Fundamentally, this is an activation measure to increase supply. I thank Deputy O'Dowd for his kind comments. This measure is taking effect on the ground. Consider the measures the Government has introduced to support first-time buyers in buying at affordable rates. The help-to-buy grant gives them back €30,000 of their own taxes. I cannot imagine why anyone would be opposed to such a refund of tax that has been paid by hard workers-----

Actually, it does not. The equity under the first home scheme is not a second mortgage, which is what others claimed. Under it, we are providing approximately €69,000 in equity. Combined, these come to nearly €100,000. People who have been renting or living at home have a real way now to buy their homes at an affordable rate, with mortgages of €1,000 or €1,100 per month. That is happening. Some may wish it was not happening. The main Opposition party inexplicably wants to scrap both schemes. Last year saw the large…

We have already seen new schemes starting because of this measure. The commencement figures for quarter 2, which will be published this afternoon, are the highest in ten years. The commencement and completion figures for quarter 1 were the highest since we started collating these records. Everything is not perfect, but momentum is building, and we will take measures like this if they provide affordable homes for our people.

The Deputies do not want houses at all. They want to take away every support from first-time buyers.

The Deputies will take people's tax back off them and abolish the first home scheme.

I thank the Deputy for his question and his support of Government in its rolling out of these measures. As he knows, cost rental did not exist 18 months ago. We have rolled it out and well over 1,000 tenancies have been approved. The Deputy referenced Shanganagh Castle, which is a very important and significant site, where ground has been broken. It is the largest social and affordable housing site in the country. Rents for cost rental are a direct function of the costs of constructing, financing, managing and main…

We have been specifically discussing cost rental but there has also been a significant expansion in the first home scheme for first-time buyers. As I referred to earlier, one in two new-built homes bought last year was bought by a first-time buyer. Between help-to-buy and shared equity, the average equity we are providing is between €69,000 to €100,000 to first-time buyers and to households to buy their homes. At the end of the first quarter we had just short of 1,400 approvals under that scheme. We have more appro…

The cost-rental viability measure will be available to AHB and across the sector. It will also be available to private developments if they are designated as cost rental and part of the condition will be that they will be designated as cost rental on an open book basis. We are working through those changes with the AHB sector also. It will apply and that is absolutely the intention. On the question of the portal-----

Yes, we are looking at that and I believe they can work together. We have done that with regard to the AHF funding that local authorities can access at the moment. For example, with regard to South Dublin County Council and a new scheme we have started there, that is just about viable and we can get that out there. We will look at the combination of both and how that can practically work. The other thing we are doing in the next number of weeks is making the first announcements on Croí Cónaithe cities, which are ap…

Cé mhéad nóiméad atá aige?

Is there anyone else?

I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "That Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "acknowledges that: — regarding progress being made on housing delivery and the commitment to rural areas: — the Government is comprehensively addressing the housing crisis through a suite of actions to accelerate the delivery of new homes whilst also continuing to deliver on the fundamental reforms set out in the Plan; — central to the Plan are measures to accelerate the delivery of new homes whilst also continuing …

I did not interrupt the Deputy once. Let me outline the case. The Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, will be wrapping up the debate, as the Standing Orders permit, as the Minister of State with responsibility for planning. He will deal with more details with regard to the planning piece. Vacancy grants have been very effective. They have worked. More than 1,600 applications have come in, about 800 of which are actually approved already. The rest are going through the system. We made some significant changes to ta…

Yes.

The Deputy should tell them about the development levy.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach agus go háirithe leis an Seanadóir Fitzpatrick as a ceist agus an tsuim atá aici in ionad na bPíobairí Uileann freisin. I thank the Cathaoirleach and the Senator for her question and for the interest she has shown in na Píobairí Uileann. As she has rightly said, I paid a visit there with her not so long ago, just a couple of months past, and I was very impressed with the work that is being undertaken. I do not believe it is an exaggeration to say that na Píobairí Uileann play…

Gabhaim buíochas arís leis an Seanadóir. Táim dóchasach go mbeidh mé ábalta freagra dearfach a thabhairt dóibh go luath. Tá súil agam go mbeidh mé ábalta é sin a dhéanamh i mí an Mheithimh nó i mí na Bealtaine. I am hopeful we will be able to give some good news soon. Henrietta Street is magnificent. This will be a further addition to the north inner city area and will mean that the craft of making uilleann pipes will be able to be done on-site with training, apprenticeships and all that goes with it. The plans tha…

I had the pleasure of serving in the Seanad for five years. I fully respect the Seanad and the work that Senators do. Any time that I can come in here, I will. I will happily relay your feedback to my Cabinet colleagues.

Tá fáilte romhat.

Public ownership is a core principle governing the development of water services and the Government has given its full commitment to holding a referendum on water ownership. It is important to note that the establishment of Uisce Éireann in public ownership is already firmly secured under the Water Services Acts 2007 to 2022. I have previously committed to bringing forward a referendum proposal on public ownership of water for consideration by Government in conjunction with the anticipated recommendation of a propo…