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homes being built, on top of over 300 announced previously by Whitebox and Quantum homes. A total of more than 600 houses will be built. Why is that so important? Nenagh is effectively in the centre of the country and is one of the best towns in Ireland … live but we do not live to work. This Bill distinguishes my party, the Labour Party, from every other party in this House. This is what the Labour Party is all about. It is the party of workers, the party that ensures workers come first. Workers should come

thank the Labour Party for bringing this Bill to the House this morning. I listened to the Minister of State's speech. He and the Government really need to wake up to the fact that remote working can benefit not only workers and their families, but local businesses … work with them to ensure they do. Yesterday we spoke about families being priced out of urban centres as a result of house prices increasing by almost 50% since 2020. We are going to have people paying mortgages in their eighties if the Government does not look

about making Ireland work for people and making it work for communities across the country. Officials from the GAA recently appeared before the housing committee and presented their report about the future of the organisation and rural depopulation. It is called No One Shouted Stop - Until … their lives - ag troid ar son a saoil – agus nach cuid den réiteach é tithíocht inacmhainne freisin? They are all interconnected - affordable housing, public transport and remote working. They need to work together. Ireland is not working for so many people who are going out to work. They

then have their travel pass removed when they go to work. That needs to be changed. I have raised it consistently in this House and I would love it to be looked at again. With the cost of disability and everything they are facing at the moment, that … cycle paths should not impede and create bottlenecks in East Wall and on the main road. I have raised it again in this House and the real sense of urgency among local residents. Diversions are proposed again. I commend Labour and Deputy Lawlor on the Bill. There

Then he will get the figures that he needs to influence any debate on this legislation in this House. The Government should lead by example, yet a large percentage of the thousands of calls that we have received are from Government employees who for some reason, after years … forcing workers back into the office. That is a fact. I have spoken recently with Grow Remote and as have colleagues in the House. I have listened to their experiences and the potential that this sector represents for this country. They have a very detailed training programme that

should be dealing with this legislation. The Minister has described it as the most substantial piece of immigration legislation this House has dealt with in many years. The truth is that it is being rushed. It is being rushed not because it is emergency legislation … ongoing when the deadline for amendments to this legislation was reached. That is no way to carry out the legislative business of the House. It makes a mockery of the Second Stage process and of any semblance of democratic discussion taking place here. What is really frustrating from

saying this, and the Minister will know where I am coming from. Last month, the Government delayed legislation I had before the House on nitrous oxide. I know it is not related to this issue, but the context is similar. The Minister decided to delay that legislation … reason he gave me. As the Minister said, today we are discussing one of the most comprehensive Bills to come before this House and we are rushing through it. We have not had the chance to scrutinise this Bill in the way we should. We have only just

providing a definition. If the Minister is not supporting this amendment, it would be crucially important that he sets out to the House what part of the amendment he is not supporting because, as I have said, this amendment is technical in nature. It seeks … legal professional, probably a judge, to make a determination on what precisely "legal counselling" is. I suggest it is the role of this House to set that definition in place

person employed by the Legal Aid Board who is authorised to provide legal advice or representation". The Minister might inform the House of other avenues or other places where legal advice, legal support or counselling could be provided, but he has to tell us where that is. When … leave the front gates of Leinster House, the chances are that someone is going to give you legal advice in some regard. I know people who have lost their homes because they took legal advice from the wrong fella sitting at the bar who told them

alternatives to detention have been duly considered, in accordance with Recital 33 and Article 10(2) of the Reception Conditions Directive. As the House knows, this directive ensures that on reception, people have access to appropriate food, clothing, housing, etc., and have the right to access work within

want to deal with the issue of detention of unaccompanied minors which has been presented in very emotive way in the House. I need to be clear about the circumstances when it will apply because to listen in to this debate you would think the detention of unaccompanied … what was done previously by just signing a statutory instrument, which will not have the same level of appraisal or consideration by the Houses. I intend to bring forward amendments that will deal with the reception conditions directive. They will come back and we will be able

