Jack Chambers

-----and with more social and affordable homes built right across our country. I want to do that by managing the economy in a way that ensures they have a future here into the long term, something the Deputy just takes for granted every time he gets up and down when it comes to finance issues. My message is absolutely clear. We want them to build a future here and our commitment is there in the na…

I thank the Deputy. First of all, I will state the facts around what we are doing to invest in housing throughout our country. On the capital side, approximately €7.2 billion is being provided in the recently-published national development plan for 2025 with an additional €4 billion around current expenditure. That is more than €11 billion of State investment for the provision of housing, supporti…

-----so that many of the uncommenced planning permissions for apartments are commenced in order that young people can buy and live in them. I have not heard from the Deputy any measure that she would take to enable the market to increase overall housing supply. We know from the Department of Finance that about €20 billion of capital is required to reach 50,000 homes per year. The State is steppin…

We need a more realistic conversation about housing supply if we are serious about addressing it.

The State has never played a bigger role in the provision of housing in terms of subsidies, supports and the intervention-----

That is reflected in terms of the provision of social housing and in the role of the LDA. This Government brought in cost rental and has expanded cost rental to help affordability of rents for young people. We have extended the help-to-buy scheme. We have the first home scheme. The Deputy did not respond with what she would do to take practical steps to ensure we have-----

-----a viable housing market. There are many thousands of young couples who want to buy and own their own homes. The State plays a certain role in terms of the enabling provisions around infrastructural development in the economy and also supporting it through help to buy and other affordability schemes, but we also need to ensure that the market can deliver the other element of housing supply in…

But the other elements of housing supply involve the market functioning-----

-----to meet the overall supply targets and those are the practical steps this Government is taking.

I thank Deputy Cairns. The Taoiseach chaired the first meeting of the delivery and monitoring committee for the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030, where we are trying to work on a serious of actions to make sure we have a step-change in the provision of disability services over the lifetime of this Government. Budget 2026 was the first opportunity to show our commitment …

I reject the assertion that we have had committees and no action has been taken. That is actually untrue. The 20% increase in funding for the Department of disability and the work the Minister, Deputy Foley, is now doing with the HSE on a new service plan will provide a significant improvement in the State's response to improve disability services in 2026. There is a record level of funding to sup…

I thank the Deputy. The current Government and the previous one stepped up to support many households affected by defective concrete blocks. That is reflected in the increased allocation in recent years. Over 2025 funding increased by over 50% and following the Revised Estimates process, the budget for homes damaged by the use of defective concrete blocks increased by a further €60 million, bringi…

I have set out the legislative provisions underpinning the appeals process. It is clear that neither the Minister nor the Department has any influence on the operation of the appeals that exist. Any involvement is purely on an administrative basis. All public bodies hold records and have a duty to provide information as appropriate. Maybe it is withheld because of particular matters relating to t…

As I said in response to Deputy Cairns, this was a budget where we absolutely took the provision of disability services very seriously. That is why there is a 20% increase following the negotiation and settlement with the Minister, Deputy Foley, which will make a real difference in strengthening and enhancing service provision. That is being complemented with a series of targeted social protection…

I thank Deputy Bacik. As has been previously stated, the Policing Authority advised the then Minister for Justice and Equality in 2017, in advance of the recruitment of a Garda Commissioner, of the terms and conditions that should apply to such an appointment. This advice included a recommendation that in the case of an external successful candidate it may be appropriate to provide for accommodati…

First, I want to acknowledge Cara Darmody, who is continuing her campaign outside the gates of Leinster House. I know Cara has met with the Minister, Deputy Foley, and they have had good and positive engagement. In terms of assessment of need, the demand for assessments of need has more than doubled since 2020 and there has been a 57% year-on-year increase in the assessments of need that have been…

In the engagement I have had with then Minister for education, Deputy McEntee, and the Minister, Deputy Naughton, we have prioritised the school building programme in the national development plan. For the next five years we have a total allocation of €7.5 billion. That is up from €5 billion over the previous five years in the national development plan, which was agreed in 2020 or 2021. That will …

I thank the Deputy. I regret the fact that residents in Newmarket on Fergus are seeing an important community healthcare provision in terms of their GP service removed and replaced at another location. I will ask the Minister for Health and HSE to follow through on this and the impact of the absence of transport provision for many vulnerable people who need basic community healthcare and a continu…

I thank the Deputy. I acknowledge that many people in all of our constituencies are waiting too long for an assessment of need. We have seen increased resourcing of this over the past number of years but a doubling of demand since 2020, which has put significant pressure on the overall service. For example, approximately 9,570 applications were received in the first nine months of this year alone.…

I thank the Deputy. I will have to ask the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, to refer specifically to her query. In budget 2026 and the national development plan, we have secured €24 billion for transport capital investment over the next five years, which will make a significant difference in improving public transport, the development of roads and the wider active travel programme right across communitie…

I thank the Deputy. The Minister for housing has an ongoing review of that particular grant. It is my understanding that it has yet to come before Government. He will be able to respond to any particular queries after he has concluded a review, or if any changes are to be made at that point.

I thank the Deputy. All schemes are constantly under review. The Minister, Deputy Calleary, who oversees the hot school meals programme can take into account any feedback the Deputy has relating to procurement. He can also take into account feedback on the nutritional value of the hot school meals programme. I will ask him to provide a more specific answer to the Deputy's query.

I thank the Deputy. I am familiar with the Complex and its important role for many in the arts community. Obviously, the specific capital needs in terms of any acquisition will be a matter for the Minister for arts. I will reflect on what the Deputy said and I am happy to engage with my colleagues on that matter. Obviously, if there has been immediate notice given, I do not know the facts on how q…

I recognise the role of the Complex for many in the arts community. I will engage with colleagues on it again. That particular notice has been advanced and I understand the urgency of the issue but I will engage with the Department of arts and culture on it and revert.

The Deputy has not referenced the housing plan, which is to sufficiently ramp up the provision of social and affordable homes to ensure we ramp up overall housing supply. The Deputy is misrepresenting the facts on this. It was something produced by SpunOut. It is not something-----