Report of the Housing Commission: Statements (Resumed)
Dail Éireann — 2025-03-19
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Barry Heneghan (IND), Dublin Bay North

It is good to finally be able to speak. What I was trying to say earlier is that I was described as an underling, which is someone who is under someone else's order. I would love for that to be withdrawn from the record of the House. As an Independent TD, I support this Government with cautious optimism, in the hope that it will be able to listen to me. The only people whose orders I am under are the people of Dublin Bay North, who put their trust in me, a 26-year-old Independent. How many marriages and childhoods have been shaped by the relentless stress and uncertainty of not knowing if they will have a home? We need a Covid-level response that is bold, urgent and effective, with no more election cycle thinking. We need a ten to 15-year strategy. I am delighted that the derelict sites register is being implemented by Dublin City Council and Fingal County Council, increasing to 237 in 2024 from a previous small number. It is great to see the councils are doing that but we need to give more funding to Fingal County Council and Dublin City Council. I know the housing staff in Dublin City Council personally. They are tireless workers but they are understaffed and underfunded, and we need to give them that chance.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2025-03-19/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:53:36+00:00
Sitting date: 2025-03-19