Search the record

Government's commitment to implementing the recommendations of the Dublin city task force through the Department of the Taoiseach. Very often in this House, derisory remarks are made about the people in Dublin, what is going on in Dublin and that everything is about Dublin, but Dublin … capital city. It is for the whole country. It is in the interests of the entire country that Dublin thrives. Everyone in the House would acknowledge there are challenges in our city centre that need the type of focus this task force has provided. It is not only

dhóthain tithe againn. Caithfimid gach aon dícheall a dhéanamh chun i bhfad níos mó tithe a chruthú chomh tapa agus is féidir linn. Housing is the number one social priority in this country. It goes to the heart of cohesion in this country, and it is the Government … During the lifetime of the previous Government, from about 2020 onwards, close to 130,000 homes were built. We exceeded our targets in Housing for All in 2022 and 2023 significantly by more than 7,400. In 2024 the target was 33,000 in Housing

assessment and intervention services for their children with additional needs and, of course, we have a generation locked out of home ownership. Record house prices and record rents have resulted in 500,000 adults stuck living in their childhood bedrooms, while others are stuck renting in insecure … unaffordable housing. Despite the resources and despite the wealth, they see no future in this country - no way to get a home of their own or start independent adult lives. Many are emigrating because of the housing failure. This housing emergency is the defining issue of our time

listening to “Morning Ireland” this morning, and I encourage everyone to listen back to it. From it, I learned that the Minister for housing does not believe in housing targets. He does not believe in housing forecasts. I always knew he did not believe in delivering affordable housing … What I also heard is that he went on to describe the increase in house prices as “a little thing”. How arrogant can he be to describe it like that? They are his words. I ask the Taoiseach to listen back. House prices have gone

have had good news on housing in County Roscommon, with a planning proposal approved in Monksland in south Roscommon this morning. It will follow a number of housing developments that have happened in the area. Similarly in Ballinasloe I attended a meeting last Thursday night with regard … number of housing developments, all of which are very welcome. We have a need for affordable housing in Roscommon and Galway for those people who cannot get on the council list and cannot get a mortgage very easily. There is also the infrastructure in the communities

city centre with the city centre task force. It has great ideas for developing over-the-shop living and cost-rental housing on Middle Abbey Street and Frederick Street North. There is also the question of economic viability. Does the living city initiative go far enough … whole question of social cohesion. In the situation we are in, whereby we are continuing to try to drive up the amount of housing supply we have in the country, nothing is more frustrating for families walking into a village when looking for a home than seeing

could actually read and understand what it said. You cannot do that with modern legislation, and it is true of legislation across these Houses that is being passed all the time. If one reads section 4(1), it states: Section 473B of the Principal Act is amended … isolation, you have no idea what it means. It is a real shame that we cannot get ourselves together in this House to pass consolidated legislation every year because there are only small changes from one Act to the next, and it should be within the capacity

families facing homelessness is a key Government priority. In November 2025, the Government published Delivering Homes, Building Communities: An Action Plan on Housing Supply and Targeting Homelessness. The plan includes a number of important measures to address the health needs of people experiencing homelessness. In particular, the plan … plan to improve the health of people experiencing homelessness. Another important policy response for individuals with complex health needs experiencing homelessness is the Housing First programme. The Housing First approach to addressing homelessness places direct access to housing first and foremost for vulnerable individuals using homeless services consistently

very wealthy landlords and property owners. These include the 11 Irish billionaires who are wealthier than 3. 5 million Irish people combined. On housing, the budget shows that the Government is wedded to the failed housing policy of the past that has created almost 18,000 homeless people … including over 5,500 children. The talk of the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and various Ministers that housing is the Government's main priority is just that: talk. Private developers are interested in making profit, not in building houses for ordinary people. They never have built, nor will they ever

Ministers have been rolled out on the plinth and in and out of this House today, and have been on every radio show and on social media. Propaganda has been put out from Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and some of the Independents, telling us all about … worth his or her salt, knows his or her constituency and has stood in people's houses and understood their way of life; who burns coal and briquettes and turf? In my constituency in Cork North-Central, which is 51% urban and 49% rural, I have

draft defective concrete blocks social homes scheme 2026 is a scheme for the purpose of enabling a designated local authority or an approved housing body with dwellings located in a designated local authority area to remediate damage caused to dwellings owned by the local authority or approved housing … construction. Prior to the drafting of the draft scheme, my Department engaged in consultation with designated local authorities, the Irish Council for Social Housing and a small number of approved housing bodies, with feedback from this process informing the draft scheme. The final version of the scheme

Like many of the stories the Minister of State has heard today in the House, it is not strange that we have constituents coming to us regularly saying the biggest fear they have is the postman's knock. When they get the criteria for what is needed … been selected. Despite your household perhaps owning a Microsoft programme, you have to buy into another one. I highlighted this in the House over 12 months ago on Leaders' Questions. I am still waiting for a proper reply from the Taoiseach. We have heard the ministerial circular that

