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Carlow border. In particular, I want to welcome the new initiative that will allow private sector involvement in developing wastewater systems for smaller housing developments of up to 40 homes. This initiative is a crucial step towards addressing the infrastructure deficit in rural areas, particularly in Carlow-Kilkenny … where housing development has long been restricted by a lack of adequate wastewater facilities. By enabling developers to collaborate with Uisce Éireann on low-volume wastewater systems, the Government is providing a much needed solution that will accelerate housing delivery in areas that are currently stifled by infrastructure

Minister mentioned the rate of inflation and did not mention the rate of housing inflation, the cost of housing. That was specifically mentioned in the question. The cost of housing in this State is rising and has risen every single year, whether people are renting or are struggling … After housing costs, 40% of renters live on an income below the poverty line. That is 43% for local authority tenants. It is almost 60% for those on HAP, RAS or rent supplement, who are living below the poverty line when we take it into account. The Minister

dereliction he would fund local authorities properly to compulsorily purchase derelict and vacant buildings and do them up to be used as affordable housing. He would introduce compulsory sales orders to force owners to sell buildings that are rotting and falling apart. He would introduce a vacant property … from the Government in recent months from the Tánaiste and the Taoiseach. This is the shift to blame immigrants and migrants for the housing crisis. It is absolutely disgusting. I read the Tánaiste's Substack where he outlined again the false claim that people in emergency accommodation

which is earmarked to support Uisce Éireann to meet the ambitious targets in terms of compliance and ensuring the significant uplift in housing delivery our country requires. Under the national development plan, Uisce Éireann has allocated €1.7 billion for a new additional growth programme that will support accelerated … housing delivery. Uisce Éireann has identified 71 settlements across Ireland for additional investment where the existing capacity of treatment plants can support significant development in the short term. The selection of these 71 settlements took account of the national planning framework, the regional, spatial and economic strategies, county

begin by welcoming the British ambassador, H.E. Ms Kara Owens, to Leinster House. I wish her and all at the British embassy a very happy Christmas. I look forward to working with them, as our nearest and closest neighbours, in the time ahead. I join with my colleague … ahead. In the spirit of Christmas, I join with Deputy Doherty in wishing you, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, and every Member of the House, their families and everybody who works in the House a very happy Christmas. I particularly thank all of the people who are behind

heard. That is the forum at which this needs to be resolved. The Government may have corresponded previously on this with the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission. We should engage on this and we are happy to do so. I thank the Deputy for putting a human face … Saoirse, Julianne and Caoimhe makes this matter very real to us. All of us, as TDs living in a country going through a housing emergency, could name people we know in our constituencies who are experiencing the scourge or stain of homelessness, including family homelessness

give a flavour of the facts on the ground. On option 1, Donegal County Council states - I just got this in - that 121 houses have been built since the scheme came in. In total, 229, 92 combinations and eight option twos. When you outlook option 1, that … will be coming back to visit at expense to the Exchequer. That is failure. For us to service, let us say, 10,000 houses in Donegal when we know there is a case for 25,000, if we are doing it properly, we need to be doing

detached homes are most commonly built sharing the same chimney breast. Unfortunately, I have had to go in with a teleporter to a house that was demolished, seal up the house and basically brick up the house where there was no chimney any more because … friend all before 3 p.m. when the kids got home. The night before, they had to stay in their granny's because the house got tumbled and their room was left exposed. Then, the rodents - the mice - all came in. This is a constant. They are abandoned because

thank Deputy Fleming for raising the issue of Erkina House. We have been here before. The Deputy has been a long-time advocate for and supporter of Erkina House. It is a key priority for me and for the Government that people experiencing mental health difficulties receive … Bill, and I will be back in there again tomorrow. It is important that we have services that are fit for purpose. Erkina House is operated by the HSE as a fully staffed community mental health residence. The HSE has advised the Department that there are three remaining

some time. I have been a public representative for the last 11 years and I have to say, I have never seen the housing crisis as bad as I am seeing it now. To be honest, at this point, I nearly think it is with intent … dealing with people, and we know the homeless figures are increasing every month, but I also see the impact of the housing crisis week in, week out in my clinics. On a practical level, however, when we are looking at Galway, south Galway emergency accommodation is always full

welcome the plan. The housing crisis is a societal blight. Owning a home is part of the social contract in Ireland, yet for many young people, that remains a dream. Housing supply and affordability are international problems, such as in the UK, Australia, Canada and in the European … Union. The first ever housing Commissioner has been appointed because of these issues. One in 10 people in the European Union cannot afford to pay their mortgage or rent on time. The price of houses in the Union has gone up by 60% in the past ten years

