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infrastructure, our economic development comes to a halt. A well-functioning CPO system is also essential if we are to meaningfully tackle the housing crisis and end dereliction. These are problems that affect Dublin, but also towns and villages across the country. It should … work. Unfortunately, our current system does not provide that. It is primitive. It is opaque, creates uncertainty and slows down the delivery of housing and infrastructure. A hodgepodge of about 70 statutes currently govern how the State can acquire land. Two of the most important laws date back

honour to address the House today on Pride. It is a particular honour to be here this year as we mark what is a significant year in terms of LGBTIQ+ equality. As many in the House will be aware, the Dublin Pride Festival took place on 28 June … manifestation of the Government’s commitment to meet the challenges the LGBTIQ+ community continue to face. I am pleased to inform the House that I launched the strategy and its accompanying first two-year action plan last month. It was developed following an extensive consultation with the LGBTIQ

count her as a friend. On this issue in particular, she has spoken out and taken on some of the voices in these Houses who preach prejudice, and about whom colleagues have spoken. It is very important that her voice continues to be heard. I also want … tribute to the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, who spoke earlier of his instrumental role in establishing the equality caucus here in Leinster House and about working with the staff equality team. We are very fortunate that within politics now, in all parties and none, there are many

society, particularly with the rise of hatred and the targeting of the LGBTQI+ community we are seeing online, including Members of this House who are members of that community. As other Deputies have said this evening, what has been happening in Hungary is plain and simply wrong … Government. The amount of hate speech we are seeing online and in public discourse needs to be called out, not only in this House and the Seanad, but in private conversations. When people make jokes or are a little bit more serious about it, it needs

best interests of Ireland. As Deputy Carthy indicated, there are three options available to me and the Government, and, indeed, the Houses of the Oireachtas, when it comes to determining whether or not to consider if we should become part of a Protocol 21 proposal … also the option of deciding not to opt in at all. I will always recommend to the Government and advocate to this House the proposal that is in the best interests of Ireland. Deputy Carthy also talked about how privacy rights must be respected and recognised. Of course

Minister to say he has the Attorney General's advice, because Simon Coveney had the Attorney General's advice with strategic housing developments and Eoghan Murphy had the Attorney General's advice on the use of the section 28 guidelines on apartment standards and building heights … publish it. If he is so confident that data proves his case he should publish it. What has happened is this Government’s housing policy has been in a tailspin since it was caught out on its housing delivery last year. The single largest lobby group for institutional

capital supply services of unspent appropriations, the surrender of which may be deferred under Section 91 of the Finance Act 2004. Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised Estimate) That a sum not exceeding €8,529,631,000 be granted to defray the charge which will come … during the year ending on the 31st day of December, 2025, for the salaries and expenses of the Office of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, including grants to Local Authorities, grants and other expenses in connection with housing, water services, miscellaneous schemes, subsidies, grants

Government's last action before the Dáil rises for the summer is to cook the books on affordable housing delivery and ram through new legislation to reduce apartment standards that will mean generations of Irish people will be forced to pay €3,000 a month rent to investor … live in dark shoeboxes. Once again, the Government is sacrificing renters to investor funds and developers, who are clearly the ones making the housing policies. The apartment reductions will result in delayed projects. Ultimately, they will result in the creation of modern-day tenements. No mix, just

taking action. The Deputy mentioned two; we have taken about 15 actions since the beginning of this Government in relation to housing alone and will continue to take action on housing. There will be housing types of different size. By definition, that is okay. They will

State have come from outside Ireland. That is a significant figure and there is no doubt it is putting pressure on the housing sector. Currently, 80,000 people net are coming to Ireland each year. If we include the population growth of the State, that is the equivalent … city to the country on an annual basis. Galway has a university, a university hospital, dozens of schools and tens of thousands of houses. The Government is simply not building that infrastructure on an annual basis. I want to be clear that the lack of supply in housing

move forward with a different kind of dynamic. Some people on the left are the first to protest when members of the Houses of Congress who may hold strong views with which we disagree visit this House. These visits are opportunities to engage and to outline the rationale … behind Ireland's stance on particular issues, as opposed to having a blanket protest against their presence in the House. In that engagement with people who hold particular views, it is important that we express to the Americans that it is not the Irish Government that has been

