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spoke before on this. I hope this solves the housing thing, that is being honest. I do welcome the likes of the modular on it and different steps where we are going to go designing the same type of house and all of those things. These are things … that should be have been done years ago but I welcome them. I cannot see a lot on rural housing. I believe that family members should be allowed build houses. We need to make sure that we accommodate people now but the devil will be in the detail

review of planning legislation since 2000 and spearheads the ongoing reform and streamlining of the planning system without there being reduced delays in housing development and other critical infrastructure projects. The commencement of the substantive planning provisions of the Act of 2024 began on 9 June 2025. Both … responsive to Government policy and to stakeholder needs. Subsequent to this is a revision of the national planning framework in April this year. Housing growth requirement guidelines were issued to local authorities that set out the housing demand scenario in the State up to the year 2040. These

important we complete it by Christmas, if at all possible. I know that is the commitment and desire of people across the House. There are three weeks of Oireachtas time left, including this week, before Christmas. The Opposition parties facilitated the waiving of pre-legislative scrutiny after discussion … seeing on the ground. When the old scheme was in place, from my memory, work had commenced and started on a number of houses in the high double digits. It was a small number. We have seen a step change with the new legislation and massive progress

bypassed for funding. The Tánaiste was down there this week last year, exactly 52 weeks ago, canvassing for the general election. Huge housing developments are needed in Laois. There has been rapid population growth in the county. It has been one of the top three counties in terms … population growth in the last three years. There is huge pent-up demand for housing and for infrastructure but we cannot have the housing without the infrastructure. Throughout the county, there is a need for roads, water services, wastewater services, sewerage services and electricity services to be expanded

look at the reality of the Government's policy position and how it has moved. The Government has gone from a position in Housing for All where the Government, not us or the Irish Green Building Council, said its position was that a minimum BER for private rental … would be introduced, where feasible, from 2025. We are almost at the end of 2025. Fast forward to the launch of the new housing plan, it was repeated on multiple occasions by the Minister that the Government would examine policy measures to incentivise increased energy efficiency

public about how many homes would be delivered. This was a blatant attempt to give the impression he was turning the corner on housing delivery. In reality, he was driving it off a cliff. We were told 40,000 homes would be delivered in 2024; in fact … nearly 25% short of the target. The Taoiseach and Government have been consistently moving the goalposts when it comes to housing targets. Now, in the most blatant move to avoid accountability yet, they have elected to take the goalposts off the pitch entirely because not only have they

under the one sky. The living alone allowance needs to be addressed because people who live alone have the same costs in the house. When there is an elderly couple living together they can share the costs and they have two pensions. They have nothing other than their … person living alone is suffering. Some people got an increase in the working family payment that will push them off the housing list. I have so much of this in Kerry. I had a family who were on the housing list for nine years. The family income supplement

impact on Kerry and that will forever be remembered. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam. The national planning framework and sustainable rural housing guidelines 2005 were introduced at a time when rural areas had different needs. These policies now need to be reviewed and updated to reflect … current housing crisis and the demands of rural communities. Another area that must be addressed is the restrictions on national primary and secondary roads where unless a person's application for a house is in a section of road with a limit under 60 km/h, then they

updated rural housing guidelines in the form of a national planning statement will set out relevant planning criteria to be applied in the local authority development plans for rural housing on a consistent basis based on the high-level policy framework set out by the national planning framework … environment and adapting to and mitigating climate change has become more central to the operation of the planning system. I assure the House that due care is being taken to ensure that this work will not conflict with the fundamental EU freedoms, will comply with EU environmental legislative

agree with the Deputy about the importance of housing. My Department works closely with colleagues in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage across a range of areas. Officials in both Departments are in regular contact about a number of areas that cut into housing, including town … centre first, local economic and community planning, planning for and the provision of housing for Irish speakers in Gaeltacht areas, input to the successor to the Our Rural Future policy, the local democracy task force, Dormant Account Fund measures and emergency response work, particularly around storms. I have

scheme process. The Minister provided a detailed breakdown of that in his opening statement. Furthermore, following extensive consultation with local authorities and approved housing bodies, the Minister will shortly bring forward a DCB social homes scheme, as provided for under the legislation, to facilitate the remediation of social … housing affected by defective concrete blocks. A number of Deputies raised this particular matter in their contributions and I assure them that this will start the process of remediation for more than 1,000 social homes across the country, which I know will be welcomed by all Members

approach to drive the ambition of the Lisbon declaration. Critical to supporting households to exit homelessness is our continued investment in the social housing programme. Budget 2026 has continued the record level of investment in social housing with €2.9 billion in capital allocated to support the delivery … social homes by local authorities. This continued investment in the social housing programme will increase the supply of stock available to allocate to households on social housing waiting lists, including households in emergency accommodation. It is important that local authorities ensure sufficient allocations are made to families