with the Minister for justice and ask him where that legislation lies. As the Deputy knows, there have been different views across the House on how far the legislation is going. Some wanted the opening hours to go until 6 a.m., and the Deputy is nodding approvingly. There … that debate. I will speak to the Minister of justice to see where we are on that and to bring clarification to the House

have made progress but not enough when it comes to the Travelling community. I recently visited Exchange House in Dublin. As the Deputy knows, I put in place free counselling support for men from 1 September. Exchange House partnered with me and I was able to provide

road safety. He was a singularly impactful Minister in that regard. He saved a lot of lives, even though many in the House at the time disagreed with him on the measures he took. Deputy O'Hara spoke about wind energy guidelines. I will engage with the Minister … There is a lot of pressure on that unit in the Department in respect of the exemptions from planning guidelines, rural housing guidelines and onshore wind guidelines. I do not have the specifics for Deputy Ó Murchú. I know he has raised the communal heating system

transition to electric vehicles, EVs, that Government policy is yet to confront. Large numbers of people, particularly those in apartments, terraced houses and rented accommodation, have no driveway and, under current circumstances, they are precluded from installing a home charger. On-street charging schemes remain extremely limited … households paying a permanent premium just to play their part in the transition. That creates a grossly unequal shift to EVs, based on housing circumstances. The recent report from the National Economic and Social Council, NESC, stresses the need for an inclusive transition. When will the Government publish

that too but that is a figure that he will never reference. Deputy Quaide raised the transition to EVs. He has left the House. Members keep going around in circles because on another day, they support proposals where people do not even have cars outside houses at this

farmers cannot be expected to carry the cost of management alone. Vaccination, where appropriate, is central to disease control, yet vaccines cost money. Housing, handling facilities, veterinary visits, movement planning and compliance all add expense and complexity. These are not optional measures; they are being demanded … months for clarity or assistance. Climate change is amplifying these pressures. Longer midge seasons increase the risk of bluetongue transmission. Wetter conditions complicate housing and animal health. Heat stress and nutritional challenges reduce resilience in livestock. These are not failures of farm management; they are systemic climate impacts

trouble. The price of cattle would come down despite what people have done over the winter. There are other questions. When cattle are housed, are they safe? I do not see midges in housed cattle. We had midges at times, such as in the bog and other such

could be argued that during the entire Brexit process, when all of Europe and the entire British establishment was in absolute turmoil, this House remained steadfast in setting out very clearly that the only way we could operate in terms of the food market … make sure that any challenges that our farmers are presented with are not imposed on them because of the failures of the House and Department to provide support. The core point I want to make is that we deal with this on an all-Ireland basis and stop

advantages Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael magicians can conjure up, working families are effectively shut out of their own housing market. Workers, young couples, nurses, teachers, doctors, gardaí, construction workers and so many more simply cannot compete financially with institutional buyers, which can outbid any offer and absorb … families. For years, Sinn Féín has warned that allowing vulture funds and investment vehicles to swoop in and hoover up homes makes the housing crisis worse, not better. These funds see these properties not as homes but as profit-making assets, nothing more than entries in a spreadsheet

know in this House, members of the Irish Defence Forces serve the State at home and overseas in often high-risk and demanding roles. The level of commitment from Defence Forces must be matched by fair and sustainable working conditions. The Minister will be aware Ireland was recently … compliance with the European Social Charter as regards the workplace conditions of Irish Defence Forces personnel. Will the Minister please advise the House how the new strategic framework for the transformation of the Defence Forces will improve Defence Forces working conditions

wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 39 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty - To discuss preservation of the GAA pitch at St. Mary's Boys' National School … review of the Garda vetting process and planned measures for simplification. Deputy Louise O'Reilly - To discuss funding for provision of community-based housing for adults with disabilities in Dublin Fingal West. Deputy Tom Brabazon - To discuss the principle of pay parity in Irish law. Deputy Barry Heneghan

section 39 workers. About 50 Northside Home Care Services workers engaged in industrial action during January. They are going to be outside Leinster House at 10 a.m. tomorrow. They have been involved in industrial action because they were reclassified as section 39 workers as a result … Minister of State to intervene and possibly meet the workers tomorrow morning when they are outside the gates of the House

