I acknowledge the disappointment of the Senator and the people of Newbridge that the second bridge over the River Liffey was not included in the second call of the URDF. Unfortunately, the project was deemed unsuccessful following a comprehensive assessment process that concluded it did not adequately meet the criteria for URDF support. I suggest that the local authority continue to engage with the Department and look at other mechanisms. There is significant funding available for active travel. It should look at a…

The housing assistance payment, HAP, is a flexible and immediate housing support available to all eligible households throughout the State. At the end of quarter four of 2021, more than 100,000 HAP tenancies had been set up since the scheme commenced, of which more than 61,900 households were actively receiving HAP support. Under HAP, tenants source their own accommodation in the private-rented market. However, additional supports are available under HAP for homeless households or households at risk of homelessness…

The Housing for All plan sets out the Government’s commitment to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade, including an average of 10,000 new build social homes, which we are on track to deliver. As I said, that is where part of the solution lies, but not the entire solution. It is our ambition to reduce dependency on HAP by increasing social housing provision. Notwithstanding that, as I said in my initial response, it is critical that an analytical review be undertaken o…

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this discussion and thank the committee Chair and members for their consideration of this very important report to inform Government policy. The topic of urban regeneration is central to solving many of the challenges that face our country. Urban decay, retail vacancy and depopulation are unwelcome symptoms of the challenges we continue to face in our towns and cities. The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O’Brien, the Minister of State, D…

I thank all contributors to the debate. It has been hugely useful from our perspective and I will give a commitment on behalf of the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, and Minister of State, Deputy Burke, that we will take on board the recommendations and work with the committee. We will work across the Houses of the Oireachtas to try to implement them. As I said, there is a significant crossover between what Government is doing. It may not always be perfect but we learn as we go along with much of our work. Listening to th…

I move: That, pursuant to Standing Order 187, it be an instruction to the Dáil in Committee on the Electoral Reform Bill 2022, that it has power to make amendments to the Bill which are outside the scope of the existing provisions of the Bill, in relation to amendments to: ( a ) sections 2, 3, 22, 23A, 25, 43, 46, 48A, 61, 83, 84, 85, 86 and 88 of the Electoral Act 1997 and the insertion of new sections 4B, 24B, 91 and 92 into the Electoral Act 1997 for the purposes of providing powers of investigation to the Stand…

I thank all the Deputies for their contributions.

I again thank the Deputies. We are moving the Bill to Committee Stage.

I thank the Deputy for reading those names into the record of the House. It is important to remember that these were women with families, and their lives were cut short tragically and violently. It is very important that we acknowledge and remember them. I thank the Deputy for doing that. I also acknowledge our colleagues Deputies Stanton and Alan Farrell in the work they have done around coercive control and attacking gender-based violence. It is very important that collectively we work collaboratively across the …

The Deputy is absolutely right. Fear of harassment and violence should never be normalised, be it in the home or as people go about their daily life. The prioritisation of this hugely important work is evident in the policy and legislative developments implemented by this Government, as well as those currently being progressed. It is also evidenced by the increased budget allocations that have been secured this year in order to address such heinous and unacceptable behaviour. That said, we know we need to achieve a…

I apologise to both Deputies because I did not expect to be back here again to discuss this. I thought we would have advanced the Bill but it has been complex. The principal purpose of the Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016, as initiated, was to provide for the review of raised bog habitats, the making, amendment and revocation of natural heritage area orders and, for those purposes, the amendment of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000. As the Deputies will be aware, the Bill was originally presented to Dáil Éireann. The…

That is exactly it. I acknowledge it is frustrating and it has been complex, and I appreciate the frustration of both the Deputies and the communities they represent. I will endeavour to get a definite date for them both and to give certainty to this. I take on board the points in regard to what "shortly" means. It has been frustrating from our perspective as well. It will not be a new Bill. We are in a separate process of reviewing the Wildlife (Amendment) Act, but that is for another day. It is our intention to g…

I do not know.

I would welcome that.

I thank the Deputy for the question. I was in Limerick last Friday meeting officials in relation to my portfolio but I also dropped into Limerick Men's Shed and I commend all fantastic work being done there. I will try to address some of the questions the Deputy has raised. Supporting individuals and families facing homelessness is a key Government priority. The role of my Department is to ensure that a framework of policy, legislation and funding are provided to ensure housing authorities are in a position to addr…

To reiterate, there has been an increase in homelessness and a rise in notices to quit, along with a decrease in availability of HAP properties as landlords leave the market and rents for those remaining increase. There is, therefore, a real and significant challenge. Local authorities use commercial hotel and bed and breakfast accommodation but as the tourism market opens up, that accommodation is becoming restricted as well. The Department sets the overall policy and legislative framework that provides the necess…

The local authority home loan is a Government-backed mortgage for first-time buyers and other eligible applicants delivered through local authorities. The scheme provides mortgage financing for those who are unable to secure a sufficient commercial bank loan. It was introduced on 4 January 2022, replacing the previous Rebuilding Ireland home loan. My Department is in regular contact with local authorities regarding the local authority home loan and stands by to offer any assistance or guidance that is required to s…

I take those points on board. There are very important issues raised by the Deputy that we have to address. The processing time of individual loans can legitimately vary. There may be specific information required to confirm eligibility or creditworthiness, depending on the facts of the case. There may be delays in the transaction that are not under the control of the local authorities, but I accept that there may be some variations in processing times across local authorities. I agree with you, a Cheann Comhairle,…

I thank the Senator for her Commencement matter. It is always good to talk about biodiversity in the Seanad even if it is a negative issue. It is important to highlight important points, particularly the poisoning of raptors. I take on board the specific points she made about testing and a public awareness campaign, which I will address in a follow-up response. Ireland is home to more than 14 species of breeding raptors. Some species are largely resident, for example, the kestrel and the barn owl, with others visit…

The Senator's idea to have a public awareness campaign is a good one. I must advise that any such campaign would need to be led by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The Senator mentioned that these toxins are available on the shelves of garden centres and other stores. Another issue is the storage of carbofuran and other toxins that have been banned because they may still be available on farms. Perhaps a call for people to deposit these products at a secure facility would be a really useful way to…