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Deputies for their input. I wish to take the opportunity to express my appreciation at the unwavering commitment shown by this House to the fight against domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. I take on board all the comments made by Deputies throughout the debate. The Government … context of Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union. I am grateful for the support shown by this House for the motion

majority of Members of this House want to do the preparation for Irish unity. They recognise we have a distinctive opportunity to create a new and united Ireland; to create an island where nobody is left behind; to create an architecture underpinned by our values as an Irish … disappointed the Taoiseach does not share the vision for a new and united Ireland that I and the majority of Members of this House have, indeed, the vision that the Taoiseach's own grassroots members have across this State. However, the Taoiseach cannot hold back the tide forever

Anois an t-am le haghaidh Éire aontaithe. In one respect, I am stunned. Today I walked past the Mansion House where the First Dáil sat, and I wondered what it would be like to explain to people in that House that now, in 2026, we need

facing ordinary, hard-working people are left unresolved. The public are entitled to ask where the same urgency is when it comes to housing. Where is the same urgency when it comes to healthcare? Where is the same urgency when it comes to protecting our communities and supporting … same commitment to solving the crisis that people are facing right now. At the end of the day, people want delivery. They want houses built, they want hospital waiting lists reduced, they want safer communities and they want a Government that is focused on the challenges in front

Ireland: Uisce Éireann upgrades of water and wastewater treatment plants in Lough Mask and Claremorris in Mayo; 35 social and 310 affordable new housing units in Crown Square in Galway; new transport infrastructure with Bus Connects Galway, the Galway city ring road, and the N5 in Roscommon … tracker, the MyProjectIreland interactive map details projects across the country by county and contains smaller investments such as schools, healthcare facilities and social housing projects. In addition, my Department also publishes the Project Ireland 2040 annual report and regional reports, highlighting achievements and giving a detailed overview

privy to the interaction the Deputy had with the Minister for housing on this, but the Local Government Fund distributes the respective funding across different local authorities, and Galway County Council and Galway City Council would receive allocations through that. I was clear in my initial response … across much of the infrastructure. The specific day-to-day funding of local authorities is a matter that the Minister for housing engages with local authorities on and the funding model is separate to the wider infrastructure conversation in terms of the national development plan, some of which

Coachford is a growing village and community. Its catchment area has a population of approximately 2,500 people and we have seen significant housing developments in recent years. The Cnoic Eoin development has brought new families into the area and the Vicars Glebe development has already been occupied … many places, capacity is a limiting factor, but in Coachford that plant has been put in place and it allows spare capacity for housing and future development growth. If we want villages like Coachford to grow, families to settle there and rural communities to thrive, the public infrastructure

whether they are going to college, further education or elsewhere. Like the Deputy, I will not get much of a break. While this House breaks up in two or three weeks’ time, I will host the European research Ministers the week after that. There are a number … over the summer as part of the Presidency. We will all be busy in our constituencies as well. I hope those in this House get some break, however. It is important to get a chance to recharge. While there are several hundred commitments in the programme for Government

swings and roundabouts as to whether the total level went up or down, but it is what it is. No one in this House can deny the challenges students face. Of course, there are students who do not pay because of SUSI. I appreciate that the threshold … almost full-time jobs to get through their college course. This is not what we want. As I have said before in this House, the love of learning is why we want students to go to third level, whatever course they decide to do. Students who have just

SOLAS, the ETBs and the HEA for a conversation on exactly that. The Deputy touched on our ambition as a Government to build housing and infrastructure at scale, be it the metro, the DART+ projects, the roads network, renewable energy or the energy grid. We are investing significantly … these under the national development plan, with a budget of over €200 billion over the lifetime of the Government. To meet infrastructure, housing and other needs, we must have the capacity to build this out. That requires multiple craft apprenticeships coming on stream and being supported, and having

understand the challenges the sector faces in terms of decarbonisation, digitalisation, globalisation and demographics, something we often speak about in the House. I am very much engaged in that. It is one among many pre-budget submissions that I have received. I will assess it with my officials … competing demands on the system, as the Deputy will be aware. We will be able to appraise ourselves and other Members of the House on exactly where they fall in October's budget

issue, it is nice to be allowed to respond without a cacophony trying to shout me down, as happens every time in this House. I have made a very serious point that Deputy Doherty should not come into this House and make the point that €50 million