Auditor General) Regulations 2025; copies of which were laid in draft before Dáil Éireann on 2nd July, 2025. I am seeking the House’s approval of regulations made, drafted and signed by me under section 60(4) of the Data Protection Act 2018. These regulations I have signed … risks to the rights and freedoms of a data subject that may result from such a restriction. The draft regulations before the House today are procedural in nature and seek to build upon the requirements set out in the regulations made last year, and are the second

good enough. We also need to be aware that the situation is made worse by the failure to tackle the housing crisis. Addressing the long-term housing needs of victims and survivors of domestic violence must be at the heart of domestic violence strategies. Another issue I have … Before concluding, I want to take this opportunity to again ask the Minister for his support for Bill I recently introduced to the House. The Victims of Sexual Violence Civil Protection Orders Bill 2025 will bring forward a new provision in law whereby a person in relation

particularly when children are involved, we are not where we need to be at present. We urgently need to address that. In the housing area, as someone who came from a local authority, I know that the one thing often asked of women who left the family home … sought housing support was why they left the family home. It is not acceptable that women are asked that question. We need to change that culture dramatically. I ask the Minister to take that up with the Department of housing and the local authorities because that type

thank the Deputy for the opportunity to speak to the House about the important issue of aircraft noise and the aviation sector more generally. I am confident we can all agree, even though it is so often stated, that, as an island nation, aviation plays a crucial role … being drafted, the process was subject to an extensive consultation and scrutiny with key stakeholders. I am sure the House will agree that there is a reason it is generally the case that complex and far-reaching legislation such as the 2019 Act is developed within the confines

have raised this with me. We all see it. None of us is immune to it but we are well paid in this House. There are people who are on much less than us and are trying to make ends meet and pay all of the bills … Government is indifferent to their needs and indifferent to the rising costs of insurance. Deputy Pearse Doherty had a Bill passed in this House which has still not been enacted by Government to deal with the rising cost of insurance. It seems to be the case in every

section 42 of the Act of 2000. Amendments Nos. 10 and 12 seek to provide that applications for extension of duration of uncommenced housing developments may only be made in the last year of permission remaining, rather than the last two years, as set out in the Bill … only be made in the final year as a development must have substantial works carried out. For uncommenced housing developments, it is appropriate to allow such applications in the final two years of a permission. Where a permission has two years or less remaining, there may be viability

have made it clear that in the next budget, for the Government and in the context of the programme for Government, investment in housing and social housing will be key in addressing child poverty. Disability has to be prioritised through income supports. A child poverty approach … change. I acknowledge that we need to do more about child poverty but there is a choice facing everyone in this House

often been ignored and disregarded. There is a failure to physically inspect the properties. There is no scheme in place for social housing. The treatment of individual properties like semi-detached houses being split is absolutely crazy. The second issue is the financial hardship and unfair costs caused … scheme. Delayed payments are leading to builders actually walking off the sites, which then leaves the people renting houses forced to rent them longer. The people are left in limbo as they are waiting on builders to come back because the payments have not been processed. As well

scheme has been very effective. The targets were refined this year by the Ministers for housing and public expenditure with a view to making sure resources are targeted at those who are in immediate danger of homelessness. We do not want local authorities only doing acquisitions as part … their social housing programmes. We want local authorities building new social houses and to do more of that. That, said the Minister is looking at particular cases. He is constantly engaging with local authorities on what could be done. Some €329 million has been allocated to the tenant

covered by the updated plan. As Chair of the Joint Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery, I believe everybody in the House must accept the need for long-term investment in housing, transport, water, electricity and health digitalisation. My view, based on the meetings we have … will require substantial funding in addition to what has been mentioned so far. We should ensure a greater proportion of annual funding for housing and other infrastructure for the coming years. Because of the scale of what is required, we need to do that and not just rely

thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I am sharing time with Deputy Gould. When Deputy Darragh O'Brien was the Minister for housing and he launched a once-in-a-generation review on consolidation of the planning and development Acts, one of his main arguments was that … committee today and it is not pertinent to the Bill. I get the sense the Government is essentially now accepting that its own housing plan has failed over the last number of years. It is attempting to suggest that what it is doing is somehow a radical change

