Search the record

agree and I thank the Deputy for raising it. I will certainly undertake to engage with the Minister for housing, primarily, and the Minister for Health on this and revert to the Deputy directly. While I am on my feet, I also want to say the Deputy raised … issue with me before in the House in relation to victims and survivors of domestic abuse, when they are moving from one local authority list to another, and the time they were on the previous list not being recognised. It is an important issue. I acknowledge and thank

begin with the people who are no longer with us, and those who have been injured. We have heard Deputies across the House describing how people's lives can be changed within seconds. Parents and children and the recent tragic deaths are not just numbers, they are lives … looks and why enforcement matters. I welcome the clampdown on scramblers and congratulate Deputies on the work that has been done across this House on the issue. It is sad that it took this tragic death to happen. We needed to get it done and it is being

able to afford somewhere to live into the future and I cannot give them one. They are waiting 14 years on the social housing list as it stands. People's entire lives are going to be on hold and the Government's big idea appears … rents up. I genuinely cannot fathom it. I spoke to a family recently who have just been taken off the housing list because they are slightly over the income limit. The reason they are slightly over the income limit is because they have been waiting for social housing

abolish fees for public services, including college, childcare, health, and general practitioner care; and, finally, to freeze and cap rents and build public housing. We will be on the streets for the first time, as Seamus mentioned, with a focus on the call for an emergency payment … They are making it harder for ordinary working class people to have a decent life. They will hike up rents for council, approved housing body and housing assistance payment tenants, and now for every private tenant too. They will roll out the red carpet for data centres, which

been development there by Cork City Council and it has put in a lot of apartments and residential development, but the older houses there are at risk at all times. One man was trying to sell his business premises. The sale collapsed on three separate occasions because … people buying it could not get flood protection insurance. Therefore, the banks were not prepared to lend for it. A lot of houses need major refurbishment. It is an old part of the city. A lot of families live there, but there are also businesses that are extremely

provide eight apartment units and a service centre. The Department halted it and it has reached a deadlock because the approved housing body that was to partner with Laois Domestic Abuse Service was deemed not to meet the criteria by the Department. That is fair enough … Taoiseach to assess Sophia Housing. It is either able to meet the criteria or not. If it cannot, will another partner, in the form of another approved housing body or Laois County Council, be sought to get the facility in place

accommodation involve families with children, often with special needs, in there for long periods because of the lack of three- and four-bedroom houses. There is a problem with one- and two-bedroom houses but there is an even bigger problem with three- and four-bedroom houses because

year in rent. People have contacted my office desperate for help, unable to dream of getting to the top of the housing list. Spiralling rents are leaving them trapped in homelessness. Níl aon tinteán mar do thinteán féin, ach tá na daoine seo fágtha gan tinteán ar bith … place for market-driven solutions but the Government seems to be blinded by them alone. It is time for us to finally view housing in this country as a public good and a human right, not as an asset to be leveraged in every which

pretence that the Government cares about the rental crisis and the unaffordable and obscene rents that are contributing to the housing crisis and misery that many people are suffering this country is being dropped completely. We have a naked admission with this Bill that the Government is representing … what the investors need. The Minister admitted the same logic is behind the Government's thinking when he said earlier this year that housing is about international markets. It is actually a spreadsheet in Zurich, New York or Antwerp more so than a builder looking at a site

acquire the property because the budget was used up. She ended up with the sheriff coming and being pulled out of the house in her dressing gown, onto the street. She actually spoke the same language as the bailiffs doing the evicting so she could hear everything they … with facts and show that it is not just anecdotes. According to a survey from myhome.ie, just 7% saw any difference in housing policy from this Government. They had no hope whatsoever. The eviction rate had gone up in quarter 3 of last year by 35% in preparation

short-term letting that hit family homes, small operators and tourism-dependent villages while doing nothing to address the real causes of the housing crisis. In west Cork, short-term letting is not about speculation or corporate landlords; it is about ordinary households renting a room … preserves a one-size-fits-all approach that treats rural communities in the same way as inner-city Dublin. It does not deliver housing supply, tackle vacancy and dereliction or distinguish between large-scale operators and local families. We will be proposing amendments. I hope they will

Oireachtas, have well-established processes for accountability. Those process are already under way. A motion such as the one before the House is hasty, risks politicising a statutory body and undermines the very scrutiny we all claim to value. The chair of Bord Bia is due to appear … record and for members to engage in structured and informed ways. By contrast, a motion brought to the floor of this House before that engagement has taken place risks replacing scrutiny with speculation. Bord Bia is a statutory agency that has a crucial role to play in supporting

