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home ownership. The only way to deal with the housing crisis is by a declaration in law of a housing emergency, a right to housing in the Constitution, large-scale construction of social and affordable housing by local authorities on public land, rent reductions, a rent freeze … tackling the housing crisis in Irish-speaking areas. It was formed in response to the lack of affordable and social housing and planning difficulties, and demands the right of local Irish-speaking communities to get housing in their own areas. It aims to prevent the depopulation of Gaeltacht

argument very well that there is a viability gap when it comes to apartments. There is a viability gap when it comes to housing right across Ireland. That is why we have a situation which has emerged where we have a housing crisis, where there is a peak … building. The reason for this is that they cannot afford to. That is a viability gap and it is actually choking housing delivery right across Ireland. What has the Government done for these people in the budget? Nothing. Instead, the Government acknowledges and recognises that there

allowed? This is absolutely the correct place for this issue to be addressed. It was in Deputy Alan Kelly’s housing plan, rightly, but never implemented. It was in Simon Coveney’s housing plan, rightly, but never implemented. It was in the plan of former Minister for housing … ensure that people have access to adequate homes. The Minister for housing is on the front page of today's Irish Examiner saying it is all about supply. That is not the right answer. It must be the right kind of supply in the right place

that need to be done and delivering housing, especially houses that are built. It is just not in Carrignavar but right across the State that there are houses that have … been built that should be delivered. I raised with the Minister in the housing committee last week the thousands of boarded-up council houses right across the State. I asked him a straight question and, to be fair, he gave me a straight answer. It was the wrong

Chamber, housing is a fundamental human right. I do not think it is a coincidence that there is no mention of housing being a human right in the Government's new housing plan, because what is going on in Donegal, Mayo and other counties, including Limerick, Sligo … Clare, shows why housing is a fundamental human right. We have people, children and families living in housing situations that are completely unsustainable, with holes in walls, children crying and worrying about whether the house will fall down, and families and parents crying at night wondering what they

does not stand up. The Minister will not do that just like the Government will not have a referendum to hold a right to housing to make housing a human right because it does not believe that it is a human right. As I said earlier … Belgium. Why will the Minister not do that? It is because he will not step up and state, "We believe housing is a human right. This is an emergency. We will take these measures." The Government is introducing a Bill that still very much does not addressing fundamental

doing the bidding of those who want ever higher rents and house prices while our young people are locked out of the basic need of a home, which is a fundamental human right. It is not mentioned once … housing plan that housing is a human right. Where is the Housing Commission recommendation for a referendum to put a right to housing in the Constitution? It is at the heart of why we are in this mess

tenants continue to live in unsafe homes impacted by defective concrete block and Celtic Tiger era building defects; further notes that: — housing is a human right; — the cost-of-living crisis is putting ever greater pressure on workers and families while access to key public services including healthcare … including Tenant In Situ and Housing First. As we speak, there are several thousand people outside, comprising trade unionists, workers for homeless charities, housing rights activists, students, political parties, renters, aspiring home buyers and people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. I left them moments ago. They

places on creating the environment needed for the building of more homes. One vital part of this is creating the right conditions to attract inward investment in housing development, particularly in building apartments. Delivering Homes, Building Communities details a suite of complementary measures to do just this. They … procurement. We will free-up the private sector to provide homes at much greater scale by providing more zoned and serviced land for housing right across the country. The full implementation of the Planning and Development Act 2024 will be another game-changer for the wider housing system

including recommendations pertaining to a referendum on housing, in May of last year. There were differing views within the commission on the right to housing and no consensus on what was a complex issue. At the moment, the Government is fully focused on measures to tackle homelessness, increase … enabling infrastructure needed for public and private housing developments and unblock infrastructure delays on the ground. This practical focus on housing supply is my priority right now but I will keep the report to the commission on this area under review

cannot afford ever-increasing housing market prices and who will never be able to acquire mortgages due to low earnings. Housing should be a fundamental constitutional right. Every citizen should be entitled to a roof over … head and to shelter. I hope that in its lifetime, this Government will consider bringing a referendum to the people on the right to housing. I am glad to support his motion. I hope it will be supported by all Deputies

