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Sinn Féin. Wednesday's business shall be: - Statements on Energy Costs (to adjourn after 2 hours and 15 minutes) - Statements on the Housing Plan (not to exceed 2 hours and 25 minutes) - National Training Fund (Amendment) Bill 2025 (Report and Final Stages) (to commence no earlier than … priority Questions to the Minister and not otherwise affecting the current sequence of Ministers or rota for priority Questions as ordered by the House; and (h) topical issues pursuant to Standing Order 39 shall not be taken and the Dáil shall adjourn on the conclusion of private members

fill huge gaps with money. I will tell the story again of the family I met on their site. They were traumatised; their house had been demolished. They downsized their house under the new plan, by the way. They had a mortgage of about €900 per month with … responses from Ministers, including the Minister, Deputy Browne, and his predecessor saying out loud that it is about money. If people live in houses, which have to be demolished and rebuilt, it is too much money and the Government will not give them 100% redress. It said

their homes of sheer damp. I will never forget people telling me they are terrified of the roof falling down on their house because the walls are crumbling and cannot hold up the roof. What is being proposed here is an improvement on the original scheme … twice for those homes. It is very disrespectful to publish the Bill only a few short hours before the debate. I know the housing committee waived pre-legislative scrutiny on this weeks ago to ensure that it could be done as soon as possible. When we are talking

just published today. That did not give us sufficient time to go through it. While we did go through it in the housing committee, I do not think it is good practice to issue legislation on the day it is to be debated in the Dáil … good presentation on the issue of pyrrhotite. The assumption or theory was that freeze thaw from mica was causing the problems in the housing, whereas it is actually caused by an internal sulfate attack by pyrrhotite. As was pointed out, this is very important because

many years and yet this Bill was only published by the Government today. This was an insult, not just to TDs in this House but to the families who have campaigned and who have been working so hard on this. This should have been an opportunity to engage … committee. On the exclusions for early builders, I would like to ask what is the difference between a family who paid for a house in February 2024 and one who paid in April 2024. There are families in that scenario who will no doubt be ringing my office

That act does not fool anyone. It certainly does not fool me. It certainly would not fool people looking in this evening whose houses are crumbling down around their ears and have to hear their kids ask when they are going to get their new house and when … people will absolutely have to live with the consequences, even after the scaffolding is taken down. My constituents waited for years because their houses were just not bad enough. They had to wait until their houses were crumbling down around their ears. They had to wait until their

whom, without a doubt, find themselves in very difficult circumstances. We will continue to work with local authorities, the construction sector and the Housing Agency to deliver a scheme that can help homeowners to fix their homes and move on with their lives. In an area as complex … listened and continue to listen to the concerns raised. An amendment will also be tabled on Committee Stage that will assist owners of houses that are conjoined, be they semi-detached or terraced, etc., where one has received a determination but the other attached dwelling

welcome Commissioner McGrath back to the House. I also welcome the women's Shankill group who are here with us in Leinster House. They are very welcome here today. Dearbhaíonn figiúirí ón mBord um Thionóntachtaí Cónaithe inniu an rud atá ar eolas ag tionóntaí cheana féin … Dublin stands at €27,000 a year. This is not an accident. This is the direct result of Fine Gael's approach to housing and to renters, letting the market run wild, protecting profits and abandoning ordinary people. Average rents were less than €1,000 when the Tánaiste

them. That is why the VAT reduction in the budget was introduced, along with all the other measures we have done on housing, including rental reform of the RPZs, which was recommended by the Housing Commission, to make sure we will get accommodation and private sector and public … sector investment in housing to get the number of houses and apartments we need built

conditions; and — whether and how funding for these sectors and other sports should be aligned; the review to be laid before both Houses within six months, with a view to amending legislation being in place well before the anticipated date of any further presentation of draft regulations under … this section for the approval of the Houses; and approves the following Regulations in draft: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2025, copies of which were laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on the 16th October, 2025.". I will pick up a point put across

period from 2028 to 2034, a copy of which was laid before Dáil Éireann on 14th August, 2025. My thanks to the House for facilitating these motions, which were debated in the Seanad earlier. The Government today approved the request of the Minister, Deputy O’Callaghan, request … seek the approval of this House to opt in to these EU Commission proposals. They are being taken together as they form part of the multi-annual financial framework, MFF, package. The MFF is the European Union's long-term budget plan that sets the annual spending limits

