Search the record

time, there has been a huge deficit in the community infrastructure very necessary in any area to ensure it thrives and not just housing. Even though it was initially developed 20 years ago, there was stop-and-start development with the crash. There has been a lot more … development levies that were planned and envisaged because of changes that happened concerning some of the housing provided, which meant development levies were therefore not required. I am not talking about the recent waiver scheme but about other aspects that had substitute revenues coming from central Government. There

have now been seven months in this House. This is another important debate that is going on in this House, but let us have a look at the benches. There is not one member of Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil on the backbenches. Not even the senior Minister … Instead, we are left with the Minister of State. With all due respect to him, and I appreciate him coming to the House, we do not have the senior Minister here. Instead, we have the Minister of State for housing and older people, when we are talking about

hearing any acceptance of responsibility. The Taoiseach leads the Government. His party has the housing Ministry, and yet every time any of us in opposition raises the housing crisis with the Taoiseach, he seeks to deflect responsibility, putting it back on the Opposition and suggesting we have … policy. Nothing could be further from the truth. I am very proud of the Labour Party's housing policy. The Taoiseach clearly has not read it if he thinks we want to set up an entirely new agency. Our policy is about ensuring there is a State

Lisbon treaty. However, this window has effectively been shortened by the timing of the proposals' publication and the imminent summer recess of the Houses. The collection and analysis of PNR data is a widely used law enforcement tool in the EU and in other countries for the prevention … Switzerland are expected to be published by the European Commission in the coming weeks. Therefore, I would expect to be back before the Houses after the summer recess with similar motions on exercising an Article 3 opt-in in respect of the European Commission agreement with Switzerland

being put forward and no solutions, with the exception, in fairness, of Deputy Hearne. As I have stated before, the Department of housing has asked the Department of Finance to look at a Livret A-type scheme and I have read the Deputy's proposals. There are challenges … regard. It is not something that can be stepped up immediately but it is something we are looking at seriously. We must get houses and apartments built, whether to rent or for sale. We need that mix. We have a viability issue in this country. We are taking

thank the House for the opportunity to speak on this hugely important and challenging motion. I join the Minister, Deputy McEntee, in recognising the enormous contribution of the survivors whose tireless work and participation has brought us to this point today. I add my personal note of welcome … effective. Nonetheless, there is always scope to learn from what has happened in the past and to work collectively, not just in this House but across society, to ensure the safety of our children now and into the future to enable them to achieve their full potential

decades. I have attended meetings. How was a community centre not given funding or prioritised in all that time? Over 2,000 houses are planned for the Ballyvolane area on top of the hundreds of houses that are there already. How is it possible to build thousands … houses and not put in the infrastructure and resources at the time? Ballyvolane has been identified as an area for potential future population growth and the possibility of a new district centre under the Cork city development plan. Here we are talking about expanding Ballyvolane, building more houses

chur i bhfeidhm ó chathair go cathair ach admhaím go bhfuil fadhb ann. There is a problem in terms of the cost of housing for workers and key workers. Through housing, I would like to see if we can create specific, affordable housing provision for key workers … given locations and whether that would it work side by side with the broader housing developments. I want to see if that could that happen and whether we could focus on that side of it. In terms of pay rates and conditions, it is difficult to ring-fence

following: “The written statement referred to in subsection (2) shall allow for the zoning of land for the particular use of providing affordable housing as defined in Parts 2 and 3 of the Affordable Housing Act 2021.”. My party colleague Deputy Cian O'Callaghan and I put forward … this amendment. It is related to the approach of zoning affordable housing. It is done in Vienna to very good effect and we feel this should be introduced as a possibility for local authorities to perpetually ensure housing is affordable in certain areas

with regard to a planning permission might be okay with the large developments but I would be very concerned about the one-off housing. A lot of people might apply for planning but may not have the money to get started, especially with the price of materials … moment. I refer to one-off housing in rural Ireland. I have often met people, as we all do in our constituencies, who ask for another five years and, on that basis, thankfully, they get it across the line. They may not have the money to finish

