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rent in this country is now over €2,000. My question is simple and straightforward. The Taoiseach and his Government accept that the housing crisis is no longer just a crisis. It is an emergency. How, in that context, can he agree with the Minister for housing … will be making changes to the rent pressure zones? How can the Government agree to lifting rent caps in the middle of a housing emergency? Renters need to know. Given what is going on, there should be a commitment to keep the rent caps and the rent pressure

Deputy said he supported the Housing Commission's report, and the Housing Commission report recommended changes to the rent pressure zones. I do not know why he is condemning the Government for even considering the recommendation of the Housing Commission in respect of that issue

First, I recognise Cara Darmody. I met her when I was the Lord Mayor of Dublin. I brought her into the Mansion House as part of our initiative to make Dublin the world’s first autism-friendly capital city. Cara is a determined and brave person. I absolutely … figures the HSE has produced. That is not good for anyone. The Minister highlighted an important factor in her statement before this House, namely, the importance of parents knowing what services are available to them, with or without an assessment of need. That does not dilute, however

wish the Minister very well in her role. Having listened to everyone who contributed, I believe there is not one Member across these Houses who is not inundated with queries and concerns over children’s therapies, waiting lists and assessment of need. So many of us are supporting … encouraged to stay in it and that the State provides the required service in the most efficient way. As everyone in this House, including the Minister, has said, the waiting lists are unacceptably long. Early intervention is critical given how children develop so rapidly at an early

housing, particularly in rural areas like Roscommon, no more than my own area, is a really important part of housing output. It is important to the vibrancy of rural communities as well. I understand the argument the Deputy is making in respect of how you tie the contribution … position of the Department and the Minister that there will not be any extension to the waiver. Obviously, that benefited one-off housing and multi-unit developments. I thank Deputy Dolan for raising this matter and for putting the argument forward strongly on behalf of his constituents, particularly

suggestion that what has been happening with the approvals for social and affordable housing at the end of last year and early this year is perfectly normal is simply not true. Either the Minister knows that and is refusing to address the question or he simply does … know what is going on in his Department. There is considerable frustration among local authorities, approved housing bodies and builders over the significant delay. Three thousand units were approved by the Cabinet in February but many of the related projects have not actually secured formal approval and notification

that the Minister does not understand what is actually happening in his Department. I urge him to talk to local authority directors of housing and the Irish Council for Social Housing. I will forward him the details on the individual schemes by way of email after this meeting … Cabinet that promised to unblock the 3,000 units, but I am hearing that about half of the approvals to approved housing bodies related to the AHB portion of the 3,000 units have yet to be subject to due diligence in the Department and notification

Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is concerned that housing delivery is at risk because of an inability of new houses to be connected to the electricity grid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24653/25

tech's insatiable demand for energy to power data centres being put before the need to address the housing crisis? The recent CRU report suggests housing delivery is at risk because of the inability to connect new houses to the electricity grid as a result of the insatiable

homes by 2040 … It goes on to give the example that, in west Dublin, the new Castlebaggot station was initially designed to support housing growth, relieve pressure and support industrial growth, as well as future demand. It then states: However, due to the first come first served connection … support other demand needs in the area. Therefore, more electricity capacity, or another power station, was added to the grid to assist with housing but it was gobbled up by data centres. What the CRU states is that "it does not have sufficient statutory powers to prioritise certain

aware that the high population growth and strong economic growth led to increased demand in terms of housing and also for our economy. Particularly with regard to delivering housing and the supporting infrastructure, there has been a growth in energy demand and the energy intensity required for modern … manufacturing and large-scale servers. Delivering electricity infrastructure is absolutely key for this Government to ensure houses are delivered and also for our wider economy. In response to increased demand, ESB Networks and EirGrid have prepared business plans that propose significantly increased investment in the electricity grid

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will reverse the decision to cut funding for social housing acquisitions, including housing first and the tenant in situ schemes. [24905/25

matter. There is no question that utilising existing stock at a time of such need is just as important as developing new social housing stock. The programme for Government commits to the introduction of a new voids programme and also to supporting the ongoing work to transition … strategic and informed maintenance approach to the management and maintenance of our local authority housing stock based on stock condition surveys. The new programme will build on the successes of the voids programme over the past ten years, which has seen an investment of more than €360 million

faster than others needs to be examined to see how best practice can be applied across the local authority sector. The longer a house is vacant, the more disrepair it falls into and the more problematic it becomes. It is unsightly in an area and can result … allocations. It really is critically important. Non-essential work can wait, essential work needs to be done and we need to get the houses reoccupied. I appreciate many local authorities take the opportunity to do deep retrofits and so on, including energy retrofits, but these can be done

worked very hard on and has campaigned on to ensure we can have those affordable homes, which are an essential part of our housing delivery and to ensure we have private homes people can afford to buy, affordable homes people can access, and social homes across the spectrum … what more we can do to support them in delivering affordable homes. In supporting the development of Galway city and county's affordable housing programme, the Department is funding dedicated affordable housing administrative and technical staffing posts, with seven in Galway city and six in Galway county. There

