I thank Deputy O’Callaghan for raising this very important issue. At the outset, I completely agree with the Deputy and I condemn in the strongest possible terms this abhorrent behaviour. While we may not be sure of the scale of it, it does occur from time to time and any time it occurs it needs to be condemned and we need to do everything we can to ensure it is stamped out. In respect of an update on this issue, we are totally committed to preventing and addressing sexual abuse and gender-based violence in all of …

The Deputy is correct. In the first instance, we are not aware of the scale of this issue but wherever it happens it needs to be condemned. It is atrocious and reprehensible behaviour. I want to assure the Deputy in the plainest language I can that anything we need to do from a legislative perspective on this issue, we will do. Timeframe-wise, I hope to have something back from our officials by the end of this month with regard to what we are going to do. That is not necessarily the legislation itself but it will a…

I thank all of the Deputies for their contributions on this and I will keep the House informed. It is a priority matter for us. We looked at trying to assess how we would quantify the scale of it but, from dealing with advocacy groups, particularly in the area of sexual and gender-based violence, we were advised that including that in a survey would not be the appropriate thing to do. Suffice it to say that we know it happens and we want to ensure that where it occurs it is stamped out and criminal charges are brou…

This morning the SCSI published a very significant report, one which we commissioned and said we would do. We have improved the scheme already. I said I would seek independent input into it and would publish a report, and I have done that. That report has now gone to the expert group chaired by Paul Ford, who is an eminent engineer with vast experience in this area. He will report back to me and Government next month with recommendations about how we can implement some of the measures. We will require the co-operat…

Oscar Traynor Road, O'Devaney Gardens-----

I thank Deputy Fitzpatrick for his question. The Government is absolutely committed to tackling the scourge that is vacancy and bringing empty properties back into use. The planning regulations were changed just a couple of weeks ago to broaden further the exemption on commercial properties being converted to residential use. The Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke, and I will bring forward, in relation to town centre first, the Croí Cónaithe towns and villages fund. That will provide people with a grant to bring…

I ask the Deputy to give me the details concerning Eleanor. It has not been raised with me before and I will happily do whatever I can to assist in that case. I cannot comment on matters of development planning like rezoning and so on, but with regard to Eleanor's situation I will provide whatever assistance I can.

That is not the case. We have a target of 4,100 affordable units this year. We intend to meet that target. We brought forward the most comprehensive piece of affordable housing legislation in the Affordable Housing Act 2021. In large part, delivery of affordable homes this year and in the next two or three years will be by way of the shared equity scheme, which will work to deliver homes for many people. That is where we are at. We are going to do it.

The Deputy should not believe everything he reads in the paper.

I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft: Planning and Development Act (Exempted Development) Regulations 2022, a copy of which has been laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on 11th February, 2022.

The Deputy has rightly highlighted the ongoing issue of the exiting of many mom-and-pop landlords from the housing market. It is not a recent event but has continued for the past number of years. As he will know, the property rights of owners are protected under the Constitution and landlords need to be in a position to manage their property to suit their financial needs as they change with their particular life circumstances. Covid-19 has badly affected some landlords, and financial pressures may have forced them …

I struggle to find the range of measures the Deputy says he has proposed to assist landlords. In the 12-page document, which includes five pages of pictures, that the Deputy submitted on Housing for All the only mention of landlords is his proposal to commission the Housing Agency to do a report. The only other measure the Deputy has ever brought forward in relation to landlords was in his pre-budget submission. Sinn Féin wanted to impose a €400 tax on the mom-and-pop landlords, yet the Deputy now bemoans their los…

We have stated a fact though.

Deputy Ó Broin's proposals are fairly threadbare - let us be straight about it. In the Deputy's submission, he proposes to commission "the Housing Agency to undertake research into the disorderly exit of landlords". That is it. The other measure is a €400 tax. What we are doing is delivering 300,000 new homes between now and 2030, including private rental properties, and rolling out cost rental at scale, for which we already have cost-rental affordable tenants in place. Last week, more tenants moved into their home…

Hear, hear.

I thank the Deputy for his question. As he rightly said, under the Housing for All strategy, we confirm both the need and the intention to increase the supply, on average, to about 33,000 units per year. The strategy is, however, clearly based on increasing new supply across social, affordable and private housing from State-owned and private land. Our policy is to bring forward delivery in the shorter term by enabling supply that would not otherwise have been built. It is not about hoovering up things that have alr…

I assure the Deputy the last thing we want to do is to squeeze out owner-occupier first-time buyers. That is why every measure we put in place in the Housing for All policy, such as those mentioned by the Deputy, including the first home shared equity scheme, which will kick in at the end of quarter 2 and be able to help people to bridge the gap between the finance they have and what they need through the State taking an equity share, is a supply-side measure. We are advertising advanced purchasing arrangements now…

We must increase apply across the board. I gave the example of the O'Devaney Gardens development, which will provide 1,047 homes. There is also Ballymastone in Donabate, which was also opposed, where there will be more than 1,000 homes. Then there is the Oscar Traynor Road project. Thankfully, because of this Government's affordable housing fund, we at last have agreement on that project in Dublin City Council to proceed with real homes for real people.

I want to assure the Deputy-----

What we need to do is raise supply and bring about affordable homes. That is what this Government is doing. I know that will not suit the Deputy. It does not suit his political narrative.