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commitment around it in the 2020 programme for Government. There was also a Seanad motion passed calling for a referendum on the right to housing and a constitutional change that would insert a very clear right to housing. That was proposed by a Fianna Fáil Senator and backed … Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Senators. What has changed? Why has this new Government run away from the right to housing? The Minister's response was not accurate as regards the Housing Commission. The majority recommendation from the commission was to insert a right to housing

system, our housing market, the way we treat housing and the way we understand housing. Other countries, for example, Spain, have a right to housing in their constitutions. Their starting point in the creation of housing policy and the treatment of housing is that it is a human … social need? The majority recommendation of the Housing Commission was very clear that there should be a referendum and the right to housing should be inserted into the Constitution, which would then guide all policy decisions and all our interactions around housing from a Government perspective

have a real opportunity here to create a new and better Ireland, one that enshrines rights in a new Constitution, including a right to housing, a right to healthcare, that guarantees equality and delivers a more inclusive kind of Ireland for all of us. Before

argument very well that there is a viability gap when it comes to apartments. There is a viability gap when it comes to housing right across Ireland. That is why we have a situation which has emerged where we have a housing crisis, where there is a peak … building. The reason for this is that they cannot afford to. That is a viability gap and it is actually choking housing delivery right across Ireland. What has the Government done for these people in the budget? Nothing. Instead, the Government acknowledges and recognises that there

including recommendations pertaining to a referendum on housing, in May of last year. There were differing views within the commission on the right to housing and no consensus on what was a complex issue. At the moment, the Government is fully focused on measures to tackle homelessness, increase … enabling infrastructure needed for public and private housing developments and unblock infrastructure delays on the ground. This practical focus on housing supply is my priority right now but I will keep the report to the commission on this area under review

need to see a major influx of funding and investment in housing and particularly in affordable, cost-rental and social housing. Right now, thousands of people are without secure, affordable housing and they are crying out for solutions. They are looking for the Minister and this Government … from the Minister. Right across the board, we see these issues. Just to let the Minister know, according to an answer we got at a meeting of Cork City Council last night, the council has spent over €250 million boarding up houses and putting up these metal shutters

Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to hold a referendum and legislate for a constitutional right to housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53899/25

indeed there are many projects right across Cork North-West that are at an advanced stage of development. Fingers crossed that with the Minister, Deputy Browne, and the Ministers of State, Deputies Cummins and O'Sullivan, we will see many more projects opened in the coming years … very large and a very diverse county and geographically it is significant. It is important to offer that option of affordable housing right across constituencies - we have five constituencies in Cork - and in such a big geographical area and also that we continue to offer affordable housing

local authorities were able to match the rate of delivery of Cork county then the rate of delivery of social housing and affordable housing right across the board would be much stronger. I commend the work of the councillors and the local authority there, of which the Deputy … area of Cork North-West he can see that Cork County Council is really accelerating and progressing the rate of delivery of social housing, which is impressive. We just need to keep pushing on and making sure that they are supported by us to do that

built there in 20 years. The first problem we had was there was not a treatment plant. You could get one-off houses all right, or the local authority got permission to build a few houses but because of our treatment plant being overburdened, there was no permission … look at this because there is any number of vacant houses out there and any amount of people could be housed if we went at it right. I am asking the Government to look at this because the houses are there, which is half the battle, but getting

completely for the building of homes. Why should the Government take €54,000 out of the building of any house in a housing crisis? Left, right and centre in every town and parish, builders are not building today in a housing crisis because they cannot make it work … middle of the Famine. It is absolutely wrong. The main streets of towns right across the west, such as Claremorris, are literally falling down because of derelict homes in a housing crisis. It is absolutely wrong. I want to talk about older people and those living in poverty

received a reply. I do not know if the Deputy expects her to address it today. The Deputy comes into the House and rightly says we need student accommodation - I agree with her - but she should tell Sinn Féin councillors to stop opposing and objecting to such accommodation

which is €37,000. If they exceed this, they will not be left on the housing list. It is the divine right of a house owner to do what they want to do with the house and they should not be made to something they do not want

push for these homeowners to get what they need and deserve throughout this Dáil term. Is ceart daonna é tithíocht. Housing is a human right but the Government does not believe that. If it did, it would not allow this situation where people are living in unsafe homes … homes affected by pyrite, in homelessness, or in hidden homelessness. We need a change in our approach to housing. We need to treat it as a human right, and supporting 100% Redress is the start of that

