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least four times and are due to publish an interim report shortly. Additional information not given on the floor of the House The programme for Government commits to applying the Dublin city task force model to other cities, towns and regions in need of revitalisation, starting with Cork … reviewed by the major projects advisory group and KPMG, as well as the approving authority, which is the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, as required under the relevant external assurance process. When URDF funding for the project was originally approved in 2021, a construction cost estimate

programme. That was reviewed by the major projects advisory group in KPMG, as well as the approving authority, which is the Department of housing. Construction cost estimates, when URDF funding was originally approved in 2021, was about €595 million. The programme now has a total estimated cost … degree of co-ordination in Cork city in the docklands. The LDA and Cork City Council are working well together in terms of housing and residential developments in the city and in the docklands, in particular. I take Deputy McGrath's point about Cork Airport. There

been steadfast in his support for this legislation. That has been hugely important to me in trying to advance this legislation through the Houses of the Oireachtas. I also acknowledge the role played by all colleagues in this House. We are all aware of the background to Jennie

after the sentence has concluded. It is interesting that the Minister used the word "rehabilitation" and that it struck a chord in this House because, if I recall, that was the wording used during pre-legislative scrutiny by the Law Society. That gives us an insight into … court could strike out this law because it did not have regard to a principle that nobody in this House might have sympathy for but that the court assessing the law inevitably would, namely, the balancing of the two rights. Having fought for so long to have this

thank colleagues for their contributions. As Deputies know, I have no difficulty accepting amendments from colleagues in this House if I believe they are correct and beneficial to the legislation. I have done it before and will do it again. I hear what Deputy Kelly says but collegiality … very collegial but when it comes to legislation, I cannot just decide that I want to be friendly with people in the House and, so, I will accept the amendment

Jason Poole. I thank Senator O'Loughlin for her work on this issue in the Seanad. I thank colleagues in this House for their support on this legislation. I thank officials in my Department for their tireless work in respect of ensuring that we navigate this legislation through … Houses and get the drafts as appropriately as possible to ensure that they balance all the conflicting rights we have spoken about. I thank Jason Poole and the Poole family and commend them on their resilience and determination in wanting to leave a permanent memorial to their beloved

many of them. The number of women killed in violent circumstances this year has to be a matter of huge concern for these Houses. I had hoped that the Minister would have accepted some of our amendments, particularly in respect of the application by Tusla to the court … where the same accessibility to the democratic process is not there. We have many what I consider to be bad days in this House, but, for all of the reasons I have outlined reasons, today is a good day. Certainly, when the Bill is finally passed, it will

this Bill that I do support. Had the Minister taken a different approach, I think he would have had unanimous support in these Houses on every Stage, which should have been the way of doing things when we are dealing with issues that, in many cases, have been … Bill that has become divisive as a result of the political decisions made concerning how this legislation would be pushed through the House

would not like to see this happening consistently. Having said all that, however, we will support the Bill. It is commendable that this House has finally dealt with a number of areas in the legislation. I acknowledge what the Minister said about my colleague, Senator Laura Harmon … Nash, has worked on this issue for over a decade, which the Minister has acknowledged as well, along with other colleagues in this House. It is a very important and historic night. It was thought that this would happen later, but so many people I know will

previous Government, there was a huge campaign to try to block the legislation. If that legislation had not been passed by he Houses, the archives would have been destroyed. It was a dishonest and outrageous campaign that was organised by people who should have known better. Thanks … there is no evidence yet that there were any burials on the specific site on which an application has been made to build housing. The Bessborough site was originally 200 acres. It is now 60 acres. An element of the land was bought. I am on record

overcome in respect of a CPO of a site like this, particularly given that the council has designated it as appropriate for housing in its city development plan and, in the context of its executive functions, gave planning permission to the development of housing there. That

