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councils could keep a good eye on what needs to be done with infrastructure and within the areas. The Deputies of this House could also keep in line with that and let the Government know where the money was being sent. The other thing was that they were … moment, we have defunct systems all over the country? I have always said and I will say again that there are people building houses. They are designing and delivering them. Let them build the infrastructure for it within the criteria of what the Government wants. They can make

progress. It is in Clonshaugh in my constituency and it is vital for dealing with sewage for at least 300,000 new houses, again, not just in the city but in the greater Dublin region, including Meath and other counties. Its importance to the region is vital … delays of the past. If we fail to deliver these projects, the two big ones I mentioned in particular, we risk jeopardising housing delivery and economic growth in this region for generations to come

will follow up on many of the themes raised by many of my colleagues on this side of the House. I welcome the level of investment to go into Uisce Éireann over the next few years. From meeting the Uisce Éireann team at the infrastructure committee, I know … place, not only to do the work it wants to do to repair water lines but also to help as regards the housing needed over the coming years. Uisce Éireann is very positive that the funding it is getting from the Government puts it in a strong position

practical, logical thinking. I was endorsed by Seán Dublin Bay Loftus, a former Independent TD. When he was running for this House, he was trying to save Dublin Bay. Now, Dublin Bay still needs protection. We see oysters are being introduced at Howth. I would love … Gogarty talk about me with private wires and energy. I will not go into that. We are discussing Uisce Éireann. Water infrastructure and housing need to go hand in hand. I am delighted to see the great work of the engineers on the Shannon project

those seeking housing. There are reasons particular cases like this happen. They are disgraceful but they happen. We will work hard to resolve this in the best interests of the taxpayer and those seeking housing

homes was built in my constituency of north Tipperary and north-west Kilkenny. I will give some examples of areas where we need housing. Towns like Nenagh, Thurles, Roscrea, Borrisokane, Ballina and Newport, Templemore, Borrisoleigh, Urlingford, Freshford, Toomyvara, Cloghjordan and Cappagh White are just examples of towns … with unsustainable rents want to afford to live. I want my constituency of north Tipperary and north-west Kilkenny to get real affordable housing schemes in our towns and our villages. I gave just some examples; I could give many more. What will the Government do to deliver

amount of resources went from the Department of the Taoiseach last year into trying to strategise and manage the visit to the White House for St. Patrick's Day. I am wondering what the hell level will be needed this year for the Taoiseach to manage such … goes ahead because we have a demagogue, dangerously unleashed at this point. I was never a fan of the shamrock at the White House. There are other ways of meeting important people without giving that photo opportunity to somebody like Donald Trump. What is the Taoiseach

approach we are going to take. Turning to Deputy Boyd Barrett, yes, we do need a sustainable society. We need social and affordable housing. I do not believe our councillors scoff at anything to do with housing. They take it very seriously

going to inspect and access people's homes. Ultimately, if licensing is not going to be a superficial act of these Houses of the Oireachtas, and if it is to mean something, we need to have a clear sense of what the enforcement framework is going to look … must take more immediate action. We very much welcome this Bill. We want to see it move at a timely pace through this House and on to the Seanad. We need to see a substantial beefing up of the substance and content of the Bill

need privatisation. We need more HSE care assistants to provide services for these people. There is a nursing home in my constituency, Heather House, Gurranabraher, on the old orthopaedic campus, the St. Mary's campus. There are 19 beds in a special dementia unit. In August … north side of Cork, I could fill it. Not the HSE, I could fill that dementia unit today at Heather House

will. I could fill that today. I am dealing with one family. The back garden of their house backs onto the wall of the hospital and they cannot get into it. The man's family are looking out the door when they are caring for their father … there is a dementia unit right there, 200 or 300 yd from his house. Another lady has to stay miles away because there is a shortage of dementia units and beds where people can go. The staff tell her daughter that when she comes to visit, the improvement

disappointing is not only does it not appear that it is simply one part of a whole strategy in terms of care and housing for people as they age, it does not even appear to be the level of substance needed to address this one area - home care … that hundreds of people over 65 are living in emergency accommodation. Ireland's ageing population necessitates a whole-of-government response, in terms housing, our funding models and care. That is the Minister of State's specific remit. What I ask him take away from this is that

work he has done not only in bringing forward this legislation but in setting out the issues around nitrous oxide for this House. We know it has legitimate uses in the medical and catering sectors but it is clear that its sale must be regulated in the interests … State. It is clear that young people are using it because it is cheaper than alcohol and because it is readily available. This House has to listen to the people in the field. Sometimes we do things with the best intentions only for them to have other impacts

schools and playgrounds and on football pitches where young people are. They are just discarded on the road. I went out of my house to the green area across the road and picked up 15 canisters last weekend. That was just on a green space outside my house

underspend, I have addressed this issue with the Deputy and Deputy Ó Snodaigh previously. The problem we have with many of the buildings housing the national cultural institutions is that they are not straightforward buildings like Leinster House. We have to go through a difficult and protracted procurement

urban areas in particular. Funding to local authorities to improve the amenity of communities is primarily a matter for the Department of housing and the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and I intend to engage with him regarding the programme for Government commitment to ensure

prefabs. I do not think there is any other school in the country like this and I will challenge people in this House to identify any other school that is in this situation. Some of the prefabs have been there for more than 20 years … devolved for delivery to Waterford and Wexford Education and Training Board, WWETB", and, essentially, that is at stage 2b. As colleagues in this House will know, I tend to refer to stage 2b as purgatory. It is that sort of holding place that the Department of education