referendums last year, is something we would have to give great consideration to. If we put a referendum on the right to housing before the Irish people and it was rejected, we would find ourselves in a very difficult place in terms of housing policy. It is something … slow. In the case of the Ballymun shopping centre site in my constituency, there is currently no proposal to build housing on the site, which is right in the middle of Ballymun, yet it is an ideal site on which a body such as the Land Development Agency

thank the Deputy. The Government's youth homelessness strategy commits to developing an annual information and awareness campaign on housing rights, as well as available supports specifically targeting young people. This is essential to do, particularly online where young people, who are most impacted, are most active … style or tone of content prepared by or for young people. That is why SpunOut is rightly involved and it does an excellent job. At the time of the Oireachtas housing committee, I understood the campaign, while flowing directly from my Department's youth homeless strategy

need to see a major influx of funding and investment in housing and particularly in affordable, cost-rental and social housing. Right now, thousands of people are without secure, affordable housing and they are crying out for solutions. They are looking for the Minister and this Government … from the Minister. Right across the board, we see these issues. Just to let the Minister know, according to an answer we got at a meeting of Cork City Council last night, the council has spent over €250 million boarding up houses and putting up these metal shutters

urgency, no emergency measures, no reset of housing policy as recommended by the Housing Commission, and the commitment to hold a right to housing referendum has been reneged on. The section on disability services is weak, vague and non-specific. There is no proposal to eliminate the huge

really addressing the key obstacles to housing and will not deliver housing at an affordable level. Many people in my city and county of Cork and across the country are doing everything right. They are doing everything they can. They are saving, working, trying to improve their education … issue of the R624. The Minister was in the docklands in Cork recently. There is huge potential there. We need to get it right. Housing there needs to be affordable. It cannot only be apartments for people on high incomes. A community needs to be built there

commend the amazing Lelia Doolan, the long-time neutrality activist and human rights campaigner. She is outside the gates of Leinster House right now having completed a mammoth 220 km walk from Shannon Airport. Lelia is 91 years of age and has been walking in a gentle, peaceful … Shannon Airport by the US military. She has asked for a meeting with the Taoiseach and Government TDs. I think she is right. I want to express the support of the Labour Party for her. As we all know, and as we have seen in recent weeks, Donald

land beside Liffey Valley Shopping Centre in an industrial area right beside the M50. It would have made perfect logical sense to build housing right opposite a major shopping centre. People could just walk across the road to it and there was space for a school as well … gets a diktat saying it has to identify bits of land left, right and centre, one of which is in the actual Liffey valley. This is St. Edmundsbury, where there is a proposal to put houses along a so-called transport hub that is regularly congested because

safe, high-quality and person-centred way. We can only achieve that with the right people and with access to the right housing needs. Addressing workplaces challenges, including the recruitment and retention of a strong workforce, and having the right regulatory environment for the sector in place … from congregated settings. Between 2022 and 2024 €52.4 million of CAS was provided by the Department of housing to deliver 280 units of housing for disabled people. In addition to supporting residential services this year’s budget also provides funding for the provision and expansion of a variety

policy change basis and this is reflected in that. We will take further decisions in terms of delivery of infrastructure and housing right across our economy. That will be the new housing plan and the infrastructure reforms it will underpin. There are issues that we need

emergency measures, no reset of housing policy as recommended by the Housing Commission and the commitment to hold a referendum on the right to housing has been reneged on. The section on disability services is weak, vague and non-specific. There is no proposal to eliminate the long

procurement. We will free up the private sector to provide homes at much greater scale by providing more zoned and serviced land for housing right across the country. The Government has delivered a revised national planning framework, enabling the zoning of significantly more land. Apartment standards have been … rental for purchase or private. We are determined to get those homes delivered right across the country. Our plan is already starting to show. It is showing momentum with a significant increase in housing delivery. We have seen an increase in planning permissions in the third quarter

issue in housing is supply. Everything the Government is doing is and will be focused on increasing the supply of houses right across the board. This includes an increased number of social houses. In the last four years, a record 48,000 social houses have been provided

fully agree. The housing activation office and Garret Doocey are doing a very good job, along with the team and the seconding in of people from other State agencies. The Deputy is right that … have allocated a lot of money and communities now want to see those projects delivered quickly. Each of those projects are enablers for housing right across the country as well. I personally believe there are two ways the Government should operate: the Government should help when

