I thank the Deputy. We are making significant funding available to increase the numbers of social and affordable housing. I encourage the Kerry local authority to maximise the use of the available funding to deliver social homes and affordable purchase homes across County Kerry. The Department will not be found wanting in supporting an increase in the supply of homes. The key to challenging high rents is, as I say, supply. That is not just the supply of private homes. We must also ensure that more social homes are …

We want Kerry County Council to provide more affordable purchase homes. The Department and Government would support it. Those homes are essential. I want everybody, across the spectrum, to be able to get the homes they need in their own local community, whether through private purchase, affordable homes or social housing. It is essential that everybody can access a home. Affordable purchase is essential for people who are on lower incomes but incomes that are above the social housing thresholds to be able to get th…

I thank Deputy McGuinness for raising the very important issue of strengthening local democracy and also seeking the reconstitution of boroughs or corporations similar to the structures that existed previously. The Local Government Reform Act 2014 dissolved 80 town councils, which represented about 14% of the population, including Kilkenny Borough Council. A lot of these were their own separate legal entities and this gave significant strength and control to local authorities and also allowed people to have a very …

We have given this considerable consideration on the local democracy task force. The Deputy is right that my town lost its council and it diminished the representation at the time. The local government task force was established to build on the considerable body of work previously undertaken by the AILG - which represents councillors - the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities and Seanad Éireann. The local democracy task force presented its final report to me on 4 March 2026 and the Minister of State, Deputy C…

I agree that direct access to local democracy is absolutely essential and that is what the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, and I will be ensuring through the local democracy task force and our input. That connection will be reconnected through empowering our local councillors to hold the local officials to account. It will also mean that where representations are being made by local people, they can effect those changes and also be able to communicate those changes to people when they are happening. We are fully…

I thank Senators Fitzpatrick and O'Loughlin for bringing forward the proposal and the Fianna Fáil group of Senators for putting the motion down for debate. The motion will not be opposed by the Government. I thank colleagues for all of their contributions to what I consider to be an important discussion, not just in the sense of a tax or levy but rather the wider discussion around local government. The motion calls on the Government to advance enabling legislation to empower local authorities, at their discretion, …

I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the following Order in draft: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (Designation of Meath County Council) (Parts of Administrative Area) Order 2026, a copy of which has been laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on 2nd April, 2026.

I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the following Order in draft: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (Designation of Carlow County Council) Order 2026, a copy of which has been laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on 15th May, 2026.

I thank the Sinn Féin Senators for initiating the motion and I thank colleagues for their contributions to what I consider to be an important discussion in the House. Housing and homelessness are defining social and economic issues for this country and they have my unwavering focus and priority. Access to suitable, affordable and safe accommodation and secure tenancies is essential for every family and individual. The Government is mobilising the most significant resources in the history of the State to tackle the …

It is the complete opposite.

I move: That Dáil Éireann, noting that on 21st April, 2026, the Government nominated Mr. Lee Komito and Mr. Ross Frenett for appointment by the President to be Ordinary members of An Coimisiún Toghcháin , recommends that, pursuant to section 9(9) of the Electoral Reform Act 2022, Mr. Lee Komito and Mr. Ross Frenett be appointed by the President to be Ordinary members of An Coimiún Toghcháin .

I thank the Sinn Féin Deputies for initiating the motion and I thank colleagues for their contributions to this very important debate. I acknowledge that I could not be here earlier but I was meeting Oliver Bond House residents at the Custom House, which had been arranged before this Private Members' debate. Of course I will get the transcript and read back over everything to have full knowledge of everything that has been said. I have previously acknowledged to the House that housing is the defining social and eco…

I thank the Deputy for raising what is a very important matter, namely, the urban regeneration of Oliver Bond House. I did meet in the last couple of hours with the residents of Oliver Bond House and the Oliver Bond regeneration forum. The meeting was very much an opportunity for a meaningful discussion with the residents, to listen to them and to see where we can go from here in a very productive manner. It emphasises the Government’s commitment to carry out the regeneration and to fund it. The funding, in excess …

There is a pathway to resolving this issue. We do need an appropriate mix. The position is not to say that there can be no amalgamation or even a reasonable amalgamation. The Bridgefoot Street development part is essential for the residents of Oliver Bond House as well, and that is a part that can be quite accelerated. There is an element where too much of this is happening sequentially. I am very struck by the fact that the actual process here started five years ago now. Whatever decision was made and whoever made…

Absolutely. These people are living in appalling conditions. We can accelerate the entire process here. It is about having the right mix and people being able to stay in their own local communities. The Bridgefoot Street development is an essential part of that, and, as the Deputy rightly said, there are another ten blocks for regeneration. Three blocks are part of a demolition proposal, with replacement as well. It is about how all of that happens. Every time there has been a proposal in this regard, it has simply…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 140 and 142 together. Supporting individuals and families experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness is an absolute priority for me, my Department and the Government. The Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2026, which came into effect on 1 March 2026, provides the strongest tenancy protections in the history of the State. The new Act introduced a new national rent control for all tenancies which limits rent increases to inflation as measured by the consum…

In the context of the actual questions put forward by Deputy Sheehan, I would say that we are putting in a number of measures to target homelessness, not just preventing people from becoming homeless, and particular measures where we are aware that people might be going into homelessness. There are also measures relating to exits and how we get people out of homelessness as quickly as possible. The implementation of those prevention measures by every local authority across the country is absolutely crucial. We also…

The Deputy cannot say that.

The Deputy should withdraw that remark.

I want that remark withdrawn.