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since it was first discussed, which is creating a massive amount of confusion. I have heard of cases whereby, incredibly, one semi-detached house may qualify and the one next to it may not. What type of a mess is that? Likewise, I have heard of cases where … payments should not be late. There should be no excuses in that regard. The idea that there is still no scheme for social housing is a matter of deep concern. There are social houses in Mayo that, as everyone knows, were built using defective concrete blocks. There

when the national development plan doubled down on urban concentration and left rural communities fighting for basic investment? Where was the Minister when housing policies stalled again and again and rural housing delivery was effectively frozen in large parts of the country, an Ghaeltacht san áireamh? Where … delivered. That reflects a wider problem as far as I am concerned. The programme for Government, national planning framework, national development plan and housing plan are not aligned with the stated ambition of the consultation, the last strategy or indeed the Minister's strategy of supporting rural Ireland

welcome this discussion on rural policy. The biggest issues relate to housing and services in rural areas. Often, people in rural areas do not have anything. Sustainable housing is the key in this regard. For that type of housing, we need infrastructure. Those engaged in agriculture, forestry … other rural employment must continue to be allowed to build one-off houses on family land or in appropriate locations. There also needs to be housing for a whole lot of people and their families who live in rural areas and who are engaged in other activities

protection currently benefitting from the scheme, where those beneficiaries of temporary protection have satisfied a means test, similar to those applicable for other housing assistance payments; — new applications, who propose to host a beneficiary of temporary protection in their property, which is also their own primary residence … beneficiaries of temporary protection arriving in Ireland. Sinn Féin has commended, and I commend again, all those who opened rooms in their houses to accommodate people fleeing war. Since then, however, the scheme has morphed into something entirely different. It has impacted on rents in the private rental

Existing tenancies will not be impacted negatively as a result of the changes. The changes arose out of an analysis undertaken by the Housing Finance Agency. Why did it do an analysis? It did an analysis because the Housing Commission said we needed to create certainty, clarity … Those involved in social policy and the academic world have acknowledged and articulated that this is a significant increase in rental protection. The Housing Commission called for this. The ESRI called for this. It was looking for a 4% cap on rents. That is what they recommended

homes are owned in the State by investment institutions or vulture funds, with 500 of those in Laois. This distorts the housing market. It drives up house prices and means these investors are competing with first-time buyers. We need to make thousands of affordable houses … home construction with a modest return on it. That did not happen. There is €170 billion there now so let us have a housing bond scheme for ordinary citizens. They can buy into that and get a modest interest rate tax-free or at a reduced tax rate

doubt about the motive, at the beginning of this year, the Minister, Deputy Lawless, when discussing the Government's thinking, said: ... housing is about international markets. It is actually a spreadsheet in Zurich, New York or Antwerp, more so than a builder looking at a site in Longford … have that is zoned, available, serviced and so on. They should be looking at the labour we have available and saying we need houses for the people in this community, so let us build them. If we could do it in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s

delivered the stability tenants deserve and has not provided the confidence needed to expand the pool of rental homes. The Housing Agency review made clear that the change is needed and that the Bill is that change. I will start with the tenant protections because they are substantial … question that also comes up and that is supply. We all know that the long-term solution to high rents is more housing. Rent controls help but they cannot conjure more homes into existence. This Bill does something important. It pairs stronger protections with a framework that

punishes small property owners. What are we, as TDs, to do? How are we to advise tenants who cannot get access to social housing because their income is too high? There are no affordable housing schemes and now there are fewer properties to rent. I know … mark is reached, the Government is essentially freezing private capital. This legislation forces small-scale property owners to carry the social burden of housing provision at the expense of their own financial security and liquid assets to their investments and disincentivises the sector. The measures we have here

rental market across the country, taking account of stakeholder engagement. The modifications to rent controls have been informed by the findings of the Housing Agency review of rent pressure zones and potential policy options. This review was undertaken to assess the operation of RPZs since their introduction … also to consider whether RPZs should continue without change, be removed, modified or replaced. The review, which is published on the Housing Agency website, involved engagement with a wide variety of stakeholders, including investors, representatives of landlord and tenant advocacy groups, academics and the RTB. The agency submitted