deeply concerned by certain proposals in the national housing plan. Although it has been described by the Government as unprecedented in terms of investment, it comes at a time when homeless figures have hit a record high of 16,350 people. Within that number is a total … number of occasions, with plans to finally tackle the systemic barriers to the homeless and the lack of social and affordable housing. Nothing has changed. If anything, the situation has become increasingly desperate across all metrics. From what I can see, the Minister is saying the national housing

begin that process and stand up that inquiry. I welcome the changes proposed in the ministerial amendment in relation to semi-detached houses. The position until now has been that where there are two owners of houses attached to one another, one might be approved whereas the person … next house might not be approved. The person who is approved might proceed with construction and actually lose space in their existing house so as not to affect the house that was not proceeding. It made no sense that two houses that were inevitably going to proceed

people who put in applications are told that they do not qualify for 100% redress. They qualify for the outside walls of their houses to come down, but the inside walls are not being covered. That is specialised work. Contractors like me do specialised work … building after it is done. Under today’s regulations, you cannot build on the foundations that remain. We are being asked to build houses and replace blockwork, with a higher density block than we were using, on top of an existing foundation. Engineers will not sign

Laois and the midlands. The Deputy makes constructive and fair points. We obviously have to put the infrastructure in place to enable the housing capacity to be delivered. That is a statement of fact. What the Deputy saw yesterday was another piece of the jigsaw in terms … plan and we expect that plan to come early in the new year. There will also be opportunities, specifically in relation to the housing point, to look at how we can work with the likes of the housing activation office. I see this in my constituency where

million because they think of the Lotto being €2 million or €5 million this week. It is now €500,000 to buy a house, when you think of it. People can just about visualise what a million or millions are, but when you talk about hundreds of millions … that commitment was made four weeks before the election? Members of the Government parties came out and said they were building 40,000 houses, which they knew in their heart and soul was not right. They knew that in their heart and soul when they were doing their

Earth, who have been supportive and active on this issue and organised an eye-catching event in support of the Bill outside Leinster House earlier on what is an appropriately cold day, showing what the reality is for many renters in our country. I also thank Diana … support this Bill. The reason this Private Member's Bill is necessary is because the Government has failed to implement its commitment in Housing for All to the effect that "A minimum BER for private rental property will be introduced, where feasible, from 2025." This failure

look to address some of the comments made. In relation to the housing plan, there is a commitment within the housing plan in terms of energy efficiency. The Opposition can paint it up and describe it whichever way it wants in terms of it being watered down … absolute goal of ours because we agree that people should not be living in cold damp conditions, in private or in public housing. Housing inspections have increased significantly. There has been a massive ramping up. We have budgeted for increased funding to local authorities to increase that capacity

This time last year we were in the middle of the campaign to be elected to this House. The primary issue in Kildare was the lack of critical infrastructure, including social infrastructure, especially in the north of the county. During the housing crisis throughout the country, Kildare … taken a lot of the housing, particularly as a result of the pressures on Dublin. I welcome a lot of that housing. I am living in a house that was built in recent years. I welcome more housing in my constituency. We saw a 12.8% increase

objective yardstick, one would have to acknowledge that the last five years has seen extraordinary, exponential growth in the provision of social housing in this country compared with any decade going back to the seventies. A total of 50,684 social homes have been added to the social … housing stock between July 2020 and quarter 2 of 2025, more than 13,700 homes were brought back into use under the voids programme, and 2023 and 2024 saw the delivery of newly built social housing reach levels not seen since the 1970s, with almost 16,000 social

rural housing crisis is the biggest single issue impacting rural communities and the long-term sustainability of rural Ireland. Previously, I asked the Minister about his engagement with the Minister for housing on this issue. To be fair, it was a number of months ago, and at that … that long. Meetings had not taken place, although he indicated that engagement would follow. We also discussed the need for housing to be the cornerstone of the new rural development policy, the successor to the Our Rural Future scheme, which had very little to say about housing. Will

move: That Dáil Éireann: notes that: — chartered engineers employed or contracted by the Housing Agency act as agents of the State, exercising statutory functions that determine the rights of homeowners, and that the Government remains legally and constitutionally accountable for their decisions, including unlawful downgrades from full … families living in structurally unsafe homes during red weather warnings and storms; — the absence of any statutory redress scheme for social and affordable housing affected by defective materials, and the need for the Government to immediately establish such a scheme to ensure full parity of protection and remediation

Cuirim fáilte roimh all the visitors in the Public Gallery and the Distinguished Visitors Gallery. The Taoiseach just said that housing is the single biggest issue facing us. We all agree on that but I do not know whether the Taoiseach agrees that the housing system is broken … been commodified and marketised. The private rental sector is filling the gaps left by lengthy social housing lists. Far too many people are in homelessness and the Government has presided over an extraordinary failure and a significant shift. We have seen home ownership rates dropping and people

