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taxes can deliver projects on budget and on time. A company has come to me and to other Deputies in the House to say it will build the hospital for the mid-west. This company does not mind if it is in Limerick, Clare or Tipperary; it will … build the hospital. It will work a contract out with the State like you would do for a mortgage for a house. It says that it will build the hospital that is needed for the mid-west on budget and deliver it within two years. It is needed

Visitors Gallery the women who have campaigned very vigorously to stop violence against women and girls. It is also very appropriate that this House is discussing the issue of violence against women and girls today, which, as Deputy Farrell says, is International Day for the Elimination of Violence … should be a zero tolerance approach to gender-based violence and the attitudes that underpin it. On the Bill being debated in the House, I thank and commend Deputy Carthy for introducing the Private Members' Bill. Before I deal with the specifics of the Bill, which

Building Communities 2025-2030. I thank the Deputy for his regular engagement on this important issue for his constituents. The Government’s new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025-2030 sets out a broad range of measures which will activate and accelerate new homes delivery and provide … affordable housing supports. The new plan, which has a strong focus on deliverability, removes structural barriers to homebuilding, unlocking land, reforming planning, delivering infrastructure and creating conditions for investment. The Government is investing an unprecedented level of funding to support housing supply, which will underpin, inter alia

Report of the Approved Housing Body Strategic Forum presents an ambitious and transformative vision for the AHB sector and sets out a detailed roadmap of policy development reforms to enable the realisation of that vision over the years ahead. The forum, which was established in December 2023, undertook … These included a series of national workshops involving over 150 participants, broad stakeholder consultations and targeted research into not-for-profit housing association models in four peer European jurisdictions. The work also drew on the relevant recommendations of the Housing Commission and the priorities outlined in the programme

thank the Deputy very much for raising this important matter. It gives me the opportunity to update the House on behalf of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The Government fully understands and acknowledges the difficulties that homeowners and residents of many apartments and duplexes … appropriate oversight and governance measures. Indeed, good progress has been made with Department officials attending a meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage yesterday evening to begin the process of pre-legislative scrutiny. Pending the introduction of the statutory scheme, the interim remediation

family the very best. He has been a civil and thoughtful adversary for the years we have both been in the House. He never held back in letting us know what he thought about our perspective on politics and economics. I am not going to hold back … that I think the legacy that has been left behind by the years of Fine Gael Government since I have been in the House, and Deputy Donohoe has been in the House, is not one to be proud of. He simply cannot escape responsibility for a disastrous

rules and basically saying to countries that they should spend whatever they need to pump up defence spending. Yet when we see a housing crisis across the European Union and millions who are without a proper home, there is no such suspension of the fiscal rules to enable … infrastructure for large scale military movements but we do not prepare for or invest in our European infrastructure to ensure our people have housing, healthcare, decent quality of services or even transport. It has to be worrying to see our European Commission talk about preparing our European infrastructure

under its watch. We heard all about the great choices this Government wanted to make while the cost of living, energy, groceries and housing skyrocketed. On a quiet Wednesday afternoon a month later, with much less fanfare, we get to the stark reality of the flipside of those … consider how it will ensure proper assessment, governance and oversight of the scheme in this Bill as it makes its way through the House. I acknowledge the adjustment in the Bill and the amendment on the Pensions Authority review. There is a narrative, which the parties in this

know the Department of housing has a huge amount on its plate in addressing the housing crisis but to be honest, it has always been very clear to me that updating these planning guidelines to make developers provide appropriate crèche facilities in new estates has never been … year to pass those. Resolving this issue cannot wait any longer. There are going to be tens of thousands of houses built in the coming years; there must be to address the housing crisis. If we get these guidelines improved, they can contribute to the delivery of thousands

these additional judges and, as I have indicated, 24 of them have been appointed to date. It is important that we in this House all recognise that the reason we are seeking the appointment of more judges is not in order that people can become judges … superior courts, prepare judgments in respect of complex issues that have been raised before them. I think everyone in the House agrees we are lucky in this country that we have an internationally recognised Judiciary. It is renowned for its integrity as well as its commercial awareness, fairness

disability services in my constituency but which affects the wider Dublin area and the country. I will speak about St. Michael's House and about a constituent whose issue I have raised and want to raise again today. St. Michael's House on the Ballymun Road provides … people with disabilities and their families, from residential supports and independent living to clinical support, day supports and respite. St. Michael's House is also a lead agency for the Dublin CDNT, which supports thousands of children and also has a waiting list for day services. I want

