I thank the Minister for facilitating this debate. As many speakers have said, domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is a significant issue throughout our country. At the extreme end of it, 275 females have died violently in this country since 1996. That is a huge number. An Garda Síochána has said that in 2024, it dealt with 65,000 domestic abuse calls alone. The statistics are clear and while we could spend all day rattling them off, it is obvious there is a significant issue in this regard. These are only t…

I thank the Minister of State for being here to take this matter. I raise an issue in respect of certain organisations across the country and particularly their staff and workers, who have not benefited from the pay agreements of recent years. They are former section 39 organisations. I acknowledge that many of the section 39 organisations have benefited but there is a cohort out there which, because of a complicated and complex funding model, have not been brought in under the pay agreements. The Minister of State…

I thank the Minister of State. I appreciate his response. Unfortunately, it has not addressed the core issue I raised regarding the handful of organisations that have not been brought into the tent in respect of the pay agreements. To elaborate further, prior to 2010, a section 39 block grant funded St. Luke's Home in Cork. Since then, it has had a number of different sources of funding, including the National Treatment Purchase Fund. The HSE provides funding in respect of respite and day services. It is a complica…

I thank the Minister for being present for the debate and I welcome the opportunity to speak on this provision. Picking up on the Minister of State, Deputy Healy Rae, I also welcome these proposals. They are very sensible. Keeping planning permission alive is a practical and simple measure but an essential one and I commend the Minister on bringing it forward. It is estimated in Dublin alone, there is planning permission for up to 15,000 units with less than two years left in their lifetime so it makes eminent sens…

I thank the Minister for being here to facilitate the debate on the Middle East. All of us in the House can agree on how horrified we are by what we are seeing on our televisions day in, day out in terms of the atrocities that are taking place in the Middle East. The massacre of human life is absolutely atrocious. A number of years ago we would not have expected to witness this in the year 2025. We had hoped the world had matured to a point whereby this type of hard military action would not be taking place. Obviou…

I thank the Minister of State for being here to take this question. It is critically important that we continue the downward pressure on interest rates in Ireland. I acknowledge significant progress has been made in recent times in reducing mortgage interest rates across this country and bringing them somewhat more in line with EU averages but, unfortunately, we are still above EU averages. As the Minister of State knows, we are now at a time when the banks are very profitable. The State has divested its interests …

I thank the Minister of State. His reply very much focused on the climate of reducing interest rates we are now in. As I said in my initial remarks, this is very welcome and exactly why it is important to raise this point now. The Minister of State referred to the ECB reducing interest rates on eight occasions since last summer, and again this is all very welcome. The ECB covers the entire EU, though, so this begs the question as to why Ireland is still higher on average than the rest of the EU in terms of interest…

I raise again the issue of school secretaries and caretakers. As the Minister knows, they have made a request for full public sector recognition and status. The Minister will agree school secretaries and caretakers play an integral role in the life of the school community and when many of us politicians visit these schools we always recognise secretaries and caretakers and the role they play along with teachers, SNAs, school management and so on. They deserve full status in terms of public service recognition, term…

I join with other Members in expressing my disgust and revulsion at what was exposed on “RTÉ Investigates”. When we see scenes like that on television, we think of our own relatives and friends who spend time in nursing homes. It makes every family wonder about the care they are receiving. Of course, it has to be said that what we saw results in a stain on all nursing homes across the country. However, as we know, the vast majority provide excellent care and the staff and management working in them do their level b…

With regard to the overall changes proposed by the Minister recently, I compliment him on the balance he has struck. The Opposition will always try to pit landlords against tenants, and have the narrative around tenants versus landlords. We have to focus on both groups and that is the reality. This is about increasing housing supply and we have to deal with the needs of tenants and landlords. The Minister has struck this balance and counteracted the narrative as best he could. This is an extremely complex area. Ref…

I raise the Cork city task force. As we know, the programme for Government provides for the establishment of a task force for Cork city. Like all urban areas, Cork city needs renewed focus, funding, resources, collaboration between key stakeholders, and short-, medium- and long-term planning. I hope the task force will address issues around public realm, streetscape, urban design and investment in our urban design in Cork city. Safety on the streets of Cork city is a significant issue. This not only relates to Gard…

I wish to raise the issue of Garda numbers in Cork city. I know it is a concern shared by the Taoiseach. There are 668 gardaí serving in Cork city. This is 9% down on the position three years ago. Despite the fact that many public representatives have raised the issue, including in the Dáil, the situation has got worse. After the recent attestation from Templemore, we received three gardaí. This follows on from an attestation in March when we also received three gardaí. On this occasion, Dublin received 70. Dublin'…

I thank the Minister for facilitating this debate. I do not want to focus on individual issues, initiatives and schemes. I will focus on the big picture in terms of the acute housing crisis we are in. To me the only solution is ramping up supply across all forms, whether new builds, reuse of existing buildings and better utilisation of existing buildings such as over office, over shop and so on. That will help deliver where we need to be in terms of social and affordable housing delivery, cost rental and private pu…

I thank the Minister of State for taking this Topical Issue. I refer to the long period people have to wait for a social welfare appeal to be decided. As the Minister of State knows, this places huge stress on individuals and families who are waiting for decisions to be made. Invalidity pensions, domiciliary care allowance and carer's allowance are some of the applications subject to very lengthy appeal periods, as I know from my constituency office. As the Minister of State knows, anybody who applies for an invali…

I thank the Minister of State for her reply. I welcome some of the reply regarding some of the improvements already in train. I very much welcome that the Minister, Deputy Calleary, has met the appeals team and additional staff are now being employed, bringing the total number of staff to 64. This is certainly welcome. With regard to the new appeals regulations, there are positive changes in terms of the applicant having a longer period to make an appeal, and that it could potentially be up to 180 days, at the disc…

I thank the Minister of State for facilitating this debate, which we badly need to have. I do not want to repeat everything that has been said. The position is stark with 15,000 children waiting for assessments and very poor figures for those who get assessments within the six months. The overwhelming majority do not get assessments within the six months, which is a requirement under the 2005 Act. As we all know as constituency TDs, families have to fight for everything. We are talking about assessments of need in …

Will the Minister outline his expectations for the delivery of affordable housing, particularly affordable purchase housing, for the coming year?

I thank the Minister and I know he very much values affordable housing. I thank him for the figures he provided indicating that 6,400 units will be provided this year, which is very welcome. Prior to the election I strongly committed to individuals and couples that I would be a strong voice in relation to affordable housing. We all know the cohort of people who are above the social housing income limits but not in a position to acquire a house in their own right. We need to support those individuals and couples but…

I acknowledge the progress that has been made in Cork, both by Cork City Council and Cork County Council in the delivery of affordable purchase houses in particular. That is very welcome and I note the strong ambition in the programme for Government under the starter homes theme, which is important. Again, I reiterate that when one looks at the delivery of housing, the quantum of social housing is critically important and we all want that to increase but have to look at the disparity between social and affordable. …

I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach for facilitating my taking of this question. I would appreciate it if the Minister would outline his plans to introduce a new voids programme.