Joint Committee of Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) Regulations 2025 (without debate; any division claimed to be taken immediately) - Housing Finance Agency (Amendment) Bill 2025 (Second Stage) (to conclude within 3 hours 34 mins; any division claimed to be taken immediately prior to Committee Stage … rolling sequence of 135-minute speaking rounds, to adjourn either at 7 p.m. or after 2 hours 15 mins, whichever is the later) - Housing Finance Agency (Amendment) Bill 2025 (Committee and remaining Stages) (to commence no earlier than 7 p.m. and to conclude within 3 hours) - Further Revised

growth in the budget, of 300 whole-time equivalents. In the coming weeks, the Mental Health Bill will complete its journey through the Houses of the Oireachtas. These important developments speak to the work of thousands of people across the country to make mental health services in Ireland … modern, person-centred, recovery-focused and accessible. It is my hope that we will continue to work together, across all parties in the House, to reduce the stigma associated with mental health difficulties, to promote the message that recovery is possible and to deliver legislative reform so that

Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether, following the commencement of the National Planning Statement on rural housing, the planning policies and objectives contained within existing County Development Plans that are inconsistent with the statement will cease to have effect immediately

Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding an application made by Galway County Council to the housing activation office in respect of the next section of the Athenry Ring Road; the progress from his Department to Galway County Council

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to confirm whether he has issued guidance or instruction to local authorities regarding the operation of their social housing transfer lists in recent times; and if so, to outline the guidance or instruction

Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to changes to the proposed apartment mix for an LDA site (details supplied); if he is satisfied that the housing need of the area is being met through this

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the five year review of the approved housing body regulatory authority. [50053/26

Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether his Department has engaged with the Department of Housing; Local Government and Heritage regarding the future use of modular accommodation developments currently being used to house persons under temporary protection, including the Haywood site

Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether consideration is being given to the future housing role of modular accommodation units developed for temporary protection purposes, including whether such units could subsequently be repurposed for social or affordable housing needs

Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the plans to strengthen local authorities powers in enforcing minimum standards in private and HAP rented housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48796/26

Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether, in the context of any proposals to provide exempted development provisions for detached cabins or modular units within the curtilage of a dwelling house, minimum or proportionate private open space requirements are being considered

Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he is considering the introduction of exempted development provisions for detached cabins or modular units already constructed within the curtilage of an owner occupied dwelling house for use as student accommodation; and if he will

Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he is examining the introduction of exempted development provisions for detached cabins or modular units within the curtilage of an owner occupied dwelling house for use as student accommodation; and if he will make

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an itemised breakdown of the €260 million allocated to local authorities for social housing maintenance funding. [48934/26

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide a clear clarification of the tenant-in-situ policy concerning a family on a housing waiting list (HWL) in one area but who are in rented accommodation in an adjacent area

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to state the total number of funding requests for social housing acquisitions including tenant-in-situ acquisitions refused in 2024 and 2025 with a breakdown by local authority, acquisition scheme and reason for refusal. [49160/26

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for the most up to date basic unit cost guidelines for social housing construction and acquisition with the relevant breakdowns for each local authority area. [49161/26

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide the average cost of delivery social housing in 2025 via SHIP construction, SHIP turnkey, CALF construction (with CALF cost and total cost), CALF turnkey (with CALF cost and total cost) CAS turnkey

Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage is he aware of concerns that this may represent an unintended gap in the scheme, adversely affecting families with genuine housing need arising from disability-related circumstances (details supplied) [49222/26

Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when he expects to conclude the ratification of the proposed Exempted Development Regulations for Residential Dwellings by the Houses of the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49445/26

Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if an investigation can be conducted of the situation regarding pyrite remediation in Lusk impacting four houses (details supplied); the reason expensive core drill tests can be required in order to obtain category A certs

Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the expected completion of the Working Group on the prohibition of pets in social housing’s work. [49636/26

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average cost per unit per year of the 697 social housing leases delivered in 2025; and the breakdown of these leases, by lease type. [49776/26

Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to provide an update on the provision of housing for survivors and victims of domestic abuse over the past five years; the locations of such housing and potential delivery over the next 12 months

Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Health the number of funded residential placements currently vacant in Damien House Regional Services, HSE Dublin south-east; the length of time each such placement has been vacant; the reasons these funded placements have not been filled; the actions being taken … staff required to facilitate these placements; the number of people with intellectual disabilities currently on waiting lists for residential placements in the Damien House Regional Services catchment area serving south Tipperary and Kilkenny, in HSE Dublin south-east generally, and nationally; the number of those awaiting placement

Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Health the number of supported housing units in CHO 9; the number of planned housing units; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49600/26

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to set out his response to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage’s report on homelessness published on 18 June 2026. [48577/26