Search the record

thank Deputy Murphy and People Before Profit for bringing forward this Bill. When we look at housing conditions in the private rental sector, we see that there is an absolute tsunami of situations where people are living in substandard accommodation. I have met people living in the private … living in the private rental sector. This results from Government policy over the last 30 to 40 years, which shifted from providing public housing to sourcing housing from the private rental sector through various State subsidies. The Governments of the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s - we are talking about

obscene salaries. The Government wants to give them €340 million more. I was just flicking through the prices they are charging for the houses they build. A one-bedroom house by Glenveagh in Donabate is €345,000, a two-bed is €440,000, a three … incapable with their own income to afford those kinds of prices. We are giving them a subsidy on already massive profits to deliver housing that no working people can afford. Does the Government honestly think that is justified and is a strategy to deal with the housing crisis

Following the European Council meeting, there were significant issues discussed, between Ukraine, defence, the Middle East, competitiveness, climate and digital transitions, but particularly housing. Often, when we speak about housing, not only in this House but across the country, we think that it is an isolated problem … Ireland. What we are seeing is that this is a problem facing all of Europe. It is the first time that housing has featured in European Council conclusions. The Commission has been tasked with a comprehensive and ambitious housing plan. There will also be a European housing summit

would like to take this opportunity to thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. At the House's discretion, I think the Deputy would like to join me in a note of sympathy on the death of his former colleague in Kerry County Council and former mayor … friend of mine and I know of the Deputy as well. I am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Browne. The recently approved revised national planning framework retains the national policy objective, NPO, of supporting the sustainable development

Middle East, European security and defence, competitiveness and the green and digital transitions. Leaders also had a first strategic discussion on housing and the Euro Summit. Migration was also discussed, as well as Moldova following its recent parliamentary elections. I will deal with Ukraine, the Middle East, European … security and defence, housing and competitiveness. The Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, will later speak to all other issues. Almost four years after Russia launched its full-scale and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, President Putin repeatedly shows us that he is intent on disregarding alternatives to his chosen

thank the Deputy for this important question around targets for the delivery of cost-rental and affordable purchase homes by local authorities, approved housing bodies and the LDA under the Government's new housing plan. Affordability and the chance to own a home is at the heart … Government's housing policy, as embodied within the new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025-2030. Government is investing an unprecedented level of funding to support new housing delivery, which will underpin the new starter homes programme, delivering an average of 15,000 affordable housing supports annually

thank the House for the opportunity to discuss what is a most important issue to all of us. At the outset, it is important that I clarify a technical piece in relation to protected disclosures and how they work. I am conscious that it was the subject … debate among the leaders last week, which I totally understand, but it is important that the House has clarity on it. The Protected Disclosures Act was agreed by this House without a vote. Everybody supports the idea of it and the purpose of it is to protect whistleblowers

important that State agencies engage respectfully, regardless of where people are on the political spectrum, and respect the mandate of people in this House and at local level. Uisce Éireann should meet with the Deputy and the other representatives in relation to that issue. I thank the Deputy … itself is just a measure. It needs to be seen alongside a range of measures that we are taking regarding housing. Deputy Boyd Barrett had to head off, but he made the point around if there was no policy change. There has been a policy change

Deputy Bacik did say that. She said that we had no social housing plans. The housing plan states that we will deliver 12,000 new social homes every year over the lifetime of the plan. We have significantly transformed the scale and pace of social housing delivery over … past five years. That has to be acknowledged. I have looked at the Labour Party's manifesto on housing. It is so vague as to be unbelievable. It is bereft of any depth or substance. The Labour Party has put no flesh on the bone

delete lines 36 and 37, and in page 98, to delete lines 1 to 19 and substitute the following: “ “Supply and construction of housing as part of a social policy. 9B. (1) In this paragraph— ‘apartment block’ means a multi-storey building that comprises, or will comprise … subparagraph (2) applies.”, (ii) in Part 3, by the substitution of the following paragraph for paragraph 14 (amended by subsection (1)(b)(ii)): “Housing. 14. The supply of immovable goods used or to be used for residential purposes, other than immovable goods to which paragraph

After months of delay, it is finally here. Almost a year into this Government, it is only now publishing its housing plan. Given the amount of time this has taken, we can be forgiven for expecting something bold and new, a plan, as the Tánaiste once said himself … once and for all tackle the housing crisis. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Anyone who will take the time to read the plan will know the emperor has no clothes. In fact, this is not a new housing plan at all. It is nothing more than

welcome the announcement by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Browne, regarding the new initiative that will allow private sector involvement in developing wastewater systems for smaller housing developments of up to 40 homes. This initiative is a crucial step towards addressing the infrastructure deficit … rural areas, particularly in County Kerry, where housing development has been long restricted by a lack of adequate wastewater facilities. By enabling developers to collaborate with Uisce Éireann on low-volume wastewater systems, the Government is providing a much-needed solution that will accelerate housing delivery in areas

