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432. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures being taken to support the delivery of additional housing in Gaeltacht areas; whether his Department has assessed how the proposed changes to planning policy may affect the availability of housing for people wishing to live in their local Gaeltacht communities; and if he will make a statement on t…

457. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the oversight his Department exercises over rent-setting policies of approved housing bodies funded under the capital assistance scheme; whether his Department has the power to intervene where proposed rent increases would cause financial hardship to elderly social housing tenants; and if he will make a stateme…

458. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he has examined extending rent pressure zone protections, or introducing equivalent rent increase limits, to approved housing bodies providing social housing under the capital assistance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51244/26]

460. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he will review the operation of the economic value provisions applied by approved housing bodies in determining rents, particularly in the case of elderly tenants living in social housing funded by the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51246/26]

470. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the proposed social housing defective concrete blocks remediation scheme; if approved housing body-owned or operated properties, including supported accommodation and rehabilitation centres will be eligible for inclusion under this scheme; the anticipated timeline for the establishment and commence…

499. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the public consultation and engagement with the Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage he intends to undertake with respect to the Sustainable Rural & Gaeltacht Housing DRAFT National Planning Policy. [51824/26]

336. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to introduce a grant incentive scheme for social housing tenants to purchase private housing (details supplied). [50507/26]

365. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the total cost of the construction works and modular units provided at Castlerea Prison, Loughan House Open Centre, and Shelton Abbey Open Centre, with the costs broken down on a site-by-site basis and including all associated planning, construction, consultancy, and related project costs; the total cost of the c…

61. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he has had any engagement with the Department of Housing; Local Government and Heritage or Meath County Council with a view to transferring a property in County Meath (details supplied) to the local authority or an approved housing body so it can be used for social housing; and if he will make a statement on t…

473. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on whether that in cases in which a person is on the housing list in one local authority area, but in rented accommodation in an adjacent area, and is threatened with homelessness, that there should be a clear policy determining which local authority is responsible for administering tenant-in-s…

479. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason Part V housing tenants are precluded from purchasing the houses they are renting but could have the option to do so in 100% council estates; whether he acknowledges the inequity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49191/26]

94. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an increase in Part V housing stock to be available for affordable housing schemes in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47988/26]

103. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans for delivering affordable housing in villages and rural communities in County Waterford such as An Rinn, Ardmore, Lismore, and Bonmahon, that are experiencing pronounced housing pressures and demographic cliff edges, if not addressed. [48180/26]

132. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the progress being made on the new National Planning Statement on Rural Housing; the measures being considered to ensure that young people and families with genuine local connections can build homes in their own communities; when the revised rural housing policy will be published; and if he will make a stateme…

138. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will engage with the Minister for Rural, Community Development and the Gaeltacht to examine additional housing supports and measures to assist individuals and families who wish to buy, build or continue living in Gaeltacht communities; the steps being taken to ensure housing policy supports the long-term…

148. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department will create a fund similar to the Housing Infrastructure Investment Fund to unlock development lands in unfinished housing estates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48223/26]

175. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps he is taking to address the housing needs of over 55s who wish to right size into social and affordable housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48052/26]

194. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has assessed the current unmet demand for purpose built and adapted housing for persons with disabilities; whether he is satisfied that the level of delivery currently being achieved by local authorities and approved housing bodies is sufficient to meet identified need; the additional me…

203. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage in view of the proposed review of rural housing planning policies, if he will review planning restrictions affecting applicants seeking permission for one-off housing developments along the N56 in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48148/26]

201. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if, in light of the fact that all downgrade appeals heard to date have resulted in the Housing Agency's decisions being annulled, he will direct that cases returned to the Housing Agency for re-assessment be dealt with immediately and as a priority; given that some homeowners have been engaged with the …

208. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of housing developments specifically designed for older people delivered in each local authority area, including age friendly, right sizing, and supported housing schemes, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48354/26]

442. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the overall funding provided for DPGs, both social housing and private housing, in 2024 and 2025 respectively. [47265/26]

565. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average all-in cost of delivering a new-build social housing unit in each of the years 2023, 2024 and 2025 respectively, by a one-bedroom apartment, two-bedroom apartment, three-bedroom house; the breakdown of these costs between construction, land acquisition, professional fees, VAT, and so on; and if he will…

568. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the proposed review of rural housing planning policies will include a review of planning restrictions affecting applicants seeking permission for one-off housing developments along the N56 in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45113/26]

587. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the breakdown of funding provided under Traveller accommodation programmes, including Traveller housing grants, to Mayo County Council over the past five years and to date in 2026; the proportion of that funding drawn down and spent; the number of Traveller-specific housing units delivered, refurbished or upgrad…

I thank the Minister for being here for the debate. We have already spoken at length since the formation of this Dáil about the housing crisis. We all accept that the one thing we can all agree on is that it is a very acute crisis. Certainly, it is a crisis that has deepened in recent years and we must find solutions to it. We will agree that whatever about individual measures, housing supply is u…

This debate is welcome. As a former member of the housing committee, we have debated the issues in the Housing Commission report and have had lengthy debates on proposals to amend the Constitution. It was clear to me at the committee that, while an amendment to the Constitution would strengthen the State’s ability to regulate and provide more public housing, the idea that it would be simple to pas…

I thank the Minister and Minister of State for being here and I wish them luck in their portfolios. I appreciate the opportunity to focus on the Housing Commission report and on housing today. I agree with the view of the commission that we cannot take a one-size-fits-all approach to housing delivery, and that we need a critical mass of social, affordable and cost-rental housing. I will put forwar…

Like my colleagues, I thank the Labour Party for this debate. I have spent the past couple of years listening to the debates in this House on housing. As a younger person, I find it really hard to stomach the Government's rhetoric on housing. Rarely does it acknowledge how bad the situation is, with unaffordable rents, soaring house prices and record homelessness. There is a real catastrophe for p…

I join with other colleagues in thanking Tony and wishing him the very best in the future. I cannot think of any better job to prepare you for being a grandparent than being an usher in Leinster House and herding the bag of cats that is often the TDs in this place. We wish him all the very best. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different resul…

I move: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "notes that: — the Government is fully committed to tackling high rents and ensuring an increase in the supply of affordable high-quality rental accommodation through continued significant capital investment including cost rental and other means and in a manner that respects the security of tenure for renters by ensu…

I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 to provide for universal access to social housing by abolishing income-related criteria. Why should we remove the income limits for social housing? I argue there are many good reasons to do it, and to do it urgently. Every week, every month and every year there is a constant…

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." This Bill aims to finally end the non-collection of derelict sites levies and to force transparency on the reasons why the levies are not being collected. Since the introduction of the derelict sites levy 35 years ago in 1990, we have heard excuse after excuse as to why the levy is not being collected. In 2023, less than 10% of the levies that we…

There were quite a number of questions there, beginning with Deputy Séamus McGrath. I welcome also the good initiative we have announced today, namely the extension of the vacant refurbishment grant to 2030, but specifically on the commercial properties and the €140,000 plus a €5,000 grant for assistance to support the owner to design a project. The Deputy is right in saying that we need to make s…

Let us look at what the Ministers have presented here today. This €9.4 billion budget package is a rip-off. There is nothing in this budget for working people and families. It ends energy credit supports, increases income taxes in real terms and hikes student fees. At the same time, this budget has one of the biggest tax packages in history, giving away lavish tax cuts to the richest in our societ…

I want to speak in favour of this motion although I have concerns about parts of it. Overall, I agree with it and the focus it puts on the absence of infrastructure. I will not support the narrative on this side of the House to the effect that objections are causing the planning problems. That is a false, self-serving narrative. My office has just submitted a question to confirm the number of vaca…

The motion is a very important one. It is putting forward solutions. We have heard criticism directly from the Taoiseach regarding the lack of solutions, but they are there, we have put them forward and we are putting them forward again tonight. The Opposition parties are bringing this motion to highlight that this housing crisis is no longer just a crisis. In fact, it has not been a crisis for m…

