Search the record

situation is." It further states: There is an urgent need for systemic change in disability services. It needs to focus on housing and care for adults with [intellectual disability] whose parents are aging and no longer able to provide full-time care. Over 2,000 adults with [intellectual … resourced five-year plan for community living for people with intellectual disability. It should be prepared jointly by the Departments of disability and housing, the HSE, local authorities and the approved housing bodies. I support this important motion and thank the Social Democrats for bringing it forward

have campaigned for years for extra dementia unit beds and nursing home beds on the northside of Cork, especially in Heather House. Some 19 dementia beds have been built in Heather House. They were announced in 2022 and built and finished last November. I have campaigned … fully kitted out. Will the Taoiseach give a commitment to speak to the HSE to open the dementia unit beds in Heather House immediately? People are crying out for them

Stability and Growth Pact. The fiscal rules are not going to apply to military expenditure. We are falling deeper and deeper into a housing crisis that is not only in Ireland but across Europe. We have never suspended fiscal rules for the housing crisis but they are getting … defence means spending less on other priorities. That is the mantra of political establishments across Europe. You will not get investment in housing or transport and you can forget about action on climate because they will spend more on weapons that do not make ordinary people any safer

international co-operation, to utilise biometric analysis, subject to a code of practice. The code of practice must be laid before both Houses for positive resolutions to be passed. The relevant EU or domestic measure, international agreement or circumstances for use of biometric analysis will aid gardaí … assistance with. The use of biometric analysis will be subject to a code of practice, which is required to be laid before both Houses for positive resolutions to be passed. There will also be annual oversight by an independent member of the Judiciary, who will report

prices will be in the future. Let us look at the timeline because the optics and the reality is damning. Next week, this House will rise, the doors of Leinster House will be locked and Ministers will head off on their summer holidays. Their parting gift to ordinary … shorter and the nights colder and right when families are forced to turn back on the heating. As I have said in the House numerous times, the carbon tax is regressive. In 2022, the Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI, stated that it is well know that

migrants and immigrants and make some minor changes so we can say we are clamping down on access to things like social housing and now emergency accommodation. The circular existed. The Minister did not need to do this. It is also very surprising to me, as somebody … feel a response to their criticism in their funding - I hope not. The homeless organisations have been as critical of any Minister for housing introducing legislation as I have seen. The Simon Communities set out that there are very real risks associated with this legislation. The Dublin Simon

Sinn Féin policy is a complete and utter failure. It is a dishonest policy position when it comes to improving housing supply. It is populist waffle. In Dublin Central, Sinn Féin opposes housing project after housing project, day in, day out, which young people could be living

renew my appeal in relation to the urgent need to increase the income eligibility limits for social housing in counties Cavan and Monaghan. The social housing income baseline is €30,000 in both counties. This is totally inadequate in view of the costs today for people buying … working people and their families the opportunity to own their own homes. Those people must not be condemned to a lifetime of renting housing accommodation

appreciate the issue here and the significant issue of people being excluded on the margins, or indeed being taken out of social housing lists, by virtue of income growth. I understand from the Minister, Deputy Browne, that a revised household means policy issued to all local authorities recently … disregards, once-off income and other changes, but I understand the wider issue. We are all dealing with people's applications for social housing every day. I will reflect the serious concerns of the Deputy's constituents in Cavan and Monaghan, and the need to provide certainty

been supportive of the local post office. We recognise the importance of the local post office. I have told the story in this House of how I always believed that a visit to the post office took about two and a half hours because I remember my grandmother … collecting neighbourhood information and gossip while collecting the pension. That is the importance of the post office. All of us in the House recognise how important that community link is and how people meet their neighbours and friends and find out how people are doing. There is also

outset, I thank everyone across the House for their various contributions to this amendment legislation today, and for the broad support there is through the Houses of the Oireachtas for it to be passed. I thank the Dáil and the Seanad, where it will be later on this … will support them in their work and keep the network as strong as it possibly can be. I thank Deputies across the House for their various contributions and support for this Government action to increase post office funding. I look forward to Committee Stage tomorrow and to taking

want to see our people united and I want to see a united Ireland. I want to work across party lines in this House, across this island North and South and, indeed, east-west, to build the durable consent that would make a new Ireland possible. I believe … that is an aspiration shared in one form or another by an overwhelming majority of Members of this House. I know how this Chamber often works. I am expected to stand up and say that the Opposition is bad and the Government is good, and they stand