authority for people with physical and intellectual disabilities as well as right-sizing requirements. More crucially, those plans will not be based on objective need because they will ignore about half of the gross social housing need in the functional areas of the local authorities. There … need for at least consideration of the re-introduction of emergency ban on no-fault evictions and a referendum on the right to housing, are not on the Minister’s agenda. Again I ask when will he introduce an emergency response, above and beyond what he is doing

receiving the full report may undermine fair procedures, transparency and the effective exercise of appeal rights; whether this practice arises from legislation, regulations or administrative guidance issued by his Department or the Housing Agency; and if the latter, to provide copies of any such guidance or template correspondence

asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the annual targets to 2030 for the delivery of housing designed for older people, including age-friendly, supported, and right-sizing units; and the expected delivery for Cork city and Cork county. [63940/25

Monaghan bombings, the shooting of innocent civilians by the British state, internment without trial, widespread discrimination in housing and employment, long-standing official opposition to Irish-language rights in the North, the civil rights movements in the North and in the Gaeltacht in the post-World

Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage how his Department assesses the impact of housing policies on children, specifically regarding the use of a children’s rights framework; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26543/25

Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of stock audits undertaken; and his views on whether social housing provision will now be found compliant by the European Committee of Social Rights. [3475/26

Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if measures will be introduced to strengthen renters’ rights, including increasing RTB powers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3579/25

Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when his Department will allocate funding and introduce a national right sizing policy that will allow local authorities re-establish a scheme given that Dublin City Council has had to pause its financial contribution scheme

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures in place to support older people who wish to right-size; the number of households who availed of these supports in 2023 and 2024; and whether additional incentives are planned under

neurological condition, to outline the specific accommodations that are made in relation to applicable benefits, accessible housing, and subsidised travel, in line with the recommendations of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. [38340/25

Department has assessed the cumulative impact of judicial reviews on the delivery of major housing or infrastructure projects; and if reforms are being considered to reduce systemic delay while preserving the right to appeal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63582/25

Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if under the new rules introduced, and the section regarding the rights of landlords/ tenants, that from 1 March 2026 there can be no evictions for a period of six years with two exceptions only (details

Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update on plans to introduce a right-sizing policy, if this will include local authority tenants. [29070/25

being taken to increase the availability of accessible housing; and if he will ensure that housing policy aligns with the State’s commitment to independent living under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, including reducing reliance on institutional care settings for adults under

Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for a status update on the General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill; to explain the delays in this legislation considering that pre-legislative scrutiny was completed in 2023; and if he will

aware of a protest being conducted by four survivors of Industrial schools outside Leinster House; if her Department is engaging in any work to respond to their demand for State Contributary Pension rights; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60593/25

measure; the estimated likely effect on the supply and capital value of private rental housing; if any legal advice has been obtained as to the potential constitutional implications of restricting an owner’s right to sell with vacant possession; and if he will make a statement

Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if landlords with tenancies in place prior to 1 March 2026 will continue to retain the right to terminate a tenancy under section 34 of the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004 to 2025 where vacant possession

Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to address the many scenarios in which citizens and registered voters are unable to exercise the right to vote due to, for example, illness (including Covid); holidays; work abroad; and so on; and if he will

Government and Heritage the measures are in place to help older social housing tenants who wish to move from a larger home to a smaller, suitable home in their own community; and whether additional right sizing homes are planned for Cork Northwest. [69268/26

Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will commit to a public information campaign to inform tenants of their existing rights and protections under residential tenancies legislation, in light of reports that tenants are being warned by landlords of potential

Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he intends to progress the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2024 with regard to the rights of students in digs accommodation; if his Department intends to work or introduce any related legislation in this area

Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has exercised his Ministerial discretion to weigh the public interest in transparency against the privacy rights of individuals named in a report (details supplied); his Department's definitive timeline for resolving this matter

establish an open prison for women, similar to Shelton Abbey and Loughan House; and if no such plans exist, to provide an explanation for this decision and how it aligns with Ireland's human rights obligations. [51405/26

Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 350 of 14 May 2026, if he will consider additional correspondence in relation to the right to cut turf (details supplied); and proceed to positively conclude the CTCCS applications

Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the marine protected area legislation; if this legislation will be a Bill in its own right and not amending legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30088/25