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curriculum the things that need to be discussed. These are things that are being discussed anyway about education, climate, transport, health and housing. Young people are discussing these things in their own groups. They just need to be able to have a say in votes. It would … shame on all of our houses if we go beyond this without progressing this legislation to lower the voting age to 16. There are so many reasons we have to do the right thing here and the Minister of State knows

with me. They are from Confey College in Leixlip. They are only delighted to get the opportunity to come up today to Leinster House and see democracy in action. They have ideas. They care about housing. They care about climate change. They care about being heard. They have

Labour Party believes, that the voting age should be lowered to 16. This is something Joe Costello, who served in this House for many years, first introduced in a Bill as far back as 2006. This is a fair change but it is forward thinking, inclusive and necessary … into darkness. We would be giving young people a real say in their future. The political decisions we are making in climate, education, housing, healthcare and the future digital regulation of social media companies, these are all long-term issues that will affect us consequentially, probably

made. They are the ones who on the current trajectory are going to be forced to emigrate, because they cannot afford to get housing here. They are the ones affected by all of it and they are fully mature. I will come back to the point on maturity … agri businesses. The Government thinks that is immature and not taking the economy seriously. It thinks saying we should invest money in building housing that is affordable is immature because we do not understand how the market works. When it says young people are not mature enough

Deputy is Deputy Farrelly is not something "out there". It is operating well in European countries we travel to. The Minister for housing will meet other Ministers for housing in the days and months ahead at EU Councils who have been elected by 16- and 17-year-olds

they are 22 or 23. We need to bring down the voting age for exactly that reason. I have heard Members across the House talking about the progressive ideas of young people. That is something we need to encourage in politics, because young people will bring fresh ideas … fresh perspective and lived experience. My generation and the generation below me are the ones who are going to be going through this housing crisis and are dealing with the health crisis. As other Deputies have said, young people can be carers. They can go into the Army

others in welcoming so many students to the Gallery. It is great to see the engagement. You are more than welcome to Leinster House. As Deputies are aware, this Bill proposes to amend the Constitution in order to lower the age at which persons are entitled to vote … vote in elections to Dáil Éireann. Any Bill such as this one which proposes to amend the Constitution must be passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas, and a referendum is then held. In his earlier contribution, the Minister of State, Deputy Brophy, outlined the reasons the Government

thank both Ministers of State for their contributions to the debate, which I appreciate. I thank Deputies from all sides of the House for their important and meaningful contributions. There are a couple of things I would like to say in wrapping up. First, it is that … thanks to my friends in the Social Democrats for allowing me the time to introduce this Bill and to everybody across the House for thinking about what they would say and saying it so eloquently and respectfully. I also thank the young people and youth workers

launched in 2018 as one of the flagship elements of Project Ireland 2040. URDF is the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Browne. It provides up to 75% funding for applicant-led projects to support a programme of significant transformational capital … library by Cork City Council. There has been a significant level of engagement between Cork City Council and officials from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in relation to the project. I understand a revised preliminary business case that will set out the council’s preferred

Stephen, on previous occasions, as has Deputy McDonald. I respect the Deputy's commitment to the issue. As I have said in this House before, no words of condolence or consolation to Harvey's parents are enough. It is an enormous trauma for any parent to go through … October setting out the range of types of inquiries available. The Minister subsequently attended the audiovisual room briefing, which many Members of this House also attended, to listen to the requests being made. There will be a meeting today between the Minister and the Tánaiste following

thank the Deputy for raising what is a very important issue. The Minister for housing and the Minister of State in that Department are examining that issue of the guidelines for rural planning. Obviously, it can make a contribution to the housing issue - there is no question about

Last week Exchange House Ireland, the national Traveller service, presented to the joint Oireachtas committee on issues affecting the Travelling community, particularly regarding health issues. It spoke about the complexity of issues which determine the poor health outcomes for members of the Travelling community. I acknowledge there … community who suffer from mental health issues. There is an awareness this disproportionately affects the Traveller community but the data provided by Exchange House Ireland was stark and requires a response. In comparison to rates for the population in Ireland as a whole, indications are the rate

This pejorative language, this attempt to label people, is a problem in the House. The left will condemn the far right and so on but it is not even prepared to allow people to have a discussion in the House on these issues. I think what they

what is needed. After years of record surpluses and headline promises, families are still being left behind and are struggling with food, energy, housing and transport costs while the Government congratulates itself on token increases that barely touch the size of this crisis. Core welfare payments are falling … targets and quietly pushed them further out of reach. One in five children, that is, over 225,000 children, live in poverty once housing costs are counted. One in five parents now skip meals in order that their children can eat and among lone parents, that figure

Ireland and yet they can tell you how to drive and operate it safely. It is pure nonsense. I have spoken in the House about the National Employment Rights Authority, NERA, many times. That should be changed to a supporting organisation, especially after the last recession … Even if we had that here, and this is a criticism of my colleagues, there are not enough self-employed people in this House. They do not have the time nor the energy to go for it because they are too busy working. We have plenty solicitors, barristers