People should go and read this article. The article, by John Deasy, a former Fine Gael TD, is entitled, "Opposition parties bet on housing backlash, yet voters keep calling their bluff". It states: People certainly don't become indifferent to society's most pressing problems that continue … fore and compete for their attention. The issue of immigration is doing just that. By the time the next election rolls around, housing could find itself on a par with immigration as the big concern in conservative Ireland. If that happens, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael will

thank the Deputies Ó Snodaigh and Ó Murchú for their good wishes. I acknowledge the input of Members of this House, including those I just mentioned, on matters concerning the audiovisual sector in recent years, including through the examination at the Committee on Budgetary Oversight. My officials have … chart a pathway forward. The attention brought to issues in the sector by representative bodies, and by Members of this House, has contributed to real progress being achieved on many fronts. A key point for all of us to understand is there is a copyright directive on related

biggest failure of this Government over the past while and it is hitting families massively and especially young people hard. House prices are now eight times the average earnings and the average house price sold last year was €426,000, an amazing figure. The average rent currently … simply not working. They are not building homes and if they are building homes, they are building extensions and a few one-off houses. They currently cannot make money building homes in this country. Construction companies are sending their workers abroad for contracts at present. Some

pleased to speak in strong support of this Bill and thank Sinn Féin for bringing it forward to the floor of the House. My colleagues in the Labour Party will also be supporting it. This legislation is not just a legal reform; it is a lifeline for survivors … voluntary board of Wexford Women's Refuge and as someone who works closely with Wexford Rape Crisis Centre, I can tell the House that the number of people availing of these services is staggering. Both services are beyond capacity, with amazing staff put to the pin of their

know that AHBs are crucial if we are to have any hope of meeting our housing targets, particularly in terms of social housing delivery, but we also know they are approaching the limit of their borrowing capacity. A workable solution has been proposed by replacing the CALF loan … element of AHB social housing with a Government-backed CALF equity grant support. It is the same level of funding as a grant equity but not as a loan. When will this be done by the Department? When the Minister appeared at the housing committee a number

think the emphasis on new builds is welcome across the House. I particularly welcome the emphasis on local authorities and indeed the approved housing bodies directly building social homes, which is critically important. Of course, to achieve the targets we need a combined approach. There will also need … continuation of turnkey and, of course, the delivery of social housing through the Part V provision is also important. They all deliver homes for families and individuals across the country. All these measures combined are welcome and it is important that we maintain a sustained focus to ensure

glad to inform the House that I inhabit the real world and most of the parents, teachers and people in the real world I speak to are concerned about children online and age verification. While Deputy Gibney might not think it is as important an issue … Government's data set for a particular piece of legislation, it floundered because some interest groups outside of the House were more interested in privacy than other issues and they got their way. The question of which is more important, privacy or the protection of children online, will

addressed by women alone. It involves leadership from all of us in all political parties right across this Dáil, across these Houses and across society. I do not mean to be argumentative but the Deputy said there are no debates in this House. I beg to differ. Perhaps … there is an argument that we could have more debates in the House, and we should, but I certainly welcome the fact that there is now much more discussion on legislation, in Oireachtas committees and in Cabinet committees with regard to issues of domestic, sexual and gender-based

State support has been drawn down on these houses, I believe the Minister of State can intervene and that we need to intervene. I visited the site in Ringfort last Friday and blocks were being delivered to complete works on the boundary wall. This site is nearly complete … different towns. Developers are hoping that homebuyers pull out of legally binding contracts so they can get the current market value for houses they are building, which is at an all-time high and increasing. If the price decreased in value, the developer would expect contracts

population is growing exponentially and has grown. The pressures are enormous. We need to build at scale and at pace. The housing plan has substance in it in terms of proposals to do that. We did not wait for it. We decided straight in to do, for example … national planning framework to get more land zoned for housing. Deputy Cairns will have problems with that on the ground and no doubt her people will oppose it where there is extra zoning and so on. In terms of apartments, we are not standing still and just looking

thank the Deputy for raising an important issue. We fully acknowledge that. My understanding is that Dundrum House Hotel had not been operating as a hotel since 2015, so I do not think it ceased being a hotel because of the decision … initially, the beneficiaries of temporary protection following the war in Ukraine. I understand the first initial use of Dundrum House Hotel was for Ukrainians feeling the war. The Deputy might clarify that for me. I understand that it had not been in use as a hotel since

feel the need for hope among the people and the communities we represent - people who feel the reality of the housing crisis or the sharp end of the cost-of-living crisis, people with less money in their bank accounts at the end of the week … those issues that Cara Darmody and others have been bringing up so frequently. What we saw last week in the housing plan was more of the same. It is a so-called new housing plan that was nothing more than old milk in new bottles and so little