State mentioned 2011 when the original plan was changed. That was 15 years ago. Why has it taken 15 years to build 620 houses? That is what they are talking about in the plan - 620 houses. The Minister of State gave a date for it being completed … That Knocknaheeny regeneration will not be complete for at least eight more years. They have not got to the Kilmore Road Lower houses. They have not got to the Dunmore Gardens site or Killala Gardens. This goes back to Hollyhill, Ardcullen, Ardmore Avenue and Courtown Drive, which were

intend to publish the national student accommodation strategy in the coming weeks. The strategy will support access to suitable housing for full-time students in publicly funded higher education institutions and aims to deliver additional student beds to meet projected demand out to 2035, without the need … pressures - on the wider private residential sector. The provisions relating to tenancy legislation fall under the remit of my colleague the Minister for housing, Deputy Browne. His Department sets the rules and implements the legislation relating to rent, rent resets and so forth. I have worked closely with

infrastructure. What about the developers, landlords and investors? The Minister, Deputy Lawless, summed up the Government's policy earlier this month. He said: [Housing] is about international markets. It’s actually a spreadsheet in Zurich or New York or Antwerp, more so than a builder looking … policy. The investors in Zurich, Antwerp and New York, profit-driven, tell the Government to jump, and it says, “How high?” Meanwhile, the housing misery continues, with the most unaffordable rents, record numbers of people homeless, totally unaffordable house prices, speculation and land hoarding, as developers and investors

guidelines will take full account of the vital role short-term lets play in the Irish economy, supporting tourism, regional employment and supplementary housing needs? In many parts of the country, especially rural and seasonal areas, short-term letting provides essential accommodation for tourists, contract workers, students … place with stakeholders in the short-term letting sector during the drafting of these guidelines? How does the Government justify these measures on housing grounds, given the risk they may remove essential visitors' accommodation, damage regional development and deliver little or no additional long-term housing supply

huge number of people who have had flooding around their properties, in some cases where the water has come directly into the house. I still say we have been very lucky. One brutal fall of rain during that period would have meant hundreds of houses were flooded … area that has infrastructure dating back 20 or 30 years and even longer. There has obviously been an increase in the number of houses - and we need to see more of that - some have been affected by the lack of wastewater capacity. We have the likes of WuXi

move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I appreciate the Minister coming to the House to discuss the Bill. I am pleased to speak to my first Private Members' Bill. I note the Government has opted to delay the Bill using a timed amendment … being transferred into the skies over our homes and gardens. Many members of the public are asking how many drones flying over their house or gardens is too many. Up to this point, the State has refused to engage in a meaningful way in that particular conversation

Government recognises that disabled people, their families and representative organisations face unavoidable and ongoing additional costs in their daily lives. I assure the House that improving outcomes for disabled people is a top priority for me personally, and for the Government. It is our determination to achieve this … Independent Living Movement Ireland. We will be launching a public consultation on this payment and I look forward to submissions from across the House in relation to that. As I committed to Deputy O'Reilly, I intend to discuss it with the Joint Committee on Social Protection

heating supplement that the community welfare service administers, and he said he would share details with all the Members of this House. Does this Government, the Minister and everybody here not realise the problems that so many people have contacting their community welfare officer? Does the Minister … Government could introduce straight away. I will conclude with a few lines from a constituent whose story I shared previously in this House and with whom I have been in regular contact in the meantime. What I am about to read into the record accurately sums up what

living on their own should be looked after more than anyone else because they face all the costs of keeping the house and trying to keep themselves warm. We all know that since Bord na Móna closed down, the cost of electricity has gone … people who are mobile and do not have a disability. I often see how Kerry County Council revamps some of its social housing. It puts in heat pumps and then we see the exorbitant bills that people get for electricity. I do not know why this is happening

this will not work. His assurances collapse under your assurances collapse under scrutiny. The proof is in the pudding and the Taoiseach’s housing pudding is inedible. Take the tenant in situ scheme. This was supposed to keep renters out of homelessness when their landlord sells but last … postboxes with no safety net for families. "Working as planned" really means working for nobody. We see the same pattern in social housing. Councils are increasingly taking enforcement action against developers who are breaching their legal duty to build social and affordable homes. The Taoiseach knows the Labour

