Ceisteanna ó na Comhaltaí Eile - Other Members’ Questions
Dail Éireann — 2026-01-15
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Peter Burke (FG), Longford-Westmeath

I thank Deputy Timmins for his response. I am very much at one with him and the vision he is setting out. The Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, along with the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste, has brought in a number of local authorities and continues to do so with regard to housing and zoning. This is setting the trend that we need to be more ambitious to ensure we underwrite the infrastructure for the growth of the growing economy we have in this country and the significant growth in our population. Section 28 guidance encourages ambition and local authorities taking a proactive view. This is what we want to see in the trajectory of local property tax, which gives a significant uplift to the budgets of local authorities; we need to see more responsibility being taken on. The local democracy task force is examining these functions and the report will be received by the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, in the coming weeks. We want to ensure that local authorities take responsibility and this will be important for housing. We have to hold the feet of the local authorities to the fire, and we are unambiguous in saying this, in respect of housing. We also commend them on their work in other areas, which is really appreciated by communities up and down our country.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-01-15/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:30+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-01-15