Licensing of Outdoor Events) Regulations 2026 (without debate and any division claimed to be taken immediately) - Motion to Instruct the Committee on the Housing and Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026 (without debate and any division claimed to be taken immediately) - Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory … Bill 2025 (Amendments from the Seanad) (to conclude within 1 hour) - Finance Bill 2026 (Recommendations from the Seanad) (to conclude within 1 hour) - Housing and Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026 (Report and Final Stages) (to conclude within 2 hours) - Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2026 (Committee

stated at the outset, I certainly hope that all Members will support those endeavours as we take this Bill through the Houses over the next couple of weeks. I want to address some of the points that have been raised throughout the debate by Members. One area … State is remove red tape from the planning system by introducing the likes of exemptions, and I know that provisions for modular housing were mentioned by one of the Deputies earlier. It is my understanding that these provisions were laid before the House today and will

outlier regarding the spiralling cost of living, and a Eurostat report this week showed we are the most expensive country for housing, health, energy and alcohol, overall prices are 36 per cent above the European Union average, with health costs in Ireland being 85 per cent higher than … cents, a litre on the 1st August; — Irene Tinagli, Italian MEP, Economist and Chair of the European Parliament's Special Committee on the Housing Crisis, categorised Ireland's housing crisis as the "most severe and complicated in Europe"; — this year, the Government removed the rent

concrete products used through the boom across many parts of the country. In my own constituency in Sligo, we have hundreds of houses that have been affected, and it has also spread to other areas. It is not just the counties on this list. It is important … recognise there are houses outside of it and people in other communities that are also affected. I spoke to some people in a housing estate. They can see the issues, they are talking about them and they have spoken to the county council. They are afraid to tell

them to take up that offer to secure a home loan, so they had to decline it. After making a home in these houses, working hard, saving their money and building a track record in savings, some people can now apply and be successful with a home loan … application for the house they have lived in for maybe up to the past 20 years but they are now being told, "Sorry, just keep renting it". This is not every Part V house. Not everyone wants to buy but for the families who do, can we look

thank the House for facilitating this motion today. I thank colleagues from across the House for their contributions. I would like to address some specific questions raised. Deputies Nolan, Michael Collins, Danny Healy-Rae and Carthy raised the issue of the legal acquisition and use of firearms particularly … possession and cross-border movement of hunting rifles and those types of firearms. Many Deputies expressed dismay over the timelines. I assure the House that this measure was laid before the Oireachtas one month after its publication. There is some urgency in relation to it given that

Minister for housing has declared a "war on dereliction"; fighting talk and a striking turn of phrase. This is the Government's tactic. It is to flood the airwaves with repeated announcements, deflect responsibility and spin its failures to save face. This week, the Tánaiste sought … responsibility for vacancy and dereliction on councils alone, a convenient distraction from years of Government failure. Who has been in charge of national housing policy for the past decade? It is the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste. For years, the Government ignored the growing number of vacant and derelict

good that we are discussing housing, albeit a miscellaneous provisions Bill. I have not seen the Minister's amendments, even at this stage. We dealt with another miscellaneous Bill last night on justice and, at the last minute, we were dealing with a large volume of amendments which … this State is basically that the State is totally dependent on private landlords and, in many cases, vulture funds to deal with housing issues. Yet we are here. Maybe it is about standardising the eligibility criteria. I never noticed that there was a problem in Dublin City Council

Fatal Offences against the Person Act 1997 is amended by the insertion of the following section: “Obstructing free movement of member of House of Oireachtas 9A.A person who, by violent means or any form of intimidation and without lawful authority, obstructs or impedes the freedom of movement … from any place of a member of either House of the Oireachtas is guilty of an offence and is liable— (a) on summary conviction to a class A fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both, or (b) on conviction on indictment

Okay. It is good to see. He outlined that close to 1,000 houses have been built and now there is a further proposal for 600 houses. There is a lot happening on the housing front. We just need more and more of it and to keep … momentum going. Deputy O'Meara asked about one-off rural housing. I accept the basic principle that on your own land or in your own community we need people to have the capacity to regenerate that community, to grow up in it, to support the clubs, to maintain

people with different trades. They are valuable individuals, and they are leaving because they simply believe that they cannot buy or build a house for themselves. They say that if they were not working at all or working only part-time, they would qualify … local authority list and, eventually, get a social housing unit. In other words, they are telling us that there is no incentive for them to continue working in Ireland. I hope that the new planning Bill - there has been a lot of talk about it coming shortly

