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amend the Constitution.” This is my first Bill to be brought forward in Dáil Éireann. The Forty-first Amendment of the Constitution (Right to Housing) Bill 2026 seeks to put a right to housing into Bunreacht na hÉireann. The housing crisis is the most serious issue facing … example, to the way it has turned housing into an investment asset and failed over and over to treat it as a human right. Housing is a human right. Is ceart daonna í an tithíocht. A home is a fundamental need and a fundamental right, yet not once

should do. I want to say from a human rights perspective how problematic this is. Obviously, we do not constitutionally recognise the right to housing, but if we accept there is a right for people to have a roof over their heads, if we do not provide … such as the right to education, the right to employment and the right to health. They are all impacted by the right to housing. Without a roof over our heads, it is impossible to realise them. I want to name-check specifically St. Nathy's in Churchtown, which

home ownership. The only way to deal with the housing crisis is by a declaration in law of a housing emergency, a right to housing in the Constitution, large-scale construction of social and affordable housing by local authorities on public land, rent reductions, a rent freeze … tackling the housing crisis in Irish-speaking areas. It was formed in response to the lack of affordable and social housing and planning difficulties, and demands the right of local Irish-speaking communities to get housing in their own areas. It aims to prevent the depopulation of Gaeltacht

many deaths. In particular, several very high-profile women were on the national airwaves and leading campaigns here at the front of Leinster House right up to their final hours. It has taken many deaths to get cancer care further progressed and it is still not where

talk about the entire system of mother and baby homes, industrial schools and county homes. We have had many apologies in this House, and rightly so; they are welcome. Too often, however, the State has failed to truly get to grips with what was actually in place … very clearly, this burial ground could potentially have been there." Which of them was right? The point of this, and what has stayed with me since then, is that this was no ordinary housing application. This was a housing application talking about whether or not children had been

might lean into that, to start in a moment of harmony. I genuinely join all Members in this House and people right across the country in supporting the Irish national soccer team tonight as they take on Czechia. At a time of real challenge in our country … level of volatility around fuel, is the right thing to do. We also took practical and more universal measures to help everybody in the area of excise. There was general and widespread support for that too in this House. Sinn Féin did not vote

Black is white, the world is upside down. Where is Iran's right to defend itself in this? Everyone in this House would recognise the right of Ukraine to defend itself against imperialist assault by Russia. Does Iran not have a right to defend itself against imperialist assault

Irish Government co-operates in respect of inquiries, such as the Omagh Bombing Inquiry. That is unanimously agreed across this House. We should also have the right to state that we expect the same level of co-operation from the British Government, which has not been the case … loyalists in collusion with the British state, regardless, they all have the same right to truth and justice. We should make that a principle we all agree to and that we agree this House will do whatever is necessary to create the mechanism for which that will happen

current conflict is the safety of Irish citizens in the region. This is a priority and concern shared by all here in this House. I am grateful to those Deputies and Senators who have been in contact with my office to raise individual cases. The profile … Iranian authorities to protests in January leading to the death of at least 7,000 Iranian people was horrendous and rightly condemned in the House by Members of all parties and none, although some did not. There has been a near-total communications blackout since then, making

enjoyed temporary protection in Ireland are a welcome part of our community. There are many opportunities for them to avail of housing in their own right and many Ukrainians are doing so at the moment. We will work to a process of making it very clear

authorities. We want to ensure we are not dependent on the views of an individual director of services or head of housing. We want consistency right across every local authority so that, when people are fleeing domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, there will be a level

thank Deputy Coppinger for raising this issue. I extend my full solidarity and that of everyone in this House and every right-thinking person to the victim. Far from discouraging the students who gathered in protest, I commend them on what they did. Sharing abusive images

bombing could have been prevented and that directed the establishment of a human rights-compliant investigation. Without Michael Gallagher, there would be no inquiry. It is important to state that clearly in the House today. The inquiry we are legislating to support exists because a bereaved father refused … heard. This Bill does not and cannot address that dispute, which is a matter for the courts. However, the House should put it on the record that the rights of families to meaningful participation in the process should never be negotiable. I ask the Minister to clarify

