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that it allows a scheme to be put in place by the Government to remediate social homes owned by local authorities and approved housing bodies where these homes are located in designated local authority areas. Upon making the scheme designated local authorities and approved housing bodies will … provides that social homes will receive the same remediation options as those covered under the current defective concrete blocks grant scheme for private housing, and the same grant cap, grant rates and damage threshold requirements, thus any legislative changes to the 2022 Act will apply equally, where appropriate

propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 6, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on housing last met on Monday, 14 September. The committee will next meet on Thursday, 22 October. The committee works to ensure a cross-government approach to the implementation of our commitments regarding housing policy … Housing supply has increased significantly over the past number of years, with recent home completions data showing almost 17,000 new homes built in the first half of 2026. This is a rise of 11% on the same period in 2025 and the highest number of half-year

first instance, Deputy Séamus McGrath raised the issue of qualifying income thresholds for social housing. To make the point more generally, we built 9,000 social houses last year and we will go higher this year. Deputy Boyd Barrett suggests that we want to get rid of social … housing but we are building record levels of it. We are building more per annum now than we have done since the State was founded. Let us at least accept that. You can give out about the methodology if you want all-State construction, but we are getting

know we have it now and we have to go on. As of April, 3,150 households in Donegal were waiting for social housing. Given the ongoing housing crisis and sustained demand, that number will almost certainly rise in the coming months. At the same time, potentially … more. Thousands are waiting for a home while existing homes are at risk of being lost. This is a contradiction because social housing supply is an issue, and we cannot afford to get this wrong like we have done in the past with the two schemes that have

have asked the Taoiseach repeatedly about the social housing income thresholds. We have had promise after promise that something is going to be done about them. Every single week, pretty much, people are coming to me who find that they have been on a housing list for five … time is gone. They are left in limbo but their income is not enough to be able to get cost-rental or affordable housing. It is so unfair. At the beginning of 2023, when the Government last raised the limits - it had to be pushed on that

thank Deputies across the House for their contributions to this important debate. The motion before the House seeks approval for the social homes scheme for designated local authorities and approved housing bodies affected by defective concrete blocks. To be clear, I acknowledge the pressures Donegal County Council … actively engage with it. This scheme represents a significant investment in supporting the remediation of social homes owned by local authorities and approved housing bodies affected by defective concrete blocks. It is an important step in protecting our social housing stock, supporting tenants and ensuring communities can continue

centre demand having exploded by over 400% over the last ten years. They ignored warnings about the fact that data centres are preventing houses from being built. Just yesterday, the Central Bank report detailed that a lack of access to the grid is one of the key reasons … housing is not being provided. While Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael fight for this status quo, Sinn Féin is absolutely clear that data centres must pay their fair share. In my constituency of Kildare North, the building of the Herbata data centre has been a source of massive

join other speakers in welcoming that 2,400 social housing units are being brought into the scheme. It is an entirely necessary, if somewhat delayed, move. However, as colleagues also mentioned, the proposal, in its current form, basically creates a two-tier system that again treats social housing … same safeguard. Private owners who dispute an engineering assessment have some way of appealing it and challenging decisions. Unfortunately, the poor social housing tenants do not have that ability. While I can see why this would be organised by approved housing body or on an estate-by-estate

thank the Taoiseach for the update on the progress made on housing. I will raise one specific issue relating to the qualifying income limits for social housing. It is the intention of the Government to increase these limits. I want to raise the issue to ensure that happens … more decisive than that. We need a seismic shift to help to narrow the gap between those who fall just outside the social housing limits and those who are in a position to afford accommodation in their own right. That gap is growing. One of the measures available

opportunity to update Members on this important measure, which was signed into law during the summer recess following the approval of the Houses of the Oireachtas at the end of last term. I am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government … planning authorities. The revised exempted development regulations include a new class 3A, which allows for the construction, erection or placing of a detached house in the rear garden of a principal house, subject to certain conditions and limitations, as set out in SI 340 of 2026. It should

wider immigration framework but remain distinct. A migration strategy must be underpinned by the needs of the country, recognising capacity challenges in housing and public services, our capacity to integrate those who come here and the need for a humanitarian response to those fleeing war and persecution. Citizenship … been driven by the needs of sectors whose skills shortages Governments have failed to adequately plan for, with no account of pressures on housing and public services. Then there is the dysfunction that has marked the international protection system. These failures have created chaos, increased tensions and undermined

constituency of Dún Laoghaire, the people most exposed to this kind of threat are not the major broadcasters with in-house legal teams. They are the local and regional papers, residents' association making a planning submission and the volunteer who runs a community page and asks a hard … that our rules are proportionate and cannot be sidestepped by crossing a border. Corporate interests and the NGOs press their agendas in this House and around the country every week. In a liberal democracy that is a good thing. We must hear ideas, including new ones

