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dark cramped shoeboxes. Those who are making this decision are not living in small apartments. They are likely to be living in houses. The reality is that it is one law and one set of housing for one group of people, while for the generations coming up behind … right to make decisions which affect future generations once it is not affecting the voter base of those who are living in a house now. Of course, they are failing to see that their voter base is increasingly older people whose children cannot move out and cannot afford

build social and affordable homes to buy or rent. There is a record level of investment being provided for the delivery of housing in 2025, with overall capital funding available of €6.8 billion. The capital provision is supplemented by a further €1.65 billion in current funding to address … housing need. This funding will support the delivery of increased numbers of social housing and cost-rental homes. On 10 June 2025, the Government approved new policy measures to provide for the enhancement of rent controls and tenancy protections from 1 March 2026. The stronger tenancy protections will

propose to take Questions Nos. 18 to 34, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on housing last met on Thursday 5 June and is due to meet again on Monday 21 July. The committee works to ensure a cross-Government approach to the implementation of our commitments in respect … housing policy. Housing supply has increased significantly over the past number of years, with almost 140,000 new homes delivered since the start of 2020. However, we know we need to do more. Housing is the single most urgent and important social and economic issue facing our country

welcome aspects of this legislation. We will be supporting it. However, I have raised many very valid points in this House around viability and around reducing the costs. I have brought points to the Minister about people with planning permission who want to build, who have a housing … Opposition as well. It is very disappointing that issues around the demand have not even been mentioned by the Minister regarding the housing crisis. I want to raise a number of important points. Through the parliamentary question process, I have raised a number of questions with the Minister

unit. We have not seen what the LDA has set out but in the estimates set out by the Department of housing, those claims that €100,000 will be saved do not stack up. We have heard clearly from other experts in the private sector who say that … this decision, which will allow developers or investor funds to add more units to a development, will present any reduction in rents or house prices, which is what we are trying to do. I will set out in detail what has been presented by those experts

that has been taken by this Government to protect planning permissions currently in the system as we strive to increase the number of houses delivered in this country. From my point of view, as a younger Member of the House, it is an absolute priority … number of houses being delivered by this Government increasing, especially across north Tipperary and north-west Kilkenny, which I represent, but also nationally, where they are so desperately needed for young people looking to get a start in life. For working families who are paying very high rents

wisdom, decided to stop that because he felt that developers were hoarding land, benefiting from time and gaining money without building any house. I hope that does not happen with this. It should be for people who have started or who intend to start and are coming … building the houses. Certainly, it hurt people with one-off houses badly when this extension of time of a second five years, was taken away from them a few years ago and I am glad that something like that is coming back now. Indeed, we have a facility

middle of a deep and escalating housing crisis. House prices, rents and homelessness are all rising. Social and affordable housing targets are being missed again this year. Tá an ghéarchéim tithíochta ag cur todhchaí na Gaeltachta i mbaol ach fós níl na treoirlínte pleanála Gaeltachta feicthe againn agus … itself objectionable. The measures it contains are modest, in some cases necessary, but it will not solve the housing crisis. It is deeply misleading for the Government to present it as anything close to a serious response. The real and immediate structural problems driving the housing emergency

welcome the opportunity to address the House on an issue that is of significant importance and has widespread impact throughout our society. It is the issue of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. The purpose of keeping this issue in the public domain and discussing it within … Houses of the Oireachtas is to ensure that we can identify the appropriate measures to combat it. This is an activity and criminal behaviour within our society that we must make further effort to confront and eradicate. It remains one of the most serious challenges facing our society

carry around tablets and computers to do their job. That is not what they should be doing. They should be in the house looking after the patient. Unfortunately, it has gone to another level which they might not be capable of reaching but they certainly were the world … homes. Last week in the Dáil, we in Independent Ireland brought forward a motion with 23 points on how to fix the housing crisis. While making my contribution on it, I showed those in the Chamber a picture of Jennifer Marley who is 88 years

listened carefully to the points he raised. The Government is working diligently in conjunction with key stakeholders, particularly local authorities and approved housing bodies, to increase delivery of housing for older people. We also want to work with the private sector because everyone has a part to play … delivery of housing, including for older people. The clear focus of this Government is to increase the supply of new builds and affordable homes to buy or rent. As I stated, a record level of investment is being provided in 2025, with capital funding of €6.8 billion supplemented

some spectacularly bad policy decisions. The first, of course, was slashing funding for vital homeless prevention schemes like the tenant in situ scheme, Housing First and CAS acquisitions. The second was emasculating a very good suggestion from the Housing Commission to set up a housing activation delivery office … well-planned apartments. In fact, Mr. John-Mark McCafferty from Threshold talked about his own experience as a renter in poorly designed public housing with inadequate light and space, and the fact that, in addition to all the negative impacts on tenants, those blocks ultimately have

