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thank Deputy Timmins very much for his constructive proposals. I will certainly talk to the Minister for housing in regard to his suggestions around amendments to the national guidelines and developing a very pragmatic approach, given the severity of the housing crisis we are facing

with these sub-minimum wage rates. They are doubling down on shafting young people on pay just like they are shafting them on housing and the cost of living. Research by the ESRI has shown that the percentage of workers on these super-low and super-exploitative rates … less than €8 an hour? It is an absolute joke. It is also proof that the Government is not serious about fixing the housing crisis. It should be doing everything in its power to attract young workers to take up apprenticeships rather than legalising this super-exploitation

harm." This is the message of Omar Barghouti, founder of the Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which I hosted here in Leinster House in my role as convenor of the Ireland-Palestine parliamentary friendship group. Our State's complicity is doing Palestinians active harm. Complicity in genocide … such a brutal regime. That is why this Bill, sponsored by Deputies Brady, Ó Laoghaire and Ní Raghallaigh and me, is before the House today. It proposes one thing that we are entitled to do without awaiting agreement at EU level or clutching at the excuse that international

hear my speech first. Perhaps it would be the best thing to do. In response to Deputy Hearne, we built about 36,000 houses last year. We need to do much more, and we need to go higher again. We are going to do everything … provide social and affordable houses to both buy and rent

join the Minister in welcoming the representatives of nursing who are in the Gallery. They are all very welcome to the House. I thank them for being here. It is important to hear the contributions being made today. I am sure they are not agreeing with everything that … very welcome. I am very happy contribute to these statements as we mark International Nurses Day, and to join with colleagues across the House in paying tribute to our nurses and midwives. Every family in this country has a story about a nurse: the nurse who sat with

United Arab Emirates and Canada who want to come home but cannot. There has been lots of talk on this side of the House about nurses coming home and that we must bring our nurses home, but what would they be coming home to? They are coming home … them to come back by giving them good work conditions. That has to be addressed. While we are all praising nurses in this House today, we must remember that we are letting an awful lot of nurses down across the world who come from and were educated

workers are rationing heating and households are falling deeper into poverty, simply trying to keep the lights on and keep heat in the house. Yet, at the same time, energy companies are making eye-watering profits off the back of this crisis. The latest Eurostat figures confirm that … costs and ten times the network costs of that of data centres. How can that be justified? I have said before in this House that deciding not to end energy rip-off is a political choice. Government could choose to impose a windfall tax on the eye-watering

Electricity Association of Ireland regarding plug-in solar. Can what they said about plug-in solar be made available to the House so we, as legislators, can have a debate on plug-in solar? It is important that the people of Ireland understand what was said … proportionate community benefit fund that is directly linked to the savings associated with that private wires Bill. Anything we do in this House should benefit the Irish people. That is what the public needs and that is one of the solutions. We need delivery and we need

doing that. This week or next week, we will pass the Finance Bill through the Houses to give effect to those measures we have already decided, as a Government, to take. We are doing exactly as the Deputy suggests. We are providing further subsidies on the cost … will be available for reference to the Deputy, as her party's spokesperson for this area, and to all Members of the House. It will outline all the different options students suggested, with a costing against each one. For the first time this year, the paper will contain

assure the Deputy and the House that I will make the case in the budget negotiations to secure the maximum possible package for my Department for the benefit of students, apprentices, researchers and all the people within and for all the good reasons the Deputy articulates. I expect … When the paper is published, I will inform the relevant spokespeople. I also welcome any collaborative input from spokespersons on education in the House as to the opportunity cost because it would never be possible, even if we had plenty of time, to do everything. Choices will have

rent rise and the rise of the service charges. I would like the Minister to sit down with the Minister for housing to try to work this out a framework and put protections in place. Otherwise, service charges that are separate to rent will soar high and then … cannot do anything about that because it is already in place but I would like him to sit down with the Minister for housing to discuss this

have indeed sat down with the Minister for housing. We had a number of good interactions over the past year, and particularly when he announced his intention to bring forward the reform of the rent pressure zones and to legislate for that. We immediately engaged on that … know the way students operate and how they come and go with each academic year. This is in law. It passed through these Houses and is now enshrined in the rental acts, and rightly

