I move: That Dáil Éireann take note of the Statement of Estimates of moneys required in respect of ongoing expenditure for the period beginning on 1st January, 2025, and ending on 31st December, 2025, prepared and published by the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission in accordance with the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission Acts 2003 to 2021, which was laid before Dáil Éireann on 23rd September, 2024.

I congratulate the Minister on the work he and his Department are doing in housing in the country and in reaching targets we have set in the programme for Government. However, as the State is due to receive more than €14 billion in unpaid tax from Apple, and as discussions are going on with where to invest these funds, we can all agree in the Chamber that it is imperative that some of this money goes into housing. The Green Party is proposing an extra €2 billion goes on top of current housing expenditure to allow f…

In the 12 months up to April 2024, commencement notices for 52,500 homes have been actioned. This is a significant and welcome increase on previous years. Commencement notices typically represent homes built. If the Taoiseach can confirm that figure, I would like to congratulate the Government and the Minister for exceeding the Housing for All targets by 57% in the 2024 outcome projections.

For thousands of householders and organisations like the Construction Defects Alliance and the Apartment Owners Network, which have campaigned for years, the announcement in January for the interim fire redress scheme brought immense relief. Like many households that are facing water ingress issues and structural damage, we await the legislation and full redress scheme on which I would appreciate some update. Under the new interim scheme, however, owner management companies, OMCs, will receive funding to carry out …

When the moratorium on winter evictions was lifted, the Government introduced two schemes that aimed to reduce the risk of homelessness for renters who are served with a notice to quit. The tenant in situ scheme for renters in the private sector gave reassurance to many desperate tenants. I would like to ask the Minister of State about the number of homes acquired under both schemes, as the latest figure I have is from October of last year, which notes that only two homes were acquired under the cost-rental tenant …

The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, mentioned 1,800 units in the tenant in situ scheme, if I am correct. Further to that, we have been notified of certain cases where local authorities will not proceed with an offer as the value of the home is too expensive. Could the Minister of State inform us of the price guidelines or caps given to local authorities for these acquisitions?

Are the guidelines for the price caps available online?

I will come back to that one. Finally, could the Minister of State give an update on the legislation for first refusal, which would oblige landlords to offer the property to tenants for purchase before putting it on the open market?

Could the Minister of State answer on the first refusal legislation?

I welcome the Government's opening of the interim scheme for the full funding of the interim measures to provide fire safety in apartments and duplexes. This is an issue I have raised since the early days of my election to this Chamber. The remediation scheme, which includes water ingress and structural damage, will be funded under a statutory scheme that requires legislation. Can the Tánaiste give a timeline for when he expects the scheme's legislation to be completed?

The Government is on course to see 100,000 homes built in four years, notwithstanding Covid-19 and the Russian war on Ukraine. We have exceeded our Housing for All targets for the past two years. In the first quarter of this year, we are seeing the highest level of commencements for this period since records began. Is the Minister confident we will continue to deliver the Housing for All targets of cost-rental, affordable purchase and social and private homes at the pace required to meet our chronic demand issues?

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am delighted to introduce the Defective Dwellings Bill to this House on Second Stage. I look forward to seeing the progress of this Bill to pre-Committee Stage scrutiny at the Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage, where we can have a more thorough discussion of it with the Minister, departmental officials, relevant stakeholders and experts. I thank those who assisted with the drafting of the Bill and those who have devoted so much of their ti…

I have a short closing speech. I thank the Deputies and Minister of State for their positive comments today and for their insight into and understanding of the matter, which demonstrate the urgency of implementing the provisions of this Bill. There has never been a greater need for this Bill than now, not least because of remediation costs, loss of property value and the inability to resell and insure people's homes. Beyond the financial consequences, it has compromised the safety of thousands of families, who work…

The scale of loss of life in the latest events in Israel and Palestine can be difficult for us to comprehend. While we can be shocked, saddened and angered by the massacres, those people unknown to us can, unfortunately, become mere statistics in this terrible conflict. Unless such events touch our lives, we cannot truly know the horror and devastation of needless loss of life. These events have touched our lives. My parliamentary assistant and friend, Lara Alagha, and her sister, Yara, who up until recently worked…

The Housing Association for Integrated Living, HAIL, provides housing primarily to people with mental health difficulties. The success of the organisation is monumental as it supports our most vulnerable to live securely and independently by providing housing and tailored services. I am certain that without HAIL, the level of homelessness and hospitalisation of our most vulnerable people would be higher. Ahead of the budget, will the Taoiseach consider the merits of the services HAIL provides and be cognisant of me…

I move: That Dáil Éireann take note of the Statement of Estimates of moneys required in respect of ongoing expenditure for the period beginning on 1st January, 2024 and ending on 31st December, 2024, prepared and published by the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission in accordance with the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission Acts 2003 to 2021, which was laid before Dáil Éireann on 2nd October, 2023.

The Tallaght Parents Autism Support Group and concerned parents have communicated to me that the promised additional autism spectrum disorder, ASD, class spaces at post-primary level have yet to be delivered. I understand that currently there are only three ASD classes in operation and I acknowledge these classes take time to deliver. That said, the Tallaght Parents Autism Support Group and concerned parents would be very grateful if the Department could work with these post-primary schools to assess the shortage o…

I speak on behalf of a group of national school principals who work in some of the most disadvantaged areas in Dublin. They are grateful for the DEIS programme. However, they believe a DEIS plus band is required to assist children in these areas who experience trauma and adverse childhood experiences. The north inner city multidisciplinary teams model is equivalent to a DEIS plus. Can this model be expanded to include children who face similar disadvantages? A working group might be the route to action such a progr…

There appears to be a disconnect between the Dublin Region Homeless Executive, DRHE; the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth; and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage with regard to the housing of international protection applicants. My understanding is that these Departments are not formally working together, therefore is it possible to create a shared strategy to pull together their collective knowledge to assist these people who need our assistance?

I thank the Ceann Comhairle. I congratulate the Minister and her Cabinet colleagues on the status of our current fiscal space. With this, can she consider one-off funding for school buildings in this year's budget? I am grateful to the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, for her ongoing work in my constituency. However, I can identify at least three schools there that are beyond remedial works. I hope the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, can see this opportunity to future-proof our education infrastructure for the nex…