James Browne

Prospectively.

They will apply to new tenancies where designated as cost rental. The LDA sought this change so that it could deliver lower rents for people and that is why we agreed to it. As it is a cost rental measure, I fully expect, even through the metrics of the system, that it will result in lower rents for future tenancies.

All of the details around the various tax breaks, which Minister Donohoe worked on with the Department of housing to ensure we can increase the viability of apartments and get them and housing in general delivered, will be worked out over the coming weeks and then announced. The purpose of the tax cuts is to bring about that viability so that we can get apartments that people need built. Off plan…

I thank the Deputy for the question. Significant progress has been made on establishing the housing activation office. Senior specialists from Uisce Éireann, ESB Networks, the NTA, Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the local government sector are in place. In addition, senior staff from my Department with expertise in planning and project and programme management are assigned to the office. Fur…

The housing activation office is just one piece of an important set of measures we will take to ensure we can unlock housing delivery. We have our State agencies, but the housing activation office will be able to work with those Stage agencies where they identify that land can be freed up very quickly for housing delivery to ensure that utilities are in place. The HAO itself has that fund where it…

That work remains ongoing, but the head is not critical to this. As has been demonstrated, all the key experts are in place. The departmental staff are in place. The work is already well under way. We are engaging with local authorities. We are meeting with the relevant groups. That activity is being driven now as quickly as possible.

The Deputy’s party does not support those schemes but we will continue as a Government to support those individuals and couples to be able to get their foot on the property ladder.

I thank the Deputy for his question in relation to affordable homes in Dublin for 2025 and 2026. More than 14,500 affordable housing solutions have been delivered since the launch of Housing for All, including over 5,200 in Dublin. Affordable housing schemes are now operating at scale in Dublin and the affordable housing delivery programme continues to be expanded and developed year on year, suppo…

As the Deputy is well aware, the Government has long acknowledged that there is an affordability problem in this country. There are two issues - a viability issue and an affordability issue - and both of these are driving supply difficulties. That is why we have taken measures on viability and affordability. Many of the affordability measures have been opposed by Sinn Féin's good self. The legisl…

I am not sure if the Deputy listened to my last answer. The Government has long acknowledged that there is a serious affordability issue in this country. That is why we brought in significant measures such as the first home and help to buy schemes to address the affordability issue. Supply is the only answer so that people can afford homes.

That is on the rental side and the purchase side as well. What I do not hear from Sinn Féin is how it is going to drive supply.

What I hear are objections to almost everything we are doing. That is Sinn Féin's right, but I am not seeing any solutions coming forward, just constant criticisms. I continue to make decisions to address the viability issue and the affordability issue. Ultimately, this is about driving supply right across this country including Dublin, which is a crucial part of that.

I thank the Deputy. The question I have in front of me from the Deputy relates to a housing referendum.

I am happy to get the Deputy a written answer on the other question but-----

I will answer the question on the housing referendum now. The Housing Commission was established in December 2021 to consider housing policy post 2030 and make proposals building on Housing for All. It was also tasked with advising the Government on the critical factors to be considered regarding a referendum on housing and, if appropriate, to recommend wording for a constitutional change. The co…

The Deputy is right that there were differing views on the commission, and well-reasoned views I think on both sides among the commission members as set out in the various reports. While it was a majority it is not that straightforward either due to the different views. We are keeping this under review but my priority is actually delivering on housing. It is a basic necessity, one of the most fund…

It is important to set out that putting it into the Constitution is not going to deliver one more house. This Government has set out that housing is a priority. This is evidenced by the fact that almost one in three euro in our national development plan is going towards housing delivery. This is not even including the funding for grids and roads, which are all prioritised towards housing delivery …

I thank the Deputy for her question and the clarification. The Government has scaled up affordable housing delivery rapidly across all tenures since 2022 and continues to accelerate housing supply. Cost rental is a key element of the Government's strategy to improve affordability in the rental sector and to provide secure, long-term homes for moderate income households above the income limits for …

I thank the Deputy. I know the Deputy never wants to hear good news or progress but just wants to-----

-----focus on the negatives.

The Government consistently acknowledges there is a massive affordability issue in this country. That is why we have brought in significant affordable measures-----

-----which Sinn Féin opposes again and again. We have an affordability problem and a viability problem in this country. We are addressing both. I was delighted to be in Balbriggan only a few weeks ago turning the sod on 817 affordable-purchase, cost-rental-----

-----and social homes. They are real homes, there are shovels in the ground, and homes being built in Balbriggan.

I know the Deputy does not want to hear about that. She wants to pretend those houses do not exist, that we are not doing these things-----

------with URDF funding and that we are not doing other projects in Balbriggan, but that is what we are doing. This happens every time I come in.