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gender equality, some of which I will outline today, have never been more important and I look forward to working with this House and all stakeholders to ensure we can advance these priorities together. As Minister with responsibility for gender equality, I am especially pleased that we will … years of life. I am pleased to say that provision has been made for women involved in public service both here in this House and in our councils across the country. In the past two years, our councillors and Oireachtas Members can now take maternity leave and, going

Today I stand before the House representing the voice of the Irish taxpayer who is rightly appalled by the flagrant waste of public money on this and the previous Government's watch. Where is the accountability? Where are the checks and balances in the public procurement process … that is rampant in the public sector. It allowed taxpayers to follow the money. It was a tool to enable Members of this House and the press to track where money was being spent. One thing we know for certain is that money is being spent

Excuse me. They talk about the security hut. Let me remind everyone in the House, some of whom sit on the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission, that nothing can happen around the Houses without the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission knowing. It in the framing of the House

those properties back into the rental market, but clearly we need to do more. My answer covers many of the situations where a house can be taken back from a tenant and covers some of the taxation, but obviously a lot of the tax matters the Deputy mentioned … would be for the Minister for Finance. I will certainly bring it back. I assure the House that as set out in the programme for Government, this Government remains focused on growing the supply of much-needed rental accommodation and commits to continuing its support for renters

also wish the Minister and Minister of State well. There has been abject failure. There was an abject failure to reach 40,000 houses, which we all saw coming, unfortunately. The Government would say it did not, but either way we need to see success here or every … Member is going to be inundated – as I and many others already are – by representations from those who are suffering due to the housing crisis. There are those who cannot afford the rents. I did my usual and looked at daft.ie. There were 15 places in Dundalk

involved in. I want to mention two examples. Right-sizing accommodation for older people has been mentioned earlier on the floor of the House. I spoke yesterday to a constituent in Kilbarrack. He is a man in his late 50s or early 60s. He lives in a three … bedroom council house and he is looking to downsize to a one-bedroom council accommodation, ideally an apartment. It is not directly related to health, but it is indirectly related in that if we can facilitate such an individual, it is better for his physical and mental health

Members an update on that and then I want to speak about right-sizing, which falls under my brief as positive ageing, and housing options for people to age positively. The programme for Government has committed to designing a statutory home care scheme to allow people stay … number of Members is that of right-sizing for older people. I am a Minister of State in two Departments, health and housing. My remit is to look at housing options for older people, which includes right-sizing. I am actively working on this with the officials

Teachta Daly agus lena chomhghleacaithe i Sinn Féin as an rún atá á phlé againn. I welcome the opportunity to address the House and update it on the national driver testing service. I acknowledge the concerns that have been raised by Deputies. I also note the lack … drive. This is not at a service level I believe is acceptable. In the course of my contribution, I will tell the House what we are doing about it. For this reason, I can confirm the Government will not oppose the motion. Every Member of the House

costs. While all spending has to be questioned, I will try to concentrate on what Ireland is getting for this huge budget. Every housing target that Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin, the Labour Party and the Social Democrats have set are nothing short of farcical. I will … word "lie" in the House, but what I will say is that they are misleading the public as none of the dream targets that all of them have set in housing can be achieved because of a major lack of infrastructure, which comes down to Uisce Éireann

like a cup of coffee. It has gone brown and they just cannot drink it anymore. There are up to 18 houses involved. The cost of the group extension is too prohibitive. In this instance, where the supply line is 4.8 km away, the cost of the overall … This price was given two years ago, so it would be more expensive now. I understand there are up to 18 houses is involved. Each would have to contribute somewhere between €38,000 or €39,000 and €45,000, which is totally prohibitive. There are two more affected

State said there is a grant of up to €15,000, but he never said there is a minimum requirement of having 25 houses. What about the seven, five and 18 houses I have mentioned? There are several others like them. The smaller number must be considered … scheme and its provision and to make it more friendly for the people who need water to do something. This minimum of 26 houses cannot be entertained when five or seven houses and 18 houses do not have any water and where their wells went wrong. These people

thank the Social Democrats for bringing forward this motion on the housing crisis. What does a housing crisis look like? Take my clinic in this week alone. On Monday morning, I had a single man who is working. He is living with his family and has nowhere … will be homeless in months. A family that is five years on the list and has absolutely no chance of getting social housing has received a notice to quit and will be homeless by the summer. A family that is 11 years on the list has received

