Search the record

consider a significant need. As a councillor for a number of years in north Kildare, I saw the growth in the development of housing, which was obviously welcome, but we need the infrastructure to go with it. This is what the budget plans for and what future budgets … support them. Most of the decisions we made in this budget were to support local businesses and ensure that we got extra housing delivery. They were the type of decisions that we made. This is one of five budgets for this Government. There will be an aligned approach

properties. Dublin City Council said basically it did not have the money for it. The Minister is the Minister for infrastructure. We need housing, social and affordable housing in particular, and we need arts and cultural spaces, which are being closed down left, right and centre … gone through so it is not over yet. That space could be saved and we could get a site for social and affordable housing for the small figure of €6 million. I suggest that the Minister, as Minister with responsibility for infrastructure, cracks the whip and says that

health and ability to care for another adult, if they are still alive, the State looks the other way. The system for housing adults with intellectual disabilities is both nonsensical and unusually cruel. When a parent passes away, only then will an emergency placement be found for their … most difficult time of their lives. The Minister, Deputy Foley, recently announced that local authorities will be required to set disability housing targets, but people cannot live in targets and families cannot wait for to see if these homes will ever materialise. The State's growing reliance

falling yet our population is going up with a population increase of over 500,000 in recent years. This is putting pressure on house availability. With many vacant houses, there is no real incentive available to owners to rent them out but there is an incentive there that … work but it should never be the case that they can come in here, get a payment right away, get on the social housing list and compete with our own people who were born and reared here. We must look after our own people first. I need

remainder of the reply from the Department. Local authorities may also draw on their respective internal capital receipts, and the Department of housing's planned maintenance and voids programme, energy efficiency retrofit programme, and disabled persons grants scheme, to support non-essential works that can be carried … million is available to the council this year through the Department's stock improvement programmes. Ultimately, the delivery of new build social housing at scale is the only strategic solution preventing and alleviating long-term homelessness. Accordingly, and noting record delivery of new build social housing last year

Linda and Esther, who are central to the Cork campaign. I do not understand how we have got into this position. Frequently, the House is told that we have massive budget increases for various aspects of disability services. That is true on paper, with over €3 billion … liaison officer to deal with families in these situations. Hopefully, the councils are now going to streamline the application process for social housing for these families. We cannot forget that the section 38 and section 39 service providers have an obligation. Many have the capacity of housing bodies

Minister of State with responsibility for public health: to defend public health and to ensure that the laws passed by this House are enforced. We cannot allow those with vested interests to trample over the law and exploit loopholes in it. This is a modest measure that … said: “It is a nefarious form of advertising that companies would target sporting events primarily for that purpose.” Deputy Simon Harris, in this House in 2018, called it “nefarious” that these companies would do that, yet we still have it. Every time we turn on a match

also incompetent. There are record budget surpluses, yet people cannot get around our capital city. They cannot access health services or housing, the most basic of infrastructure. Why is that the case? It is because the State, rather than building up its own capacity, is outsourcing … this most clearly in the area of housing. Over €1 billion per year is going to for-profit providers of emergency accommodation and private landlords through the housing assistance payment, HAP. That is €1 billion every year that gives nothing by way of a permanent, public asset

defective concrete blocks scheme. A constituent of mine applied in 2022. Her home was assessed by an IS 465 engineer on the Housing Agency's list. The conclusion was clear: scientific and engineering principles dictated that full demolition and rebuilding was the only safe option to restore this … unsafe home. The Housing Agency did not accept that, however, and it downgraded the remediation option to option 2, which retains defective material within the structure, despite extremely low compressive strength levels and readings, and clear evidence of ongoing deterioration inside and outside the house. My constituent appealed

central pillar of our economic and social policy. Workers should be able to upskill or retrain without risking poverty, losing housing security or sacrificing family responsibilities. That requires flexible evening courses, hybrid learning, modular qualifications and proper financial supports. It also requires partnership between Government, employers, unions … further progression routes into higher education and to tackle financial barriers that continue to discourage participation. At a time when we face housing shortages, infrastructure deficits and climate obligations, investing in apprenticeships is not optional; it is essential national planning. Future skills are not only technical skills. Creativity