I am glad to get the opportunity to talk about housing again. This is a crisis. Everyone recognises that it is a crisis. I am not one bit happy that landlords or homeowners are being blamed for what is happening in the rental sector. Every side seems to be pointing at people who own houses and are trying to rent them out. I point out that I do have no house only my own. There are many vacant house…

Éireoidh teipeanna tithíochta an Rialtais níos measa mar níl sé in ann infreastruchtúr bunúsach a phleanáil agus a bhainistiú i gceart. Tá fadhbanna ann inár ngréasán uisce agus leictreachais ag cur moill ar na mílte tithe agus á gcur i mbaol. For years we have listened to the Tánaiste and the Taoiseach, Deputy Micheál Martin, say that housing is their number one priority yet every single day we …

I thank Deputy Timmins for raising this in his role as TD for Wicklow. Under Housing for All, the Government has committed to delivering 47,600 new-build social homes and 3,500 social homes through long-term leasing in the period 2022 to 2026. Our clear focus is to increase the stock of social housing through new-build projects delivered by local authorities and approved housing bodies, AHBs. The …

I am glad to have the chance to raise these important issues. I wish to discuss and deal with the issues preventing homeowners from renting out vacant houses and the tax that people have to pay. People must pay up to 50% in tax when they rent a private house or in respect of a house that they want to rent out. Fifty percent of €800 is only €400, and it is not worthwhile for many people who I know …

Like those in every other portfolio and in every other role, I wish the Minister well. I wish every Minister who has some part to play in resolving this issue well. It is our greatest challenge. We have had a number of debates in recent times on the health service and mental health service, and there are significant challenges in all those areas. However, resolving the housing issue will be partic…

I was not here for all of this debate but I listened to most of it and I heard Deputy Barry Ward refer to home ownership as giving you a stake in society. My God, I do not know what that says about the thousands of young people the Government has locked out of home ownership. It does not give you a stake in society. It is absolutely classist to suggest that it does and that home ownership somehow …

Yesterday, the Taoiseach accepted that 40,000 homes were not delivered last year. The truth is that the two most senior politicians in the Government, namely, the Taoiseach and Tánaiste, were running around the country claiming they would deliver 40,000 homes last year, a claim they knew not to be true. At the same time, data from the ESRI and Central Bank clearly showed that the Government was on…

Decent housing is enshrined as a human right in Article 25 of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It should also be enshrined in Bunreacht na hÉireann, the Irish Constitution. A referendum to that effect should be called immediately. The policy of successive Governments has been and continues to be an abysmal failure. Target after target has been missed. There are well over 17,000 famili…

I am pleased to have the opportunity to participate in the debate. I will refer to some of the positives in the amendment to the defective blocks legislation. For example, it is an opportunity for retrospective payments to be made to homeowners who previously hit the scheme cap. This is the extra 10% in most cases. I agree with many of the contributors that the date of 29 March 2024 is very much a…

I thank Deputy Hayes for raising this important issue today. The clear focus of this Government is to increase the supply of new build social and affordable homes to buy or rent. There is a record level of investment being provided for the delivery of housing in 2025, with overall capital funding available of €6.8 billion. The capital provision is supplemented by a further €1.65 billion in current…

Tuigim. Leanfaidh mé ar aghaidh until they come. Go raibh míle maith agat. Unfortunately, the Deputy who made the allegation of sanctimonious rant against a colleague in another party has left. I cannot think of anything more inappropriate from a TD who is part of the Government that is standing over a housing crisis. The only sanctimonious rant that I have ever heard in this Chamber has been from…

I want to set out some of these achievements that have been made to date, but very much recognise that we are in a housing crisis. I am treating it as an emergency. I am taking rapid decisions to address the housing crisis in this country in order that people can get the homes they need where they need them. We will make bold decisions because that is what we have to do to get out of the challengi…

I very much welcome the opportunity to come before the House this evening to speak on housing matters. I take this opportunity to thank all of the Members who contributed this evening to the important, worthwhile and very interesting debate. First, I echo the contributions of the Ministers of State, Deputies O'Sullivan and Cummins, earlier and reassert the Government's commitment and determinatio…