ensure cost rental rents will be affordable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16461/26]

246. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will issue an order to allow the cutting of turf at bogs (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17082/26]

250. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to confirm the date the Local Government Taskforce is expected to deliver its report to Government; and whether he will agree to publish this on receipt. [16728/26]

251. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh den Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage cen céimeanna atá glactha aige chun breis tithíocht bheith ar fáil san Ghaeltacht do muintir na Gaeltacht, idir tithe shoisialta, ar chíos nó ar díol agus an féidir leis trácht ar an gceist. [16464/26]

253. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the efforts being made to increase ID residential places, in line with the recommendations of the Disability Capacity Review to 2032, that up to the average of 90-new residential places are needed each year from 2020 to 2032 to cater for changes in the size and age structure of the disabled population, and given …

255. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average processing time for vacant property refurbishment grant applications in Roscommon–Galway; the number of applications awaiting decision or payment; and the steps being taken to address delays. [17593/26]

259. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the market will be restored to new market in Dublin 8; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17290/26]

260. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has conducted a poverty impact assessment of the double rent increase facing HAP tenants arising from the abolition of rent controls between tenancies which will increase top ups paid by HAP tenants to landlords and the decision of many local councils to increase council rents for HAP tenants; a…

261. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the funding allocated to Cork County Council under the historic structures fund in 2024 and 2025; the projects approved in Cork during these years; when recipients of the 2026 fund will be announced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16275/26]

262. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the percentage of the €150 million in urban regeneration and development funding circulated to local authorities that has been drawn down to tackle dereliction, to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17661/26]

263. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on 2026 funding for the tenant-in-situ scheme; if there will be an increase in funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17463/26]

382. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures which will be implemented to expedite the processing and finalisation of applications in Tailte Éireann; if he is aware that such delays are causing difficulties for people finalising the sale and purchase of properties; the timelines for drawing down mortgages/loans; and if he will make a statemen…

385. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has issued, or plans to issue, any guidelines, policy frameworks, or technical standards relating to the development of solar farms and battery energy storage systems; if he will outline the regulatory or planning guidance currently in place for these technologies; and if he will make a stateme…

386. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware of the threat of invasive species on commonage land in the Cooley Mountains; the steps his Department is taking to tackle the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6849/26]

387. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total value of the vacant site levy since its inception, per annum, in tabular form; if he is content that it is having the desired impact since constituted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9541/26]

388. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will report on the most recent meeting of the National Emergency Co-ordination Group. [12487/26]

389. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the drafting of wind turbine guidelines that were promised in November; the progress has been made to date; when these guidelines will be published; when will they come in to force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14594/26]

390. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether State-owned gas companies are required to report gross profit percentages or sums to him. [15321/26]

391. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of homeless families and single members of the Traveller community; and the length of time they have been homeless and in homeless accommodation, in tabular form. [17910/26]

It is very welcome to see the Central Bank (Amendment) Bill 2025, also known as the right to be forgotten Bill, now before the House on Second Stage. It is a significant moment for cancer survivors across Ireland and for all those who have campaigned for fair treatment when it comes to access to mortgage protection and financial products following a cancer diagnosis. It is also a meaningful moment…

I welcome this fundamentally important Bill. Aontú has been campaigning for this for a long time. The right to be forgotten is crucially important for cancer survivors. We welcome and support this right 100%. The State has effectively punished cancer survivors and victims on the double. The first way is in terms of delayed treatment and diagnosis. The Irish Cancer Society this week launched a repo…

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 Erin McGreehan - To discuss overly burdensome application forms for medical cards. Deputy Catherine Ardagh - To discuss the need for all special schools to accept children at different levels on the autism spectrum. Deputy George L…

Yet again this week, we have seen statements by US President Donald Trump in relation to bruising and punishing tariffs on European economies and, by extension, Ireland. The debate around tariffs has gone back and forth. Deadlines have been postponed, not met. However, we would be foolish to dismiss the risks to Ireland. For workers in the sectors most at risk, it is not an exaggeration to say tha…

I join in acknowledging his recent passing. He was obviously someone very close to the Deputy. I am utterly committed to housing for all people. For me, it about providing choice. I take this very seriously and I am actively progressing and working on it. As the Deputy said, our demographic is evolving and we will have an older population. We have to bring a range of choices across the spectrum f…

I thank Deputies across the House for their contribution to the debate. I also thank Deputy Stanley for bringing forward the motion. As the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, announced, the Minister for Health and the Government are not opposing the motion, which provides a chance to update the Dáil on developments in this sector and to outline the Government's priority to fundamentally reform den…

I join with the Leas-Cheann Comhairle in welcoming the visitors to the Gallery. I welcome Fintan Hourihan from the Irish Dental Association, as well as Pat Fitzpatrick. As a councillor, I met Pat Fitzpatrick a few times in his former role. We are all elected here to be the voice of the people - Teachtaí Dála, Dáil delegates. Not to take any cheap shot, but the Government benches have been empty t…

If one looks at first-time buyers, for example, the percentage of first-time buyers has been steadily increasing, from about 25% of all purchases in 2015 to just under 40% in April 2025. Real progress has been made, through the help to buy scheme and first home scheme, in enabling first-time buyers to get into the market and get their first homes. About 119,000 first-time buyer mortgages were draw…

-----a viability gap. There will have to be a range of house and apartment types built. There will simply have to be to cater for different elements of the market. Some people have said outside of Government that this will be positive with regard to single people seeking housing and apartments also.