Department to identify various scenarios. In previous times, the State went first and got roundly criticised by everyone in this House. I am particularly thinking of the institutional abuse case, where the State got criticised even though it moved quickly to avoid people having to go through … omission. Counsellors in schools are teachers, predominantly. Deputy Connolly spoke of teacher vacancies. I want to make the point to everyone in the House that the annual education indicators report for the 2023-2024 school year was presented to Cabinet today. It is published jointly by the Department

spoke earlier about the major crisis in our public infrastructure that is clearly delaying progress on the construction of housing and, indeed, delaying progress towards meeting our climate targets. In particular, I speak about difficulties with energy and water infrastructure. I want to focus on water infrastructure because … just at the end of May, the Government was warned by Uisce Éireann that house building in Dublin would stall within three years if the greater Dublin drainage project does not progress. Of course, this project was first proposed more than 20 years ago and was granted planning

housing committee with the Minister of State last year when the planning Bill was pushed through. We warned at the time of the consequences when the Government rushes through complex and serious legislation. Here we are now, 12 months on, trying to fix the errors. Why is there … problems in this Bill because it has been rushed. The Government has spent time trying to scapegoat and blame everyone else for the housing crisis. It is trying to blame the planners and it wants to hear from them. It is too busy trying to scapegoat people. Uisce

months ago has not been commenced, yet there is a need to amend it, among other things, to ensure that updated housing requirements in the revised national planning framework can be quickly incorporated into the planning system and to provide certainty that this may lawfully occur under … show the number of judicial reviews. That I would have no difficulty with. I do have a difficulty with the extension of housing permissions that would otherwise lapse or that have not yet commenced although they are near the end of their durations. They are going

this proposed to be dealt with here and then 48 hours later it was taken off? The Minister might explain that to the House. The first of these motions would designate all EU candidate countries as safe countries of origin. This will include Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia … Constitution. We are now enabled to opt in to proposals from Europe on justice and home affairs if, and only if, both Houses of the Oireachtas give their approval. That is what brings us to today. It is important to realise what this approval actually means. It means

Attorney General referred to and relied upon by the Government in explaining its policy approach to Bills and resolutions in the Houses of the Oireachtas. The final principal purpose is to introduce the Attorney General into the regime of codes of conduct for office holders that are provided … position that has been adopted in relation to the passage, defeat or amendment of a Bill or resolution in either of the Houses. It has been the long-standing policy of successive Governments, consistent with professional practice in respect of legal matters, that detailed legal advices provided

colleagues were doing and experiencing his great sense of humour. He will be sadly missed. When the idea of a housing tsar was announced some months ago, the question on everyone's lips was the same: what can a tsar possible do for housing that the Minister cannot … been quietly shelved. It has joined a pile of other U-turns on the cutting room floor of Government Buildings and the Custom House. It has become increasingly clear that the Minister cannot take the necessary action alone and needs help. Nearly six months since taking office

successful but members of the public constantly raise this with me as a TD representing east Cork. I feel obliged to tell the House that I have done some research into what the cost of restoring that railway line would be. I am told by the appointed contractor … scheme, involving double tracking to Midleton, that it would cost around €300 million. It is important to put on the record of the House that the cost of restoring the line and having a fully equipped electrified rail connection back to Youghal would probably come in at around

occupied Palestinian territories following the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice of 19 July 2024. As members of the House are aware, the Government approved the general scheme of that Bill last week. I have referred the general scheme to the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs … Today I met the president of the International Criminal Court, ICC. It is an international court that is under active attack. In this House, we must speak up and speak out for the work of the ICC. We are continuing to provide financial assistance, but the world needs

colleague, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, for her opening statement. I wish to thank those who conducted the review and Members of the House for the opportunity to discuss the review. The review represents the most comprehensive national reflection to date on how we can support children and young … enhancing education outcomes for children and contribute to a more integrated and inclusive education system for children and school communities. As the House will note following this extensive review, the steps proposed outline a pathway towards a more integrated and inclusive education system for all. I would like

turning it into some tatty type of shopping centre. It is an incredibly poor thing. The Government allowed The O'Rahilly's house to be completely demolished overnight. I made pleas directly over and over to then Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, to stop it happening … attributes of the Government when it says "No" is to say "Yes". I have seen Ministers go out to the gates of Leinster House on a regular basis putting their hands around campaign groups, saying "Yes" to them, getting into the photographs and giving big smiles and then

homes by 2030 and that the target will be missed again this year by around 10,000. Will the Minister give the House an outline of what measures to scale up delivery are being considered and what he will do about uncommenced planning permissions? Can he guarantee … funding needs of the utilities such as Uisce Éireann will be met on a multi-annual basis? A key recommendation of the Housing Commission was that social and affordable housing be scaled up to 20% of all housing stock. Will that recommendation be heeded in the new plan