Cork City Council has a target to deliver 592 new build social homes in 2025. The social housing construction status report, CSR, shows that there were 1,084 homes on site at various stages of design and procurement in Cork city … addition of new construction schemes to the pipeline, shows the strength of the Cork City Council and Cork County Council social housing build programmes. On affordable housing, under Housing For All the affordable housing delivery target for 2025 is 6,400 and a very strong pipeline

would feel wrong to rise to my feet and not take the opportunity to update the House on the ongoing illegal detention of five Irish citizens in Israel, including one of our own colleagues in this House, Deputy Heneghan. Overnight, a second flotilla was intercepted by the Israeli … authorities. It was carrying five Irish citizens, including Deputy Heneghan. I want to inform the House that I have been briefed on the situation this morning by our Irish ambassador in Tel Aviv, H. E. Ms Sonya McGuinness. I was also in contact with Deputy Heneghan’s office

because soaring house prices and rip-off rents are hard-wired into Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael's housing plan. It is not a bug in the system; it is a feature. Incompetence alone does not explain the housing crisis. It is not by accident that … this situation; it is by design. Over a decade into this housing crisis, and we have politicians in government wringing their hands, saying that they are doing all they can to solve it while the crisis gets worse. Every single year the crisis is getting worse. What

spending has soared from €70 billion in 2020 to €116.8 billion now, but what do we have to show for it? A worsening housing disaster, threadbare disability services, antiquated infrastructure and rising poverty. That is the Government’s legacy and this budget doubles down on this failure. Anyone … this Government was really interested in reducing the cost of living, it would prioritise investment in public services like education, high-quality housing, healthcare and childcare. Can the Minister of State imagine how a parent feels to see his or her own child grow up in poverty while

apartments but cost-rental, affordable and private homes. To say that nothing is being spent or that there has been no focus on housing in this budget other than this specific measure simply is not correct. I will outline matters again. There is an allocation of €11.3 billion … Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage for 2026. A total of €7.2 billion of that allocation is in capital funding, which will include €2.9 billion to support the delivery of thousands of new build social homes and second-hand acquisitions; €1.2 billion for the starter homes programme

matter of young fellas, boys and girls, leaving our shores to go to Australia simply because they cannot buy or build a house in this country no matter how good a job they have. I attended an event in Barraduff in east Kerry a couple of weeks … caught because those aged between 25 and 32 feel they cannot get to a point where they can purchase or build a house. Houses in Killarney cost between €450,000 and €650,000. That is too much and people cannot get a mortgage for such houses. That

antisocial behaviour, as people who have served in politics at local and national levels know, has resulted in the ruination of communities, housing estates and neighbourhoods. That is the result of a small minority of people who are intent on creating havoc. This is a time when housing … without the resources to deal with the behaviour, particularly when it is carried out by young people. Despite the best efforts of housing officers, tenant liaison officers and other officials, local authorities are almost afraid to tackle the issue given the hoops to which they must jump

That is something we are pushing strongly. We will get to a situation where that happens and that would release some housing, in particular, across rural Ireland. Deputy McGrath is correct. Cork City Council was probably one of the first councils to develop a very innovative approach … funding. In any event, it worked well. That should continue all over the country as an option because we have not used existing housing stock optimally. We have to continue to look at ways of incentivising the utilisation of existing housing stock. Airbnb has absorbed an awful

welcome young Olivia Nevin who is in the Gallery with her family. She is up from Cork for a birthday visit to Leinster House. The number of children in homelessness is hurtling towards the 5,000 mark. This would represent a truly shameful new record. The tenant … situ scheme can no longer keep families in their homes because the Department of housing has starved it of cash. Dublin City Council and Fingal County Council have stopped operating it altogether. Vacancy and dereliction blight our communities, a grim visual symbol of the housing crisis

like to discuss the first home scheme price ceiling, particularly for County Tipperary. As a young Member, I will highlight yet again that housing is the number one issue affecting my generation. In Tipperary, we are really struggling with privately built housing, particularly affordable housing. The first home … scheme is in place to help those of us who could get a mortgage but where the purchase price of the house is higher than our mortgage to bridge the gap. However, the price ceiling in Tipperary is becoming a major issue. According to officials in the local

