Rory Hearne

But it is the developers that will come in and-----

The developers-----

Not shoeboxes.

That is not true.

We have put it in the homes for Ireland scheme.

The connections between the housing crisis, homelessness and domestic violence have been shown over and over again. The state of the housing emergency is having direct impacts on women and their children being unable to flee situations of violence. Indeed, front-line domestic violence services repeatedly raise concerns that the housing crisis is forcing victims to either stay with the perpetrator …

CSO figures published today show Ireland's national income rose by 4.8% last year and GDP rose by 7.4%. According to these fiscal indicators, Ireland is doing well, but in reality there are two Irelands. There are those who are doing okay, a minority, and there is the majority, who at some level are struggling in one way or another to cover the basic costs of living. In fact, even the concept of t…

I move amendment No. 1: In page 4, between lines 31 and 32, to insert the following: “The written statement referred to in subsection (2) shall allow for the zoning of land for the particular use of providing affordable housing as defined in Parts 2 and 3 of the Affordable Housing Act 2021.”. My party colleague Deputy Cian O'Callaghan and I put forward this amendment. It is related to the appro…

I move amendment No. 4: In page 10, between lines 15 and 16, to insert the following: “(d) A contractor must publish an annual profit and loss account, an auditor’s report, and a balance sheet in order to qualify to provide dwellings for the purchase of which funds may be made available by the special purpose vehicle.”. The amendment seeks transparency in relation to developers and builders who…

I move amendment No. 8: In page 12, between lines 2 and 3, to insert the following: “Construction within a specified timeframe 16. In line with a use it or lose it principle, development must begin construction within a specified timeframe after receiving planning permission. Penalties for non-compliance will include the withdrawal of permission for the development.” This relates to the propos…

I am very conscious of time. I want to support this amendment and reiterate the deep concern we have been highlighting around the speculative development that is happening. It is very clear to anyone who studies the real estate and property market that there are actors in it who are not just about building homes. A part of real estate development is accumulating sites and planning permission in or…

In terms of the 18-month period, how will local authorities enforce that?

Hear, hear.

Child poverty has doubled.

Where is the evidence-----

Under Standing Order 35(3), I propose an amendment to the Order of Business for Thursday afternoon. The Minister for housing needs to come into the Dáil to answer questions-----

I propose an amendment to the Order of Business that the Minister for housing come into the Dáil for a debate and questions on apartment standards and future homes. They are going to have profoundly negative implications for generations to come, condemning generations to living in dark shoe boxes-----

It is going to lead to further delays. This is an absolute disaster; it is going to heap disaster upon disaster.

What?

We want to build affordable homes. The Government just wants to buy and build expensive apartments that no one can afford.

It said 40,000 homes. Is that what the Government is going to build - 40,000 homes?

Where are they?

There is so much out in-----

What is the smallest apartment the Minister of State has ever lived in? What was it like when he was living there? The idea that young people can slum it for a while in a dark small shoebox and build up to something better is deeply disturbing in many ways. The expectation is that young people and not-so-young people, people in their 20s, 30s, 40s or increasingly their 50s, will live in dark cramp…

The figures released by the HSE this week to my colleague, Deputy Quaide, reveal a truly shocking level of waiting times for essential primary care services for children. My constituency of Dublin North-West has recorded the longest waiting time in the country for psychology services for a child, with one waiting 706 weeks, or 13 and a half years, for psychological care. I cannot understand how a …