PRSI roadmap are to address the future sustainability of the Social Insurance Fund, as well as pay-related benefit schemes. I remind the House that we are paying up to €450 per week to recipients under this scheme, which is €200 more than jobseekers' payments. I recognise that … issues around auto-enrolment, which I will move on to now. There has been a lot of debate about auto-enrolment in this House over recent years. With the greatest of respect, while Deputies come in and say they know nothing about it, there have been many opportunities

when it was introduced here in a sneaky way that involved ten years of annual increases without ever coming back before the House. Sinn Féin and others wanted higher carbon taxes. That can never be forgotten. Ar an gcéad dul síos, déanaim comhghairdeas le baile Chluain Meala agus … refusing to stop in those places. There is space. There is certainly loads of space in Kilmanahan. Kilmacomma is a big housing estate on the outskirts of Clonmel. Although it is in County Waterford, it is forgotten about in Port Láirge. They shop, go to school

need not put on the record of the House how important childminders are to the childcare sector in this country. It has been the subject of many conversations we have had here. The Minister is right to say there are concerns among childminders right across the country … what they have done for years. They are the cornerstones of many communities. I need not put that on the record of the House either. There are concerns coming out of what is happening, including one provider in my county who has now been subject to rates, unfortunately

Deputy for raising these matters. As we said previously, they are matters that are of enormous concern to all of us in this House and, indeed, right across government and I would say right across society. I want to say sincerely that I am deeply saddened … which is to be chaired by Ms Tanya Ward, the CEO of the Children's Rights Alliance. As I said earlier to the House, I can confirm that phase 1 of the project is under way and a number of steps have been taken to date. The membership

Gorman asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the engagement she and her officials have had in 2025 with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage with respect to changing or improving planning rules to ensure delivery of childcare facilities in housing developments; the progress

creche. They are told it has been too expensive to fit out, it is because the developer wants to rezone it as a house and sell it as such or, most infuriatingly of all, there is no demand in the area for crèche spaces. As the Minister … buildings. When I was in the Minister's role, I put in place a process to address this to get the Department of housing to draft newer, stronger guidelines. Can the Minister give us a sense of when she expects to see those guidelines published

provision of childcare places and crèches, specifically the right type of building. I have areas in my constituency where massive private housing estates are being built and the childcare centres are not and have not been built at all. I have queried them with Cork City Council regarding … estate in Glanmire where 500 houses are being built with no parks, no playground, no community centre and no childcare centre going in there. To me, we need these guidelines delivered. We saw during the Celtic tiger what happened when there was just building. We need to build

together. The committee did a very good job. The timeline for pre-legislative scrutiny is set down by the Standing Orders of this House, to the best of my knowledge. The committee kept to those timelines and produced a comprehensive report, and I thank Deputy Ó Laoghaire … Government, and we will do that. I am, however, very willing to work with, and in fact very enthusiastic about working with, this House to try to develop an oversight mechanism to provide independent external assurance on adherence to these principles. I do not wish to speak

mandate to debate and discuss those laws, and my mandate is perfectly valid, as is the mandate of every Member of this House. The Deputies cannot pick and choose which mandates they like. We tend not to talk about the President in this House. I will

take the point on the value for money or good value for the taxpayer. I will update the House once we get to the point where we place contracts and the like. Obviously, securing value for money is important. The only priority above that is securing this. That … update the Government on this very shortly and once I have done that, I will be very happy to update the Deputy, the House and the Oireachtas committee. All capital expenditure associated with the delivery of the programme will be met from within the capital allocations

Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the names of wastewater management projects in County Galway for which funding has been made available since 2020; the level of funding made available by Government to each project; the funding shortfall expected to be covered

Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the position regarding a recommendation made by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on issues affecting the Travelling community (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21141/26

Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the position regarding a recommendation made by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on issues affecting the Travelling community (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21142/26

Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the position regarding a recommendation made by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on issues affecting the Travelling community (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21143/26

Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the position regarding a recommendation made by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on issues affecting the Travelling community (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21144/26

Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the position regarding a recommendation made by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on issues affecting the Travelling community (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21145/26

Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the position regarding a recommendation made by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on issues affecting the Travelling community (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21146/26

Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the position regarding a recommendation made by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on issues affecting the Travelling community (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21147/26

Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the position regarding a recommendation made by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on issues affecting the Travelling community (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21148/26

Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the position regarding a recommendation made by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on issues affecting the Travelling community (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21149/26

Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the position regarding a recommendation made by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on issues affecting the Travelling community (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21150/26

Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update regarding a recommendation made by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on issues affecting the Travelling community (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21151/26

Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the position regarding a recommendation made by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on issues affecting the Travelling community (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21152/26

Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update regarding a recommendation made by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on issues affecting the Travelling community (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21153/26

Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide funding for a project in Laois (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21231/26

Energy and the Environment the position regarding the Electricity (Supply) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill; to provide a timeline for its progression through the Houses of the Oireachtas; and an estimated timeline for publication. [20758/26

Minister for Finance to review the current cap to the help to buy scheme to ensure that the cap is inline with house price inflation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20699/26

publicly funded Institute of public administration plans to acquire new multi million euro offices to be paused in light of the continued housing crises or decentralised in light of the Dublin congestion crises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20068/26

Education and Youth in the context of the protection of school children, is she aware of the fact that the previous Minister of Housing, Local Government and Heritage/National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), upon the advice of his then Department/NPWS, withdrew the proactive, elective Derogation Regulation, ; her views

Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of shark fin products and derivatives under Irish Law; the person or body responsible for enforcement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20058/26

Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the refurbishment works that were carried out at each National Park during 2025; if each of those refurbishment works projects are completed or still ongoing at present, in tabular form; and if he will make

Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a bog (details supplied) is included in the Cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18242/26

Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No’s 148,149,150,151,152 of 16 July 2025, if he will provide this Deputy with a complete copy of the Department/NPWS’s correspondence concerning gulls and public health

Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No’s 148,149,150,151,152 of 16 July 2025, and his statement in his reply that he is satisfied that the NPWS carries out their functions in a balanced

Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department or the National Parks and Wildlife Service has issued any public notices that it is perfectly legal under the Wildlife Acts 1976 and 2000 (Amended) to remove nests from occupied buildings provided