Government published Future Forty, a long-term economic assessment of Ireland’s outlook conducted by the Department of Finance. It projects that the housing disaster will continue for at least another 15 to 20 years, which is a truly grim analysis for every generation in this State … Minister today is this: it would be utterly bizarre and, indeed, irresponsible for the Government to take as inevitable the projection that the housing crisis will continue for another decade or more. Regrettably, the Government has taken this bizarre approach for some time because in the face

Minister, Deputy Donohoe, was very clear yesterday that we are changing policy on an ongoing basis when it comes to infrastructure and housing, and we have more to do. We have a new housing plan being published in the coming weeks. We will have significant infrastructure reforms being … that, if we can embrace that in the public service and also across all elements of the economy. When it comes to housing delivery, if you look at the national development plan, you will see that next year we will have over €11 billion between current and capital

Stan who was a Listowel woman and a Kerry woman. In a week when we saw the outrageous attack on the house in Drogheda and convictions for racially motivated murders, I would love to know what she would have thought about the way the country is going … energy credits this winter. The constraints on our grid do not just impact energy affordability. In fact, grid constraints are placing urgently needed housing under threat. We saw that 80 families were prevented from moving into their homes last summer due to the lack of an electricity connection

electricity. They were told to do this. The building energy rating, BER, rating was forced upon thousands of people that have built new houses by the banks and other lending institutions. They have to have the lowest BER rating and to do that means they cannot have … into electricity only. The Government then will find that when the power goes out, there is no one to help them. Two council houses that I pass every morning when I leave Kilgarvan have been unoccupied for over a year. There was people living in them up until

unity in regard to the farmers of Ireland and the work they do. Four weeks ago I attended a public meeting in Killashee House. Deputy Aird was there along with a number of public representatives. Most public representatives in attendance were from this side of the House … indeed from our party. In fact, I think all of them were from our side of the House. There were 800 people in the room. We counted as best we could. I sat off to the side but at the front was the Minister, Deputy Heydon

analysis of the Deputy. We have been listening to a lot of empty rhetoric on the side of the Opposition in respect of housing. As I said earlier, housing supply is not where we want it to be but it is significantly way up on where … year, there were very high figures - the highest since 2008. Now they need to be, and we need to get to 50,000 houses. The Deputy's savings plan is not going to do that this year, next year or the year after. Let us not pretend

Across Waterford city and county, the housing crisis is worsening by the day. We see it on the ground and in the statistics and the figures. We are witnessing the inevitable result of years of Government failure and a lack of political will to deliver homes for ordinary … people. I met again in recent days with housing officials in Waterford City and County Council. To be fair, they are working hard within the constraints set by central government. The message is clear: we need a massive upturn in the delivery of social and affordable housing. Without

rising costs across the board, yet they were left with their hands hanging after this budget. We have heard much fanfare of various housing schemes being introduced. In reality, hard-working families on low pay, hard-working individuals trying their best and hard-working people on minimum wage … ever owning their own home; neither do they have any hope of getting any assistance from the State in the form of the housing assistance payment or being allowed to go on housing lists. In Wexford, for instance, two people earning the minimum wage are about

Land Development Agency is a key part of the Government’s housing strategy in delivering affordable homes for rent and sale in communities right across Ireland. The Department of Finance’s report on the sustainable funding options for the Land Development Agency considered the financing needs … this need on the business model and operational activities of the agency. This report and the pressing need for further expansion in housing supply of all tenure types have informed the Government’s decision in June to expand the role and remit of the LDA. The annual report

Minister can criticise Sinn Féin’s housing plan all he wants, but I am going to be straight with him. I live in the real world, and the prices of affordable houses in my own area in Dublin Mid-West are simply not affordable. I will give some … Saggart, another part of Dublin Mid-West, a three-bedroom affordable home costs a whopping €494,000, almost €500,000 for an affordable house under the Government's affordable housing scheme. I do not know what planet the Minister is living on, but €500,000 is simply

Deputies Cummins and O'Sullivan, we will see many more projects opened in the coming years. I also want to mention the affordable housing targets that are set out as part of Cork City Council and Cork County Council plans in Housing For All. A significant development … been made in the affordable housing sector, particularly for Cork County Council which achieved more than its targets for last year and for this year so far. It is good to see that we are accommodating affordable housing for people across Cork county. The Minister of State will

