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People across the city who are looking to buy a home are despairing. The prices of houses and rents are way beyond what they can afford. They are looking to the Government for hope to be able to buy a home. We have reached the point where … build for these 13,000 adults? Just 291 between now and 2030. Fianna Fáil's and Fine Gael’s plans for affordable housing for sale will only meet the need of 2% of the adults living in my constituency between now and 2030. That is not to mention

relevant stakeholders in regard to progressing how we deal with medical emergencies in our schools. I would also like to outline to the House the current practice that is happening in our schools to safeguard children and young people, as well as staff members, when such instances occur … medicinal products without a prescription for the purpose of saving life or reducing severe distress in medical emergencies. I wish to assure the House that the safety and well-being of all children and young people in our schools is a priority for Government. While the board

developers and the local authority. That is an important template for others to learn from. We all know we are living through a housing emergency. We are all under pressure as the people’s representatives to see more homes built. We have set a very ambitious target … homes by the end of 2030. We have to get there. Quite frankly, that means all of our communities and constituencies taking more houses. I am encouraged to see the increase in this regard in Lucan, Clondalkin and more generally across the Deputy’s constituency of Dublin

Every day, housing is the biggest issue in my office. Today, I want to talk to the Taoiseach about social housing income limits. It was in January 2023 that the then Minister for housing announced new limits for social housing. In my own area of Kildare, the limit … number of weeks, I have had a number of cases where people, upon review by Kildare County Council, have been struck off the housing list. One of the biggest issues is the working family payment, which is included in that review. As we all know, that

Government has been absolutely haphazard in its approach. It has undermined the role of Oireachtas at every turn. I will remind the House of that approach. The first stage was the heads of the Bill being brought before the Joint Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration … deadline for amendments had already passed. As a result, Second Stage counted for nothing. It did not matter what any Member of this House contributed to that debate, including, perhaps, inspiring amendments from either the Government or the Opposition. It was all just a box-ticking exercise

wish to say that the Minister of State, Deputy Brophy, and I realise this is extremely challenging and complicated legislation before the Houses. Nothing we can do can remove the complicated nature of the legislation. It just is the case that with the international protection system, the asylum … State when a person comes into Ireland claiming asylum. Previously, that was dealt with through secondary legislation. It was not debated in the House; it was just a statutory instrument that was signed by the Minister. I could have done that again but I believed it was more

little spare capacity, but it is operating at over 100%. If someone in the region looks for planning permission to build 100 houses, and one of the key infrastructural issues is housing, they cannot get a letter from Irish Water to say they will get water because … rail line, they use the number of people living within 5 km of the line. The rail line to Dublin goes past my house. Most people travel 30 or 40 miles to get to the railway. It is a much bigger piece of infrastructure that could service

might lean into that, to start in a moment of harmony. I genuinely join all Members in this House and people right across the country in supporting the Irish national soccer team tonight as they take on Czechia. At a time of real challenge in our country … households in this country will benefit from the decision we took to increase the fuel allowance. I want to provide clarity in this House. I do not know about the Deputy's office, but I certainly got queries from people wondering whether, if they had opted

critical point is the amount of money that will be allocated for these projects. We know that 40,000 units of Dublin housing stock was built before the 1940s. Much of this is redbrick stock and some of it is in areas of architectural conservation. There are real … issues with regard to how we bring these houses back into use, short of demolishing them. My concern ultimately is that while the scheme is potentially very welcome, the question is how much the Department and the Custom House are going to put behind it. There

this distressing situation. The establishment of the appeals board was an important step in offering those affected by decisions made by the Housing Agency and local authorities an opportunity to have their cases assessed by an independent group of industry experts. The chair of the panel … noted that the appeals panel is statutorily independent in the performance of its functions of the senior Minister, Deputy Browne, the Department of housing and the Housing Agency. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage provides administrative support during the initial stage of the process, in that

done going forward and they are concerned about the costs and whether they will be able to afford to rebuild or redevelop their house, as the case may be. There is also a serious concern about the technical review that is going on at the moment. When will … that be published? That could also be holding up these appeals. Will the Minister of State give the House an update on when the outcome of the technical review will be published? Also there are a number of people living in houses in social housing schemes, which

