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move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: acknowledges that: — the new housing plan 'Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025-2030: An Action Plan on Housing Supply and Targeting Homelessness', is focussed on putting in place the conditions to enable delivery … their own; — it seeks to significantly accelerate delivery of new homes by focusing on activating land and creating the optimal environment to encourage housing activity, including regulatory reform, tax incentives and the largest ever capital investment in the history of the State, with €275 billion invested in infrastructure

give concluding statements. He will be kept up to date as to the comments made during the statements from right across the House. I welcome the opportunity to come before the House to speak on this most important issue of homelessness and the work being undertaken by this … Government in responding to it. I will set out how the new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities, is building on the progress made in recent years to increase housing delivery across the board and social housing, in particular. The Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, will outline

appreciate the opportunity to address the House on this important matter. Addressing homelessness is a top priority for the Government. We remain committed to working with all key stakeholders to reduce and prevent homelessness across Ireland, including homelessness among our more vulnerable people, including our older people, disabled … people and Travellers. Our new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities, is an integrated housing and homelessness plan in which the Government recognises that homelessness is the single most pressing social issue that we face. The plan introduces a number of new measures to address homelessness. One priority

First, I want to make it crystal clear that I myself only own one house and I am not in the rental business or never have been. I want to make that absolutely clear. I only own one house. I am very concerned about the six-year rule … night, to build or buy these homes and they have a constitutional right to determine how long they want to rent their house out for to tenants. Tenants and landlords need each other - one as much as the other. For the most part, 70% or 80% of landlords

very disappointing to again see the Minister's failure to support a measure which could help the housing crisis. I thank Sinn Féin and Deputy Doherty for bringing forward the motion. Unfortunately, it is one of many areas where we are seeing the Government claiming that its policies … being developed to promote affordable housing and to promote delivery of housing but, in fact, they are, what I think describes it very accurately, "designed to fail". The Minister had no interest in banning or stopping institutional investors from buying up properties, or buying up what they actually

reassert the Government's commitment and determination to tackle the challenges that exist in our housing sector. We understand the need to ensure that sufficient numbers of homes are delivered, be they social, affordable or private, and that is why we are working tirelessly to address the blockages … made in recent years, as outlined by the Minister, Deputy James Browne, in his opening statement, including those relating to social and affordable housing delivery, and to set out the key changes introduced and our plans ahead to scale up the supply of housing across all tenure types

since 2011, I would say, and successive governments since then ignored all the signals that would tell them a problem was emerging in housing. Local councils even ignored it. They massaged the figures to make things look better and pretended there was no problem when, in fact, there … massive and growing problem. I was often criticised during those years when I raised the issue of housing and the fact that it was not being delivered at a pace to meet the demand. When I look back now, I think I was right about it. A year

every year. This did not happen by accident. This happened by design and as a result of the failure of this Government's housing policy, and the interventions that this Government is making are making this crisis worse. The Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, signed … under that declaration while the numbers are persistently and consistently growing every single year? I cannot take the Government and this housing plan seriously when it continues along the same lines as the stuff that was in Rebuilding Ireland and Housing for All that have created this problem

Limerick, the average price of a three-bed, semi-detached house is now €345,000. It has gone up 13.8% in a year. It has gone up 40% in five years. This issue of bulk buying by investors is one of the reasons behind house price inflation … Limerick. Some experts say it can account for up to 20%, or one third, of house price inflation. Why did the Government take some action in 2021? It is important to remember that action was taken on foot of what I can only describe as intense political pressure

fault" evictions.". The best place to be to respond to the Government's Bill probably is with the protestors assembling outside Leinster House. The Bill will make an already dire housing crisis even worse by allowing landlords charging extortionate rents that are unaffordable for huge numbers of people … interests of the people affected by the crisis but, rather, is representing the interests of those profiteering on the backs of the housing misery of others. There can be no other explanation for what the Government is doing with this Bill. My amendment No. 1 sought, in essence

market and increase homelessness. This Bill is written for, on behalf of and by big corporate landlords and institutional investors. There is a housing emergency in this State. A total of 16,734 persons were homeless on 31 December of this year, an increase … That is a scandal, and this Bill will make matters worse. The Government has consistently failed to meet its housing targets. This year it had a target of 41,000 units; it missed it by over 5,000 units. The fact of the matter is that the housing

move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 to provide for universal access to social housing by abolishing income-related criteria. Why should we remove the income limits for social housing? I argue there are many … month and every year there is a constant and growing flow of households, which having waited sometimes in excess of ten years on housing lists, sometimes just before they are allocated a house are thrown off the housing list. This might be because they got a pay rise