issues around all towns and villages in my county, including Killarney, Killorglin, Cahersiveen. Urgent action is required to address the lack of housing available across Ireland and local authorities are at the heart of the solution. The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage must request and direct … local authorities to play their part in addressing the housing crisis. Local authorities urgently need to start granting planning permission for one-off housing. I again call on the Minister to request all local authorities to play their part. They can do this by amending their county development

review is to give back the time. That is very important. The containment in the Bill of the "Extension of duration for uncommenced housing developments (including single house development) which have less than 2 years of duration of their permission remaining" is also very important … they are good accommodation. They are not some airy-fairy thing at the bottom of the garden. These are sound, sensible housing solutions. They can be short term, or they could be longer term. They are warm, comfortable, well insulated and properly ventilated. The idea is that

There exists a huge chasm between Government rhetoric on housing and the reality locally. I draw the Taoiseach's attention to the housing situation in Mayo. The first home scheme, introduced in 2022, has delivered, on average, just six houses each year across the county. The affordable housing … delivered just five units, which is less than one per year. The cost-rental scheme in Mayo has delivered no housing units. There were hundreds of applications for the vacant property grant but just 83 payouts. Only four houses transitioned into the mortgage-to-rent scheme. The tenant

That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to bring the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2025 before the House today. Members will recall the size of the Planning and Development Bill 2024, which was enacted last year. Many of us worked extensively … that legislation, both at the joint Oireachtas committee and in both Houses. While the implementation of this Act is a key priority for the Government, it is important that the planning system remain agile and responsive to issues. This is why I am bringing this Bill forward today

across the country." The institute goes on to say: In particular, the erosion of unit mix requirements represents a market-led approach to housing that is fundamentally at odds with the significant work undertaken by the Department of Housing to date to create a plan-led system with … challenges. I was contacted by another architect about the impact of these changes. They said: "The priority should be delivering a variety of housing types that satisfy different family structures, life stages and adaptability for accessibility, ageing and special needs." It is a real issue that this housing

briefings. The Minister has a monumental task. I have said it to him privately and I will say it again. The Custom House has to be dismantled. It was levelled in the War of Independence. I do not mean to hurt anybody but it has to be dismantled … malaise there, and it has to be tackled. Otherwise, we are going nowhere. We have had seven or eight housing Ministers in the 18 years since I came into the House and they have all failed miserably. There is a situation where they feel they are all-powerful

Department of housing, with the Minister for housing’s approval, decided not to proceed to award the contract for social housing bundle 3 through a public-private partnership. The basis for that decision was that the cost per unit was more than €1 million and almost double … delivered in 2020. Unit costs at that scale would not be compatible with the overall delivery of what we need in our social housing targets. The Government and the relevant local authorities remain absolutely committed to delivering the social housing that the bundle was being designed to provide

Knocknaheeny. When Knocknaheeny was built 50 years ago, perhaps because of the financial situation of the country, it was decided to build the houses 20% smaller with substandard building materials. That decision was taken. Now Knocknaheeny has been undergoing regeneration since 2000. The houses were 25 years … trapped, because that is what they will be. They will be trapped there. They will go from the box bedroom of their parents house into one of the Minister's “initiatives” to solve the housing crisis. I said to the Minister yesterday, and I said

Amendment No. 1 seeks to provide for the zoning of land for the particular use of affordable housing. The amendment itself appears to amend a wrong section of the Bill, as section 4 of the Bill amends section 45 of the principal Act, which deals with the implementation … zoning of land for a particular use or mixture of uses. Prior to making a development plan a planning authority shall prepare a housing strategy under Part 7 of the Act of 2024 for the purpose of ensuring that the corresponding housing development strategy makes adequate provision

Kilkenny and Durrow. I was looking at the problem of the wind farms that will be behind and in front of the 15 houses along a stretch of that roadway. The meeting was quite constructive but it struck me the cards are stacked against local communities. Deputies … right place but it was not and is not okay at that location, because of how close the windmills are to the houses, at the front and back. Taking into account the cabling and so on, it is a real issue. The community is faced with going

Opposition criticisms. We spent many months last year on planning and development legislation. It was the biggest Bill ever to come before the House and here we are back again amending it. The biggest issue I have with the Bill before us is the narrative it portrays, namely … that the housing problem across the country is because of planning permission issues and people objecting. These are not the reasons we have a problem with housing across the country. That narrative lets Government off the hook and Government conveniently continues to grab onto it as being

important that local authorities remain central to planning. They know the needs of the individual areas, not least the growing numbers on the housing waiting lists in each municipal area. It is only fitting that they retain oversight relevant to regional, spatial and economic development plans and local … area plans. In my own constituency of Mayo, I see first-hand the pressure council staff are under to cope with the housing emergency, as they try their best to provide housing and accommodation against a never abating stream of people in dire housing need. I will

welcome young Olivia Nevin who is in the Gallery with her family. She is up from Cork for a birthday visit to Leinster House. The number of children in homelessness is hurtling towards the 5,000 mark. This would represent a truly shameful new record. The tenant … situ scheme can no longer keep families in their homes because the Department of housing has starved it of cash. Dublin City Council and Fingal County Council have stopped operating it altogether. Vacancy and dereliction blight our communities, a grim visual symbol of the housing crisis

Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the social housing development schemes which are and may be affected by his decision to withhold funding for same; if he will provide an assurance that there is no delay in any of the following … social housing flat complexes regeneration or refurbishment schemes at Basin Street, Oliver Bond House, Dolphin House, Emmet Buildings, Vicar Street, School Street, Cherry Orchard, Labre Park, La Touche Court, Bernard Curtis House, or Lissadel maisonettes in Dublin. [35132/25

Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to list all housing support schemes available to households whose incomes exceed the social housing and fall below affordable housing thresholds. [41442/25

Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage following the decision by Limerick city and county council to pause all applications for housing adaptation grants for older people and disabled people, with the exception of housing adaption grants, mobility aid grants and emergency applications … under the housing aid for older people, due to a lack of funding; if he will allocate additional funding to ensure that applications currently in the system will be processed in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42017/25

Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has approved a prohibition on purchase of second-hand dwellings by approved housing bodies (AHBs) under the capital acquisitions scheme (CAS); if he is aware that such a prohibition will impact most on AHBs … that provide homes for people with disabilities and will result in thwarting progress in housing provision for some of the most vulnerable people who are in urgent need of housing within their communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43965/25

Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will review the designation of recipients of HAP housing as having their housing needs met, to allow them to remain on social housing waiting lists and be assessed; and if he will make

Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if statistics, by county, are available from local authorities on the number of refusals of first and second offers of social housing by applicants on the housing list, in tabular form; the impact such refusals have … local authority housing services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35835/25

Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when his Department will resolve the ongoing issues for tenants in the cost-rental tenant in situ scheme with houses owned by the Housing Agency, with tenants still paying high rents with no recourse for repairs

Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will increase the provision of social housing stock and affordable cost-rental homes for vulnerable and low-income households, inclusive of new builds and vacant housing, and provide an additional investment

Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of people who do not have habitual residency in Ireland but are currently on the housing waiting list, or are in receipt of HAP, or have been allocated a local authority house. [41253/25

Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current income bands or caps that determine eligibility for affordable housing supports under Housing for All. [41441/25

Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider an addition to the housing aid for elderly-housing adaption for those with a disability scheme for 2026 to allow those with medical need to apply for assistance with the provision

Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the percentage of students studying on English language courses who were housed in the private rented sector, who were housed in designated student accommodation, who were staying with host families and who were in other types

Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on the need for additional social and affordable housing in Rathmines and the surrounding area, including by way of part V housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42537/25

Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to consider introducing emergency legislation to expedite housing developments for the general population as has been done in response to accommodation needs under IPAS given the urgency of the ongoing housing crisis. [42668/25

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the breakdown of all affordable housing that is, cost rental and affordable purchase units delivered by local authorities, approved housing bodies and the Land Development Agency with a breakdown by turnkey and construction, in tabular

Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the provision, if any, that exists for people in receipt of HAP in one local authority area, and who have children attending local schools, but who are on the housing list for a different local … authority area, to transfer to the housing list of the local authority area in which they live and their children attend school without negatively affecting their access to HAP or waiting time for a home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42916/25

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of social housing acquisitions that have been bought to date in 2025, with a breakdown by local authority and acquisition type tenant-in-situ, housing first, vacant homeless

Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to report on progress in implementing the Housing Commission’s recommendation of holding a referendum on a right to housing. [43584/25

Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide detailed information on the annual amount spent on housing maintenance by approved housing bodies. [43595/25

Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of new housing completions required annually over the next five years in order to meet the combined demand from existing housing need and projected levels of immigration; and if he will make a statement

Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider establishing a cross-departmental housing supply dashboard or task force to monitor real-time monthly data on housing commencements, completions, immigration trends, and residential price movements in order to improve coordination across

Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider the possibility of making more funding available to local authorities to administer the housing adaption and housing aid for the elderly schemes in all future years. [44058/25

Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason the vacant property grant is included in affordable housing delivery figures; if he will consider plans to reclassify the vacant property grant from being a form affordable housing to a stand alone measure

Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has investigated forming a State construction company, similar to an ESB for housing, with the aim of providing secure employment for construction workers and a supply of housing; and if he will make

Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has explored setting up State delivered modular housing factories to accelerate housing delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44276/25