fair wind. We did so because of the absolute dire situation this country faces in terms of infrastructure development, most notably in housing. The kind of economic development we all want to see simply will not happen if we do not address the key concerns we all have … around housing provision, renewable energy, transport links and improving connectivity around the country. Will the Minister put on the record, in terms of the accountability measures outlined in the plan, any legislative interventions that might be required this year? For example, I notice there is a heavy emphasis

been a perverse situation if this kind of process were in place in recent years, given that we have had the Department of housing overpromising and under-delivering for years. We could have a situation in the annual budget round and the Estimates process, where the Department … housing, in the context of what the Minister is seeking to do here, could essentially be sanctioned with a reduction in its budget for not performing. Are financial penalties for under-delivering Departments the kind of thing we are talking about in this regard

Science the measures being taken to address projected construction-sector labour shortages over the coming years, in order to ensure that national housing and infrastructure delivery targets remain achievable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17540/26

Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide an outline of the key measures in the Careers in Construction Action Plan that will promote housing construction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22094/26

Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Housing; Local Government and Heritage the number of vacant homes in the State that are valued at more than one million euro; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29277/26

Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Housing; Local Government and Heritage the measures residents can take if they are not satisfied with a property managing agent and/or the owners management company in a residential development whereby they are being invoiced for enhancement works that are not being

Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his Department's definition of vacant and dereliction for homes. [29329/26

Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Housing; Local Government and Heritage to advise if the Vacant Above the Shop Grant will be made available to micro companies to ensure the widest take-up of this initiative to ensure it is a success, ensuring new and small businesses

Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason for delays in the processing of land registration applications, including amendments relating to boundary errors; the reason requests to expedite such applications are now accepted only from legal representatives; if he is aware

Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will conduct an immediate management audit following the latest reports of repeated breaches of house rules related to public intoxication and aggressive behaviour in Saggart village; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29440/26

concerns that High Court stamp fees may impede access to justice for individuals seeking to vindicate fundamental rights in areas such as housing, social-welfare entitlements, disability rights, education access, and equality or discrimination claims; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29412/26

Executive regarding the retention, disposal, or repurposing of residential properties; whether consideration has been given to the use of such properties in addressing housing or accommodation pressures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29294/26

Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the measures for housing liaison officers, health supports and funeral grant supports announced in the recent package of supports via the Department under the auspices of the Supports for Survivors for institutional Abuse Act 2025 are only

Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 1828 of 14 April 2026, concerning Moanveanlagh bog, if there are ongoing investigations into finding alternative sites; if the compensation scheme will end in 2026; and if he will make

Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide details of the number of legal actions against his Department that have been resolved without going to court in line with the 2023 State Litigation Principles; if his Department is fully applying the State

Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 1691 and 1695 of 14 April 2026, the number of new staff sanctioned for hire in Kildare County Council, Kerry County Council, Fingal County Council and Meath County Council

Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the body or bodies responsible for compiling and publishing the monthly homelessness figures; the methodology and data sources used in their preparation, including the role of local authorities and the Pathway Accommodation and Support System

Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when he will confirm the eligibility of small local, family-owned businesses for the vacant above-the-shop grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28881/26

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the existing derelict sites levy can be applied as a charge on the site. [28903/26

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether it is possible to pro-rata charge the derelict sites levy from the date of valuation. [28904/26

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the new derelict sites tax whether he has considered compulsory sale orders. [28905/26

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he is aware that local authorities are applying derelict site levy waivers on the grounds of goodwill gestures; and whether this is allowed. [28906/26

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether provision exists for the negotiation of payment of a derelict sites levy to reduce the amount paid and waive the remainder. [28907/26

Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding the flexible working and remote working policies in place for civil servants in his Department; if there is any discrepancy in these policies based on seniority; and if he will make a statement

Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding the flexible working and remote working policies in place for staff that work for any agencies under the remit of his Department; if there is any discrepancy in these policies based on seniority

Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if any review is ongoing in relation his Department’s policy on flexible working and remote working for civil servants in his Department, particularly in the context of increased fuel prices; and if he will make

Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline the funding that is being provided to Local Authorities to support the management of the derelict sites register; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28972/26