Christopher O'Sullivan
Cork South-West · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“The aim of the hierarchy of the plan-making, as set out in the Act of 2024, is to improve scope for the various tiers of the planning system to more closely relate to one another, therefore providing greater clarity and consistency for all involved, from individual citizens and residents' groups to landowners and developers and ultimately…”
“My understanding is that a ten-year modernisation programme has already been undertaken by the Courts Service and significant progress has been made in improving the availability and use of court data.”
“Under the Act of 2024, the national planning framework continues to spearhead and explicate the planning agenda and sits at the pinnacle of the plan-led system and structure, whereby all tiers of planning from regional to local align with strategic objectives set out in the national planning framework.”
“The Senator has suggested that such plans would identify strategic development priorities, including settlement hierarchy, infrastructure corridors, climate adaptation measures and areas for regeneration; set out indicative phasing for major infrastructure and public investment; include spatial mapping of long-term development objectives;…”
“The Bill also facilitates the completion of the work of the Valuation Tribunal and the facility for the local authority to issue the levy demand and, where necessary, for An Coimisiún Pleanála to deal with any appeals to the demand that may arise in those existing cases currently with the tribunal.”
“As the system of plan-making in the State has just been revised and is being implemented for the first time, the introduction of another layer of plan-making could undermine the new hierarchy that was carefully arranged and agreed following extensive engagement with a range of stakeholders, including the Office of the Attorney General, an…”
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“As is the case with all severe storms, following the conclusion of the response, all aspects of the State's response will be fully reviewed with a view to identifying the key lessons across all sectors and the implementation of recommendations. This will include a continuing focus on planning for such events, business continuity management and building resilience and readiness across all sectors. My Government colleague, the Minister for environment, climate and communications, Deputy O'Brien, met representatives from the CRU, ESB and ESB Networks on 31 January to discuss the Storm Éowyn response, the impact on customers, immediate actions to increase the resilience of the electricity grid and planned grid enhancements to the end of 2030.”
“Once the threat to life from Storm Éowyn had passed, all efforts of the national emergency co-ordination group were focused on supporting ESB Networks and Uisce Éireann to restore power and water supplies. While the vast majority of the country is reconnected to power and water and has connectivity, the Government is conscious that no one should be left behind and that some are still experiencing connectivity disruptions. Accordingly, a cross-departmental recovery group has been established and will continue the work of the national emergency co-ordination group to co-ordinate intensive efforts to restore telecommunications and broadband connectivity to those who continue to experience outages.”
“This response, supported by the Defence Forces, Government agencies, the Civil Defence, and voluntary emergency services working with community volunteers, NGOs and community organisations, is an example of the collaborative approach we have in place to ensure a rapid response during such events. The task of maintaining power and water supplies as well as telecommunication services - the critical infrastructure on which society depends - falls to the critical infrastructure operators. These organisations are core partners in the emergency management sphere and attend the national emergency co-ordination group along with their respective parent Departments, where their assessment of the threat, as well as their situation reports on damage and restoration efforts are key points of information.”
“We must learn from this and prepare because we know that such events are going to become more regular. In terms of the main response, there are systems and plans in place to manage severe weather and other incidents and to co-ordinate a whole-of-government response. They have been used successfully before and they work. These well-rehearsed response measures that were in place and were utilised made for an effective cross-sectoral and cross-government collaboration that fully supported the immense efforts of all of the local authorities, the principal response agencies, the Defence Forces and all utilities. I must also mention the hospital staff who slept in on Thursday night in order to be there for patients. I also commend the rapid response by local authorities, ESB Networks, Uisce Éireann and others, following Storm Éowyn.”
“If we did not have those systems in place, we would have had further loss of life, unfortunately. To pick up on the Senator's point, back in those days we did not have the early warning systems or the preparation that we have now. Senator Goldsboro's idea of extending the housing adaptation grant scheme to include generators certainly has merit and is something that I will speak further about with the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins. We hear the terms "once in a lifetime" and "unprecedented" quite a lot but in many ways this storm was just so. We have never before seen the wind speeds that were experienced off the west coast. We have never seen such a number of houses without power. It was twice the previous record. It is very hard to prepare for experiences like this but I appreciate that there must be learning.”