move: Tuesday's business shall be: - Motion re Appointment of Ordinary Member of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (without debate and any division claimed shall be taken immediately) - Motion re Fourteenth Report of the Standing Committee of Selection (without debate and any division claimed shall be taken … Development (Licensing of Outdoor Events) Regulations 2026 is hereby discharged 2. the proceedings on the Motion re Appointment of Ordinary Member of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission shall be taken without debate and any division claimed to be taken immediately; 3. the proceedings on the Motion

move: That Dáil Éireann, in accordance with section 8(3)(a) of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission Act 2003, as amended, appoints Deputy Ged Nash to be an ordinary member of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission in place of Deputy Jennifer Whitmore who has resigned

truth to remain hidden despite the immense personal cost. I particularly thank those men who sat in the living room of my house and shared their horrendous experiences with me back when I was mayor of Waterford. Those private conversations made me absolutely determined to support your request … only to remember these failures but also to learn from them. Ultimately, that is a responsibility each of us in this House shares

earlier. The failures to investigate and respond appropriately had devastating consequences for victims and survivors. There is nothing any of us in this House can say that can undo the pain, harm and loss experienced by those young boys, their families and the communities in which they lived … this is more than an apology. We are listening to you, we are learning and we are acting. All of us in this House have a responsibility to ensure that our child safeguarding systems are robust. We must ensure that if concerns are raised today, they are acted

also want to say that those changes came many decades later and did not come easily. I recall when I came into this House as an adviser first and being presented with the Cloyne report, which detailed abuse in the diocese of Cloyne … voluntary, and putting them on a statutory basis. It took some four years for the Children First Act to be enacted by this House. That Act is important because it has changed the landscape and legal obligation of mandated people, including teachers, doctors, nurses, social workers and childcare

intend to repeat what has already been said, the Taoiseach has very clearly set down on the record of this House the litany of failures that occurred in the State's engagement with Bill Kenneally. As Minister for justice, however, the failures pertaining to An Garda Síochána weigh … Garda. The failure in 1987 to investigate properly Bill Kenneally's crimes, the failure to arrest him and the failure to search his house for evidence that would certainly have seen him prosecuted are a stain on the history of An Garda Síochána. Standard Garda practices and protocols

have previously stated that this legislation will be known as Jennie’s law, and I want to reiterate it again here in this House. It will stand as a tribute to their beloved sister, daughter and mother and to their own steadfast determination to achieve lasting change … safe, which is a fitting tribute to her memory. I urge Deputies to work with me to get this important Bill through this House before the recess. I conclude by welcoming Jason Poole to this Chamber and commending him for his tireless commitment to this cause

welcome this Bill, Jennie's law, to the House and I welcome the opportunity to speak on it. The legislation is the culmination of years of hard work, advocacy and determination on part of the Poole family. Jennifer Poole was from Ballygall and had been in touch with … backbench TD long before he had responsibility for in the area. The legislation has now been brought to Cabinet and before these Houses. The Bill inserts a new Part 3A into the Domestic Violence Act 2018, establishing a public domestic violence judgments register managed by the Courts Service

foremost, our thoughts are with her daughter, the rest of her family and all those who loved her. As Members of this House will know, the Garda has stated that a person of significant interest in the investigation left Ireland shortly before discovery of Ms Carney's body … must always come first. The protection of victims and potential victims must remain at the centre of every decision we make in this House

Irish artists of the ability to earn a living and will replace them with a cheap soulless imitation. Irish artists need this House to protect the copyright and income of artists with a fit-for-purpose framework, building on the calls of the European Parliament. They need … tireless lifelong campaigning for the arts and the great work he has done in compiling this motion, working collaboratively across the House to ensure it passes this evening

granted. The reason Citywest has developed in the way it has, with homes but no adequate facilities, is the fast-track strategic housing development process. The local area plan, which included these kinds of requirements, was ignored. Developers went straight down the strategic housing development route, got permission

Tóibín asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if he has assessed the potential impact of the draft national housing statement, particularly the proposed changes to occupancy requirements in multi-unit housing developments in Gaeltacht areas, on the implementation of the language planning process