country. Finally, I want to mention the national development plan. It is a very ambitious plan. It is focusing heavily on housing and that is right and proper. In terms of trying to stimulate housing activity, much of the capital investment will be in areas that are designed

lobbying that is going on being hidden by this Government? That is why we need transparency. People have a right to know who is making our housing policy and who is influencing it. That is the whole point. We are supposed to be moving away from a politics … within the private market. This comes back to the fundamental problem in our approach to housing, which is we do not deliver it as a public good and a human right. The State outsourced it and handed it over to the private market, hence we are completely dependent

election cycle. After the budget, I picked up some Fine Gael election material. So many promises have been broken. The Deputy is right that the Minister believes he can hold the Government together. There will not be an election for a couple of years and the promises … welcome this. There is a viability issue with apartments. I hope this measure will see an increase. Viability in terms of housing is felt right across the construction sector. It is felt in Mayo. I spoke to a developer last week who has planning permission for a relatively

incident that took place in a Tusla facility in Donaghmede yesterday. This is a shocking event. My thoughts and those of people right across the House and country are with all of those impacted by it, in particular the bereaved family and those injured. The loss of life

House raise the wage subsidy scheme. It is important that we look at bringing it into the Houses of the Oireachtas because it would bring more people with disabilities working right here with policymakers. It would make … huge difference. If we allowed Members to access schemes like that, we would have more people with disabilities who could work right here in Leinster House, giving them their voice at the highest level we can achieve for people with disabilities. My time is running out. We need

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 … communities. Very strong communities are essential in the way we do things. That is where my priority is right now. I am not against a referendum on putting housing into the Constitution but it is not where my priority is right now and certainly not in my first

State, Deputy O'Sullivan, will know the good work that is going on right across the county. I had the pleasure of taking the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, to social housing projects in Macroom and Coachford recently and I see the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan … past weeks. It is good to see progress is being made but certainly from a social housing perspective, I would like to see that good work continue right throughout this year and into the future

investment to 2035 to secure Ireland's future and unlocking housing, upgrading our water and energy infrastructure, delivering more roads and providing more public transport. This investment will deliver real impacts for rural and regional Ireland right down to the heart of our communities. We are what … housing and planning. I also welcome the continuation of the 9% reduction in the VAT rate on energy for everybody. Housing is a serious issue right now, and we in Government recognise that. Every elected Member of this Chamber has stories about their communities and people

right now. Many of us have long argued that the State must scale up its involvement in ensuring that housing inequalities are addressed and that everybody has a right to a roof over their head. It was that approach and that strong belief in the State’s ability … government. We took the policy levers we were able to leverage in terms of bringing new approaches in that would broaden access to housing, especially for those on lower incomes. This was done primarily through the introduction of the cost-rental model – the Vienna model – to Ireland, which

since the beginning of the year, most of which the Deputy has opposed, as she opposed most measures in respect of housing from the planning Act right through. This budget allocates significantly more resources again on very substantial State investment in housing - a 20% increase in overall funding

very much about increasing the statutory borrowing limit. As many have alluded to, local authorities right across Ireland need to do more. Some have been excellent in meeting their social and affordable housing targets and others less so, but this increase in access to finance will enable … very much about increasing the statutory borrowing limit and being a key enabler of local authorities, AHBs and agencies right across the board so they may deliver housing at scale. We look forward to the Committee Stage discussions tomorrow

Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to hold a referendum and legislate for a constitutional right to housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53899/25

Government and Heritage the position of the Government and his Department in relation to the process of right sizing; if this is being promoted by local authorities or approved housing bodies; if so, the locations in which this is happening; and if he will make a statement

measure; the estimated likely effect on the supply and capital value of private rental housing; if any legal advice has been obtained as to the potential constitutional implications of restricting an owner’s right to sell with vacant possession; and if he will make a statement

Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a homeowner who withdraws from the statutory appeals process under the enhanced defective concrete blocks scheme thereby loses their statutory right of appeal permanently; and, if not, the provisions that exist for a subsequent appeal

asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps her Department is taking to ensure that the forthcoming amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, due to take effect in March 2026, achieve a fair balance between landlord and tenant rights; and if she will publish

Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will respond to calls from homeowners engaging with the defective concrete blocks grant scheme that engineering and other mandatory professional fees be excluded from the grant cap and covered separately; that storage … made available to all applicants during remediation, regardless of their grant level; and that the entire scheme be reviewed with a homeowner-first, rights-based approach that properly reflects the scale of this crisis. [54956/25