game. This is not a political game. It is an important issue. The respect and inclusion that I spoke about start in this House. Playing politics with this issue is not acceptable. It is disrespectful to the people who have lived through trauma on this island because … lots of mixes. There are lots of things we need to do, but what we do not need to do in this House is spend our time bouncing ideas around and dancing on the head of a pin in talking about Northern Ireland, the Republic, a united Ireland

transport infrastructure across the country. The Liffey Valley to city centre bus corridor that he mentioned is the route I cycle to Leinster House most days. I see the active progress there. I am hopeful that it will be delivered on time, if not ahead of schedule. Like … Dublin constituency where population density is increasing at a rapid pace, and rightly so and it is important that we provide housing for our people but it also important that we provide the transport system to underpin that. Progress on MetroLink is very welcome. The DART+ programme

that outcome. I am very conscious of the strength of not just interest but the feeling and the desire among members of this House when it comes to this Bill and what it is that we all want to achieve. I think we are all united … unilateral actions that completely undermine the viability of the two-state solution. This has been evident during the debate in this House and when Committee Stage was debated at two meetings of the select committee last week. We will debate the Bill further next week and the following

what the Minister of State and the Department are doing is to iron out those challenges and ensure we make these more seamless. Housing delivery is key and I fundamentally believe that ensuring planning permissions that are already in the system can continue without unnecessary delay will … county what the land activation scheme has done to unlock 2,000 new homes and rely not just on public sector development of housing but on the private sector as well. There is a commitment here that will go down well with the construction industry to ensure

track the judicial review changes, clarify and firm up the ten-year development plan timelines, look at the critical infrastructure and increase the Housing Finance Agency's borrowing capacity. There is a lot contained in the Bill, on one side, but nothing on the other, to be quite … joined-up Rathcoole, Saggart and Citywest so that the corridors between them can be planned in a coherent way, unlike the fragmented housing conurbations we see around these historic villages. However, there is no guarantee that all of these tie-ins will be provided. There is reference

morning, and I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, to the Chamber. As he knows, I raised this matter in the Upper House on 18 March, and due to its importance for coastal communities, I wanted it to be the first issue that I raised as part … debate in this House. This is, as the Minister of State knows, a classic big guy versus small guy issue. As it stands, small harvesters are providing seaweed product to big and smaller processors. Smaller processors are on record as saying that they are quite happy with

reduced or abolished. The State collects between €4 billion and €5 billion every year through the USC. Meanwhile, families deal with rising housing costs, childcare and fuel costs and energy bills. Independent Ireland believes workers should keep more of the money they earn. That starts with the abolition … life more expensive and they could not afford to continue. They were not asking for special treatment; they were asking for common sense. Housing remains another major contributor to the cost-of-living crisis. The Government will point to more than 36,000 homes being completed

from 13.5 per cent to 9 per cent, until the end of 2030, as part of a social policy to deliver higher density housing; — a 0 per cent VAT rate may be applied to a maximum of seven of any of the categories included under Annex … cent rate to the maximum number of categories, there is no scope to expand this to the construction of new housing; — the national housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025-2030, contains a suite of measures to support domestic and international investment in the delivery of new rental

mislead the House here. It is important that we say that from the outset. The truth is that Ireland is an outlier in terms of the cost of living in the country at the moment. We are the most expensive country in Europe for housing, health, energy … alcohol. Is the Minister of State going to blame the Opposition for the disasters of health and the cost of housing? The Government has presided over this. It is time the Minister of State owned this. Overall prices are 36% higher in Ireland than in the rest

digit figures on every hike. Meanwhile, wages and incomes have increased by 1% or 2% or not at all. In the case of housing, rents are skyrocketing due to Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael's decision to remove the rent pressure zones, however meek they were … this side of the House wanted them nailed down tighter. The fact is their removal means double-digit increases are happening. Rent for a two-bedroom unit in County Laois has gone up by 34% in one year. Mortgage repayments are now higher because the overall capital

thank all of the Deputies for raising these important matters and for giving all of us an opportunity on all sides of the House to discuss the pressures households are facing regarding the cost of living and the actions the Government is taking. It is fair … that some people on the far side of the House have been positive in their commentary in highlighting some of the issues that are faced and providing some potential solutions. Most recently, Deputy Heneghan proposed a solution regarding plug-in solar panels. The Government needs to learn that