Chamber on what is being done to address vacancy and dereliction. I am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy James Browne. The Deputy rightly said we want less bureaucracy and more assistance. Working to end dereliction and vacancy … priority of the Government's new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities. The plan will ensure the activities and resources used to address vacancy and dereliction are co-ordinated and that legislative powers are used to make a serious impact on the level of dereliction and vacancy while

significant investment into the Land Development Agency, which has up to €10 billion in available capital for the construction and development of housing. We use every lever and mechanism we can use to get more supply, and it is about more supply. We brought in a rental … pressure on renters because rents are too high and we acknowledge that. The only way to deal with it is to get more houses built and to get more apartments built. We have worked on all aspects of this, from the Critical Infrastructure Bill going through the House

Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department is aware of the European Citizens’ Initiative being organised by an organisation (details supplied) concerning the rejuvenation of disused buildings and their return to the housing supply; and whether the Government supports

Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has examined the potential cost of converting vacant and derelict buildings into residential accommodation compared with the construction of new housing; whether barriers to such conversions have been identified, including planning, building regulations

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if VAT is payable by local authorities or approved housing bodies purchasing land for the delivery of social housing. [60146/26

Finance the estimated yield if the stamp duty on the sale of residential properties on the portion where the value of the houses is between €1 million and €1.5 million increased to 4% and stamp duty on the portion of the value of houses valued at over

William Aird asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance to consider extending, expanding or introducing mortgage interest relief, renter tax relief or other housing-related tax measures in Budget 2027 to assist middle-income households facing high housing costs; and if he will make a statement

they were originally vacated; the breakdown of the average cost to bring a vacant property owned by the OPW into use for social housing; the breakdown of the overall cost to bring vacant properties owned by the OPW back into use for social housing; the breakdown

Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has considered legislation to allow social housing tenants whose joint tenant has been abusive to them and there is a safety or protection order in place, to separate their joint tenancy to allow local

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a qualified child Increase payment from the Department of Social Protection is reckonable as income when assessing for social housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53946/26

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to confirm that HAP and RAS tenants will not be able to access the domestic, sexual and gender-based violence social housing transfer protocol. [53948/26

Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the date on which the amount of the allowance payable under the mortgage allowance scheme, currently €11,450, was last revised; if his Department has undertaken an assessment of the adequacy of the allowance having regard … increase in house prices and mortgage costs since that date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53988/26

Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has compared the cost to the Exchequer of an allowance under the mortgage allowance scheme with the average cost of delivering one additional social home; if he will review the scheme, including … level of the allowance and the minimum mortgage requirement, with a view to increasing its effectiveness in freeing up social housing stock; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53989/26

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the social housing passport will be introduced. [54088/26

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of affordable homes that have been built in Cork city in each of the past five years; the total amount planned for 2026; the total funding allocated each year to the local authority … supply affordable housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54147/26

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of affordable homes that have been built in Cork county in each of the past five years; the total amount planned for 2026 ; the total funding allocated each year to the local authority … supply affordable housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54148/26

Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on a matter (details supplied); if his Department is planning to amend the enforcement of the Spatial Planning and National Roads Guidelines for Planning Authorities, which is prohibiting young couples from farming backgrounds building … house next to the family home along TII routes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54238/26

Tóibín asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if he has assessed the potential impact of the draft national housing statement, particularly the proposed changes to occupancy requirements in multi-unit housing developments in Gaeltacht areas, on the implementation of the language planning process

Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the key measures taken to expand affordable housing provision since January 2025; his priorities for same for the rest of 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53471/26

Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of supported housing units delivered for persons with intellectual disabilities in each local authority area in Dublin in the past five years, including Dublin City Council, in tabular form; and if he will make

Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of supported housing units for persons with intellectual disabilities currently planned or in development in each local authority area in Dublin, including expected delivery timelines, in tabular form; and if he will make

Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he plans to review the operation of the cost-rental scheme for tenants who suffer catastrophic, life-changing injuries after entering the scheme; the reason there is no legislative provision or policy within … benefits of the scheme; the supports available to assist people with permanent disabilities who need to purchase an accessible home when existing housing schemes do not provide accommodation that meets their long-term needs; if he will consider a scheme allowing the State or local authority to purchase

Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of approvals on the mortgage allowance scheme by social housing tenants who are purchasing private homes, in 2023, 2024 and 2025. [53143/26

Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the schemes available that will allow a group of houses to connect to main sewerage schemes; the grants available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53229/26

Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of social housing units commenced and completed in County Carlow and in County Kilkenny between 1 January 2026 and 1 July 2026, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement

Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the key measures taken to expand social housing provision since January 2025; his priorities for same for the rest of 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53470/26

provide a summary on the skills gaps identified in the construction sector; and the number of new construction workers needed to meet housing, social housing and infrastructure targets, by category of construction worker, in tabular form. [53381/26