them and their families in the weeks and months ahead. There will be a second resolution, which we will discuss later in the House, on the diesel rebate scheme providing practical support to hauliers and coach operators. The estimate cost to the Exchequer of the two resolutions relating … European Council conclusions from Brussels last week and also with the response of other EU member states. I think I referenced in the House last week the decision taken by the Italian government to bring in measures for 20 days. Every government and set of people are trying

debate but left early. I am also disappointed that we had no speakers from Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael in the House. One would think that children's safety would be the most important thing on the mind of any elected representative. I thank colleagues from Sinn Féin … Ministers want to hang on to their seats, do not want to be criticised and want to be able to come into this House when a national scandal breaks and something in this country goes wrong and be able to say, "Nothing to do with the Government; that

this Dáil many times the real-life institutional barriers which women face. I have primarily raised these in the context of the housing crisis. Women are uniquely impacted by the housing crisis. Unfortunately, too often I have raised the issue of how women are impacted by domestic abuse … within the confines of our broken housing system in this Chamber but nothing has been done. We need a social housing passport for women affected by domestic abuse. It is not good enough that there are barriers in place that make it even more difficult for women

address the month on month rise in homelessness. Addressing homelessness is a priority for my office, the Department and this Government. Our new housing plan is an integrated housing and homeless plan based on two key pillars: activating the supply of 300,000 more homes; and supporting people … affordable, secure home that suits their needs in their local community. More than €9 billion in capital funding will be made available for housing in 2026. Our new plan recognises that homelessness is the single most pressing social issue we face and introduces a number of key measures

thank the Deputy for the question. Currently, local authorities charge rent under the Housing Act 1966 and this is known as the differential rents system. It is a critical piece of the State's welfare apparatus that subsidises housing costs and supports households who cannot meet their long … regularly to ensure they are equitable and appropriate to the household means. The Government’s priority is to accelerate the delivery of social housing, with a significant funding package to support this ambition. It is therefore increasingly important that social housing supports are targeted appropriately and managed efficiently

Affordability very much is at the heart of the Government's housing policy, as embodied within the new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025-2030. The Government is targeting the delivery of 300,000 new homes by 2030, including 72,000 social homes and 90,000 affordable … further three years to the end of 2028. The programme for Government commits to extending it. Record levels of social and affordable housing delivery have been achieved in recent years, with preliminary 2025 figures indicating further record levels of delivery. I am providing substantial funding to local authorities

Many thousands of housing estates in this country are unfinished. They have not been handed over to local authorities. Many local authorities state they cannot take them in charge because they do not have moneys available to them. I stood yesterday with Councillor Ger Curley in housing estates … fixed. Lighting needs to be put in place. We are waiting for engineers' reports. That is the case for thousands of housing estates. They are not just from the Celtic tiger days when builders went bust and there was no bond in place. A housing estate in Rathcooney

thank Deputy Ellis for tabling this Topical Issue matter. The Housing Act 1966 provides for the charging of rent by local authorities on social housing tenancies. Rents are based on household income levels, with those on lower incomes paying lower rents and those on higher incomes paying higher … rents. This system is known as the differential rents system. It is a critical piece of the State's welfare apparatus, subsidising housing costs and supporting households who cannot meet their long-term accommodation needs from their own resources. The making or amending of such rent schemes

shot down everything we have we proposed. Every week I ask for an increase in funding to return vacant boarded-up council houses to use. It is the simplest way to deliver housing quickly. Every week the Minister, Deputy Browne, refuses to give the money. He said that … housing committee. A freedom of information request I put in stated that the cost of keeping a family in emergency accommodation outside of Dublin is €55,000 a year and it costs more in Dublin. We are bringing forward a solution but the Government’s answer

quotas. Previous reviews have already made a significant number of construction-related roles eligible for permits, reflecting the importance of supporting increased housing delivery. For this review, the Department has worked closely with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to ensure the employment permits system aligns … with the national effort to expand housing supply. This collaboration focuses on identifying pathways for occupations that are essential to improving Ireland’s housing output. More broadly, when assessing changes to the lists, we take into account not only labour market evidence but also wider whole-of-government

will be allocated to various sectors. He also said that when deciding those quotas, the Department will give consideration to other factors including housing and access to services. What precisely does "take into account" mean? We know about the pressures, in particular on the housing market. We also … know that the only way we are going to increasing housing demand is through having international workers. There is a balance to be struck here. We know that in many areas there is a huge housing pressure. Some people who have come here on employment visas have ended