criteria and so on but it is still a live and real issue. I listened to LDA officials at a meeting of the housing committee recently. We all know a particular scheme in Dundrum has been under judicial review for a considerable period. It is ludicrous … housing crisis as acute as we have that the delays with that legal challenge are allowed to continue but that is the way it is. What the Minister has brought forward here within the scope of this provision is very welcome but as I said, the issue

measures. I believe that those who need more help should get more help. That is a fundamental principle, and if anyone in the House disagrees with me on that, they should please explain why. We know that temporary measures were introduced in the last three budgets and that … they provided welcome relief at the time. We also know, and it should be no surprise to anyone in this House albeit it is being portrayed as such, that they were never designed to be permanent solutions. I am approaching budget 2026 by considering what

together. I note that a number of Deputies have similar questions and that these have been grouped. We will probably go around the House to take supplementary questions. As I have said a number of times this evening and over recent months, I am acutely conscious … point to see what exactly is missing there that leads people not to avail of the supports they are entitled to. As the House will be aware, almost all full-time undergraduate students have their tuition fees paid in full by the State. The free fees initiative

Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number and value of built heritage investment scheme grants awarded in County Clare during each of the past five years. [54531/26

Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of EU Presidency policy and administrative officers now employed on temporary contracts across his Department, in Ireland and abroad; if these individuals can apply to internal civil service competitions for these temporary contracts

Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding all actions in each of the Climate Action Plans 2021 to 2025 under the remit of his Department; to provide a breakdown of the legacy actions remaining, broken down by the year

Deputy Gillian Toole asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way in which chief executives and directors of services are accountable to him in the event of budget over spending, projects deviating from original scope and the common good not being upheld

Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if as part of Budget 2027 he will examine introducing a local improvement scheme for local authorities to access that would fund the power washing of cities and towns; and if he will make a statement

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the number of meetings he has had with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage on the Derelict Sites Tax. [54186/26

Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to review correspondence from a person (details supplied); if he will clarify if this grant is available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54229/26

Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on his Department's efforts to address deficits in wastewater infrastructure in the villages of Craughwell and Clarinbridge in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter

Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has examined the potential for a nationally supported and professionally managed home sharing programme to increase the use of underoccupied homes in order to provide affordable accommodation and support for older people

Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the proposed changes to planning exemption regulations; the timeline for these changes to be implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53785/26

Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware of a practice of local authorities advising prospective applicants that they will not consider two-bedroom properties for the local authority tenant in situ purchase scheme; if this policy is based

Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the timeframe for a review of IS 465:2026 to be completed; when the technical reviews will commence; when those affected by pyrite and seeking a technical review can expect an outcome to their review

Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the specific timeline for the signing and enactment of the Building Standards Agency (Establishment) Order; the precise calendar month in the second half of 2026 targeted for the formal launch of the interim Building Standards Agency

Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the range of topics covered and the outcome of his discussions in Cork with Members of the European Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53917/26

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total annual cost of all home purchasing assistance schemes, including the help to buy scheme, Local Authority affordable purchase scheme, LDA affordable purchase scheme, the first home scheme, local authority home loan, all local

Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of allowances paid under the mortgage allowance scheme in each of the years 2015 to 2025 and to date in 2026, broken down by local authority, in tabular form; the total Exchequer expenditure under

Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the programme for Government commitment to establish a regulator for owners’ management companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54024/26

Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when section 5 of the Electoral Act 2022 will be commenced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54025/26

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the funding provided for CPO of properties; and the number of properties CPOed in each of the past five years, by local authority, in tabular form. [54079/26

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when he will publish data on the derelict sites levies collected in 2025. [54080/26

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of issues identified by stock audits; the number of units for which issues were identified; and the estimated cost of these works. [54081/26

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount of the €16million allocated for planned maintenance that has been spent on stock audits to date; and the amount spent on addressing works identified by these audits. [54082/26

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of funded cost rental units to be delivered in Cork in each of the next three years, in tabular form. [54149/26

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of applicants for Rebuilding Ireland Home Loans/local authority home loans from Cork in 2026 to date; the total number that have been successful; the total number that have been refused; the average time

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the Voids Programme is currently open for applications; the number of applications approved to date in 2026; and the overall amount provided, by local authority. [54151/26