tough decisions and tough calls to be made on it. However, to say that Údarás na Gaeltachta would have the entire role for housing in the Gaeltacht is wrong because it does not have the skills at the moment in terms of housing development. It has a role … absolutely central role, in housing. Deputy Kyne’s proposal for pilot schemes is something we will pursue. However, the local authorities have the planning authority based on their development plans and based on the law. The údarás definitely has a role. The difficulty in giving it other roles

have asked the Taoiseach repeatedly about the social housing income thresholds, which have not been increased since 2023. Every year - indeed every month and every week - working people who have got a pay increase and who in some cases just get the working family payment are pushed over … limit. They might have been five, ten or 15 years on a housing list, and it is all gone. They are left in limbo. Most of the time when they go just over the threshold, their income is not sufficient to qualify for cost rental accommodation, so they

bill, which often precludes these individuals from affording the property. At a time when this country is in the midst of a housing crisis, should we not be doing everything possible to ensure families are able to afford to keep homes instead of penalising those … thresholds of €400,000 to €800,000 in the case of a son or daughter and furthermore, to separate the limit on the house that I proposed, the €800,000, from any other inheritance. The €40,000 cap in the case of a niece, nephew, brother or sister

time people got real here. It is all very well doing the sloganeering. We all know the crisis out there in housing. The Government is taking decisions in respect of it that have substance behind them. We need to get to 50,000 per annum. I have seen … nothing from anywhere across the House outlining how people propose to get there in terms of alternative proposals to what the Government is proposing. We have activated the local authorities, approved housing bodies, the Land Development Agency and, yes, the private sector. The Deputy is totally opposed

market activation tool. The Taoiseach believes that if rents go up, viability will increase, more builders will come into the market and house supply will increase. The Government could have achieved that viability without hitting hard-pressed renters. It could have cut VAT on house building. It could … have cut connection fees on house building. VAT and connection fees work up about €50,000 in each housing unit. That would have reduced the price on families and increased viability, bringing more builders into the market and increasing supply. Viability is not the only problem in this

predicted, as did others, that this would happen but the scale of it has really shocked me. In County Laois a four-bedroom house has gone up 12.5% year on year, a three-bedroom one by 10% and a two-bedroom house, which is the type most … demand in the county, has gone up by 34%. That is in one year. Notices to quit are up and house prices are up. It is now €530,000 for a bog-standard house in Portlaoise in one estate. I am telling the Taoiseach that the Government cannot

impacted in the same way at all. We need a long-term certain landscape in respect of the rental market. With housing, we are not leaving it to the market. The State is involved in every aspect of housing. Some €9 billion is being invested by the Government … taxpayers' money - to try to get housing going. We are at 36,000 houses and that is not enough. We are going to invest. You also need some degree of private sector money in as well

will continue with that noted. Last year, the so-called housing tsar plan collapsed under pressure and now the Government wants to fold an individual back into the NTMA while preserving the same extraordinary pay package. Contrast that for a moment with the National Ambulance Service workers … bank stabilisation measures amounted to €45.7 billion. Nowhere is the failure of the post-crash political and economic model clearer than in housing. While NAMA was established to manage distressed property assets, what followed was the large-scale transfer of Irish property into the hands of international vulture

would be the consequence. It is shameful. Our motion sets out the real solution we need, which is the provision of actually affordable housing. Unfortunately, this stands in direct contrast to the Government's approach. After years of waiting, the first affordable housing scheme in Galway East … affordable homes, first-time buyers must pay out between €425,000 and €475,000. How on earth can the Government call that affordable housing for first-time buyers? What planet is the Minister of State living on? It is an absolute insult to people. When I went

painter and decorator to care for her. As they battle one unimaginable crisis, another has now emerged: homelessness. Their landlord is selling the house, as is their right. However, the Government classes Ciarán and Jessie as too rich for social housing - they are above the low threshold … They were told that there is not a chance and that they might get €40,000, which is probably enough for a hen house. Jessie has a barber’s business in Arklow. These are two self-employed people who have not been looking for anything from the State