This Government is a record breaking Government for all the wrong reasons. There have been record rents, record house prices and record numbers of people who are homeless. The average price of a residential property sold in 2025 was €426,000. I could not believe the figure when … rest of the country that figure is not even measured. The truth is that the Government is going into reverse in housing. Only 30,000 homes were built last year. That was a reduction on the year before and left the Government well short of the target. Planning

Today, the Government launched its housing plan. To be honest, the failure to date and the failure to mention any additional funding in the plan for voids leaves me with huge concern. I have raised this specific issue on a number of occasions in the Dáil. My council … deal with the voids if it does not have funding to do it. A total of €11,000 on average is allocated per house to do voids up. Many of the houses are over 90 years old and some of them could be 100 years old. They need

Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the name and location of newly built houses, acquired by AHBs in the Cork County Council area in each of the past 15 years, in tabular form. [45326/25

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the government plans to introduce specific policies to support first generation homeowners or young families, in view of the campaign by a person (details supplied) highlighting housing affordability challenges faced by younger demographics

Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will outline the current policy and guidelines for local authorities in prioritising housing allocations for individuals and families experiencing harassment or domestic abuse, including where the harassment involves repeated Garda welfare checks found

Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on a development (details supplied) which has been purchased by an approved housing body but is awaiting the release of payment and availability-capital advance leasing facility funding by his Department; when

Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has received a report on the results of investigations that have taken place on a number of houses in Carlow that have or are suspected of having pyrite; if so, when the results will

Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if priority will be given to critical skills workers such as teachers, nurses and Gardaí in upcoming affordable housing schemes: the way in which such a priority would work; and if he will make a statement

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to respond to concerns that existing housing schemes functionally exclude many single individuals (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45856/25

Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the Department accepts the position of an organisation (details supplied) that “given the research on a review of I.S. 465 has not yet been completed, that where a discrepancy exists between the recommendation … member of the I.S. 465 Register and the Housing Agency, that the higher option of the two should be preferred, to provide greater assurance to homeowners and building professionals working on the remediation.”. [45902/25

Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to clarify if there is only one funding stream for local authorities for the taking-in-charge of housing estates by local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45981/25

Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage , when a review of the net income limits for social housing supports will next take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46100/25

Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding the number of registered derelict or vacant housing properties in the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46170/25

Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to cases whereby single people cannot qualify for affordable housing schemes due to their lower income relative to couples; if he is conscious of the need to support all prospective

Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if legislation to underpin the defects remediation schemes for apartment defects will complete pre-legislative scrutiny before the end of 2025; and when he anticipates that the legislation will pass both Houses of the Oireachtas. [46455/25

Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a private landlord can be compelled to provide proof of ownership to a local authority when their tenant is applying for social housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46550/25

Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of social and affordable houses that will be constructed or bought in County Kerry in 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement

Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will outline the monies spent on a project by a local authority for a housing scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46977/25

Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage what policy or infrastructural improvements have occurred since the introduction of the 2023 waiver that justify its expiration, and for details of any review undertaken to assess its impact on rural housing development. [47063/25

Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for details of any review undertaken by his Department into the impact of development contribution fees on rural housing viability, and whether such fees have contributed to delays or cancellations of rural builds. [47066/25

Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the income eligibility limits for social housing will be increased for applicants in areas such as Cavan and Monaghan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47499/25

Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of occasions a local authority in the State has waived the requirement that an applicant for social housing either normally resides or has a local connection to that functional area; by local authority

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage in view of the CSO showing Ireland’s population reached 5.38 million, driven by net migration of 79,300 in a single year, the specific housing units, that will be delivered by the Government

regarding accommodation for Ukrainian’s living in Ireland under the beneficiary of temporary protection post March-2026; if they will be eligible for housing supports; if his Department has undertaken research into the consequential demand this will place on the current housing delivery targets; and if he will

asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the reason the Summary Report from the Rural Youth Assembly 2024 acknowledges housing as a challenge for young people living in rural areas, but housing recommendations were not included in the delegates' final list of recommendations

generally have access to cheaper finance than the private sector, to outline the differences in financing costs for the delivery of large social housing projects compared to large private housing projects (details supplied). [44353/25

Minister for Education and Youth her plans to address teacher recruitment shortages in Dublin; if her Department is engaging with the Department of Housing in respect of addressing housing-related issues in an effort to attract and retain teachers; to provide details of any such engagement