nearly 15 years. That is 15 years of promises, plans and press conferences with Ministers donning hard hats, 15 years spent turning the housing crisis into a housing disaster. Under the Tánaiste's watch, house prices have almost doubled, skyrocketing rents have more than doubled and the number … people who are homeless has increased by more than 400%. This morning Fine Gael's fourth housing plan was launched. This time, we are told, it will be different. How can it be? The plan contains the same recipe for failure. There is no sign of the radical

this. We need to follow very carefully the advice and analysis available to those of us in government and to those in this House about the volatile economic situation in which we find ourselves geopolitically. On the day when the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council published its latest assessment … homes if they are not built. Yesterday, in Dáil Éireann bizarrely Sinn Féin voted against a resolution that would have allowed approved housing bodies, many of which I am sure Sinn Féin Members meet, to actually benefit from that reduction. The next time they meet an approved housing

Government finally published its long overdue housing plan last week. After all the anticipation, what it delivered was nothing more than old milk in new bottles. There was nothing new on affordable homeownership, no clarity on what new powers the Land Development Agency will have and no ambition … social housing. It is just an open door for speculators and land hoarders. Worse again, the Government has abandoned annual targets for new home building. Could there be a more blatant admission of failure than that? The Government has also essentially confessed to the locked-out generation that

probably are no words to describe what families are going through when they are living with the impact of defective blocks and their house crumbling before them, the scars their young children will have to bear, the challenges in terms of relationships and mental health and the financial … case. This is what we do. Families come to us in desperation. They tell us they cannot find anywhere to live and their house has to be demolished at a certain time. We are literally phoning around people who may have a holiday home or maybe a mother

drew attention a number of weeks ago to the fact that the way in which the initial resolution was crafted essentially excluded approved housing bodies from benefiting from the measure. Notwithstanding our opposition, in the context of the debate and discourse that occurred over the past two weeks … recent years that has not ended up being purchased at one point or another towards the end of its journey by an approved housing body or local authority. They are mostly purchased by approved housing bodies. They tend to start their journey as private operators for the market

thank Deputy Séamus McGrath for taking this question on the increase in social housing availability on behalf of Deputy Willie O'Dea. Since the beginning of 2022, Government has supported the delivery of 35,163 new social homes across thousands of individual projects funded through build, acquisition … leasing programmes. Building on progress made to date, delivering homes, building communities includes a wide range of measures to accelerate new-build social housing delivery to an average of 12,000 new-build social homes a year between 2025 and 2030. To incentivise local authorities to deliver more

more sustainable and energy efficient, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and lowering energy costs for households. More specifically, in the Government’s new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025-2030, published which was last week, there is a commitment to examining policy measures to incentivise increased energy … efficiency in the private rental market. This action is aimed at improving the quality of housing stock available to rent and contributing to meeting our overall national climate targets in relation to emissions reduction. It aims to increase energy efficiency and help to alleviate fuel poverty, protect tenants

Notwithstanding other matters that may have happened today, I believe this is the most important debate to be happening in this House. It is not just about Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine but, rather, a question around the war in Europe and, indeed, a war on Europe … that President Zelenskyy is likely to come to Ireland in December. I called previously for him to be invited to address the joint Houses in person, as he previously did online. It would be welcome both to show our solidarity in these Houses and also to recognise

First of all, I fundamentally disagree with the positioning of the Deputy in respect of the housing issue, which is the number one priority facing our country, particularly young people. Progress was made under Housing for All and the targets outlined in it were achieved, despite commentary … contrary. Over 137,000 houses have been built since Housing for All was published, with €14 billion in terms of capital Exchequer funding allocated. Some 59,000 households have purchased their first home through the help to buy scheme. That is people out there in the private market

Minister shall, within 3 months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on the fiscal and housing-market effects of tax reliefs and incentives available to property developers, and on alternative approaches to achieving housing-supply objectives without such tax expenditures … have had multiple tax expenditures for developers over the years and it is clear they are not working. We are seeing profits increase, house prices and rents increase, and homelessness increase. While these measures are very costly, it would be much better to invest the money directly

heard, to sign up to two financial resolutions, both of which highlight the chaotic and ineffective way this Government handles housing policy. The first resolution relates to the 9% VAT rate on apartments. This is to fix the fact that the Government's budget night resolution … technical language and look at what is actually happening, this is a massive giveaway to developers. It is a handout dressed up as housing policy. It will do absolutely nothing for ordinary workers and families, who are being crushed by a cost-of-living crisis. The Government

through the Party of European Socialists with our European allies on a programme for change across Europe, and in particular on issues around housing, climate action and our vision for a social Europe. I attended the Party of European Socialists' summit in Amsterdam just last month, where … developed policies and a programme for change, in particular focusing on those issues of housing and climate. On housing, we were really glad following the last European elections to see the Party of European Socialists and S&D group in the parliament focus on seeking action at Europe

real difference. We will not be prisoners of ideology. We will work in every pragmatic way we can to increase the amount of housing and, as a practical example of that, I will always wear a hard hat on a building site. The Deputy said … fourth housing plan. Of course, it is because the housing plan needs to be replaced every few years. It has a deadline. He also suggested that Fine Gael and Fine Gael alone wrote the last four housing plans. Fine Gael has been in government during that time with

Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware of concerns amongst homeowners that have received emails from the Housing Agency, confirming that a third party chartered engineering consultancy services provider (details supplied) which was engaged by the Housing Agency … well as their personal data for contact purposes may have been impacted; and if he will urgently seek absolute assurance from the Housing Agency that no data has been lost or compromised that will be subject to examination or investigation by the Independent Appeals Panel or the Office

Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the work underway to accelerate housing supply in rural areas; if he will consider introducing additional measures to assist the construction of one-off housing in rural areas; if he will … outline his national strategy for rural housing development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65846/25

Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason his Department has not sanctioned the purchase of 17 homes in Milford, County Donegal by an approved housing body to house families on the local social housing list; and if he will make

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the controls in place to ensure value for money in approved housing bodies-delivered housing projects funded under Delivering Homes, Building Communities; the audit mechanisms applied; and the criteria used to approve per-unit funding … approved housing bodies schemes. [64403/25

Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing; Local Government and Heritage the position regarding housing supports for persons who fall outside existing schemes, but do not make enough money to compete in the housing market in the context of unprecedented housing prices; and if he will make

Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the housing proposal from Wicklow County Council at Rehills Land, Bray, County Wicklow which was recently refused funding by the Housing Agency will now be reviewed by the Housing Activation Office; if funding will

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide the dates on which meetings took place of the Housing Activation Office; the Housing Activation Delivery Group and the Housing Activation Industry Group; and if he will make a statement on the matter

Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware that homeowners that have received emails from the Housing Agency, confirming that third party chartered engineering consultancy services providers have apparently experienced a cyber incident affecting its IT systems (details supplied … will urgently seek absolute assurance from the Housing Agency that no data has been lost or compromised that would be subject to examination or investigation by the Independent Appeals Panel or the Office of the Information Commissioner as part of the appeals or complaints processes undertaken by homeowners

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the targets for the delivery of cost rental and affordable purchase homes by local authorities, approved housing bodies and the Land Development Agency under the Government's new housing plan from 2025 to 2030. [66119/25

Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide greater detail on how domestic violence is addressed within the Action Plan on Housing Supply and Targeting Homelessness, 2025-2030, including if refuge provision or transitional housing will be provided for domestic violence

Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the timeframe for establishing and implementing the protocol in the new housing plan to allow households fleeing domestic, sexual and gender-based violence to transfer time spent on a social housing waiting list to another

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to immediately raise the income limits for social housing to ensure that those who cannot afford cost rental or private rented are not denied eligibility for social housing. [65845/25

Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department is reviewing the approval and handover process involving local authorities and approved housing bodies, with a view to expediting occupancy of completed social housing units; and the specific steps which are now being

Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the plans in the most recent housing plan, to increase the delivery of housing built using modern methods of construction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65665/25

Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way in which his Department’s new housing strategy will deliver additional cost rental housing units; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65856/25

Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps he is taking to address the issue of void houses; if central funding to local councils will be increased to repurpose these houses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65488/25

Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount of housing adaptation grant funding that will be provided in 2026 for counties Wicklow and Wexford; the number of social housing tenants that are awaiting essential works in both counties to date

Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will review and increase the social housing income limits for counties such as Tipperary, which currently stands at €30,000 per annum, given that the national minimum wage is set to rise … hour week to approximately €29,432, considering the fact that this leaves minimum-wage workers on the verge of exceeding the social housing income threshold; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62010/25

Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the mechanisms he will introduce, in light of the establishment of the Housing Activation Office, to monitor and enforce the performance of local authorities in progressing housing projects; and the way in which his Department intends

Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his funding plans, such as the previous urban regeneration and development fund, to support local authorities in developing amenities where there have been significant housing developments to ensure it’s not just about delivering housing

Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the proposed acquisition of 17 housing units in Milford, County Donegal, currently being progressed by an organisation (details supplied) under the CALF scheme; the reasons for the apparent delay in Donegal County Council … this matter; the steps being taken to resolve the situation to ensure these urgently needed homes will be delivered for local social housing applicants; if these properties have been tested for the presence of deleterious materials; if any such testing has been requested or received by his Department

Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures his Department is taking to address delays in the planning system that are slowing down the delivery of housing in Cork north-west; if he will provide additional resources or supports … Cork County Council to speed up the progression of both social and private housing projects in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65222/25

Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the supports being made available to ensure that towns and villages in Cork north-west have adequate serviced land and infrastructure required for new housing development; if his Department will work with Cork County … Council to address gaps in wastewater and water capacity that are limiting housing delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65223/25

Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the supports which will be allocated for persons on lists for social local authority housing, whose income places them in danger of imminently disqualifying for public housing (details supplied); and if he will make

Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the Government's retrofitting targets across public housing, have been set for 2026; when the 2026 targets will be set for local authorities' stock retrofitting; the estimated budget for retrofitting of social housing stock