This Government's housing policy is not just a failure; it is outright betrayal of the Irish people. While Irish families are sleeping in their cars, or if they are lucky enough, in emergency accommodation, this Government has spent €9.2 million of taxpayers' money on accommodation for asylum … seekers. Dozens and dozens of properties bought, no problem at all. That is real homes, real apartments and real three-bed houses being handed over to people who arrive here, often with no valid ID, no legitimate claim to asylum and many coming from safe countries. They

again thank the Deputy for his contribution. There is significant work being done around the rural housing guidelines and I thank my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, also. We are very much working together to ensure we can have liberalisation of rural housing that works … help people in rural Ireland to be able to build homes in their own communities and whether that is rural one-off housing or providing people with the opportunity to buy their homes through affordable purchase or through being able to buy with the supports the Government provides

anois tar éis an ghéarchéim seo a dhéanamh i bhfad níos measa? Figures published today are a devastating indictment of the Government's housing policies. Eviction notices are up by over 50%. Mmore than 7,000 eviction notices have been issued to renters, the highest number ever recorded … refer confirm that rents are continuing to rise. Rents went up again last year. At the very height of an emergency in housing, the Government decided to let landlords charge full market rents from 1 March in respect of new tenancies. The result was predictable

absolutely accept that when we live in a housing emergency people experience trauma. I also accept that we need to get private investment in to build houses and that not every house will be built by the taxpayer in this country. Private investment is a really important part … sustainable housing market. We have a difference of view on that

happening just accidentally in multiple places across the country; it is coming from the Government. Looking at the programme for Government and the Housing Commission report, there are references to merging social and cost-rental housing over time, and this new report from the Department of housing talks … about changes to facilitate closer alignment with market rent. In other words, get rid of social housing, effectively, and have people paying these completely unaffordable rates. How are people meant to be able to afford massive increases in their rents at a time of a cost-of-living

Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of housing assistance payment applications submitted in County Kildare from 2022 to 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56266/25

Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of landlords currently accepting housing assistance payment in County Kildare from 2022 to 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56267/25

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has undertaken any impact assessment, economic analysis, or consultation with stakeholders regarding the proposed prohibition of no-fault evictions for landlords with more than three tenancies, due to come into effect … exit the market as a result of this measure; the estimated likely effect on the supply and capital value of private rental housing; if any legal advice has been obtained as to the potential constitutional implications of restricting an owner’s right to sell with vacant possession

Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 283 of 25 September 2025, in which he stated that the Housing Agency has confirmed to his Department that the presence of pyrrhotite is taken into consideration in their analysis

Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline the number of housing units realised in the cities of Dublin, Cork, Galway, Kilkenny, Limerick and Waterford that have availed of the vacant homes refurbishment grant; and if he will make a statement

Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of social housing units completed by county, for the years 2022 to 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55799/25

Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of approved housing assistance payment tenancies in County Kildare from 2022 to 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55802/25

Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider removing the working family payment from consideration on social housing income thresholds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55381/25

Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there are any plans to increase the social housing income thresholds annually, in line with increases in the cost of living; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55382/25

Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if additional funding will be allocated to Uisce Éireann to meet the increased demand for water and wastewater connections arising from the Government's housing target of 50,000 homes per year; and if he will

Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reforms that are being considered to streamline planning and consenting processes for critical water infrastructure projects, such as the Greater Dublin Drainage Project, which are essential to enabling housing delivery; and if he will make

Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has engaged with Uisce Éireann regarding reports of substantial delays in commissioning utility connections for completed housing units; the measures that are being taken to improve coordination between developers and utility providers

Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has undertaken a review of utility infrastructure deficits in rural towns and villages; the way in which these deficits are currently limiting the delivery of rural housing; and if he will make

Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update on the status of the defective concrete blocks (amendment) Bill; the expected timeline for its publication and progression through the Houses of the Oireachtas; and when affected homeowners will

Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position of the Government and his Department in relation to the process of right sizing; if this is being promoted by local authorities or approved housing bodies; if so, the locations in which this

Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures he is taking to increase the availability of affordable housing in Sligo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54769/25

Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures he is taking to increase the availability of affordable housing in Leitrim; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54770/25

Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the actions being taken to ensure that additional land is zoned for housing in Sligo and Leitrim; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54771/25

Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of registered derelict or vacant housing properties in Dublin west; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54804/25

Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department is currently evaluating measures to amend the existing system for zoning land in an effort to increase housing delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54806/25

Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures his Department is evaluating to deliver higher density housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54809/25

Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way in which modern methods of construction are currently being utilised to increase housing delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54810/25

Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures his Department is evaluating to promote the conversion of older buildings for housing delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54811/25

Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a house that had block work completed before 2008 will be considered substantially complete for the vacant property grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54871/25

Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way in which the discontinuation of long-term leasing agreements will help to address the housing crisis. [55147/25