State, Deputies Cummins and Buttimer, we are putting in town regeneration officers to get people back living in towns. Through the vacant house and derelict house site, we are giving people the chance to get a start and to get the kind of refurbishment grants needed

ensure that it protects the language. I am absolutely with the Deputy and every other Deputy about the notion of multi-unit houses in particular. They should be preserved or prioritised for people who have Irish, but we also have to respect that within Gaeltachtaí, there are people … have Irish. They have to be given a housing a right in their own community

Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to develop social and affordable homes in Cork city and county over the coming year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42050/26

Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if shops that are registered charity shops are liable for rates by local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42058/26

Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will issue a directive to local authorities directing them to exempt commercial rates for registered charity shops, in light of a High Court decision relating to the matter in October

Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on the introduction of a publicly accessible, redacted online bidding log for active sales, similar to international models to provide real-time assurance to buyers without compromising data privacy; and if he will make

Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans for a rightsizing scheme for private homeowners, who own their own home but wish to downsize; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42154/26

Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 560 of 21 April 2026 and 586 of 19 May 2026, in which it was confirmed that his Department can provide Excel versions of the published Local Authority Regional Homelessness Financial

Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total amount spent by his Department on public procurement in 2025; to provide a breakdown, where available, by goods, services, works procurement expenditure, by expenditure procured directly by his Department and expenditure procured through central

Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department is fully compliant with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Model Publication Scheme Guidance, issued under section 8 of the Freedom of Information Act 2014, specifically the requirements under section

Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps being taken to ensure the long-term ecological and hydrological stability of the River Shannon and Lough Derg in light of the Water Supply Project (Eastern and Midlands Region); if his attention has been

Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the legal and administrative justification for allowing Uisce Éireann to proceed to the procurement and tendering stage for the Water Supply Project (Eastern and Midlands Region) prior to securing statutory planning permission from An Bord Pleanála

Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the next round of funding is coming on stream under the Historic Structures Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42231/26

Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reasons for the refusal of a Historic Structures Fund 2026 application (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42234/26

Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of bicycle shelters installed across the State by his Department on behalf of Government Departments, local authorities, and State agencies in each of the past five years; the total expenditure incurred in each year

Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total amount spent on IT systems and related projects by his Department and agencies under its remit in each of the past five years; to provide a detailed breakdown of all such projects, including original

Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the Government intends to introduce legislative or regulatory changes requiring planning permission for the conversion of hotels, apartments or guesthouses into emergency accommodation; the mandatory community consultation, and minimum safety standards for such facilities

Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the staff turnover rate in his Department in the years 2019 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42428/26

Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department will consider increasing the mandatory retirement age for firefighters from 62 years of age to the State pension age of 66; if any review of the current retirement age arrangements has been undertaken

Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will introduce interim measures or conditional approvals to allow micro-company owners to qualify for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant without incurring significant tax liabilities, solely to qualify for the grant ahead

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to confirm whether his Department intends to employ a chief architect in his Department and to provide an update on the progress in ensuring the implementation of the State Architecture Policy. [42518/26

Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will outline the current terms and conditions of the rural water subsidy scheme, particularly the requirement under Section 7A for group water schemes (GWS) to submit a full statement of audited accounts with their

Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the estimated additional cost to small rural group water schemes of having their accounts professionally audited; if his Department has carried out an assessment of the administrative and financial impact of this requirement on small voluntary

Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware that some local authorities previously accepted certified accounts and Tax Clearance Certificates from small group water schemes without requiring a full audit; whether this practice is consistent across all local authorities

Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide details of the advance notice given to group water schemes nationally regarding the audited accounts requirement for the current subsidy round; and whether he will allow a transitional or phased implementation period for smaller

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the average per-unit funding allowance provided under the Voids Programme has been reviewed in the context of construction cost inflation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42553/26

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way in which he reconciles the stated policy of transitioning from a reactive voids approach to a planned maintenance approach with the continued operation of the Voids Programme as the principal maintenance funding stream