costing and impact analysis against each one. We can make decisions then and I would welcome the input from those in the Houses who are interested in the brief, as to which options are preferable to others and why people believe that to be the case. I will … engage in good faith with Deputies in the House as we approach the budget to consider those options

taking seriously? There would be an appetite there from MTU. In relation to private rented accommodation, we have had many debates across this House on private rental student accommodation, particularly in Cork city where a lot of the time, in a lot of the situations I have come … being made on it, we have to move this on as quickly as possible. Will the Minister give an assurance to the House that technological universities, such as MTU, could borrow to build

municipal-type facilities can be developed. The programme for Government commits to that. My officials and I are engaging with the Department of housing to establish that. One recent example I saw was a GAA club where the local authority had required that an area the size … football pitch be made available to the club free of charge as part of a zoning permission for a new housing estate beside that pitch. That is the type of joined-up thinking we need to see more of and that is the objective

ages in our communities. I want to add one point on the need to continue to invest in our sports facilities. Housing is our number one priority as a Government and we are rezoning additional land across the country. We will see additional houses built in our towns

particular, the development of accommodation for new recruits has been a priority for the Department. In terms of the existing Defence Forces residential housing stock in the Curragh Camp, of 104 residential units, 63 residential properties are uninhabitable. None of these properties can be brought … many were built prior to the introduction of building regulations. Consultants were commissioned to assess the condition of the Defence Forces vacant housing stock and its suitability for conversion or refurbishment to provide for additional single living-in accommodation for Defence Forces personnel. That consultancy reported its recommendations

this point and how the direction has suddenly changed and the project has not been approved. More broadly, in terms of social housing, between July 2020 and the end of last year, almost 60,000 social houses have been built. There is an absolute commitment there to make

know how to use it. That forum has brought together all our local authorities to make sure that everybody is delivering more social housing as well as making sure we are investing in private, affordable and rental accommodation as well. We are committed to that. We see that … figures, with over 60,000 houses in the last few years alone

need these vital services in Louth, it is Groundhog Day. I raise the need for additional funding and resources for the three housing adaptation grant schemes in Louth. On 1 May, just over a third of the way through the year, Louth County Council had to close … rest of their days. The Minister for local government urgently needs to release more funding to Louth County Council for the housing adaptation schemes. I ask the Minister to take that message directly back to him today as a matter of urgency

investment, I can raise it directly with colleagues. Some €40 billion will be provided over the next number of years directly for housing development and water infrastructure. There will also be additional funding to make sure that grid access or any other type of infrastructure to open … housing development is developed as quickly as possible. If the Deputy provides me with details of the specific projects, I can relay those. If it is planning related, that is obviously a matter for An Coimisiún Pleanála

Most of all, I thank my team, particularly my parliamentary assistant, for the work they have done in bringing this Bill to the House. The justification for this Bill is that it brings about significant reforms to the area of flexible working, which affects a huge part … area of flexible and remote work-life balance in the context of that power imbalance. I look forward to debating it in the House

right that we acknowledge the work the European Union does and the benefits of our membership but, to some in this House, it seems that any criticism of EU policy amounts to an attack on the concept of our ongoing membership, which is utter nonsense. It seems that … difficult conversations, when appropriate. It means standing apart when faced with repugnant behaviour that you simply cannot stand behind. While some in this House today will speak about the EU's contribution to human rights and the rule of law, the fact of the matter is that across

interaction with Israel and so on, I have to accept that there is that difference within a union. Sometimes, people in this House speak about the European Union as if what happens here in Dublin happens everywhere in the European Union or that the views expressed here … solar energy as well. It can help subsidise those electricity-consuming heating systems in homes. There is a lot of talk in this House about plug-in solar but we have to ensure that we get the safety, electricity and regulation right. We can do more in this

tribute to Deputy Nash for his immense work in preparing this mini-budget, which I commend to the House. After Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and the energy crisis that followed, the Labour Party was the first party to call for a windfall … used for energy credits, with the remainder put towards social welfare supports, such as a bonus double payment. On many occasions in this House, I have called for a crackdown on profiteering by energy companies in the midst of this cost-of-living crisis. Time and again