I thank the Taoiseach. Before moving on to Other Members' Questions, I, too, on behalf of the Oireachtas, extend a warm céad míle fáilte to Mr. James Maloney, MP, from the Canadian House of Commons, who is accompanied by his wife. James was instrumental in having a private members' motion adopted unanimously by the Canadian House of Commons in 2021 declaring March as Irish Heritage Month. Mr. Malo…

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. There is a lot of merit in what he is saying. The Government is endeavouring to develop greater flexibilities for people in rural Ireland in particular. I understand guidelines are under consideration in that respect to enable people to build their own homes. With the vacant grants and the grants to restore derelict houses, we have facilitated quite a numb…

Last April, the Minister for housing was quoted in the media as saying he would instruct all local authorities to reopen their county development plans and rezone a very significant additional amount of land for residential use so that that land is available for builders to build homes that people need across the country by the end of this year. This is a very welcome initiative. When will the Min…

You have upgraded me there, too. Thanks, a Cheann Comhairle. Under this Bill, vesting orders will be served within one week of being made, compensation must be determined within six months by an independent valuation tribunal rather than a non-transparent panel of arbitrators, and once compensation is awarded, it must be paid within two months. Second, the Bill establishes the right to an advanc…

Sometimes, I come to the House and I am not exactly sure of the relevance of individual Bills or of what negative point the Opposition might make that day. The Opposition could not make a negative point today because this Bill speaks to the core of something we talk about in the country so often. We talk about money being spent, who spent it, why it was spent, who is to blame and where the account…

As we recognise Pride week here in Dáil Éireann, I am deeply honoured to stand before Members, not just as Minister of State for mental health and the Government Chief Whip, but as a proud mother, ally and advocate for the full inclusion of LGBTQ+ people in Irish life. I am especially proud of who I am and who my family is. My son is a transgender young man, and seeing him grow into his own identi…

I, too, welcome the opportunity to speak in support of these two important motions, which authorise Ireland to opt in to two EU agreements with Iceland and Norway on the transfer of passenger name record data. These agreements are more than just legal instruments. They are vital tools in our shared European effort to prevent terrorism and combat serious transnational crime. In a world where organi…

I thank the Minister for his reply. A number of Ministers over a number of Governments, including from my party, have tried to do this or have done this with apartment standards. It did not work in 2015, 2016 or 2018 and it is definitely not going to work now. We need to see the LDA's evidence for how this will cut the cost of developing an apartment. Some of these apartments are going to be as sm…

The Minister made a comment earlier that this is the size of the apartments in Austria. Will people pay the same rents? The Minister might check that out for us because I can tell him they will not. If he is making a comparison he should make the whole comparison. My big worry is there is a major development going in Cork's docklands. We are looking at maybe 10,000 units. The Minister was there, a…

Last week, I joined an incredibly moving event on Kildare Street. It was organised by Grannies for Palestine. Its members unveiled a patchwork crochet banner that stretched the length of Kildare Street across the front of Leinster House. Devastatingly, each square in the banner was crafted to represent ten Gazan children who have been killed since Hamas's barbaric attack in October 2023. That mean…

-----but the Deputy never asks it because he does not want to fall out with anybody, which is understandable coming from the Opposition. There are issues in terms of how we deal with therapists. We have set up a new in-school therapy service for children in special schools that will start in September. We have already allocated money for that additional to the Estimate that was provided. That will…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 11, inclusive, together. The Programme for Government 2025: Securing Ireland’s Future, recognises the importance of Cabinet committees to the policy development and oversight work of Government. The Cabinet committee on the European Union and international affairs was established by the Government on 18 February 2025. Its role is to oversee implementation of …

At the behest of developers, the Government is committed to reducing apartment sizes and removing the minimum 5% community and cultural space. The Minister claimed this will reduce the cost of apartments by between €50,000 and €100,000, but those savings could only be achieved if every single measure were applied. We have had no detailed evidence for this claim, just an internal summary of the LDA…

I have raised disability housing previously and the issue that has arisen with capital assistance scheme, CAS, funding. This was raised with me by St. John of God in reference to its approved housing body's dealings with the county councils in both Louth and Meath regarding the purchase of properties necessary for those with disabilities. They have been told by the local authorities that funding c…

I move: That Dáil Éireann: — having regard to the conclusions and recommendations of the Report of the Scoping Inquiry into Historical Sexual Abuse in Day and Boarding Schools run by Religious Orders, published on 3rd September, 2024; — noting that it is the opinion of the Government that these matters of significant public concern require, in the public interest, examination by the establishme…

I acknowledge the input of Mark and David Ryan in highlighting all the issues we are discussing. It was harrowing to listen to everything that was said in the context of their case. Their work has informed the public and us as legislators. Like Deputy Connolly, I do not have much hope in what the State is setting about to do. I say that because I watched the Grace case very closely and what was a…