Much of small-town Ireland has a shortage of housing yet no house building. House building would provide valuable employment. Currently, it is not viable to build houses as the cost to build exceeds the selling price. This is never mentioned in discussions on housing. However, it means … that much of Ireland has no house building and yet there is a demand. We must look at strategies to allow house building in these areas through increased affordable housing, and reduce the cost of building a house, such as through the development levy waiver and other measures

issue where a male partner has been convicted of assault or violence against a female partner. As any Member of this House who has been a member of a local authority will know, it is extremely difficult to get somebody's name removed from the tenancy if that … need to be careful and cautious of that. Although it sounds correct in terms of trying to get an abuser out of the house as opposed to the woman looking for a refuge space, we have to be careful about removing tenancy rights from persons who are convicted

that in most cases this Bill will not do what the Minister claims it will. The primary barriers to the delivery of housing in this country will not be solved by an extension of planning permissions and this Bill will do little other than allow developers a blanket … incentive or otherwise to force them to commence within that period. Certain sites with a short remaining planning duration that are earmarked for housing delivery should have the ability to apply for a planning extension for an extremely limited duration. Section 16 of Part 3 of the Bill

Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the options that are available to older people who can no longer use the housing aid for older people grant to buy a new fossil fuel boiler, such as an oil or gas boiler, given … grant amount will not cover air to water systems, and in many cases the house will not be suitable for these heating systems (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1144/25

Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the performance indicators and measurable targets used to monitor implementation of each local authority's housing delivery plan; to identify which local authorities publish performance against those indicators; and to provide links to the published performance

Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the planned and allocated expenditure on infrastructure intended to facilitate housing delivery, for each local authority for each of the years 2026 to 2030, identifying the relevant funding programme or funding stream in each case

Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the remediation scheme to fix defects in apartments and duplexes; when he expects to bring legislation before the house; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [74571/26

Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether apartment owners in pyrite-affected multi-unit developments can access State remediation supports; will they be treated equitably with homeowners in traditional housing developments affected by similar defects; and will he explore the establishment

Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the new rural housing guidelines will be adopted by every local authority; and if a timeframe could be provided. [74725/26

Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to review the terms and conditions for long term tenants living in a Part V local authority house who want to purchase their property under the tenant purchase scheme. [74809/26

units at a location (details supplied), will be taken without first completing a full assessment of their suitability for permanent social and affordable housing, in consultation with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and Tipperary County Council. [74802/26

light of Drogheda Rural’s success in delivering the highest number of new-build homes per capita and already achieving his 83,000 housing target per person, with the Housing Infrastructure Services Company (HISCo) a key contributor, to provide, in tabular form, details of planned HISCo investment, including

asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he will acknowledge that there is currently a long delay in applications for new houses and commercial buildings for an allocation of an Eircode; and the steps he will take to expedite matters as it means further delay … provision and delivery of housing. [74152/26

Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether national housing targets for 2026 to 2030 include targets for the delivery of starter homes; if so, to provide those targets by year and by local authority or county, broken down between rural areas

Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the review of the Code of Practice for an Approved Housing Body will be complete; if he will ensure that social tenants of AHBs and local authorities can keep pets; and if he will make

Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether Irish citizens and persons granted international protection status are treated identically for the purposes of social housing allocation; and where differences arise, to specify them. [74298/26

Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the Government maintains a model estimating the impact of net migration on annual housing demand; and if so, the projected figures used by his Department in policy planning. [74297/26

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he plans to include targets for Traveller-specific accommodation in housing delivery action plans. [74133/26

Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation his views in relation to house insurance that has been cancelled as a result of a flooding; and the impact the completion of State flood alleviation projects will have, if any, on insurance … companies in regards to housing developments in residential areas that have been refused insurance coverage because of flooding incidents. [73658/26

Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of house completions in each of the years from 2022 to date; and the estimated number for 2026 in County Laois. [73481/26

Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline the policy, legislative framework and standard operating procedures for social housing applicants granted medical priority by one local authority who apply to transfer to another where they reside; whether medical priority points, band

Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether provisions or standard operating protocols exist to enable social housing applicants granted medical priority status by one local authority to transfer or retain that priority when applying to another local authority where they currently

Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if it is the case that repeat assessments of houses included in the defective concrete block scheme in County Meath are required, despite already being conducted (details supplied); and if he will review this approach

company (details supplied) stated publicly that it will remain at Tivoli until 2045; if his Department has engaged with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage on the impact of that position on housing delivery at Tivoli; and if he will make a statement on the matter

Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the Castleisland Housing Project (details supplied) will be expedited; the status of the issues raised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71636/26

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the national guidance issued to local authorities regarding the retention, termination and reallocation of social housing where the tenant is imprisoned. [71921/26

Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the strategic review of the approved housing body sector, the analysis of cost rental schemes including the cost rental equity loan scheme, and the financial analysis of the capital advance lease facility

Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason the number of housing assistance payment and rental accommodation scheme tenancies provided for falls from some 61,000 in the Budget 2026 Expenditure Report to approximately 56,000 in the Budget 2027 Expenditure