Deputy Cummins, knows full well what I will say. It is over for him and the senior Minister when it comes to providing housing and developing the level of housing required in this country. I refer to what I predicted on 27 April 2012 in this very House … this Government because the lead time is five to seven years. If you do not have the infrastructure, you cannot build the houses. It is like someone trying to perform operations without oxygen or blood. It is impossible. This House, previous Governments, bad politics and short-termism have

legislation. I have to observe, following the exchange between Deputy Doherty and the Minister of State, that we clearly have a Department of housing that is allowed to do what it wants with no political direction. I will never understand how it took over a year to bring … legislation. It is applying an increased cap retrospectively to those going through the scheme. There is no political leadership in the Department of housing and the officials will just do what they want. They are not accountable. They write the script for the Minister and they write

first instance, this video and the information campaign are not a direct Department of housing campaign. As the Deputy said himself, it is something that has been developed by SpunOut, Ireland's youth information and support platform, and the Housing Agency, who ran this campaign. It was developed … young people and it is based on their experiences. Like all of us in this House, I recognise the need to do everything we can to improve the availability and delivery of social and affordable homes right across our country. It has been the single biggest issue

Minister, Deputy Chambers, has just called that "viability gap". It is a direct wealth transfer from a society locked out of affordable housing into the pockets of those shutting them out. It is an incoherent and contradictory policy. The Minister must fancy his chances at the FIFA prize … housing if that should ever come to pass. If the budget primed the locked-out generation for disappointment, the Government's housing plan has pushed them over the edge. We have seen no action on the land speculation, which is delaying delivery, and the reality of land speculation

Minister shall, within 3 months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on the fiscal and housing-market effects of tax reliefs and incentives available to property developers, and on alternative approaches to achieving housing-supply objectives without such tax expenditures … have had multiple tax expenditures for developers over the years and it is clear they are not working. We are seeing profits increase, house prices and rents increase, and homelessness increase. While these measures are very costly, it would be much better to invest the money directly

heard, to sign up to two financial resolutions, both of which highlight the chaotic and ineffective way this Government handles housing policy. The first resolution relates to the 9% VAT rate on apartments. This is to fix the fact that the Government's budget night resolution … technical language and look at what is actually happening, this is a massive giveaway to developers. It is a handout dressed up as housing policy. It will do absolutely nothing for ordinary workers and families, who are being crushed by a cost-of-living crisis. The Government

through the Party of European Socialists with our European allies on a programme for change across Europe, and in particular on issues around housing, climate action and our vision for a social Europe. I attended the Party of European Socialists' summit in Amsterdam just last month, where … developed policies and a programme for change, in particular focusing on those issues of housing and climate. On housing, we were really glad following the last European elections to see the Party of European Socialists and S&D group in the parliament focus on seeking action at Europe

real difference. We will not be prisoners of ideology. We will work in every pragmatic way we can to increase the amount of housing and, as a practical example of that, I will always wear a hard hat on a building site. The Deputy said … fourth housing plan. Of course, it is because the housing plan needs to be replaced every few years. It has a deadline. He also suggested that Fine Gael and Fine Gael alone wrote the last four housing plans. Fine Gael has been in government during that time with

increased scheme cap and grant rates provided for; — decisions regarding remediation options are made by independent engineers acting on behalf of the Housing Agency under the Scheme and can be appealed by homeowners who are dissatisfied with decisions made; — appeals under the DCB scheme are covered … with the work on their dwelling under the option determined or the option of a full technical review of their application by the Housing Agency, this review will be informed by the current research once the full review of the national standard (I.S. 465) is complete, if homeowners

very technical and I was proud to cosign it on behalf of Labour. I heard the response from the Minister for Housing, Deputy Browne, earlier and to be honest, I was shocked - even by my standards - at how bland and unresponsive his response was to the substantive issues … Sheil, cochair of the Limerick Defective Blocks Action Group, in my constituency office on Monday nearly in tears as she described how the house she bought little over a decade ago is falling down around her. She first discovered this when she went to get the SEAI grant

will continue to push for these homeowners to get what they need and deserve throughout this Dáil term. Is ceart daonna é tithíocht. Housing is a human right but the Government does not believe that. If it did, it would not allow this situation where people are living … health, particularly the mental health, of the people living in them. I wrote in my own book about a concept called chronic housing stress, which is chronic, psychosocial strain that results from living in situations of prolonged periods of housing stress. One of the causes is when housing

House gathers today less than a year since the last general election, as the Taoiseach reminds us, and just over 250 days since the Government was formed. The Thirty-fourth Dáil sits at a time of global uncertainty and geopolitical turbulence. It was in this context that … country to maintain a strong economy, protect jobs, improve public services and build for our future. We are making a record investment in housing and infrastructure and we are pulling every policy lever at our disposal to dramatically address this major challenge. The Department of Health

This Government is clearly in panic mode. Its new housing plan was supposed to be published in July and there is still no sign of it. Instead, what we have seen is a succession of measures that all have one common feature: throwing more public money at developers … desperate hope that the market will deliver. We have been here before and we know how it ends - soaring house prices and rents and a broken housing system. I am sure the Taoiseach does not need me to tell him that there is more disastrous news in housing