assure the Deputy that my Department, the National Development Finance Agency and the relevant local authorities remain fully committed to delivering the social housing that PPP bundle 3 was designed to provide. These 486 social homes are very much needed and remain a priority for all parties … agree alternative procurement and delivery strategies for these homes. There are three sites from PPP bundle 3 with a potential of 244 social housing homes in Dublin City Council area ready for tendering though a design and build construction programme and my Department are working closely with

homes they need at an affordable price. That may be purchase or rent and may involve cost rental, affordable purchase or social housing. We are trying to ensure that everybody, at whatever income level, has housing available to them. We are doing that across the system. The number … cost-rental units has increased over the past number of years. It is an important measure, albeit only one, of Housing for All and delivering the housing we need for people across the country, whatever their needs

Minister referred to people on moderate incomes and viability. There are people who cannot get on the social housing list because they earn too much, but they are not earning enough to qualify for cost rental because the rent is more than one third of their income. Individuals … couples and families are trapped in the middle. They are earning too much for social housing and not enough for cost-rental or affordable housing. What is the Government going to do about that? How will it help those people? The Government put those rents in place

Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to the Programme for Government, the progress his Department has made in ensuring the Housing Agency is able to effectively regulate the owners management sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter

Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide a breakdown of the social housing waiting lists for Kerry in each of the years 2020 to 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40083/25

Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide a breakdown of the average duration spent on a social housing waiting list in Kerry in each of the years 2020 to 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement

Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will outline the rationale behind proposals to reduce minimum standards for apartment size, window dimensions, and green space provision in new housing developments; and how he intends to address concerns that such changes

Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Finance the role credit unions play in supporting the delivery of social housing through the Credit Union Approved Housing Body Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39014/25

Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the latest update on the Marine Protected Areas Bill 2022; when he expects the Bill to go before the Houses of the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38649/25

Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will increase the allocation to Laois County Council, for the housing adaptation grant scheme for older people and people with disabilities, in view of significant demand, increasing costs, and the essential role these grants

Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will review the policy of using maximum parking space guidelines for residential developments in intermediate urban locations under the "Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New Apartments" guidelines; if he will consider moving instead

Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider increasing the number of parking spaces afforded to developments in intermediate urban locations under the "Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New Apartments" guidelines due to overspill parking into other developments

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average processing time for stage 1 approvals for applications to the Social Housing Investment Programme received in the past 12 months. [38968/25

Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average processing time for stage 1 approvals for applications to the affordable housing fund received in the past 12 months. [38972/25

Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to confirm if the setting of rents for local authority housing is an executive or a reserved function of local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39022/25

Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of social and affordable housing units planned for construction in Navan, County Meath, in 2025 and 2026; the current status of each project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39327/25

Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his officials have been made aware of alarming practices on the part of residential housing developers (details supplied); if he will outline the non-judicial remedies homeowners may seek in such cases

Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide a schedule of housing projects sanctioned and or funded in full and or in part to include number of units, by type, that have been paused and or rejected due to deviations

Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if it has been brought to his attention that pyrite has been found in some social housing; and the measures he intends to take to assist local authorities to deal with the problem. [39391/25

Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage what regulations there are for housing above shop and bar fronts to protect the residents from noise pollution. [38375/25

Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the extent to which Uisce Éireann is accountable to the Houses of the Oireachtas; if he plans to make it more accountable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38500/25

Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of agencies that report to his Department where the objectives of said agencies include or do not include supporting the development of housing in the State, in tabular form. [38501/25

Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline his efforts to deliver age friendly accommodation for social housing applicants; the supports available to local authorities to deliver such accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38514/25

Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total amount of rent arrears (rent owed by housing tenants) in each local authority across the country, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37986/25

Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of households currently on social housing waiting lists by local authority; and the average waiting time, in tabular form. [38087/25

Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of applicants who have been on a social housing waiting list for more than five, ten and 15 years; and the breakdown of these figures by local authority, in tabular form. [38088/25

Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of people with a disability currently on the social housing list; and the average waiting time, in tabular form. [38089/25

Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of social housing tenants currently on transfer lists due to overcrowding or unsuitable accommodation; and the average time such transfer applicants are waiting. [38090/25