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627. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average length of time a planning permission applicant for a single house has waited for a decision from An Bord Pleanála in each of the past ten years. [55227/25]

628. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of planning permission applications for houses which have been received by An Bord Pleanála in each of the past ten years; the number of applications which have been refused; the number which have been granted; and the number for which a determination has yet to be made, in tabular form. [55228/25]

639. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if local authorities can be permitted to exercise limited discretion when the income threshold for social housing is marginally exceeded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55383/25]

640. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the two-year restriction is being reviewed or removed regarding the housing in situ scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55411/25]

643. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware that small landlords in rural areas (like the North West) are leaving the market in anticipation of the new regulations, reducing the amount of available rental properties putting further pressure on an existing limited market; if he has engaged with stake holders including auctioneers and lett…

649. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of housing units that have been realised from July 2022 to date from projects that availed of the Vacant Homes Refurbishment Grant in the cities of Dublin, Cork, Galway, Kilkenny and Waterford, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55525/25]

214. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the plans within his Department to address the current restriction on one-off planning for rural housing across the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54306/25]

216. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to advise if social housing rents, including HAP differential rents, are based on a household's gross or net income; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54311/25]

225. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide the number of social housing offers accepted in each local authority per month, by local area, from 2024 to date, in tabular form. [54351/25]

7. Deputy Seán Fleming asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the housing activation office and its work and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53635/25]

8. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures he is taking to increase the amount of affordable housing in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52989/25]

10. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to hold a referendum and legislate for a constitutional right to housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53899/25]

11. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update on the delivery of affordable and social housing in Cork city and county, including the expected number of units to be completed in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53206/25]

14. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures his Department is evaluating to promote the conversion of older buildings for housing delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53387/25]

16. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the income eligibility limits for social housing in Cavan and Monaghan will be increased; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53740/25]

19. Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures his Department is taking to support those in social housing whose home is affected by pyrite; if legislative amendments to the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 will support them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53451/25]

20. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plan to increase capacity of Dublin City Council to address their housing list, homelessness and those at risk of homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53295/25]

26. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on whether Roscommon and Galway local authorities have been directed to reopen their development plans to re-zone land for housing; and the measures being taken to ensure compliance with Revised National Planning Framework. [53753/25]

29. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider introducing a starter home scheme to address the imbalance in affordable housing provision for lower and middle-income earners to enable them to purchase their own homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53182/25]

35. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on the provision of allocated housing for those that work in front-line public sector jobs including teachers, nurses and members of An Garda Síochána; if this is under review within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52741/25]

36. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will incentivise local authorities that deliver or exceed their housing targets, by providing additional funding in schemes such as tenant in situ and vacant/derelict property grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53822/25]

37. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is satisfied with the level of funding provided for housing in Budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53817/25]

40. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the assessments his Department has carried out, or plans to carry on, in respect of the impact of student and employment residency permits on housing pressures in the State. [53806/25]

48. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of approved housing body applications currently awaiting approval for cost rental in his Department; the length of time each application is waiting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53938/25]

57. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to consider the way in which greater downsizing options for those in private housing, who wish, to downsize their home can be provided. [53567/25]

147. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the action he proposes to take to address the growing housing deficit given that Government never met their targets for social and affordable housing delivery under Housing for All; if he will revise the targets contained within Delivering Homes, Building Communities; and if he will make a statement on the matt…

I thank the Deputy for raising this question in relation to the unaffordability of cost rentals. As the Deputy is aware, the cost-rental scheme was introduced by this Government under the previous housing plan and is continued and expanded in the new plan. It is designed to address the affordability challenge in the rental sector and to provide secure, long-term homes for moderate-income household…

That is not exactly what the Tánaiste said. He said, "the Minister for housing has said he will issue a direction to all local authorities to make sure that issue is rectified." It should have taken the Minister two seconds rather than two minutes to answer. Either it is going to issue or it is not. What the Minister is saying is that a protocol is being developed. That is very welcome, but the Mi…

I thank Deputy Carrigy for this question. I will first say how delighted I am to hear of the significant investment plan at St. Joseph's. I thank the Deputy and our colleague and friend, Councillor Peggy Nolan, for her tireless advocacy in relation to that. I remember meeting her about this on a number of occasions. Along with the Deputy, she was rightly a strong advocate for it. That is good news…

I think the Deputy would have a much bigger concern if we came in here and said that the Government and the taxpayer were going to pay for the advocacy of an industry body. It makes entirely appropriate sense that industry would meet the costs of its portion of any conference or the likes. In terms of any public servants attending, those costs will be met from within the Government Department. Con…

Aontaím le go leor rudaí is a bhí an Teachta Ward ag rá. Ar dtús, gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir Ruane as go leor rudaí. Tá sí an-chairdiúil agus gach rud mar sin. Tá sí tar éis á lán oibre a chur isteach sa Bhille seo. Ní féidir é sin a rá faoi go leor daoine. Tá sí tar éis obair na gcapall a dhéanamh. I commend her on that. I also thank Deputy Gannon for continuing the push to support an iss…

I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after ”That" and substitute the following: "Dáil Éireann declines to give the Online Safety (Recommender Algorithms) Bill 2026 a second reading, on the grounds that the issues the Bill seeks to address are already being addressed by Coimisiún na Meán, Ireland's independent online safety and media regulator, through its implementation of Ireland's Onlin…

