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propose to take Questions Nos. 18 to 34, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on housing last met on Thursday 5 June and is due to meet again on Monday 21 July. The committee works to ensure a cross-Government approach to the implementation of our commitments in respect … housing policy. Housing supply has increased significantly over the past number of years, with almost 140,000 new homes delivered since the start of 2020. However, we know we need to do more. Housing is the single most urgent and important social and economic issue facing our country

housing crisis is no longer a crisis; it is a social catastrophe. It is an emergency, as the Government has accepted. However, Government actions - cutting key housing projects, suspending funding and gutting homelessness prevention schemes - tell a very different story. Instead of rising to meet this catastrophe … Government is failing time and time again. That is because its policies created this crisis. We had yesterday at the housing committee the Ombudsman for Children, who highlighted again the national shame that is almost 5,000 children in homelessness. I said it was a scandal and asked

glad to have the opportunity to talk about housing again tonight. Since I came up here in 2016, we have been talking about it constantly. Every man and woman who has sat here in the Dáil has talked about housing but little has changed. I want to speak … about vacant properties. I spoke about this last year, the year before and recently but the story is the same. There are vacant houses and properties all around the countryside. They are all around Kerry - on streets in villages and towns and in the countryside. They are everywhere

There is a housing emergency in this State. Whatever way the Government tries to spin it, that is what we have. Whether someone is a house buyer, renter or waiting on the council to provide a house, he or she will find they face a challenging and often … very long course. Limerick has seen rents increase by an astonishing 75% since 2020 and house purchase prices have increased by 44% since 2019. Many people have been on council housing waiting lists in excess of seven years. Indeed, the average house price now stands

called housing tsar debacle has left more questions than answers, and not just about salary either. The Minister for housing has been very quiet in responding to these questions. We need to hear from him in the Dáil. He must come to us to explain how he proposes … housing activation office will work. He cannot leave explanations to the Minister of State with responsibility for nature and biodiversity, as he did on the radio last Friday. Over recent weeks, we have heard plenty of noise from Government about unblocking blockages, tackling shortfalls, maverick approaches and boots

nonetheless hugely disappointing, and even shocking, because there is absolutely no acceptance of the depth and breadth of what is an intolerable housing emergency. This emergency started with the privatisation of the local authority house building programme by a Fianna Fáil Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, back in the early … 2000s. Many of us warned then that would be the start of a huge housing crisis down the road. We were not listened to, of course, and here we find ourselves now in what is accepted by the vast majority of people in this House, on both Government

from private development, including public funding. We know that record public funding has been put in for 2025. In order to get our housing market working, there are two key elements that international institutions look at before they commit finance to home construction finance. These are the return … need are policy certainty and stability in the medium term. From my perspective as a newly elected TD, I am very aware that housing is a major social and economic challenge that touches every generation. In 1983, my parents were offered a council house by Kilkenny County Council

first Private Members' motion of the Thirty-fourth Dáil. This motion calls for and sets out our vision for the radical reset in housing policy as called for in the Government’s own housing commission report, which it has, by and large and conveniently for itself, ignored. Ireland … just in the midst of a housing crisis but a housing crisis that is getting worse and worse, and that the Government seems intent on worsening through successive ill-thought-out interventions that we know will only serve to line the pockets of property developers and institutional investors

thank Deputy Toole for her important question about housing supports for persons with additional needs and disabilities. The housing assistance payment scheme is a social housing support, so an assessment of housing needs must be completed in order to qualify for HAP. Any household with an identified housing … need is eligible for HAP. For housing assistance to be provided, the housing authority must be satisfied that the tenancy is or would be a tenancy in good faith. Where there is a family relationship between the tenant and the landlord, the housing authority may seek evidence

sure the Minister of State is aware but we are really only having this debate because of the housing crisis being created by his Government and its policies. Notwithstanding that, there are many consequences of its housing crisis and this is one. It does not affect an awful … said: While I am on my feet, I also want to say the Deputy raised an issue with me before in the House in relation to victims and survivors of domestic abuse, when they are moving from one local authority list to another, and the time they were

That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to bring the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2026 before the House. The main purpose of this Bill is to support the smooth commencement of the remaining provisions of the Planning and Development Act 2024 later … General, informed by dozens of key stakeholder voices in the planning arena, while also subject to considerable scrutiny when it passed through the Houses of the Oireachtas. Given the scale of the 2024 Act, it has been necessary to commence and implement it on a phased basis

increase of 20% year on year, the highest annual total since the dataset years began in 2011. Record level of social and affordable housing delivery have been achieved in recent years, with preliminary 2025 figures indicating further record levels of delivery. Since 2019, new-build social housing delivery … State has been tracking in and around 25% of the overall housing output, which is a very significant investment by the State in the provision of social housing. In conjunction with growing cost-rental delivery, it puts the State in a very strong position to meet, over time