change, we learned of the eviction notices issued to 36 homes in Wexford, all owned by the same large landlord, right in the heart of the housing Minister's own constituency. My colleague Deputy Lawlor has been dealing with the families involved, in excess of 100 people including … provide any clarification to the families affected. There are two questions. If the Minister for housing cannot understand his own laws, how on earth is any renter meant to know their rights now? Second, we are all seeing a real-time surge in notices to quit. The Wexford

that would help all of society and also help single parents disproportionately. A public model of childcare, social and affordable housing, collective bargaining and stronger workers' rights would all help single parents more than they would help other parts of the population because they are so structurally denied

Deputy Gannon did, her absolute commitment, persistence and strong advocacy on this. I thank Deputy Gannon for bringing the Bill before this House for consideration on Second Stage. As someone who has been a Deputy as well as a Minister of State, I acknowledge that incredibly hard work … carry consequences for an individual far beyond the sentence imposed by a court. It can affect, as the Deputy rightly pointed out, everything from employment to housing, education and training. It can limit opportunity. It creates barriers that make reintegration more difficult, and it can increase the risk

some cases acting in bad faith can submit objections to critical infrastructure, housing, etc. At the moment it is quite extraordinary that objectors to developments can come from right across this country. For example, if a farmer is applying for a slatted shed in Donegal, it is currently … developments. It protects the rights of people to lodge objections on behalf of residents within an area and it protects businesses whose interests may be affected. It is fair, reasonable, and proportionate and we would urge all Members of the House to support

want to give people hope. We delivered over 36,000 new homes last year. That is the highest number of homes since Housing for All came in. We delivered an awful lot more homes 20 years ago. In my view, the kind of protectionism we brought … delivering now. We need to ensure we have that framework and deliver the supply of homes people need right across the country. We are in a housing crisis. I am the first to admit it. The only way to get out of it is through supply, not through

many criminal cases never went ahead. It is likely that these 11 gardaí will sue the State, and rightly so. Given that it seems the whole house of cards for all of these cases revolved around retired Superintendent Eamon O’Neill’s collapsed prosecution, and everyone else being

time when we are trying to increase the numbers we have working in our ambulance service. The Deputy is right; ambulance service issues come up in this House regularly. We will want to do all we can to retain them within the health service but I will

cannot but comment on the pure hypocrisy of Sinn Féin on the far side of the House, whose previous speakers unanimously opposed last night’s motion to help families and businesses right across the country. Last Thursday in this Chamber, the deputy leader of Sinn Féin called

question. We certainly will provide the necessary funding but, again, we have to get the design and the structures right. In my view, there is funding available within housing in a lot of instances but it cannot be that we just pass it over to the local authority

which are absolutely unaffordable. What is happening in the housing market can be seen on the Crazy House Prices Instagram page. People are highlighting it. This is going on right now. There is case after case of people being gazumped. There are ghost bids with people putting

heating oil. It can do what we have set out in our legislation. This could happen right here right now. We could bring a financial resolution before the House and tonight we could cut the cost of petrol, diesel and home heating oil but the Government refuses

only a month ago. She had the bravery to go out on Friday for Daffodil Day, like so many other volunteers right across the country, to do some fundraising for the Irish Cancer Society. I do not know where people gather the strength to do things like that … make sure that compassion, care and transport is provided for patients. I thank all my colleagues around the House who contributed on this most important topic of cancer services right across the island of Ireland. While many of our services deliver excellent, high-quality care, I acknowledge

test for the housing adaptation grant, whether the means test applies to the legal owners or the residents in the case where parents reside in a family home but the ownership has been transferred to the children leaving the parents with a legal right to reside

Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason correspondence issued by the Housing Agency to homeowners under the defective concrete blocks grant scheme, following completion of an assessment under I.S. 465:2018, asks homeowners to indicate whether they wish to avail … technical review or allow the Remediation Option Grant approval to issue to the relevant local authority but does not reference the statutory right of appeal provided for under the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022; whether he considers it consistent with