That started back in March 2025 and is chaired by officials from my Department, including people from the OPW and the Department of housing. In tandem with the consideration of the feasibility of potential future uses, this work involves exploring planning regularisation at each site. There has been … long-term future use as discussions are ongoing. We will explore all potential options within the local areas. These options include social housing and lower-cost affordable housing, such as cost rental. Obviously, the residents there will not be required to vacate this accommodation until March

welcome the publication today of the draft national planning statement on rural and Gaeltacht housing, which represents the most significant reform of rural housing policy in over 20 years. As a rural TD for Kerry, I know at first hand the frustration, inconsistency and uncertainty that many families … rural communities like those in Kerry were heard at every stage. I have repeatedly raised the issue of rural depopulation in this House and called for the establishment of a dedicated rural depopulation task force. Too many of our young people have felt they had no option

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average cost per unit of new build social housing delivered in 2024 by SHIP construction, SHIP turnkey, CALF construction, CALF turnkey, CAS construction, CAS turnkey, Local Authority Part V and AHB Part

Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Housing; Local Government and Heritage if he has plans to increase the first-home scheme threshold in County Louth to reflect the rising housing prices. [21014/25

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount of funding allocated for housing maintenance, by local authority, in 2024, in tabular form. [21063/25

Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the basic units ceiling costs for the purchase of social housing provided to each local authority in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21144/25

Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when funding will be allocated to local authorities for the housing grants scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21205/25

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average cost, per unit, of new-build affordable housing delivered in 2024, broken down by AHF construction, AHF turnkey, CREL construction, CREL turnkey, LDA Project Tosaigh, and LDA direct delivery, in tabular form. [21249/25

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of new build affordable housing delivered in 2024, broken down by AHF construction, AHF turnkey CREL construction, CREL turnkey, LDA Project Tosaigh, and LDA direct delivery, in tabular form. [21250/25

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total expenditure in 2022, 2023 and 2024 on social and affordable housing funded through SHIP, CALF, CAS, AHF, CREL, AHB borrowing and LDA expenditure, in tabular form. [21253/25

Wall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will consider funding a Defence Forces liaison officer to deal with the significant housing challenges that are facing serving members and liaise with housing agencies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18312/25

Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount that is owed as of March 2025 to each local authority for expenditure on the provision of housing, by local authority, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter

Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage following the Taoiseach’s recent announcement that will be appointed imminently, the powers the Housing Czar will have (details supplied) ; the function of the position; the remuneration for the position; the breakdown of the appointment process

Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there are plans to introduce affordable housing schemes for self-employed persons. [18267/25

Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if regulations on service charges and sinking funds, which were drafted by the Housing Agency in February 2022, will be issued by the end of Q3 2025; and if he will make a statement

Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has identified sufficient resources to put in place in Q4 2025 to enable the unit in the Housing Agency to regulate owners’ management companies, as envisaged in the Programme for Government, to commence

Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his Department's position on Dublin City Council's proposal to restrict care leavers' access to social housing, particularly excluding those coming from foster care. [18294/25

Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there are plans to issue national guidelines to ensure that care leavers across all local authorities are adequately supported in accessing social housing. [18295/25

Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps his Department is taking to support care leavers who are not eligible for housing priority under Dublin City Council's new criteria, particularly those leaving foster care, to prevent them from becoming homeless. [18296/25

Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the timeline for finalising and publishing the revised local authority level social and affordable housing targets for the 2025 to 2030 period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18334/25

Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is concerned at the declining number of habitable thatched houses in the State; if he accepts that the cost of thatching together with the difficulty in securing affordable insurance presents particular difficulties

Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the budgetary provision he is making to enable the unit in the Housing Agency tasked to regulate owners’ management companies (OMCs) commence its work on an administrative basis in the first quarter

Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there are plans to provide a timeline for when local authority homes can avail of the pyrite scheme, considering the urgency of the situation for those living in such houses; if he would address

Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on the current housing assistance payment limits; his views on whether these are appropriate taking into account rising rental costs; if he plans to make changes in relation to same; and if he will

Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department could look to increase the local authority home loan in Kildare, given that the figure currently is maxed at €360,000 and the average cost of a house in Kildare is currently above

Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he and or his officials have engaged with the chief fire officer and or the local authority management in respect of the establishment of a new fire house in the Monasterevin area of Kildare

Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to review the eligibility criteria for the housing assistance payment scheme, particularly in cases where a family surpasses the income threshold due to receiving a carer’s benefit allowance for a child with