John Cummins

I have no arrogance.

I thank Deputy Hearne for raising this matter. I assure him the Minister and I and our Department take it very seriously. It is important to note there are just over 150,000 local authority-owned social properties in this State, which have an estimated market value of more than €25 billion. The proper management and maintenance of this valuable State asset is a very important matter. Of equal impo…

I reiterate that it is important that local authority tenants who are paying weekly rents are provided with good quality and good comfort levels in their homes. No one will hear me disagreeing with that. It is set down in the rental standard regulations of 2019. Local authorities are obliged to provide that for their tenants. I have also set out what the Government is doing in providing funding to…

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Transport, Deputy Darragh O'Brien. As members may be aware, Shannon Airport Group informed the Department in summer 2020 that it was necessary to consider a comprehensive and radical adjustment of its structure to secure the long-term future of the Shannon Heritage business and employees. Several challenge…

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. There is no question but that investment in our archaeological and built heritage delivers great benefits to the public through enhancing the character of an area. I acknowledge the representations the Deputy has made on this specific case. As indicated, Shannon Airport Group operated Sharon Heritage on a commercial basis in line with its commercial man…

I am pleased to speak today on this very important Bill. The two-month extension to the operation of all existing RPZs, and the deeming of all remaining areas of the country to become RPZs from the day after the passing of this Bill until 28 February 2026, are critical to quickly protect all tenants from high rent increases in anticipation of the broader changes announced last week and planned to …

Why not?

I thank the Deputies very much. I echo many of the comments made by the Minister, Deputy Browne, and take this opportunity to reassert the Government's commitment and determination to tackling the challenges we all know exist in the housing sector. The Minister and I are very much aware of the difficulties being experienced by some people in accessing secure and affordable accommodation. I say re…

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the challenges we face to secure a housing system that meets the needs of our society. The Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, and I will set out how we are building on the progress made in recent years under the Housing for All plan to address the serious housing challenges touching every family in this country, and the Minister, Deputy Browne, will give co…

We had a quorum when we started.

It is quite astonishing there is nobody here from the Opposition during statements on housing, despite the fact it is the most important issue facing this country.

That is very good. Nice of you to join us.

Perfect. The Department is undertaking a review of the exempted development provisions, which will provide further options for provision of housing. A public consultation process will commence this month and updated regulations will come into force later this year. The commencement of Part 17 of the Planning and Development Act to establish An Coimisiún Pleanála to replace An Bord Pleanála is imm…

They cannot.

He will be here.

He is on the "Six One" news at the moment.

He will be here in a minute.

We are.

It will be introduced this year.

It will be introduced this year.

No.

No.

There is no point in shouting down the Minister.

I thank Deputy Gould for raising this important matter. There is no question that utilising existing stock at a time of such need is just as important as developing new social housing stock. The programme for Government commits to the introduction of a new voids programme and also to supporting the ongoing work to transition to a strategic and informed maintenance approach to the management and ma…

The Deputy's question asked about planned maintenance, so that is the answer I gave. We want to move towards more of a planned maintenance approach, which is appropriate. We do not want to see voids left for significant periods. Huge amounts of money have been spent in the voids programme but we want to move to a planned maintenance approach so that we can re-let council properties and reuse our e…