Bill is simple. It would make social housing universally available. It is the opposite to what the Government has been doing. The Government has effectively, for decades, been copying Maggie Thatcher by cutting the amount of social housing being built and then ensuring they shrink the pool … result is that only the poorest and lowest paid households, those that are on social welfare, are eligible. It concentrates deprivation in social housing. It leads to social issues and contributes to a financial crisis for councils when they say they are not raising enough through rents

chased it out. I have said before and reiterate that we were one major rainfall, one really bad day, away from hundreds of houses being flooded. There is a specific issue in parts of Dundalk. While we need to see the works that are promised by Louth County … every high tide, but at least it would provide some element of capacity in the rivers. If it saves a number of houses, it is absolutely necessary. Actions have been taken by the council to address issues with the Blackwater caused by what it termed over-pumping

place for communities because people have suffered greatly and I do not like what has happened no more than anyone else in the House. We were lucky the two recent big events happened at night. If they had happened during the day, we could have been looking … something totally different. A 90-year-old woman in Dublin was taken out of her house in a brown bin to get her away from the floods. A man over 90 in Enniscorthy was taken out in a boat. Any human being would want to do more

Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on whether requiring applicants to make a choice (details supplied) in advance of 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; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23601/26

Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage how long it takes, on average, for a local authority to make a decision on an application for social housing in each local authority in the State, in tabular form; and if he will make

Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update on the funding application submitted by Fingal County Council to develop housing at Tuckett’s Lane, Howth, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter

Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of supported housing units in Wicklow at the moment; and the number that are planned up to 2050; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23996/26

Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has received a business case or a request for funding in respect of infrastructure related to the delivery of housing in Wicklow. [24006/26

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the rationale for not deducting regular maintenance payments by a partner for their child from their income when being assessed for eligibility for social housing support, yet the recipient of the maintenance payment will have

Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider providing for specific housing support for lone parents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24163/26

Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on whether lone parents are disproportionally impacted by high rents; if any targeted housing supports for lone parent families has been considered by his Department; and if he will make a statement

Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the results of the review on income thresholds for social housing support will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24231/26

Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding housing supports for Ukrainian families that do not yet have permission to remain; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24402/26

Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to situations whereby Ukrainian families have been evicted from their accommodation but cannot qualify for social housing supports as they do not have permission to remain; the advice he will

Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his recent announcement regarding Developer-Led Wastewater Services Infrastructure (details supplied) will apply to a group of houses in a completely rural setting.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24485/26

Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the work his Department is undertaking to address the low uptake of social housing and independent living supports by people with intellectual disabilities. [24758/26

Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider giving people who are on their local authorities housing list who have received a valid notice of termination access to homeless HAP earlier than the current 12 weeks prior to their notice

Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage under the new Developer Provided Infrastructure for Wastewater Treatment Plants of developments of up to 40 houses, can plants be installed in a village in a rural area that already has a plant

Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position where an individual is on a social housing list in one local authority area and transfers to another, the way they can ensure their previous years continue to be counted; and if he will

Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of transfers in 2025 from the social housing list of one local authority to another local authority. [24933/26

Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 315 of 26 March 2026, to provide a specific answer for the shortage of social housing in Arklow, County Wicklow, as distinct from County Wicklow as a whole

Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to expedite reform of the National Planning Guidelines for one-off housing and give particular attention to areas under significant urban pressure (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25046/26

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason AHBs receive funding for housing maintenance while local authorities do not; and whether he would consider expanding these funding models to local authorities. [25077/26

Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the tenant-in-situ scheme will be operational again for local authorities to purchase houses for families facing eviction; the amount of funding which has been allocated to Sligo County Council for the scheme

Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the updated regulations for one-off housing will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25327/26

Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if favourable consideration can be given to converting a garage change of use to the rear or side of a dwelling to an apartment/small dwelling house; and if he will make a statement on the matter

Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on his proposal to remove any ban on pets in social and affordable housing; if this will include HAP tenancies; if he intends on progressing legislation to include private tenancies

Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total funding allocated to the cost rental tenant-in-situ scheme; the total revenue made from rent by the Housing Agency; the average rent in each of the past four years, in tabular form