when rent pressure zones were supposed to keep rents at an affordable level but like so many of the previous Government's housing policies, they have absolutely failed in meeting their goal. Now the new Government intends on continuing its failed policies and the Taoiseach is talking about … Even the HAP place finders find it impossible to find places for people to rent. This is not what you call a functioning housing policy. Even when a person through some kind of stroke of luck is able to find somewhere suitable to rent with

good to have the opportunity to speak on housing again so soon. I welcome the motion from my Social Democrats colleagues. Looking at the Government amendment, I would vote against it but I will put on the record that I am participating in a pairing arrangement today … funds that are coming in are obviously there to make a profit. There is no way in the world the price of any housing for sale, if they sell it, will be cheaper. The rents will not be cheaper either. I will give the local example of Lucan

Branding the houses as affordable increases the level of hopelessness among young people. They feel the houses are just more out of reach for them. I believe we should rename the Act the Unaffordable Housing Act because unaffordable housing is genuinely what it is delivering. We need … radical reset of housing policy. The answers to this crisis are not found in the failed policies of the past. We need the State to be more involved in the direct delivery of affordable homes, and we need the Government to start listening to first-time buyers, renters

possible to have a serious debate, which the people deserve, on housing without the name calling and attempts to politically undermine and distort what is being said? I do not think it is possible to have such a debate with the Opposition, given the Deputy's contribution just … what I said publicly. I will say again that the last Government moved from a situation where we were doing approximately 20,000 houses in 2020 to more than 30,000 houses in 2022, 2023 and 2024. Some 130,000 houses have been built since the last Government

Yesterday, the housing subcommittee of the Cabinet met. We made some concrete decisions in respect of housing. There will be an additional €450 million of funding to build a further 3,000 affordable and social homes, and cost rental accommodation. We made the decision to establish a strategic … housing activation office, as recommended by the Housing Commission, of which the Deputy is fond. That was decided and that is what we are doing. In addition, we have agreed the first revision of the national planning framework, which is extremely important in facilitating increased zoning of land

which is key - I hope the Deputy agrees – and will lead to more zoning of land which is important given the numbers of houses that we have to build in the coming years. We approved an additional €450 million for 3,400 social, cost rental and affordable homes … excess of €6 billion has been allocated for housing in State expenditure for 2025. We need about €20 billion to get to 50,000 per annum. That is the scale of the challenge. I respect the views the Deputy has put forward but I respectfully suggest they

They might be doing it in the best interests of housing but you cannot say one thing and then have it both ways, as Deputy Ó Broin has been doing serially. I will look at that and I will discuss with the Deputy mechanisms around utilising that … billion he spoke about and how we release more private sector capital into housing. That is what I have been saying since this Government was formed. That is what I have been condemned for, by the Deputy's colleagues and others, but it is a simple truism

people of Dublin Bay North will be forthcoming. In January 2020, revised Central Bank lending regulations were put into effect on credit union house and business lending only. There is no regulatory limit on personal, unsecured lending which comprises approximately 87% of the credit union loan book … consultation paper, the Central Bank is proposing a number of targeted material changes to the credit union lending regulations in concentration limits for house and business lending and lending practices for specific categories of lending. The Central Bank is now consulting on the following proposals for change: decoupling

country are asking, namely: can we pull everybody together and get all the levers that are necessary to address what is still a housing emergency in Ireland? The new Cabinet committee on housing will meet for the first time under this Government next week, I think, on Monday … also committed to publishing a revised Housing for All plan as part of that and we can take that suggestion on board. The Deputy is correct. Whoever the Minister for housing is and whatever the Department, there are other levers that need to be pulled. The lack

this is my first contribution in the House, I ask for its indulgence for a moment as I thank my wife, my family, my friends, my supporters and the Fine Gael members who have assisted me in recent years and, in particular, during November's election campaign. Most … Minister of State with special responsibility for planning and local government. I very much look forward to working with everybody in the House in a collaborative fashion in the coming years. I thank Deputy McAuliffe for raising this very important issue. It is one we often spoke about

salary of €100,000 and savings in the bank of €40,000 are not enough to get a mortgage for a three-bedroom house in two thirds of the postcodes in Dublin. If that is the case for those who have done well and have a great salary … paid employment or those paying massive childcare costs have when trying to look for a mortgage? There is an inequality in housing in the city, in terms of who controls the land and the destiny of so many families. It is in the gift of the Government

