2026-01-22

148. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention had been drawn to his Department’s involvement in the production of the housing-related video published by an organisation (details supplied) prior to speaking to the Oireachtas housing committee on the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5063/26]

There was a significant public reaction to the video about moving in with family that was put up late last year. Will the Minister outline what role the Department of housing had in the production of that video and clarify when he first learned about the video?

I thank the Deputy. The Government's youth homelessness strategy commits to developing an annual information and awareness campaign on housing rights, as well as available supports specifically targeting young people. This is essential to do, particularly online where young people, who are most impacted, are most active. The Housing Agency was tasked with developing these information campaigns, and in 2024 and 2025, it collaborated with SpunOut, Ireland’s youth information and support platform, to develop and run online content. I genuinely commend the everyday work that SpunOut does for young people across the country in providing accessible, engaging and youth-friendly content that responds to their needs and what matters to them. In an online world that is increasingly confusing and diverse in terms of factual and reliable information, SpunOut stands out as an exemplar in that respect. The Housing Agency engaged with young people as part of the process of developing its campaign in 2025 and it rightly led on choosing the topics they were most interested in and wanted to hear more about. I absolutely appreciate that when the video content related to moving back in with parents was shared directly, without relevant social tagging, by my own Department towards the end of last year, it appeared as if the content was a Department-led campaign. Second, I appreciate that presented without further context, this looked like my Department felt the matter was one we were qualified to advise on, when in fact we should be more focused on solving the problem raised by the young people: the problem of a housing crisis impacting their everyday lives and relationships. The video scripts related to various aspects of the campaign were flagged to my Department prior to finalising and uploading them online, for only the purposes of fact checking in relation to current policies and schemes, as would be reasonable. My Department is certainly not best placed to direct style or tone of content prepared by or for young people. That is why SpunOut is rightly involved and it does an excellent job. At the time of the Oireachtas housing committee, I understood the campaign, while flowing directly from my Department's youth homeless strategy, was not a Department of housing campaign to approve. I was clear on this.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. The Minister has still not clarified when he first knew of the video. Could he clarify that, please? At the housing committee when I asked him directly about it, he set out four times that the Department of housing did not have any involvement in the video. He repeated that three times. Can the Minister clarify now and make a statement that the Department of housing was involved in the video and was aware of it? I will ask the Minister very clearly: when did he first become aware this video was being produced?

I thank the Deputy. I became aware when I saw the retweet the night before the committee meeting. That is the first time I became aware of it. Young people are interested in how we will solve the crisis, not going down the rabbit hole of who knew when a video may have had information contained in it or whatever the case may be. I do not really understand. My focus is maximising the number of homes and maximising supply so that we can get those people who are affected by the housing crisis into homes in which they want to live in their communities. That is what I am all about.

It is about the Oireachtas and the record. The Minister said at the housing committee that the Department was not involved in it.

Allow the Minister to answer, Deputy Hearne.

This was the Housing Agency that funded SpunOut, which choose the topics itself. SpunOut does a fantastic job. An official in the housing Department retweeted it. I am not going after that official. They were well intentioned and they thought they were doing the right thing. These things happen.

The Department had no other involvement?

Lessons have been learned.

The story in the Irish Examiner was not true?

Does Deputy Hearne wish to respond?

Sorry, yes. What was reported in the Irish Examiner mentioned senior officials in the Department. I am pushing this because we need to be honest in the Oireachtas record. If what was said at the housing committee is not true, that needs to be corrected. What was happening at the time was the Minister and the Department were trying to get away from a controversy.

No.

Things were said that were not actually accurate. I would like the record to be corrected if the truth is, as the Irish Examiner reported, that the Department knew and senior officials as early as 11 August were aware of the script for the housing video and it was widely circulated among senior officials with comments and suggestions. It is also reported that the Minister's own special adviser had been consulted on content for the information in the campaign that included the video. Can the Minister clarify that his special adviser and the Department actually were aware a video was being produced and were consulted for information or is the information that was reported in the Irish Examiner untrue?

Sometimes I think the Deputy selectively listens to what I am saying. I will repeat what I said in my first answer. Video scripts related to various aspects of the campaign were flagged to my Department prior to finalising and uploading the video online for only the purposes of fact checking current policies and schemes, as would be reasonable. I said that in my opening answer. The Deputy chose not to listen to it.

The Minister said at the housing committee-----

Deputy Hearne, allow the Minister to respond.

If we are talking about the record, I look forward to the Deputy correcting his outrageous allegation against me earlier in breach of the House rules.

I said that was Fianna Fáil and not just the Minister.

No. The Deputy named me.

I take that back. It was Fianna Fáil. However, the Minister is not correcting the record. The Department knew about it.

Deputy Hearne has made his point, the Minister has responded and the Deputy brought up what was said previously. I want to bring Deputy Hearne's attention to the Standing Order that states it is not in order to accuse a member of Government of deliberately misleading the House. If an allegation of this nature is to be made against any Member, it should be made by way of a substantive motion. I have to ask the Member to unreservedly withdraw the remark he has made. That is the Standing Order.

Is that a reference to the earlier remark?

The earlier remark, yes.

I withdraw the remark specifically about the Minister misleading the House but not the remark in relation to misleading the people in the general election.

No, that is not the remark the Deputy made. I will not get into an argument with him about it because I know it will just drag on. It was in relation to accusing a member of Government of deliberately misleading the House.

No, I said-----

The Deputy might want to check the Official Report and come back to us, please.

I will check the Official Report. I believe I said, "misleading the people" and not the House.

Okay, that is fine. We will not waste time on it.