Kildare county development plan to cater for an additional 50,000 people in the county over the coming years. As everybody in this House knows, Kildare is a very welcoming county and its infrastructure has played its part in population growth; however, the problem that homeowners and potential … with me is the already oversubscribed demand on the current infrastructure in the county. Over recent weeks, I have repeatedly raised in this House how the M7 and N7 become car parks each morning for those commuting to Dublin. My party and I welcome every euro spent

then? It closed down every town and village around Ireland. What did that do? It drove up the price of houses because of a lack of supply. Askeaton has done without a sewerage system for 46 years. It is due to be done some time this year. However … been waiting 15 years for an upgrade of the system. Hospital-Herbertstown had to put in on-site systems after they built 20 houses there. They had to put five of them on an on-site system because the sewerage system could not take housing. By moving people

directly to Cork city. That is how bad BusConnects and the infrastructure development is there. Then the Government had the audacity in the House last week to have the minister for silence, otherwise known as Pádraig O'Sullivan, give out to and admonished those on this side … House, and tell them to shut up and stay quiet about the €1 billion that is needed for the north side of Cork. We should all stay quiet, and we should let people drink poisoned water, according to Deputy O'Sullivan. We heard the other gentleman from Carlow

Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider including an estate (details supplied) in the interim remediation scheme or any related scheme under his Department's remit. [74450/26

Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the cost to date of developing the Lough Erne by-laws, including the cost of the 2015 public consultation that could not be relied upon; and the reason a new consultation was required. [74000/26

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage in relation to correspondence his predecessor received (details supplied) the action he has taken in regard to the matters raised. [74455/26

Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide the number of full-time equivalent staff within the climate action unit or division of his Department from 2020 to 2026 to date, broken down by year, in tabular form. [73981/26

Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when his Department last reviewed its policies, operations and handling of protected disclosures under all relevant protected disclosures legislation. [74436/26

Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has engaged with Hedgerows Ireland and other environmental organisations regarding proposals for enhanced legislative protection of hedgerows; whether consideration is being given to incorporating such proposals into the National Nature Restoration Plan

Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current status of the review of the Wildlife Acts; whether proposals to strengthen the statutory protection of mature, historic and ecologically significant hedgerows are being considered; whether his Department has examined the provisions

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he plans to include a Traveller identifier in homeless reports. [74128/26

Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the assessment his Department has made of the impact of commercial rates on the viability of riding schools and equestrian centres, particularly in rural areas; whether his Department has engaged with representative bodies

civil legal aid reforms” will include the expansion of the scope of the scheme of civil legal aid to cover areas such as housing, homelessness, discrimination, social welfare and employment law; whether the blanket ban on the provision of legal aid for cases heard by tribunals will

Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has examined the possibility of amending the Valuation Act 2001 to provide for the classification of genuine equestrian centres and riding schools as agricultural premises, or to establish a separate reduced-rate

Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of equestrian centres and riding schools currently entered on valuation lists and liable for commercial rates, by local authority; the aggregate annual rates liability attributable to these premises, where available; whether this information

Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the guidelines applied by Tailte Éireann when determining the rateable valuation of equestrian centres and riding schools, including the treatment of indoor arenas, outdoor arenas, stables, yards, ancillary buildings and car parking areas; whether these

Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has considered amending the definition of farm buildings in section 3 of the Valuation Act 2001, or Schedule 4 to that Act, to include buildings used for genuine equestrian instruction, riding schools

Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has estimated the potential annual cost to local authorities of exempting qualifying equestrian centres and riding schools from commercial rates, or applying a reduced rate to such premises; whether alternative models, including

Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the preparations and timeline for the statutory review of the operation and effectiveness of the Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2024, as required under section

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of premature deaths of people experiencing homelessness recorded in each year from 2020 to 2025, either by the Dublin Region Homeless Executive or across all homeless regions; and the steps that have been

Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he will establish a formal review of the commercial rates treatment of equestrian centres and riding schools, in consultation with Tailte Éireann, local authorities, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and representative

Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the criteria under which premises used for community sport may qualify for an exemption from commercial rates under Schedule 4 to the Valuation Act 2001; whether riding schools or equestrian centres providing community-based, youth

Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if an applicant who qualifies for medical priority in one administrative area must undergo an entirely new medical assessment and appeal process under the receiving authority's scheme. [73407/26

Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the actions his Department intends to undertake in relation to the findings of the Comptroller and Auditor General review into the operation of the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme. [73406/26

Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps his Department is taking to standardise medical priority assessments nationally to prevent administrative delays and disruption in care for vulnerable households and children with medical conditions who relocate across local authority borders. [73405/26

Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total amount of money spent on salaries and allowances of agents who were employed to increase the number of people signed up to the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme as referenced

Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of approved applications for the vacant property refurbishment grant scheme that have subsequently been withdrawn or cancelled or have not proceeded to claim (details supplied); the average and median time between grant approval

Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether eligibility for grant assistance to develop vacant above-the-shop units for residential use will be extended to limited companies, including small and micro companies; the progress made in examining such an extension; and when