Galway County Council is not short of ambition when it comes to affordable housing. Our chief executive set out an ambitious plan last year. At the time, I was a councillor. We approved loans for affordable housing across our local authority and sought departmental approval for them … county council is now going for Part 8 planning in the coming months on two separate sites there. There is the ambition. Affordable housing is starting to come to fruition but we need to ramp it up massively. We need to see an accelerated delivery and we need

quickly will the new national planning framework, NPF, housing targets be given to the county councils so they can amend their county development plans? Currently many planning permissions are being refused because the development plan's core strategy has population targets too low. Given this delay, I have … seen a planning application for 335 houses in Blessington, County Wicklow, supported by the council and all elected members refused by An Bord Pleanála because the local area plan was not up to date with the new housing targets

often see a gap between the way the councils operate and what happens here in Leinster House. The councils need to be closely involved in the delivery of housing. Delivery must be micromanaged. These targets must be drilled down further, with monthly figures produced by all local authorities … actuals versus targets, and explanations given. This is the only way to deliver a large number of houses. The Minister must then meet the CEOs of the councils and the head of planning on, say, a quarterly basis. This method is exactly the way a business would

issue. The Government is providing continuing and substantial financial support to local authorities to acquire second-hand properties for priority categories of social housing need, including tenants in situ who have been in receipt of supports under HAP and RAS and who had received a notice of termination … other priority categories for second-hand acquisitions are properties that allow persons or families to exit homelessness; one-bedroom properties to deliver on housing first targets; and specific housing required for people with a disability or other particular priority needs, including older people. In total, €325 million

construction, such as, for example, 3D concrete printing in Muirhevnamore, in operation. Whether we are talking about modular 3D printing or timber-frame housing, we need to see a plan for a significant ramp-up, while accepting that all of these solutions represent only a percentage of housing … people are probably looking for more than what is already in the public domain. When will we see the guidelines on one-off housing and the report that was supposedly with the Attorney General last summer? We know there is a significant issue with people who cannot

thank Deputy Cahill. He has covered many of the matters I wish to cover in the context of housing choice for older persons. On inclusion, we have older persons councils - through Age-Friendly Ireland - which very much engage with the local authorities. I am involving all older person … policy group on stakeholder engagement. We held a stakeholders engagement last week that was very productive. Regarding policy initiatives, we revised the housing adaptation plans. More recently, these have been expanded. There are areas we still need to look at, however. We have increased the level

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to urgently review the cut in funding for the social housing acquisition programmes, given its negative impact on key homeless schemes like tenant in situ and housing first. [24433/25

Much of the discussion around social housing acquisitions has been on the tenant in situ scheme but there is also a very real concern the housing first programme will be affected. The programme for Government commits to increasing the targets for housing first. Will the Minister tell

housing first programme is vital in getting single people, in particular, who are long-term homeless out of emergency accommodation. It has worked best in previous years when it was a mix of new build and acquisitions led by approved housing bodies using the capital advance leasing facility … officials in his Department, who head up the homeless services, and to the local authorities to ensure that whatever target he sets for housing first this year is met through a mixture of new builds and acquisitions

take the housing first programme very seriously. I engage with my officials daily in relation to homelessness, in particular, which is an absolute priority for me, both preventing people going into homelessness and people exiting homelessness. The housing first programme for people who have particular difficulties is something … very aware of and have dealt with both as a TD and now as Minister for housing. It will continue to be an absolute priority

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average cost of the delivery of an affordable purchase home in 2025. [51390/26

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total allocation for sub head A39, DPGs/Improvements/Remedials in Budget 2026. [51392/26

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average gross and net cost to the Exchequer per year of the 2,328 homeless HAP tenancies set up in 2025. [51393/26

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total cost to the development levy waiver and water utility connection for each year the waiver has been in operation, the number of homes against which the waiver was claimed in each year

Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when he will introduce legislation on a directly elected mayor for Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51458/26

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the date on which the preliminary business case for the Cork Event Centre, submitted by Cork City Council in December 2025, was or will be approved by his Department; whether the 12 to 18 month

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of parties that have formally registered interest or submitted expressions of interest in the new Cork Event Centre procurement process to date; the projected date by which a preferred bidder will be selected

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current estimate of total State aid required to deliver the Cork Event Centre, beyond the €57 million already approved; the status of a company's (details supplied) planning permission for the South Main Street

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline the high-level data on stock audits to date [51471/26

Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider amendments to apartment design guidelines to protect inhabitants from the adverse health consequences of extreme heat (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51553/26

Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide the web link to his Department’s Q2 2026 published report of purchase orders/payments over €20,000, in line with the FOI model publication scheme requirements; to confirm the date on which this report

Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to confirm that existing small landlords are excluded from the new RAS scheme launched recently; the rationale behind this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51581/26

Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the full funding provided to each local authority under the local government fund including whether the local authority was a beneficiary of the equalisation fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51698/26

Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has considered the provision of a specific funding allocation to Galway City and County Council to fund an office to direct the planning and development of the Galway Metropolitan Strategic plan, National Planning

Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will introduce a mink eradication programme in the Lough Derg area, similar to the initiative established in the midlands around Lough Ree; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51722/26

Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the Midlands Mink Eradication Programme; the criteria used to select this area for the pilot initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51723/26

Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the area covered by the Midlands Mink Eradication Programme; the volunteer groups involved and the number of volunteers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51724/26

Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if further Mink Eradication Programmes are being considered for other regions across Ireland; if so, the areas being considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51725/26

Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will confirm if ranched Atlantic salmon will be added to the Third Schedule, Part 2A of the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 (S.I. No. 477 of 2011), in light of recent

Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to clarify whether Men's and Women's Sheds as charitable organisations are exempt from commercial rates. [51746/26

Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if, when a commercial premises is being valued for the purposes of commercial rates by Tailte Éireann, if it is Government policy that solar panels installed on the premises will result in an increased valuation. [51758/26

Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total cost of engagement with a company (details supplied) in each of the years 2020 to 2025, across his Department, by project, year and value; and if he will make a statement on the matter

Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total cost of engagement with a company (details supplied) in each of the years 2020 to 2025, across his Department, by project, year and value; and if he will make a statement on the matter

Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total cost of engagement with a company (details supplied) in each of the years 2020 to 2025, across his Department, by project, year and value; and if he will make a statement on the matter

Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to issue a directive to permanently abolish commercial rates for Men’s Sheds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51844/26