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189. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will update the rural housing guidelines to remove some of the unnecessary barriers to building in rural Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17671/26]

190. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of houses and duplexes within the South Dublin County Council area that received planning permission with conditions restricting the bulk buying or multiple sales to a single purchaser and ring-fencing them for owner occupiers following the introduction of new guidelines in May 2021; and if he will …

193. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the funding being allocated to South Dublin County Council for the Second-Hand Social Housing Acquisitions Programme 2026; how this compares to 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17870/26]

194. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to review social housing income thresholds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17575/26]

195. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on his Department’s review of the National Social Housing PPP Programme, specifically bundles 4–7, which was initiated following the cancellation of PPP bundle 3, and was forecast to be complete for Q1 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17832/26]

196. Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for a report on the work of the LDA to develop State-owned lands and strategically assemble land from both public and private sources to create a more stable and affordable housing market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17491/26]

197. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the Social Housing Support Household Means Policy 2021 is being revised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17482/26]

199. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he intends to raise the income limits for social housing eligibility. [17821/26]

201. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to urgently amend the National Planning Framework and the Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines as county development plans are aligned with these national policies which prohibits many applicants building a family home on their own land and-or buying a site and building a permanent place of residence around th…

202. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the projected housing output of the LDA for the remainder of 2026 and 2027, by property types, social units, cost rental units and so on. [17478/26]

203. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of applications for funding received under call 1 of the Housing Infrastructure Investment Fund; the number of local authorities that have made applications; the total cost of accumulated applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17528/26]

206. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his response to the most recent monthly housing commencement figures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17489/26]

216. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to encourage local authorities to allow older persons to downsize and sell their home to the council through the financial contribution scheme and then be housed by the local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17493/26]

218. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the review on income eligibility limits for social housing, specifically in Cavan and Monaghan; if he will have these income limits increased without further delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17476/26]

220. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will reintroduce the development levies waiver for one-off rural houses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17672/26]

223. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of housing units nationally with full planning permission that have not yet commenced construction; the measures being taken to activate these permissions and accelerate delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17620/26]

224. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current level of delivery of purpose built and adapted housing for persons with disabilities, including new builds and adaptation grants, within local authority areas serving north Dublin; whether additional ring fenced targets or funding streams are under consideration to address unmet need; and if he wil…

227. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the details of any analysis undertaken by his Department on the ‘viability’ of housing developments; and whether this includes raising rents in new tenancies. [17819/26]

228. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his attention has been drawn to the complete lack of housing commencement notices lodged in Galway city so far this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17799/26]

230. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the breakdown of social housing units retrofitted to date under the Energy Efficiency Retrofit Programme, broken down by local authority area and dwelling type; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17642/26]

231. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he has received a report on stock audits carried out to date; what this report has shown; and whether he is aware of the levels of mould and damp in social housing stock. [16729/26]

235. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of new build social homes currently in the pipeline in Sligo, Leitrim and South Donegal; the key measures being taken to expand social housing provision during 2026 in Sligo, Leitrim and south Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17574/26]

237. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department is aware of ongoing constraints on housing delivery arising from wastewater treatment and network capacity in rural Galway; whether his Department has considered mechanisms whereby developer-led or developer-funded delivery of strategic wastewater infrastructure, in partnership with Uisce Éirean…

239. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the work of the Housing Activation Office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17105/26]

240. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of affordable, social and cost rental housing deliveries in County Waterford, by year since 2021, and by local electoral area in Waterford. [17606/26]

Yes indeed there are many projects right across Cork North-West that are at an advanced stage of development. Fingers crossed that with the Minister, Deputy Browne, and the Ministers of State, Deputies Cummins and O'Sullivan, we will see many more projects opened in the coming years. I also want to mention the affordable housing targets that are set out as part of Cork City Council and Cork Count…

Excuse me. Labour is the party of jobs. We have a proud record, uniquely in opposition, of job creation. We have a proud record of standing for workers' rights. We do not take economic growth for granted. We welcome measures to support innovation, Enterprise Ireland and the development of AI. We absolutely welcome these, but these positive moves the Government has made are overshadowed by what is …

I am glad to get the opportunity to speak this evening. I want to clarify something in relation to the carbon tax. A question was raised here yesterday about the carbon tax by Deputy Doherty. It was stated that there was to be a vote held last night. There was no vote. I never voted for the carbon tax. Subsequent to that, another Sinn Féin Member put up a question on his phone to see what way woul…

This is a budget for the rich and powerful in our society, namely developers, vulture funds, big landlords and millionaires. It is certainly not a budget for PAYE workers, the homeless, housing applicants, families, children, the disabled or even social welfare recipients. This Government is completely out of touch with ordinary people. Those in government live in a bubble here in Leinster House. …

There was a huge protest on Saturday in Dublin, called Cearta. The streets were dearg le fearg with 25,000 people coming out to demand action on funding for the Irish language and the Gaeltacht as well as action on education, the housing crisis and language rights. The turnout speaks to, on the one hand, a moment for the Irish language of a renewal or resurgence from below, with more and more pare…

I welcome transition year students from Ballyhaunis Community School in County Mayo, and their teachers, Bernie Osgood and Mairead Conway. It is great to have them here with us. I thank them for making the journey. I have no doubt some of the next politicians and leaders of the country are here today. I very much welcome the motion before us, brought forward by the Labour Party. I also welcome th…