Minister will know, and as a direct result of Government policy, the housing situation in this State is - what is the word we are using now? Is it "crisis"? "Emergency"? "Disaster"? Any of those would be used, but "expensive" and, in many instances, "unaffordable" are the words people … question relates to additional cost-of-living measures. Has the Minister given any consideration to such measures, given the rate of housing costs in the State

also increased the fuel allowance by €5 per week, which is a 15% increase. We will continue to work with the Department of housing in relation to supports offered through rent supplement for housing costs

million for HAP. The issue of a review of the rent limits is a matter in which my colleague, the Minister for housing, is taking the lead. I understand the Minister has approved the commencement of a review of HAP rent limits. Officials from my Department will provide … input to this review. Any changes to the rent supplement limits will then be aligned to the outcome of the housing assistance payment review. It is important to note, however, that there is flexibility in the application of rent supplement limits, with higher rent supplement payments that

bring to him a small delegation who have a number of concerns about the fair deal scheme. There are an awful lot of houses in Ireland that are sitting idle at the moment under the fair deal scheme that people are not renting out because of the situation … They are anticipating situations like this that are not currently being looked at in the legislation. Roughly 8,000 houses around the country are currently vacant due to the fair deal scheme

Obviously, I am not the Minister for housing, but I will take this issue up with him. I would point out that the Government has been very proactive in protecting homeowners in Donegal. I acknowledge all those homeowners who have applied for the current scheme, which was enhanced … those families that are affected in Donegal. I will raise the specific issue Deputy Ward brought up with the Minister for housing

provide for connected matters. I am delighted to introduce the Equal Status (Access to Toilet Facilities) Bill 2026 to the House today. Some people simply cannot wait until they get home to use toilet facilities. This is particularly true for those who live with chronic and invisible health … their organisations to discuss this important matter. I have Crohn's disease and I know there are other people in this House who unfortunately have that disease too. We are among over 40,000 people in the country who suffer from this chronic disease. Many more thousands have

centre in west Dublin consumes enough energy to power 200,000 homes. We have already seen a data centre given priority over a housing development in Castlebaggot. This was meant to be for houses but because of the first-come, first-served model, it was given to data

people who came back to Ireland last year, we see over 30,000 Irish people returning after an experience abroad. We talk about housing and destinations such as Canada and Australia. The biggest issues there are the affordability and availability of housing with average prices in rental terms

Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way in which he oversees the comparator selection for determining cost rental rates. [24735/26

Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide a schedule of the number of staffing posts Kildare County Council will apply for between 2022 and Q4 2025: the number that were withdrawn; the number that were refused; if refused

Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage that has been given by his Department to amending Building Regulations 2010 Part M to mandate a minimum percentage of wheelchair liveable dwellings. [24757/26

Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount of the €50 million Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) provided to Cork City Council in 2021 for the regeneration of Grand Parade which remains unspent; and if he will make a statement

Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide a schedule of the number of staffing posts Kildare County Council, Kerry County Council, Fingal County Council and Meath County Council applied for between 2022 and Q4 2025: the number that were

Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage while the Apartments and Duplex Defects Remediation Bill 2024 awaits enactment, if OMCs are legally permitted to collect levies from owners for defect works that will qualify for 100% grant funding under the scheme

Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage under the enacted the Apartment and Duplex Remediation Bill 2024, the obligations the OMCs have to apply for grant funding before or instead of levying owners; and the statutory protections that will ensure owners

Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to the enactment of the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks (Amendment) Act 2025, and noting that part of the scheme has been administrated by Donegal County Council, when

Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to raise the ceiling for the first home scheme to €450,000 in Limerick as current ceiling is not in line with market prices; and if he will make a statement on the matter

Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when he will publish the list of the new planning regulations that are coming into effect this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24907/26

Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will engage with Dublin City Council to review their budget shortfall for resurfacing and general road maintenance repairs across the city; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24915/26

Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will engage with local authorities to agree a uniform set of rules for the application of the means assessment for HAP; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24916/26

Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his view on whether carers allowances should be disregarded as assessable income for HAP; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24917/26

Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether owners management companies can lawfully collect levies for defect works that will qualify for 100% grant funding under the scheme while the Apartment and Duplex Defects Remediation Bill 2024 awaits enactment; if owners management companies

Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the specific measures he is taking to provide accommodation for one-parent families given the higher vulnerability of this group to experience homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24974/26

Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide details of the delivery achieved to date under the 2025 Planned Maintenance/Voids Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24979/26

Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if an entitlement to the current rate of RAS payment of a person will be affected in cases in which a tenant may receive an inheritance; and if he will make a statement on the matter

Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of civil and public servants in his Department and agencies under its remit who have received training in AI, data literacy, or digital skills in the past year; and if he will make

Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to expedite the introduction of the over-shop grant (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25045/26

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of AHB P and A agreements commenced in 2024 and 2025; the average length of the agreements; the average cost of these agreements; and the details of all costs covered in the monthly availability

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to publish the data used to create charts (details supplied). [25078/26

Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to previous requests (details supplied) to consider a planning permission waiver for short-term lets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25185/26

Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he plans to review and update the Local Government Fund equalisation mechanism, in light of concerns regarding the adequacy of funding provided to certain local authorities, including Galway County Council; whether he will acknowledge

Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will publish submissions received from stakeholders on the upcoming exempted development regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25225/26

Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the initial estimated allocation compared to the actual outturn for the period of carbon tax to his Department, disaggregated by the programme or measure funded, for each of the years