Government caved to lobbyists on the VAT cut, so it has caved to the demands of landlords and developers on the housing package. Instead of a winter blitz on vacancy and dereliction, as the Labour Party proposed, it has proposed a new tax. We welcome the derelict property … year, and the Government has kicked the can down the road on the residential zoned land tax. Its allocation on so-called temporary housing solutions is an admission that our shameful rate of homelessness will go up, with more evictions and more children

politics that we have to continue to ask. I have asks in relation to people who want to pay for and build houses themselves. We need to do much more for working-class people, because highly educated, talented people are emigrating. The thing making them go is they … cannot see how they can come up to the mark of buying or building a house for themselves. We could help them in places like Kerry. We could do something about these clauses that stop them getting planning permission on sites local to them or their own sites

powerful in our society, namely developers, vulture funds, big landlords and millionaires. It is certainly not a budget for PAYE workers, the homeless, housing applicants, families, children, the disabled or even social welfare recipients. This Government is completely out of touch with ordinary people. Those in government live … bubble here in Leinster House. Is it that they do not know or do not care that there is a cost-of-living crisis? Families are struggling to make ends meet. Grocery prices are through the roof. We have some of the highest energy prices in Europe

Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of affordable housing units delivered in Galway City and County Galway in each of the past five years; the number currently planned or under construction; and if he will make a statement

Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount of land zoned and serviced for residential development in Galway City and County Galway; the estimated housing capacity of such land; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21122/26

Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Housing; Local Government and Heritage the progress made in implementing Programme for Government commitments to introduce special development plans for Gaeltacht areas, including housing targets and planning guidelines applicable to Gaeltacht communities in Galway West; and if he will make

Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount of money allocated to South Dublin County Council for retrofitting of local authority housing stock in each of the years 2024, 2025 and 2026. [21160/26

been drawn to the new construction waste levy which is leading to significantly increased costs for construction projects at a time of housing shortage and house price inflation; his plans to review this levy or assist the sector in relation to this issue; and if he will make

Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding any recent tripartite engagements between his Department, Dublin City Council and the developers of the Poolbeg SDZ area to reach an agreement on the delivery of affordable housing; and if he will make

Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding any review of the qualifying income thresholds for cost rental housing developments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18281/26

Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to the recent opening of the state’s first purpose-built social housing with supports for older people (details supplied) if there are plans to roll-out further similar style facilities; if existing

Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans if any, to adapt a one nation national minimum standard approach for all housing types similar to the 2025 design standards for apartment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18522/26

Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will revise the Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, amended in June 2016, to account for the cost-of-living crisis and the development of residential areas in Bands

Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to provide affordable housing in Killarney, County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18695/26

Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on the merits of relaxing regulations to allow homeowners to build larger stand-alone cabins in back gardens and create additional housing capacity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18736/26

Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to respond to correspondence (details supplied) in relation to housing assistance payment rent limits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18794/26

Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding the protocol to allow households fleeing domestic, sexual and gender-based violence to transfer time spent on a social housing waiting list to another local authority; when this protocol will be implemented

Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has assessed the potential role of reopening the Mullingar–Athlone rail line in supporting housing delivery and compact growth in towns and villages along the corridor, including Moate, Streamstown and Castletown Geoghegan. [19124/26

Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage in light of the ongoing homelessness crisis and the Government's decision to restrict the tenant-in-situ scheme and given the continued rise in homelessness figures, will the Minister acknowledge that restricting the scheme … exacerbated housing insecurity and commit to urgently restoring the tenant-in-situ scheme in full, pending the introduction of a more effective homelessness prevention measure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19239/26

Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to confirm the targets for accessible social housing delivered by local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19278/26

Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of local authority housing allocations for people with disabilities in the years 2024 and 2025, broken down by physical, sensory, mental, intellectual, or other classification of disability, in tabular form; and if he will

Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the 7.5% targets for wheelchair accessible social housing are met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19281/26

Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the analysis undertaken by his Department comparing the cost to the State of providing emergency homeless accommodation with the cost of preventing homelessness through the tenant-in-situ acquisition scheme operated by local authorities … housing agency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19335/26

Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he will publish any internal reports or analysis undertaken by the Department or the housing agency comparing emergency accommodation and the tenant-in-situ scheme approaches [19341/26

Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps being taken by his Department to reduce the number of those on a Kildare County Council waiting list for a house; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19383/26

Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding the progress toward delivering affordable housing in North Kildare; the measures currently being advanced by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19384/26

Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding the construction of infrastructure that will help to deliver housing in North Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19385/26

Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether current local authority IT systems used to collect housing and homelessness data record the reasons people become homeless; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19472/26