Housing Agency has been conducting a review of RPZs since last year. It will finish its review at the end of quarter 1. The Housing Commission asked that we would do a detailed, evidence-based examination of this German reference pricing system. That should happen because that … like the Deputy's approach to everything. Banks do need to lend more to builders, including smaller builders. The financing of housing has been an issue for the past number of years. There is no point in saying it has not been. It is the number one priority

failed policies of its predecessor. It lacks ambition and is deliberately vague with no costings or timelines. It means the continuation of the housing and homelessness crisis, the cost-of-living crisis, hospital overcrowding, long health waiting lists, a broken disability service and the continuation of the health … recruitment embargo, the so-called pay and numbers strategy. Everybody agrees the housing and homelessness crisis is the most fundamental issue facing this country. This programme continues the failed policies of the previous Government. There is no new urgency, no emergency measures, no reset of housing policy

Flynn asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment in light of recent concerns regarding fire safety and defective materials in housing construction, the assurance he can give that A1-rated materials (details supplied) are being objectively assessed and fairly considered for specification in both public and private … housing schemes. [63868/25

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide the current allocation for housing-linked infrastructure in Cork City and Cork County for 2026, including roads, drainage, water and schools, and to state whether these allocations meet the projected population growth

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average cost per unit for social housing, affordable purchase, and cost-rental homes delivered in 2023 and 2024; the projected average unit cost under Delivering Homes, Building Communities for each year

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average acquisition cost of land used for housing delivery in the past two years; the expected land costs for new sites under Delivering Homes, Building Communities; and the steps being taken to reduce land

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a formal value-for-money review has been completed for the Housing for All programme; if so, the findings of the review; and the way in which these findings informed the design of Delivering

Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when he will publish the Bill to introduce new housing reforms in the private rental market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62784/25

Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing; Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to matters raised in correspondence (details supplied) in relation to housing support schemes; the actions he will take to address the concerns outlined; and if he will make a statement

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether any funding that is made available for retrofitting local authority housing is intended for tenanted social homes; and if not, if it is exclusively for vacant social homes (details supplied). [62918/25

Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of social housing units completed and occupied in each local authority area to date in 2025; and the targets for completion by year end. [62967/25

Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Housing; Local Government and Heritage if he will review the affordability thresholds and criteria for single applicants to cost-rental housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62995/25

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if EU Cohesion Policy Funding has been allocated to any social and affordable housing programmes in his Department. [63230/25

Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his position on if payments under the mother and baby institutions payment scheme come under the category of income that is not assessable and should be disregarded for the purposes of assessing income under the Housing

Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher asked the Minister for Housing; Local Government and Heritage in view of the success of the vacant/derelict grants scheme in Donegal if he will consider a similar type of grant for above the shop units for housing; and if he will make

Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if SUSI grants and Erasmus grants are counted as household income for persons on local authority housing lists. [63353/25

Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current number of households on the social housing waiting list in Dublin City Council and in Fingal County Council, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63357/25

Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current average processing time for housing adaptation grant applications for 2025; how those compare with 2023 and 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63359/25

Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of approved housing body units completed in Dublin for the past five years, by postal code, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63360/25

Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of applications on the social housing waiting list for County Mayo, by town, in tabular form, as of November 2025. [63530/25

Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of housing applicants in County Mayo requesting one bedroom, two bedroom, three bedroom and four bedroom accommodation, in tabular form, as of November 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the median and average time taken between the submission of a strategic housing development application and a final determination by An Bord Pleanála, for each of the past five years; and if he will make

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has assessed the cumulative impact of judicial reviews on the delivery of major housing or infrastructure projects; and if reforms are being considered to reduce systemic delay while preserving the right

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the specific measures being taken to streamline the planning and appeals process, in light of the ongoing housing crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63584/25

Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of turn-key acquisitions of homes for social housing, by local authority area, between the years 2020 and to date in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63654/25

Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide details for the significant delays in commencing construction on 18 social housing units at Kilbride Lodge, Bray, County Wicklow; when construction is due to commence; and if he will make a statement

Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide details of the original estimated cost of constructing 18 social housing units at Kilbride Lodge, Bray, County Wicklow when planning was approved by Wicklow County Council, in 2021; and if he will make