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether local authorities receive guidance from his Department regarding the collection and reporting of citizenship data through PASS; and if so, to provide copies of any such guidance. [36240/26

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the PASS system records the duration of time spent in emergency accommodation by citizenship category; and if so, to provide the average and median duration for Irish citizens, EEA/UK citizens and Non-EEA citizens

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has assessed the proportion of demand for emergency accommodation attributable to population growth arising from inward migration since 2022; and if so, to provide details of that assessment. [36243/26

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether any analysis has been undertaken regarding repeat presentations to homelessness services by persons previously accommodated through IPAS or Temporary Protection accommodation schemes. [36244/26

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether any guidance has been issued to local authorities regarding prioritisation, assessment or placement of persons transitioning from international protection accommodation into homeless services. [36246/26

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of households entering emergency accommodation directly from private rental accommodation in each of the past 24 months, disaggregated by citizenship category where available. [36247/26

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has undertaken any capacity stress-testing scenarios for emergency accommodation demand arising from future migration inflows or international protection pressures. [36248/26

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether any cross-departmental forecasting framework exists between his Department, the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration and the Department of Public Expenditure in relation to future homelessness demand. [36249/26

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the National Homeless Action Committee has received any formal presentations, briefing papers or projections relating to migration-related homelessness pressures since 2022; and if so, to provide details. [36250/26

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of persons exiting International Protection Accommodation Service accommodation with status who subsequently entered emergency accommodation within (i) three months, (ii) six months and (iii) twelve months of exit, for each year since

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether any formal risk assessment has been carried out regarding the sustainability of emergency accommodation capacity under projected population growth trends. [36254/26

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the Department intends to expand published homelessness statistics to include additional demographic and migration-related indicators; and if so, the timeline for same. [36255/26

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the ecological survey undertaken by the National Parks and Wildlife Service in Glennamought Valley in 2004 remains the most recent biodiversity or conservation assessment conducted in the Murphy’s Rock area

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide the scientific findings, habitat classifications, species records, and conservation criteria arising from the 2004 National Parks and Wildlife Service survey of Glennamought Valley in Cork. [36337/26

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reasons the 2004 National Parks and Wildlife Service survey of Glennamought Valley did not recommend Natural Heritage Area designation; and whether those findings have subsequently been reviewed. [36338/26

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether any assessment has been undertaken regarding changes in biodiversity, habitat condition, geological significance, or conservation status in the Murphy’s Rock area since the 2004 survey. [36339/26

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the National Parks and Wildlife Service has considered conducting updated ecological or geological surveys in the Murphy’s Rock area in light of evolving biodiversity mapping standards and climate resilience considerations. [36340/26

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether any protected, rare, threatened, or priority habitats or species have been recorded within the Murphy’s Rock or Glennamought Valley area since 2004. [36341/26

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether Cork County Council has engaged with his Department or the National Parks and Wildlife Service regarding conservation, heritage, biodiversity, or tourism-related designation opportunities connected to Murphy’s Rock. [36342/26

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether any geological assessment has been undertaken regarding the suitability of the Murphy’s Rock area for potential UNESCO Global Geopark-related consideration. [36343/26

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department maintains any formal review mechanism for reconsidering areas previously assessed but not recommended for Natural Heritage Area designation. [36344/26

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the absence of updated ecological surveys in areas previously considered for designation presents any risk to the State’s biodiversity monitoring obligations under EU environmental law. [36345/26

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether any analysis has been undertaken comparing homelessness duration-of-stay outcomes by nationality, citizenship category or immigration status since 2020. [36347/26

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether any national audit has been conducted examining variation between local authorities in homelessness eligibility determinations or emergency accommodation access decisions. [36348/26

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether any formal benchmarking framework exists comparing homelessness service delivery standards across local authorities or homeless regions. [36349/26