First, in relation to the housing assistance payment and the Dublin Simon Community report that the Deputy referenced, I thank the Dublin Simon Community for the work it does. I thank it for the recognition in its commentary in relation to the tenancy protections we are putting … place in the legislation that passed in this House last night and now goes to the Seanad today. I thank it for the work it is doing, including in this capital city with the opening of its new facility this week to help people in relation to addiction

willing to sacrifice these renters, who will have to pay higher rents in the coming months and years to incentivise a supply of housing that at some point will lead to rents coming down. My colleague Deputy Eoin Ó Broin referred earlier to officials. I asked the officials … appeared before the housing committee the point at which this policy will bring down rents. They said they hope that it will bring down rents. This Bill is based on a flawed market theory of housing that completely fails to understand how housing markets and systems work. They

contributors to what has been a wide-ranging debate. I want to touch on what the Government is doing generally on housing. The housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities, is one of a number of items. The first was the national planning framework, which has been revised … population. One of the points that came up earlier related to local authorities. We want them to provide for up to 50% more housing than the targets that were laid down by the Department. We need more land zoned for development. That is important. Then

Middle East, European security and defence, competitiveness and the green and digital transitions. Leaders also had a first strategic discussion on housing and the Euro Summit. Migration was also discussed, as well as Moldova following its recent parliamentary elections. I will deal with Ukraine, the Middle East, European … security and defence, housing and competitiveness. The Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, will later speak to all other issues. Almost four years after Russia launched its full-scale and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, President Putin repeatedly shows us that he is intent on disregarding alternatives to his chosen

welcome aspects of this legislation. We will be supporting it. However, I have raised many very valid points in this House around viability and around reducing the costs. I have brought points to the Minister about people with planning permission who want to build, who have a housing … Opposition as well. It is very disappointing that issues around the demand have not even been mentioned by the Minister regarding the housing crisis. I want to raise a number of important points. Through the parliamentary question process, I have raised a number of questions with the Minister

putting in amendments opposing the proposal. If this proposal was worked on, it would create a strong solution in relation to housing. Sometimes I wonder what the reasoning is behind the Government trying to block any good proposal being put forward. I thank Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice, John Campbell … Mark Nolan for putting this motion together. Housing is one of the most pressing issues of our time. We must declare a national housing and infrastructure emergency to enable accelerated housing delivery. This is not just a matter of policy; it is a matter of urgency and necessity

support the motion on housing tabled by my colleagues in the Independent Technical Group. This is probably the 20th or 25th discussion on housing that we have had since the start of the year. I worry that as we are almost 10% through the lifetime of this Dáil … will end up not getting anything done. We need to focus very quickly on putting in some measures that will actually deliver housing. I mentioned last week the call by the Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI, chairman, Sean O'Driscoll, to get real about the infrastructure

welcome the opportunity to speak on the challenges we face to secure a housing system that meets the needs of our society. The Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, and I will set out how we are building on the progress made in recent years under the Housing … plan to address the serious housing challenges touching every family in this country, and the Minister, Deputy Browne, will give concluding comments. He is doing media engagements at the moment. Building new homes is a top priority for this Government. We have committed to delivering

echo everything said by Deputy Hearne. Nothing causes more frustration for people in housing need than seeing council houses boarded up. It causes huge frustration for people when they look out and see a house across the way that has been boarded up for weeks and months while … they are living in an overcrowded house. Intergenerational families are stuck living together while there are houses across my constituency in Cork that are boarded up. Across County Cork, 495 houses are boarded up. In Cork city, there are 345. Some 196 of those have been boarded

Government's amendment. This is a vital discussion. Unfortunately, it feels as if every week, we are discussing a new blockage to providing housing. The incredible thing is that each week, this new barrier is responded to by the Government and the Department of Housing, Local Government … lack of investment in infrastructure. I will bring the Minister of State back to 2017. Fine Gael launched a local infrastructure housing activation fund. What was this for? It was for dealing with critical infrastructural blockages such as roads, bridges and amenity spaces. The Government was offering local

allow them to amend their county development and local area plans. Because of the delay, I have seen a planning application for 335 houses in Blessington, County Wicklow, which was supported by the council and all the elected members, refused by An Bord Pleanála because the local area … plan was not up to date with the new housing targets. No guidance has been issued at this stage on headroom. From my experience of development plans, the previous direction from the Office of the Planning Regulator was 0% headroom, which was misguided. It is imperative that there

elements of the Minister of State's speech. It is simply not the case that local authorities make the decisions on specific public housing delivery in their areas. Any of us who have been in local authorities know that is just not true. The targets … Department. The funding approvals are set by the Department. The level of micromanagement by the officials in the Custom House on everything down to where the windows and skirting boards of public housing projects go is actually one of the greatest causes of delay. Along with others

thank the Labour Party for bringing this motion before the House. I have listened attentively to the Government's claims that housing is the number one priority. Nobody seems to know when exactly this revelation appeared before them. One could argue that both Government parties have been … full control of housing for 14 years, yet they have failed to deliver both affordable and social housing on any meaningful scale, missing targets year after year. Some 15,000 citizens and more than 4,600 children are in emergency accommodation. That is a stain on our nation

Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the engagement undertaken with approved housing bodies and other social housing providers in relation to the operation of the DION system; the number of complaints or formal representations received; the actions taken in response

Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will review the income thresholds applied under the social housing assessment bands, specifically the disparity between Mayo band 3 and Galway band 2, in light of evidence that Mayo band 3 thresholds are significantly … lower; and if he will take steps to ensure greater consistency, fairness, and responsiveness to local housing need across county boundaries. [41585/26

Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider increasing the social housing income threshold to reflect the real cost of living and housing crisis in Ireland today (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41723/26

Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline the guidance given to local authorities and AHBs regarding rent setting for social housing; if there is any guidance regarding service charges in social housing; and if he will make a statement

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage which recommendations of the Report of the Housing Commission relating to the funding, management and maintenance of social housing have been accepted by Government; and the timeline for their implementation. [42555/26

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider the recommendation of the Housing Commission and of published academic research that local authority rental income be ring-fenced for the management and maintenance of social housing; and if he will make

Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the regulations, circulars or instructions regarding HAP tenants; the housing lists they exist on; and whether they can be added to a specific list for overcrowded social housing tenants. [43412/26

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether their Department has issued any guidance, circular, policy direction, interpretation note or advice to local authorities regarding the treatment, for social housing eligibility and housing need assessment purposes, of proceeds received by applicants following

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether their Department has undertaken any assessment, review, consultation or examination of the consistency with which local authorities apply social housing eligibility and housing need rules in cases involving victims of domestic abuse who have

Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way in which housing demand projections account for population increases arising from naturalisation, given that social housing data does not distinguish between Irish-born and naturalised citizens. [43988/26

Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the absence of data on naturalised citizens accessing housing supports represents a gap in housing policy planning; and the steps that will be taken to address this. [43992/26

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the review of the 2017 policy and procedural guidance for housing authorities assisting victims of domestic violence was completed; the recommendations arising from that review; when revised guidance will issue to local authorities … whether the forthcoming protocol will allow victims fleeing domestic, sexual or gender-based violence to retain time already spent on a social housing waiting list when moving between local authority areas. [44061/26

Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 1694 of 14 April 2026, to clarify the details of the purchase made by Cork City Council of the counting house property using Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) funding … land included in this purchase; to clarify if URDF funding was used to pave on the private land in front of the counting house; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40948/26

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to that the assistant chief executive of Dublin City Council informed the Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage that Dublin City Council submit the results of housing maintenance

Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures he is taking to address the growing gap between wages and house prices, including the affordability gap facing first-time buyers and renters; and the further policy or legislative measures planned to improve … housing affordability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37221/26

Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount allocated to each local authority in 2024 and 2025 under the housing adaptation grant for older people and people with a disability, the mobility aids grant, and the housing aid for older people schemes

Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on funding for inner city regeneration projects; if he will acknowledge the need for housing regeneration to have a separate and distinct funding stream to housing delivery; and if he will make

Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total amount of public expenditure on Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) and other rent supports paid directly to private landlords in each of the past five years; the proportion of these payments made to landlords owning … multiple properties; and whether he has assessed the long-term cost-effectiveness of this model compared to direct State provision of housing. [37554/26

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 513 of 6 May 2026, if supports are available to a person who has already received approval for social housing but has been issued with a social housing income assessment

Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the assessment that has been undertaken regarding the balance between reliance on second-hand acquisitions as a last-resort measure and the delivery of newly built social housing; whether projected increases in social housing construction

Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware of five council owned houses in Swinford that have been lying vacant for approximately two years; the reasons refurbishment works have not yet been completed; and when these homes will be made … available to families on the housing list. [35806/26

Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage how he justifies council-owned houses remaining vacant for extended periods while families and individuals are forced to stay in homeless shelters and emergency accommodation; and the measures being introduced to prevent prolonged vacancy of local … authority housing stock. [35808/26

Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his Department's plan to address the housing needs of people with an intellectual disability who are cared for at home by parents and family members aged 70 and over; the plans in place to address … housing needs of these individuals when their carers pass away or can no longer care for them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35565/26

Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to advise if approved housing bodies that provide housing for tenants with specific needs, such as people with disabilities and those exiting homelessness, can access CALF and P and A funding streams; and if he will

Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to detail the funding provided to approved housing bodies that provide housing for tenants with disabilities through CALF and P and A funding streams for the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will