Deputy Butterly has set it all out very well. It raises the question as to why people within the system do not listen and why they turn a deaf ear to a lot of the information they get. Some of it is quite harrowing yet it is just kept quiet and then we are here today looking back years ago. It begs a question about the use of this House and the committee system to allow people to come forward unde…

As the Minister of State knows, many large projects are moving towards a multi-use and partnership model. In my hometown of Carrigaline, County Cork, there is one such project in the pipeline involving a number of different clubs. The local rugby, athletics and basketball clubs are involved, along with Owenabue Special Olympics Sports Club. There will also potentially be a swimming element. This t…

In the south east, there are 330 adults and 113 children officially recorded as homeless. That is 70 families. In County Waterford alone, 110 adults and 37 children are in local authority-funded emergency accommodation. Those are only the official figures; they are the tip of the iceberg. They reflect people in local authority accommodation but they do not capture the hidden homelessness that ever…

Homelessness is displacement. We all know what displacement is like in Gaza. People are calling it an absolute disaster. We have displacement of more than 5,500 children. That is happening today and is a disaster. The number of homeless adults in Cork rose by 24% in the past year, the biggest year on year increase in the past five years. These figures show a dramatic increase in the number of peop…

I am not taking aim at the Minister of State but it is deeply disappointing that the Minister responsible, Deputy James Browne, is not in the Chamber for this. These are the first statements on homelessness under his Ministry. We are told he is at a subcommittee. Surely, that subcommittee could have been rearranged and he could have had the decency to be here. I am not taking it out on the Ministe…

We know that while everyone feels the pressure of the housing crisis, there are particular groups who face the most brutal aspects of it. The crisis really has seeped into the life of every Irish person, but some people feel it worse than others. Those individuals are more likely to become homeless. They then struggle to get out of homelessness. I am talking about Travellers, migrants, those suffe…

I want to raise the issue of the return of the Midleton to Youghal railway. As a TD for the constituency of Cork East, I want to report to the House and to the Minister that the overwhelming view of constituents in my area is their desire to see further expansion of the east Cork rail corridor beyond Midleton, restoring it once again to the town of Youghal and opening the stations in the villages …

I am aware that GP training places have increased over the years but, as my colleagues said in the House, it has not matched the population increase. I come from a constituency that has a huge deficit of GP services, especially in rapidly growing strategic development zones, SDZs, areas like Adamstown and Clonburris, and in rapidly growing areas like Citywest and Saggart. While GPs historically ha…

I thank all Members who contributed to the debate over the past number of hours. It is a reflection of the commitment of all Deputies in relation to special education. The work in the communities was very much reflected in the contributions I have heard. Supporting children with additional education is very much at the core of the Government's values. We have put a huge amount of investment into i…

I am speaking in response to the Minister. He is the one who wanted to bring this to the floor of the Dáil. He is the one who refused the opportunity provided to him by the Oireachtas justice committee to have deliberations across every single amendment and section where these should be discussed - in the committee chamber. He was the one who wanted to allow it to take place on the floor of this D…

I thank Sinn Féin for the opportunity to contribute to the debate this evening. Debates like these are essential to reflect on the deeply held priorities for our communities. I want to state absolutely clearly that this Government is fully committed to supporting children with additional needs. This commitment is not merely a matter of policy but a matter of principle and is reflected in the cont…

I confirm that I am aware that a number of early years services and childminders have been receiving rates payable notifications from their local authorities. Given the importance of early learning and childcare for children, families and communities across the country, I am giving this matter my full attention. I have met with my Cabinet colleague, the Minister, Deputy Browne, on this matter. Add…

It ensures that people can actually benefit from cash through the help-to-buy scheme and from an equity share in relation to their first home. We are also conscious when we look at how we are doing compared with other European countries that we now live in a country that has one of the strongest rates of home completion in the entire European Union. For every 1,000 people in Ireland, we are seeing…

Last week, during Private Members' business, I listened carefully to the views of colleagues. We discussed the Government’s work on managing flood risk and responding to recent events. I welcome another chance today to continue that discussion. Flooding has become more common and more damaging both here and abroad. We have all seen the distress it causes homeowners, businesses, landowners and ent…

That response was fairly disappointing, and I am saying that with as much respect as I can muster. The Minister of State stated, “From 2020 to 2025, 955 new residential places were provided to people with disabilities, which has undoubtedly had an impact in Dublin Fingal West.” It would have been nicer if he had got the figures and told me how many places relate to that constituency, if any. The …

In 2021, the acquisition of 112 homes in Hollystown, Dublin 15, by an investment fund rightly caused anger across the State. These houses - the ones the Minister talks about all the time as being essential to help young families to get a family home - were bought up in bulk by an investor. They are now rented out for at least €2,600 per month. Simon Harris has publicly stated that the bulk purchas…

I thank my colleague, Deputy Doherty, for tabling the motion. The housing crisis continues to deepen for ordinary workers, families and children. We have children growing up in emergency accommodation and in overcrowded homes while their parents are being outbid for homes by vulture funds. Despite repeated promises to address this issue, the Government continues to allow this practice, meaning tho…

Despite the opposition of People Before Profit and most of the rest of the Opposition and protests last night, the Government insisted on ramming through a Bill relating to the RTB that is going to mean further hikes in rents which are already unaffordable, worsening an already dire housing crisis. The Government rejected amendments which proposed that rents be kept at affordable levels and that n…