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 … increase their profits? It just does not make sense. It is costing the local authorities on average €31,000 to renovate a vacant house and that is according to the National Oversight and Audit Commission, NOAC, report. It is estimated it would cost €13 million to renovate

moment. He is 100% correct. It needs an entire overhaul. I will support this Bill on Second Stage to keep the Housing Finance Agency, HFA, operating without interruption. This is a matter of great importance to families who are waiting for a home. The lifting of statutory borrowing … authority or if I know anything about what is happening in their cases and whether they will be able to stay in the houses. Not just those people, but the people who entered the negotiations for the deal and contract are also ringing. That has to be sorted

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will reverse the decision to cut funding for social housing acquisitions, including housing first and the tenant in situ schemes. [24905/25

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to urgently review the cut in funding for the social housing acquisition programmes, given its negative impact on key homeless schemes like tenant in situ and housing first. [24433/25

Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will increase the income limits to qualify for social housing as the current limits exclude a large cohort of individuals and families from both social housing and mortgage approval; and if he will make

Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on a new housing activation fund to support the delivery of critical infrastructure that enables housing development; if he would consider making such a fund open for applications on a rolling basis

Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he plans to introduce a new local infrastructure housing activation fund, or similar scheme, to help unlock land for housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24801/25

Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of affordable housing units delivered in County Meath in 2024 and to date in 2025; how that compares with targets; the ambition he has in terms of the numbers of affordable houses

Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will establish a State-sponsored housing infrastructure investment fund to provide finance for a major construction of social and affordable housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24260/25

Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will amend the local authority house purchase scheme to enable tenants to purchase "section 5" houses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24259/25

Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to confirm the number of housing completions in Cork in 2024; to specify the number completed by type of housing (private, social, affordable, cost rental); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24840/25

Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has met with the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications in relation to the published review of connection policy for large energy users; if he is aware of concerns that housing targets … demand; if he is aware that the CRU believes it does not have the “statutory powers to prioritise certain policy objectives” - for example, housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24752/25

Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of people on the housing waiting list; the number of those in receipt of social housing supports, by category; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24881/25

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average per-unit cost of construction under social and affordable housing schemes, by year and by project type (house or apartment), compared to private sector benchmarks. [23343/25

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will establish a housing delivery acceleration unit within his Department, composed of public, private, and voluntary sector housing experts to audit stalled projects, eliminate waste, and publicly report on delivery performance each quarter

Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the progress to date in reviewing the income eligibility limits for social housing, with particular reference to the need to increase income levels for applicants for council housing in areas such as Cavan and Monaghan

Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the implementation of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions Act) 2024 to earmark certain cost rental units for local key workers; the number of units his Department intends to earmark for key workers per year … location of the housing units; the cost per unit; the timeline for when these units will be available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22059/25

Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the progress of the affordable housing and social housing scheme in Ardmore, County Waterford, including expected timelines for delivery, number of homes and current status of planning and procurement. [21916/25

Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of affordable purchase units, social housing units, cost rental units and serviced sites delivered in Waterford over the past ten years, or for the duration of each relevant scheme where schemes have been … existence for less than ten years, by local electoral area and by whether delivery was by the local authority or an approved housing body, in tabular form. [21921/25

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total Exchequer expenditure on social housing acquisitions in 2024, by local authority area, acquisition schemes, that is, tenant-in-situ, the Housing First scheme, vacant acquisitions, and buy and renew; and number of units

Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to the farm succession scheme promoted by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine; whether his Department has considered the impact that passing on farmland and properties to farmers … children has on access to housing schemes such as the housing adaptation grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19129/25

Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage with regard to Uisce Éireann refusing to take in charge housing developments with developer-provided water service infrastructure thereby causing many problems for homeowners; what plans he has in place to address this issue … aware how many housing developments across the country are impacted by this; and, if so, if he will provide a breakdown on a local authority basis, in tabular form. [19275/25

Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the actions his Department is taking to ensure that water and wastewater infrastructure can support the delivery of housing, particularly in the greater Dublin area where key projects face delays; if he will review whether … current mandate and funding model for Uisce Éireann are fit for purpose in meeting housing and infrastructure needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19312/25

Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 178 of 2 April 2025, the amount of funding released in the first quarter of 2023, 2024 and 2025 to local authorities for the purchase or construction of social housing … units by approved housing bodies, by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19336/25

Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will issue a circular to local authorities around updating a social housing applicant’s housing need in line with recommendations from medical professionals, particularly with regard to individuals with developmental disorders who may need

Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a person who has been approved for remediation works on their house under the defective concrete blocks grant scheme may elect to have the house rebuilt using a modular model which would resemble the existing

Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when affordable housing units for sale, will be made available to the general public in County Kerry (details supplied); the reason affordable housing has not been made available to persons in Kerry before