My question concerns the health implications of wind farms. My journey regarding the health implications of wind farms started in Coolcappa over two years ago. Recently we had meetings in Bruff, Dromin, Athlacca and Bruree about wind turbines and how local authorities have no input into wind turbines. They are now considered to be strategic infrastructure, which means they go straight to An Bord P…

I thought that was a very worthwhile debate. I stayed for the whole debate and I listened to the 21 TDs who contributed. I took notes of what everyone said. In the limited time, I will not be able to go through what each Deputy said, but I listened very carefully. It is apparent that there are a couple of things that everyone in this House agrees on. It is worth emphasising that. There is a benef…

I commend Deputy Gogarty on tabling the motion, which is very timely. It reflects a lot of the commitments in the programme for Government, which the Minister is very committed to implementing. Much of the behaviour we see around north Dublin is not antisocial behaviour. We should call it what it is - crime. Changing the term to antisocial behaviour seems to downgrade it and dilutes effective resp…

We know the level of homelessness is at record highs. The key to tackling homelessness and the housing crisis is ensuring increased supply, but the number of planning permissions for new housing is falling and house prices and rents are rising. We were originally led to believe the Government's new housing plan would be published over the summer. It was then delayed, and now it is said it will be …

I beg the indulgence of the Leas-Cheann Comhairle to pay tribute to Fianna Fáil Councillor Patrick Gerard Murphy, who represented Bantry, Castletownbere and Skull electoral area and whose untimely death took place last Friday. His funeral is taking place as I speak this evening. Patrick was a councillor decades ahead of time. He had a great ability to bring people from right across the political d…

On the last day of the Dáil, many around the country will look to mark the Government's report card, so let us have a look at it. The attendance record has been atrocious so far. It is 230 days since the general election and the Government has turned up to the Dáil for 59 of those. That is 75% of the time that has elapsed since the election in which the Government has not come to the Dáil. It has …

I thank all my colleagues for their contributions. It is also notable and unusual that everyone who spoke is very much in favour of the legislation, with full support across the House. I welcome that. It is important that people who are involved in criminality and generating wealth from it, know that there is unanimity in this House in our opposition to them and in our desire to combat them. I wi…

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to bring the Central Bank (Amendment) Bill 2025 before the House. The Bill was initiated as a Private Members' Bill by Deputy Catherine Ardagh in February and, with her agreement, the Government has decided to use Government speaking time to prioritise its introduction before the recess and make the relevant amendments on Committee …

I commend the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, on her speech, for her allyship and for speaking out. I know it is not easy. She has our full support. We hope to work together to progress trans healthcare and the Minister of State has the support of many of us across the House. I look forward to working with her to progress that. I thank her for her allyship and her words. They matter to many peop…

In advance of the new housing plan in the coming month or so, I stress again the importance of increasing our affordable housing targets. There must be a rebalancing towards affordable housing in the plan's targets. I have made the point previously to the Taoiseach that there is a growing cohort of individuals and couples who need support but are not receiving any. Their incomes are above the soci…

Deputy Sheehan referred to the size of apartments and the change in the guidance and standardisation in terms of design and so on. That is not being done at the behest of developers. There is a well recognised and analysed viability gap in terms of the construction of apartments in cities and, indeed, across the country. It is well documented that there is a fundamental issue in terms of cost and …

Of those on the homeless lists, as I think that is what Deputy Tóibín was referring to, close to 50% are from the EU or the EEA. We have a growing population. The timelines as to when people come on to the emergency accommodation lists are a matter that needs to be examined in the context of the needs of people when they arrive in. The growing population has created new demands and pressures on ou…

The need to tackle domestic, sexual and gender-based violence has never been more urgent. It is not merely a matter of rising numbers; it is an epidemic. Women and children across the country are facing violence in their homes, which should be their safest space. Recent research shows us one in four women in Ireland, as well as one in seven men, will experience violence over the course of their li…

I begin by recognising the survivors of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence present in the House today and the many who will watch this debate over the course of the afternoon. I know many TDs have spoken eloquently on this issue today but we know that words must be followed by action. I draw the attention of the House and the Minister to one particular action, the Domestic Violence (Amend…

Like everybody else in this House, I am slightly baffled that we are amending something that has not been enacted as of yet. While I rise to support the Bill and while I believe the Government is taking some steps, it is certainly not taking the steps that need to be taken in this House when it comes to planning. Everybody in this House, left, right and centre, has pointed out the inadequacy of ou…

From my first day here I have been telling people I have been in the construction industry all my life. I will give colleagues whatever experience I can. Infrastructure is the key and being on budget and on time. From the time Irish Water was set up, it has not brought in one project on budget or on time. If anything, it is over budget all the time. That is the problem. Let it be developer-led inf…

I thank all Deputies for their engagement on this Stage of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2025. It is imperative that the Government takes all measures necessary to increase the supply of housing. Let me be clear that no single measure will solve the challenges we face on its own, but I firmly believe the combined effect of the measures being introduced through this Bill will have a…

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: R…

I thank the Deputy for asking this question in relation to an update on the Government's housing plan. The programme for Government commits to the introduction of a new all-of-government national housing plan to follow Housing for All, underpinned by multi-annual funding. Work is well under way in my Department on the development of this new housing plan. A programme of targeted stakeholder engage…