Government is committed to working towards ending homelessness by 2030. To meet this commitment, Delivering Homes, Building Communities was developed as an integrated housing and homeless plan. The new plan is based on two key pillars: activating the supply of 300,000 more homes and supporting people … have a home of their own. The plan will ensure that the funding and strategies deployed to address housing and homelessness are fully aligned at all times. Increased supply is key to addressing homelessness. The Government is focused on making sure that everyone has access to good-quality

effect on 1 March 2026, immediately following the expiration of rent pressure zones. These decisions have been informed by the findings of the Housing Agency review of rent pressure zones. These showed the existing rules were restricting supply and potential policy options. There is also the agency … preferred recommendation to modify the existing operation of the current rent controls. This followed comprehensive examination by the Housing Agency and stakeholder engagement. The approved policy measures aim to boost investment in the supply of homes available for rent and to keep existing landlords in the market

First, in relation to the housing assistance payment and the Dublin Simon Community report that the Deputy referenced, I thank the Dublin Simon Community for the work it does. I thank it for the recognition in its commentary in relation to the tenancy protections we are putting … place in the legislation that passed in this House last night and now goes to the Seanad today. I thank it for the work it is doing, including in this capital city with the opening of its new facility this week to help people in relation to addiction

willing to sacrifice these renters, who will have to pay higher rents in the coming months and years to incentivise a supply of housing that at some point will lead to rents coming down. My colleague Deputy Eoin Ó Broin referred earlier to officials. I asked the officials … appeared before the housing committee the point at which this policy will bring down rents. They said they hope that it will bring down rents. This Bill is based on a flawed market theory of housing that completely fails to understand how housing markets and systems work. They

housing crisis that has been the responsibility of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and now the Independents in government is a crisis that is ripping apart the fabric of Irish society. Communities are suffering significantly across the country during this housing crisis. Obviously, those most affected … children at all. We see that in schools, with many not getting the necessary number of children into junior and senior infants. The housing crisis debate in this Chamber has been extremely limited for the past five years. It has been between a Government allergic to the building

debate is about social media clips. It diminishes the seriousness of what is at stake here. I have been a Member of this House since 2011. I was here two or three months when a circular was produced by the then Department of the environment, within which responsibility … housing was a matter for a Minister of State rather than having a Ministry in its own right. That was because we did not then have the homelessness and housing crisis we have now. The need for housing to come under a senior Ministry arose from the housing

move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to allow the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to introduce a social housing passport in order to allow households on social housing waiting lists, or in receipt of social housing support, to transfer their … social housing file, or their social housing support, to another local authority based on criteria set out in regulations laid down by the Minister. The Government is not delivering a sufficient volume of good quality social homes. This is why people are waiting so long for the social

Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, but I am very disappointed there is no Minister or Minister of State from the Department of housing present. There is a housing crisis and we have a proposal to knock 52 almost-complete houses in Cashel, County Tipperary. Tipperary County Council plans … demolish 52 partially-completed houses under Part 8 development. The decision defies logic in the middle of a national housing emergency. These units are not mere shells. They were all finished. Many of the windows and doors have been vandalised, through no fault of the developer. I compliment

this Bill. The Government is going to ram this Bill through. It will guillotine it and shut down the debate in this House tonight and the consequences are that people's rents are going to rise. What does that look like? It is a massive further transfer … down economics. The Government for the past ten years has been implementing all the policies that are supposedly great and will resolve the housing crisis but that have resulted in the housing crisis getting worse, but by a happy coincidence, there is a big transfer of wealth from

listened to some of the other speakers, I thought about some of the comments the Minister made at the housing committee and in this Chamber. I just do not get it. The Minister and the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, are intelligent people. We have seen … housing crisis go from a crisis to an emergency. We know that homelessness is off the charts and homelessness is only recorded as people living in emergency accommodation. It does not include the people who are living with three or four generations in the same home. It does

Portarlington, Mountrath, Rathdowney, Graiguecullen, Stradbally and so on. I am meeting people regularly, daily sometimes, who are struggling because of the situation with housing and the high rents they are paying. The Government is bringing in a measure. We have heard the RTB projections in the debate … bill - Joe and Mary Public. I want to represent those people who are paying that. I have been a Member of this House for 15 years, like Deputy Boyd Barrett. This week or last week we were here 15 years. This is one of the worst pieces

more, I have been very angry and upset about banks transferring loans to vulture funds. Whether it is a farm or a house, the receivers come and do their best. In many cases, they have succeeded in selling homes and property whose rightful owners ran into … bother. If a couple got into trouble, I always thought it would be a great idea if the Department of housing or whoever could pay off their mortgage, or whatever it is, and let the young couple or people in trouble rent back the house for a while

they will not face that market reset of rents. What is set out here is a recipe for the disaster and catastrophe in housing to become even worse. It is a recipe for rising homelessness. That is what this Bill is. It will cause increased homelessness … country. The Minister wants renters to be paying market rents. Of course, the assumption and market theory justifying the Bill, one which the Housing Agency set out as well and with which I disagree, is that we allow rents to increase and then we will see an increase

Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether local authority Housing Delivery Action Plans are required to include specific affordable housing targets; the way in which compliance with those plans is monitored; whether any local authority has been formally challenged by his Department … failure to progress affordable housing schemes; if he will strengthen these plans by making affordable housing targets mandatory, time-bound and enforceable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8400/26

Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether current housing policy adequately recognises the need for housing models that allow adults with intellectual disabilities to live near friends and established support networks, rather than being placed in isolated or inappropriate settings such … nursing homes or scattered housing far from their community; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14467/26

Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to expedite reform of the National Planning Guidelines for One-Off Housing and give particular attention to areas under significant urban pressure that is, the single biggest contributing factor to local people being refused planning permission … roads adjoining national routes outside the 60 km speed limit; if will he take into consideration that refusing applicants one-off housing, is forcing them onto the housing list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11487/26

Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to extend the development contributions waiver scheme for houses commenced after 31 December 2024 for one-off housing and self-build housing. [10663/26

Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has engaged with the Departments of Enterprise, Justice, and Further & Higher Education on the cumulative housing impact of employment- and study-related migration following the EU–India free trade agreement; whether … estimate has been made of additional housing demand arising from projected permit, student, and dependant inflows; whether housing delivery targets are being treated as a binding constraint in wider migration-related policy decisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9777/26

Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the data that is held or collated by his Department at national level regarding applicants to local authority housing waiting lists who entered the State via a country other than their country of origin; whether such … comprehensive national dataset exists, the reasons for this; the assessment that has been made by his Department of the impact of current social housing eligibility policies on housing availability and waiting times for existing applicants; the role his Department plays in setting or reviewing the eligibility framework applied

Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the basis on which Uisce Éireann requires a minimum of 25 houses before considering a new public water connection or network extension; if he has assessed the impact of the 25 house requirement on rural … housing delivery; if there are any plans for his Department to review this requirement, with a view to introducing flexibility for rural communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8550/26

Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will review the grant scheme for private wells at domestic dwellings to allow for houses where Uisce Éireann have acknowledged an inability to ensure a reliable water supply and service to the house

Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the funding streams, including capital assistance scheme, housing for all measures, or other capital programmes, which could be accessed by disability-led or family-led groups seeking to develop accessible, non-institutional housing models that

Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the planning, land-use, or local authority supports that will be made available to enable a community-based housing model that is neither a congregated setting nor a residential institution, but a fully integrated neighbourhood … within a wider housing estate supporting adults with intellectual disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14469/26

Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether housing for all targets include provision for adults with intellectual disabilities who can live independently with supports; if not, whether he will commit to reviewing this gap in view of ongoing reliance on unsuitable … housing options; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14470/26

Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an overview of the progress made to expand social housing provision since 2020; the priorities for further expansion under the latest housing plans; and if he will make a statement

Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the shift from an acquisition tenant in situ target approach in 2024 to a capped funding allocation in 2025 is intended to reduce social housing acquisitions overall; and if so, the alternative strategies … place to meet the housing needs of those threatened with homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14780/26

Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way in which the effectiveness of the Land Acquisition Fund is assessed in terms of its contribution to housing delivery; the number of housing units enabled on lands acquired through the fund; and whether

Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the number of social housing units currently owned or managed by each local authority, and the most recent figures available for additions to the social housing stock; and if he will make

Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the grant supports to sink wells are eligible for houses that have been built prior to 2007, and have been connected to Uisce Eireann/Group Water Scheme up to now, but the house is experiencing significant

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total annual population increase in each of the years 2022 to 2025; the number of residential housing completions in each corresponding year; and whether the Department has assessed the impact of net migration … housing demand projections to 2030. [13868/26

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether local authorities can fund attic conversations for their own housing stock from their capital funding to provide additional bedroom space for families experiencing overcrowding and who would otherwise have to apply for a social … housing transfer to a larger home. [13893/26

Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the Housing Finance Agency has plans or policies to cap or limit borrowing available to specific approved housing bodies (AHBs) or the AHB sector in general; and if he will make a statement

Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when he expects the review of the code of practice for the Approved Housing Body (AHB) allocation process to be completed; to clarify the full membership of the working group undertaking the review, in light … previous statement that it comprises representatives of his Department, local authorities, the AHB sector and the Housing Agency; to set out the criteria and process being followed in conducting the review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12544/26

Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether coordination mechanisms exist between housing delivery bodies, local authorities and electricity network operators to align housing commencements with electricity grid capacity delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9716/26

Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans for affordable housing at a location (details supplied); given that there are plans to build further estates in the town and no affordable houses were made available for previous developments that are now under

tithíochta sna ceantair Ghaeltachta; and whether he intends to use his powers as Minister for the Gaeltacht, under section 9(a) of the Housing (Gaeltacht) (Amendment) Act 2001, to devise and implement housing schemes in order to support Irish speakers to build, buy or renovate houses in Irish

Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the construction cost assumptions currently used by his Department when approving CAS-funded housing projects; whether these assumptions differ for Dublin compared with other local authority areas; when these benchmarks were last reviewed; his views … whether outdated or insufficient cost ceilings are impacting the delivery of supported housing in Dublin (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7455/26

Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has set any affordable housing delivery targets for each local authority, including Mayo County Council; if so, to provide the target figures for 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026; if not, the reason … local authorities are not being given clear, quantified affordable housing delivery targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8397/26