gives us an opportunity to bring the Irish people with us rather than this Presidency just being felt within the bubble of Leinster House. I am not sure if people outside these walls understand its importance or understand it will directly affect them. This question is at national … mind for us to achieve during the six months we have the Presidency that will benefit Irish people outside the walls of Leinster House

triple lock is in the programme for Government. It should not come as a surprise to anyone on any side of the House that we intend to change this legislation because it was voted through as part of the programme for Government. The Minister will take the legislation … through this House in the course of this year. It is an important reform

there. Across the years, arrears now exceed 90,000 applications. This backlog has seriously delayed property transactions, agricultural transfers, conveyancing and housing delivery and has had a direct impact on market efficiency across Ireland. It is also damaging our reputation in respect of companies or businesses trying … they are harrowing is an understatement. They provide a harrowing record of the families' suffering, The constant humming, a heavy vibration throughout their houses and nights of relative quiet while testing equipment is present, followed by a sudden return to a roaring noise once the equipment is removed

environmental report. There is no report done, however, on the council's or Government's side to see whether this family need a house and what the impact is on this family and all of the families across Ireland who want nothing from the State except … crisis and I believe it is time that Deputy Cummins, as the Minister of State who is working in the Department of housing, actually realised it is a crisis. I want to talk about the Bill in relation to the county development plans and the ten-year timeframe

mechanical hare, as happens in Australia. I will finish with two points. The first is an appeal to Members of this House to put pressure on their parties to fight for a free vote and, in any case, to vote with their conscience. They should not vote … allow this cruel practice to continue. Second, I appeal to those outside of this House, namely, the ordinary, decent people, both rural and urban, who oppose this practice. The vote will be next Wednesday. We have time to build more pressure on TDs and parties to take this

will now outline the reasons. During the passage of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, a detailed debate was held in this House on the issue of hare coursing. The Dáil voted overwhelmingly to allow the continuation of hare coursing in accordance with certain rules … Parks and Wildlife Service to ensure compliance with the 44 conditions associated with section 32 and 34 licenses issued by the Minister of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Browne. A panel of pre-coursing inspectors, selected for hare expertise, inspects every club in advance of a meeting

conversation about it. I have been listening to the debate. We need to have a conversation about natural, ecological processes in this House versus human intervention and using wild animals and being cruel to them for entertainment. The reason we have buzzards hunting hares is because they … just a ridiculous concept. Of course they do not enjoy being chased and fearing that they are going to be eaten. In this House we need to really start thinking about what should happen naturally and what should not happen; what we accept as a country and what

issues of animal welfare. Unfortunately, for progress to be made and for laws to be changed, we need a majority across this House. In 2020, I was part of programme for Government negotiations on a wide range of issues. I remember being in the room when we debated … Government listen and be willing to make amendments to improve that legislation. The challenge here is that the larger parties in this House are not where the people are at. I welcome the recent decision of the membership of Sinn Féin to change party policy in respect

Irish people's views on hare coursing have changed, evolved and have become more trenchant. The vote on this matter will demonstrate a House that is out of step with where the Irish people stand. Unfortunately, Deputy Murphy's Bill will not pass Second Stage … think this matter will come before the House again. We have not seen

great to have the Minister in the House this morning. I very much welcome the opportunity to have a discussion of a practical nature that will solve this issue and have really positive impacts on patients, staff and the wider health service across the north east. The minor … nurses, radiographers, administrative staff and support staff. They are professional, effective and really efficient. I want to recognise all of them in this House. The unit's reputation is such that people regularly travel there from well beyond Louth. There were lots of Dublin accents to be heard

restrictions on my ability to comment on individual planning decisions. I am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Browne. I wish to explain at the outset that the role of Minister in relation to the planning system … Planning Regulator, OPR, in performing their statutory planning functions. Under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage shall not exercise any power or control in relation to any particular case with which a planning authority or An Coimisiún

about tackling the cost-of-living crisis, it would ban rent increases effective immediately. It would end no-fault evictions and ramp up housing supply by actually building social and affordable homes. No matter how many stories are raised in this Chamber of working people, struggling families … constantly show that people are falling into poverty because of the political choices being made. This is on the Government. Rents and the housing crisis are getting worse. That is a direct result of the Government's policies as opposed to anybody else's. It is high time

result of Ireland being simply unaffordable for far too many people in 2026. This is the umpteenth motion to be tabled in this House since the general election. We like to call this challenge a cost-of-living crisis but it is not a crisis because the word … people and - dare I say it - lobbyists for the people of this country but there are very few people in this House who are standing up for the taxpayer. The days when Fine Gael would have said it stood up for the taxpayer are gone because of stupid

Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether additional, separate funding is available for local authorities to carry out works to make the public realm more accessible for people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44024/26

Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the proposed ‘National Invasive Species Management Strategy for Ireland’ will take into consideration the anthropogenic spread of invasive/non-native freshwater fish throughout the jurisdiction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44141/26

Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of applications for vacant property refurbishment grants for each local authority, in tabular form; the number granted; the average timeframe for decision across each local authority; the timeframe for approval of payment and timeframe

Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the remediation scheme for apartments and duplexes impacted by fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects; the criteria for properties which will be included in the scheme; and when payments will

incidents, complaints or Garda notifications in the past 12 months involving public intoxication, drug use, aggressive behaviour, intimidation, antisocial behaviour or breaches of house rules, broken down between incidents within the Citywest IPAS centre, incidents within the wider Citywest campus grounds, and incidents reported in the surrounding local

Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if his attention has been drawn to three commissioned houses (detail supplied) that are ready to go but no social workers have been appointed to make them functional; and if he will make a statement

Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether the forthcoming National Migration and Integration Strategy will contain quantitative projections or forecasts of additional housing demand arising from projected migration scenarios over the lifetime of the Strategy; and if not, why not. [43645/26

Migration whether the Strategic Migration Policy Group has commissioned, received or considered any modelling regarding the impact of projected migration levels on housing supply requirements, homelessness services or emergency accommodation demand; and if so, whether such modelling will be published. [43646/26

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of supported housing units in Cork. [42021/26

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of supported housing units planned in Cork. [42022/26

including specific steps, through which a person with a disability can access a disability manager to assist with their case regarding care and housing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42741/26

Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department has considered establishing a national longitudinal outcomes dataset for care leavers to track housing status, homelessness, employment, education and wellbeing outcomes following the closure of aftercare supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43188/26

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether any assessment has been undertaken of the long-term housing outcomes of care leavers following the cessation of aftercare supports since 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43189/26

Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department has examined data-sharing arrangements with local authorities or homelessness services to monitor housing outcomes among former care leavers after aftercare case closure; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43190/26

asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether the HSE or her Department maintains a national register of current and projected residential housing need for adults with intellectual disabilities; if not, whether consideration is being given to establishing such a register; and if she will make

Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the number of adults with intellectual disabilities currently awaiting residential placements, supported living arrangements or alternative housing supports, broken down by CHO area, age cohort and length of time waiting; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43326/26

Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether her Department has prepared a long-term strategy to meet the residential and housing support needs of adults with intellectual disabilities over the next ten years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43334/26

line with the Age Friendly Counties Programme and in the context of the Programme for Government identifying a social supports for approved housing bodies. [41467/26

Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Health the number of WTE Consultant in Emergency Medicine, Registrar in Emergency Medicine and Senior House Officer in Emergency Medicine based at Mullingar Regional Hospital as of 26 May 2026; if she will provide the same figures as of 30 June

Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Health the plans in place to expand housing provision for young people with additional needs in Manorhamilton; whether discussions have taken place with Leitrim County Council regarding the potential purchase of properties (details supplied) in the town to accommodate members

aware of the ongoing delays in the provision, assessment, and setup of assistive technology (AT) supports due to a lack of in-house expertise within the HSE; the extent to which HSE staff are trained to assess and implement AT supports without reliance on external agencies such

Neville asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether the demographic trends used by her Department are adequately reflecting the pace of which housing is developing in Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40799/26

Foreign Affairs and Trade when she expects to bring forward the Israeli Settlements (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025 to the Houses of the Oireachtas; if she will consider including a ban on services in the Bill to ensure maximum effectiveness of the sanctions

Energy and the Environment the steps being taken to ensure that the expansion of the electricity grid keeps pace with increased demand from housing development and renewable energy projects in rural Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40856/26

Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment to consider implementing a dedicated tourism marketing support package for those towns and villages transitioning from housing BOTBs back to tourism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40927/26