It is very difficult for those residents. If the Deputy sends on the details to me, and the specifics of what is happening there, the Department will take it up with Uisce Éireann specifically. We will look to resolve it for the residents.

I thank everyone for their contributions. I reiterate what the Minister, Deputy said; we will oppose the motion and the subsequent Opposition amendment. I emphasise that we are committed. We have a Housing for All document and plan, which is detailed. We understand the impact that housing is having on people but I want to deal in facts. I have listened to all of the debate and I want to look at a few points and at the Sinn Féin motion. We are making progress. In the first nine months of this year, up to the end of …

Deputy Ó Broin opposed the Croí Cónaithe scheme.

Sinn Féin opposes it for the ordinary person purchasing a house.

Sinn Féin is espousing a different policy.

I apologise for being late.

I thank the Senator for raising this important matter. It is one he has consistently raised with me, my predecessors and the Government. To give the background, the Senator rightly referenced housing adaptation for older people and people with disabilities where there are three areas, namely, the mobility aids grant, the housing adaptation grant for older people and people with disabilities and the disabled persons' grant. These grants are to assist people in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable…

I understand the point the Senator is making. It is something we are looking at in the specific context of circumstances where people may have applied over a year ago and grant aid is only being provided at the moment. It is certainly something we will look at and take up with the local authorities. There are, as the Senator will appreciate, defined rules under the scheme. However, the point he makes is a reasonable one and something I very much taken on board. I give him a commitment we will look at it and follow …

I thank the Deputy for her question. If there is a specific issue with Cavan County Council in terms of an applicant, we can follow up the particular case. We have encouraged local authorities to submit applications for supplementary funding this year. We have received 13 applications, of which we have approved ten, so we have another three. If Cavan County Council has applied for additional funding or wishes to do so, we can follow up on that. The Department, under Housing for All, has carried out a review of thre…

I thank Senator Fitzpatrick for bringing this Commencement matter. I can see that it is very important to the Senator and obviously to her constituents in the Dublin Central constituency. I will give the Senator the update she is requesting. St. Mary's Place on Dorset Street is an older complex that Dublin City Council advises is in need of modernisation and my Department supports this through the regeneration programme. The housing complex consists of four five-storey blocks containing 113 units and was built in t…

That is worth putting on the record. In April 2020 my Department provided stage 1 capital appraisal approval for the project. The Senator is correct that it has very much moved in a big way since this new Government came in. In March 2022 we provided stage 2 approval in principle. Dublin City Council has advised that planning permission for the complete redevelopment was achieved in 2022. The Senator has already referred to the Part 8 approval. The project will involve the demolition of the existing housing blocks …

Absolutely. We will call it Saint Saviour's Boxing Club. That space will also include a commercial unit and a café space. The project will be completed in one phase and will provide a mix of one, two and three-bedroom homes. This is very important and much needed in the area. In July 2023 my Department provided stage 3 pre-tender approval, which is just a number of months ago, for the redevelopment of St. Mary’s Place to provide 163 new units. Work is progressing through the eTenders platform on the tender process …

I thank the Senator very much. The Government, through Housing for All, is committed to increasing the supply of social housing to an average of 10,000 social houses per annum between 2022 and 2030. My Department is working with Dublin City Council to progress all schemes for the benefit of all and will consider and support the most appropriate funding streams to enable these refurbishments and replacements to proceed. A large number of these flat complexes will be effectively rebuilt while others will be refurbish…

Budget 2024 is very important. More particularly, in my role as Minister of State with responsibility for local government and planning, I will go through some of the key elements. We have made a significant contribution of €421.9 million to the local government sector in 2024. A significant portion of this contribution will cover the impact of the national pay agreements on the payroll of local authorities, ensuring local authorities have the necessary resources in terms of people to support their functions. We ar…

That is tenant in situ .

The Government opposes the motion regarding suspension of scrutiny requirement for the Eviction Ban Bill 2022, as tabled by People Before Profit Solidarity for debate this morning. I will begin by saying that Standing Order 180, which was mentioned, on Private Members’ Bills: Order for Committee Stage, sets out that Committee Stage consideration of a Private Member’s Bill "may only be ordered following scrutiny of the Bill by the relevant committee, save where the requirement for scrutiny has been waived by the Bus…

-----and small landlords. They are interrelated. We need supply and I do not think it serves any purpose to reduce the supply of rental accommodation for renters. Any merit in introducing an eviction ban in the short term would be countered in the medium to long term by a significantly reduced housing supply for rent. Landlords would continue to exit the market and the signal would be to avoid any further investment in the sector. Research by the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland indicates a net loss of 13,500…

While the RTB was copied with 5,735 notices of termination in the second quarter of 2023 by landlords and also recorded 15,000 applications for new tenancy registrations during that period. There is a natural churn of activity through residential rental accommodation. In addition to the 15,000 applications to register a new tenancy in the second quarter, the RTB received 43,000 applications to renew the registration of private tenancies and 16,600 applications to renew AHB tenancies, which is an annual requirement …

I leave that up to the Ceann Comhairle's wise viewpoint. The Ceann Comhairle will appreciate if I plead the Fifth Amendment on that. I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I see my colleague here from Limerick, Deputy Maurice Quinlivan. I am delighted to have the opportunity to bring the Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023 before the House, which is an historic moment for Limerick and for Ireland. The purpose of this Bill is to establish the new office of a directly elected mayor for Limerick…

I will go through that. Within that section, there automatically will be two meetings a year and it is then up to any of the members, including the mayor. I was quite deliberate on that.