cannot keep up. This is unsustainable. People in Naas feel powerless . The Jigginstown centre is going to be a mere 100 m from houses and schools in the area. People are frightened at that prospect and want accountability. They expect it in a democratic society. Public participation … emissions from any connection to electricity transmission and distribution systems. We also believe in the social obligations the State has to build houses. This Bill, in its current form - I am sorry for this - could potentially lead to housing developments being rejected on the grounds that the emissions

thank Deputy Sheehan for raising this matter. He said he has raised it on numerous occasions in this House. He outlined the huge success rate of CCTV in Moyross and Limerick. CCTV across the country makes us feel more secure in the community and in our own homes … terms of who is responsible for the funding. The majority of funding for this scheme was previously provided through the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, together with significant support from the mayoral fund. In August 2025, a business case was submitted to the Department of justice

precious that is. Earlier this month, Donald Trump announced that CNN, MS NOW and Politico were to be banned from the White House because of reporting he did not like. That was not just rhetoric. Journalists from those organisations subsequently arrived at the White House and were denied … because that is my job. It is also worth acknowledging that, thankfully, there should be nearly cross-party agreement in the House for a law such as this. We have a functioning democracy. Journalists can stand outside this building and criticise the Taoiseach, the Minister, the Opposition

place. The Minister of State might explain why the Defamation Bill was not simply amended in its final Stages, rather than asking the Houses to legislate twice on the same subject. She should give the House a clear, ideally published, comparison of what the new Part 4A changes … presented until 1 July of this year. We do not have a good track record and the Minister of State should tell the House when she expects the Act to be brought into force. The Bill promises a bit more than it delivers. The language in the Bill

welcome the Minister of State to the House today and for giving me an opportunity to discuss with him the urgent need for additional special school places in my area of Kildare South. Over the past number of years, particularly since I have been in both Houses … previously given a commitment that we would have a special school in Kildare South. Unfortunately, as I have said many times in this House and the Upper House, that school turned out to be located in Craddockstown in Naas, which is in north Kildare. However

doing so. The issue of the explosion in the number of these monstrous data centres for AI is once again before the House. Last week, I and na Teachtaí Pa Daly and Deputy Conway-Walsh tabled a Bill which would ensure that any new connections to the grid … solely for private profit. We have repeatedly seen cases of data centres being given priority access to the grid ahead of much-needed housing developments. They are hoovering up energy while simultaneously driving up the price of household energy bills. Ireland is a complete outlier in the context

economy, despite the multiple shocks of recent years, and a Government that is motivated to give young people hope when it comes to housing, when it comes to their future and in terms of their employment and their wages. That is our central motivation as part of budget … economy and give them a break. It is why we want to make significant interventions and further progress when it comes to housing and delivering greater housing supply across our economy because, yes, the challenges and the pressures faced by young people are concentrated in affordability of homes

Aontú, called for a proper debate on the issue of immigration. We were the first party to do so in this House. We said very clearly that if there is not a debate that the issue will not go away. It will be pushed underground. It will … this country. Many are working positively and putting their shoulder to the wheel. However, it is also putting significant pressure on the housing crisis. It is a foundation of economics. The supply and demand determine the price and availability. The Government has not been able to supply housing

investing in the health and education professionals needed to operate a properly functioning system. The Bill is not about addressing that in Chamber House CDNT, where well over 1,000 files simply have not been opened, there is a vacancy rate of more than 50% in some professions … campaigners, parents and families who fought for years to put it on the agenda. Cara Darmody has been outside Leinster House again and again. The campaigners have demanded action on assessment of need and provision of the therapies that must flow from that. The Government is feeling

tenants in local authority and approved housing bodies social housing stock impacted by defective concrete blocks have been waiting a very long time for this scheme. I have to say that, like its parent scheme, the Minister is making an absolute mess of it. The defective concrete blocks … only 604 applicants of the tens of thousands of impacted homeowners have completed remediation works. The idea that he can just incorporate social housing into this defective scheme really shows he does not understand the scale of the problems. What is worse is that local authorities and approved

welcome the defective concrete blocks social scheme 2026. This is the first opportunity for those who have been living in affected council houses in recent years. They did not have an opportunity to have remedial works carried out to their houses, so it is a welcome development. Officials … affected. In short, it is my strongly held view that the works must be fully funded. There are approximately 1,900 council houses in Donegal and 80 are shovel ready. I hope work on them will start quickly. The difference between the other scheme and this

have the opportunity to talk about this matter, as I have done many times in the past. I welcome that the social houses in Donegal that are damaged will have a scheme to replace them. I cannot understand why it has taken so long … only at this now. Clearly, this must have happened at the same time as the private houses. Like Deputy Gallagher, I insist that the Department of housing cover the cost in full. It cannot be left to the local authorities to do so. As has been pointed

undergo a full Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI, warmer homes retrofit or whatever. Previously, they would have been able to apply for housing for older people supports from the local authority but now the only thing you can get if you want an oil or gas boiler … this or to do the full retrofit required. We all know the best thing that can be done for a lot of older houses is to ensure they are proofed from the point of view of decent windows, doors and insulation. It does not always make great sense

Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the housing supports available to a person who is over the income threshold to apply for local authority housing but is under the income threshold to avail of cost rental housing; and if he will make

Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps being taken to regulate online bidding in housing sales to ensure that bids are genuine and not being used to artificially inflate house prices; and whether he will consider introducing rules similar to those … number of Australian states which ensure underquoting of guide prices by estate agents in the second hand housing market is tackled by requiring an estimated selling price is backed by comparable sales evidence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67264/26

Deputy Gillian Toole asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the consideration being given to the payment of Housing Assistance Payment to parents or guardians of an adult with a disability, who may own a second property that could be adapted if necessary & lived … their family member, with appropriately matched additional occupants with a disability, thereby removing them earlier from lengthy Local Authority social housing lists. [68070/26

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he is aware that local authorities are only providing tenant moves from the private rental sector, and signing first time social housing tenancy agreements two weeks to move into their council property … weeks HAP from the date the social housing tenancy is signed for, despite the fact that the Residential tenancies Act requires private tenants to provide between 4 and 6 weeks notice on termination of a tenancy; and if he will review the matter to ensure that local authorities

Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of housing units which could potentially be delivered through the conversion of vacant and derelict buildings in town and city centres; the estimated number of such buildings suitable for residential conversion … will set out the Government’s strategy for maximising this source of housing supply. [64680/26

Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the projects in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown approved for funding under the Housing Infrastructure Investment Fund; the funding allocated to each; and the number of homes each is expected to unlock, in tabular form. [69215/26

Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of Irish Water’s current investment programme as it relates to unlocking housing supply; and the priority projects identified to address wastewater constraints in high growth areas. [69186/26

Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures are being taken to ensure that the increased housing delivery committed to under Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025–2030 is reaching areas experiencing the greatest pressure, including rural towns and commuter counties. [69187/26

Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of sites currently being examined by the Housing Activation Office; the number of homes capable of being delivered on those sites; the barriers to delivery; and if he will make a statement

Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number and value of purchases of residential property by non-household entities in each of the years 2021 to 2025, distinguishing entities registered in the State from those registered outside of the State and excluding … local authorities, approved housing bodies and other public bodies, in tabular form. [69211/26

Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the way in which the measures being considered as part of Budget 2027 are intended to increase housing supply and support delivery, while avoiding unintended inflationary effects within the housing market. [68545/26

Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update on the funding in 2026 for the rightsizing element of the Social Housing Acquisitions Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68590/26

Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware that the application of SI 612/2024 is leaving some elderly people unable to access grants for much needed adaptation where the income of all siblings is considered when only one sibling … grant for much needed adaptation refused because of the income of siblings who do not reside in or contribute to the house; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68599/26

part of the 2025 review of the employment permit occupation lists published in May 2026, the Department considered the availability of housing and accommodation when assessing changes to the critical skills occupations list and other employment permit categories and if so, the manner in which housing capacity

Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has estimated the level of pent-up housing demand in the State; the current estimate of that demand; and the projected level of such demand to 2035. [66731/26

Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of persons with an intellectual disability currently on the local authority housing waiting list in areas (details supplied); the number in each local authority who have been waiting less than one year

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the estimated cost of planned Part V purchases under Housing for All, by year; the projected cost per unit for one-, two-, three- and four-bed homes; and the number planned to be purchased

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the estimated full-year cost to the exchequer of increasing income limits for social housing by 20%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67152/26

Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if carer's allowance and carer's benefit is disregarded from income assessed for local authority housing; and the income that the local authority have discretion in relation to disregard. [66005/26

Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether a dwelling being disposed of by a lender, receiver, mortgagee-in-possession or pursuant to a court judgment, can be acquired under the Second-Hand Social Housing Acquisitions Programme for tenancy sustainment purposes

Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the mechanisms in place to ensure that there are sufficient community and green spaces in place as part of the wider community in conjunction with the construction of new housing developments; and if he will make

Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding the mechanisms in place to ensure that any green or community spaces in new housing developments are available as soon as tenants move in and there is no crossover delay before

Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding the mechanisms in place to ensure that any green or community spaces in new housing developments are maintained and kept clean to ensure continued community use; and if he will make a statemen

Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding the mechanisms in place to ensure that any green or community spaces in new housing developments are usable and accessible to all residents; and if he will make a statemen on the matter

Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of vacant and derelict buildings in Limerick city that have been identified as potentially suitable for residential use; the number that have been brought back into use for housing in each of the past