“She is correct to say that we need a standardised approach to who can use chainsaws. What I loved about the experience was that there was a cross-local authority response with staff and crews from other local authorities helping those that were worst impacted. We saw a crew from Finglas, for example, go all the way to Cavan to help there. That is something that we need to see more of. I disagree with many of Senator Scahill's criticisms of the response but certainly in the areas of broadband and communications we absolutely could have and should have done better. There are certainly lessons to be learned there. Senator Comyn made an interesting point about the deaths during the night of the big wind. A lot of this is related to the fact that these early warning systems do work.”
“I am glad that the issue of climate change and climate breakdown was brought up by Senators Harmon, Stephenson and Higgins because it is important that we understand the source of this and why it is happening. I tend to agree with Senator Higgins in terms of the approach to trees along roadsides. The ESB has it within its gift, and within the law, to act where it sees that trees may impact power lines or may present a safety concern. However, I do not agree that we should just devastate our roadsides and chop down every tree along them because, as Senator Higgins quite rightly pointed out, there are not that many areas of woodland left in Ireland and in some places the only ones left are along roadsides so there has to be a balanced approach. Senator Rabbitte spoke about Galway and the devastation there.”
“I also welcome Deputy Devlin and assure his Ukrainian guests that they are in good hands today. Our thoughts are with them on the third anniversary. I thank Senators for their kind words of welcome. This is my first time addressing the Seanad and I really appreciate the kind welcome. I have listened to the debate and engagement which has been really interesting, particularly the contributions of Senators from the areas that were worst impacted. Down in west Cork, thankfully, for a change we did not get hit by the brunt of it but I know that areas right across Galway, the midlands and the north west were devastated so it was important to hear that feedback.”
“We also heard about emigration and people going to Australia quite often in this debate, but we never hear about those who are coming back, which they are. They are coming back in their droves. I know them. They are friends and people my age, both younger and older, who are coming back. That is something we do not hear about. We need to have a mature debate on this. I welcome the debate but there has to be room for the private sector to fill that gap. That is quite clear.”
“The Deputies are right to bring these up and this is their opportunity to raise those issues, but what we never hear from the Opposition is how Housing for All has helped people and where it has been a success, which it has. In my constituency, I have seen hundreds of people get secure tenure from social housing under Housing for All. That is something we never hear about. I know these people. They have keys to their houses and are very glad of interventions from Housing for All. We never hear of those people who availed of the help-to-buy scheme and simply would not have a house without that scheme. We never hear of those people who have availed of the vacant property scheme. Housing for All has helped. It is not perfect but it has helped, although of course we need to do more.”
“One solution is that we have a diverse and stable source of funding, which includes funding and sources of investment from private investors. I have also constantly heard during today's debate that the RPZs are gone and we are getting rid of rent caps. Nothing of that sort is being suggested. A review is going on. It is only right that we review and look over what we have done so far. To say that we are ending rent caps or that RPZs are gone is, again, a mischaracterisation. Deputy Hearne mentioned a mother living in emergency accommodation and a baby being born there. Of course, that is unacceptable. That is something we all want to see an end to. Deputy Catherine Connolly referenced people living in tents. These are situations that are unacceptable that we want to see an end to.”
“The State's contribution at the moment is in or around €6 billion. Whether or not that increases - everything is on the table and it may well increase - the fact of the matter is there still remains a deficit of approximately €14 billion. The State cannot do that on its own. We cannot fill that gap on our own. It is, therefore, important that we have input from private investors. However, as soon as we suggest that it is completely mischaracterised. We hear accusations that we are only out there for the developers and that the Celtic tiger is back. That is simply not true and is a mischaracterisation of the truth. We constantly hear the Housing Commission being referenced in these debates. We are putting on the table and suggesting solutions that have been put forward by that commission.”
“I will share my time with the Minister. I thank the Social Democrats for tabling the motion. It is important that we discuss this important topic. It is also fair to say, despite what was said, that we all want the same thing. There is a shared ambition in the House for increased home ownership, increased housing delivery, decreased rents and ending homelessness. Despite that, it is a mischaracterisation to say that our interests are developer-led. They are not. We are interested in helping the same people that the people on the other side of the House are interested in helping. It is clear that, despite the progress we have made under Housing for All, we need to increase supply. We need to get to approximately 50,000 houses per year. To do that will cost around €20 billion per annum.”
“If it is an issue where the necessity is for 25 houses and some areas are being left out, that is something I will undertake to take back to the Department and see if it can be investigated and see if there can be some level of flexibility in these areas of Kerry. I know how frustrating it can be not to have a decent, adequate water supply. Urban areas never have any issue with water supply. I will take the comments back, and I thank the Deputy for raising this again.”
“I can tell the Deputy - and this is serious; I am not making light of it - that people in certain parts of Lissavard, in particular, and Rathbarry were happy to see the Healy-Rae vans on site a number of years ago when they were in replacing the pipe network in and around there. The problem was solved and it was fantastic. However, these black spots exist right around west Cork and, obviously, in Kerry. There has to be a programme of replacing these pipes in order that we sort out the water pressure issue. I will take back the Deputy's point about the group water schemes and the fact that where there are smaller groups of houses they seem to be left out of these group water scheme programmes. However, €15,000 is a significant amount per household, but, obviously, if it is an issue where they do not have-----”
“I completely appreciate where Deputy Healy-Rae is coming from on this. I reiterate that under the recent review of the rural water programme, the amount per household was increased from €9,000 to €15,000, but I accept that there has to be some degree of flexibility, especially when a smaller number of houses are impacted. That is something that I will relay back to the Department. This is not just an issue in Kerry. There are areas in my area as well, in west Cork, where we have seen pressure issues in particular where there is break after break and we see that Uisce Éireann will replace the next section and then it just moves the problem down the line. What is needed in many of these situations is a substantial overhaul of the water supply.”
“Clearly, Uisce Éireann says that it has no reports of people raising issues in that area, so I urge anyone in the area to contact Uisce Éireann - there is a helpline they can contact - and report any underlying issues they have. We have in our Department a section that deals directly with Uisce Éireann. I will undertake to raise the issues the Deputy has raised here and ensure that he gets an adequate and proper response, especially if he is saying that households will have to fork out in the region of €45,000. That cannot happen. That is not acceptable.”
“Both Gneevgullia and Castleisland are part of the central regional Lough Guitane supply, where there is ample capacity. Some of Uisce Éireann's team are currently working on replacing 3 km of water mains from the reservoir in Castleisland to the town as part of its mains rehabilitation programme. However, Uisce Éireann is not aware of any pressure issues on the Castleisland supply. That may contradict some of what the Deputy says about the issues people are facing in the regions of Kerry he talks about in terms of supply issues and the cost per house. I agree with what he said in his opening statements: basic running water should be a right of any human being and any household. I will absolutely undertake to take back the issues he has raised today.”
“The funding provided under this measure enables Uisce Éireann to take in charge a network constructed to an appropriate standard. The amount of grant funding available is 85% of the cost of necessary and approved works subject, again, to a maximum of €15,000 per house connected. My Department is committed to delivering improvements to water services in areas of rural Ireland where there are no public services. In respect of the public water supply aspect raised by the Deputy, Uisce Éireann has confirmed that Lyracrumpane is a scheme that it is currently upgrading. However, Uisce Éireann outlined that it has not received any notifications of any supply issues in this area. In addition, Uisce Éireann confirmed that Knight's Mountain, Knockariddera, is not currently part of any scheme and there are no plans in place to extend to this area.”
“Under the programme, these measures are measure A5 and measure A7. Measure A5 provides funding support for extensions to existing group water schemes and the development of new stand-alone group water schemes. The measure supports the continued expansion of piped water supplies to those parts of the rural population that cannot be served by public water supplies. The grant funding available is 85% of the cost of necessary and approved works, subject to a maximum of €15,000 per household. Measure A7 provides funding for community water connections. This measure too supports the continued expansion of piped water supplies to those parts of the rural population reliant on private wells that can be served by the public Uisce Éireann water supplies.”
“There is 85% of the approved costs for well rehabilitation works, subject to a maximum grant of €3,000. That is if a grant is well in place already. Then there is 100% of the approved costs for works that are necessary to treat the water to meet the water quality standards set out in the drinking water regulations, subject to a maximum grant of €1,000. There are also nine individual funding measures under the most recent cycle of the multi-annual water programme, which covers the period 2024-26. Each funding measure is directed at a specific activity - for example, source protection, water treatment, network improvements, etc. Two measures are focused on the provision of safe and secure piped water supply to those households currently without such a supply where it is technically and economically viable to do so.”
“I thank Deputy Healy-Rae for raising these two important matters, which we will try to address today. First, I will outline some of the schemes that are available. I appreciate the Deputy has pointed out what the cost might be per household, but it might be helpful to outline what is available. There are a number of grants available, through the local authorities, under the Department’s rural water programme to support householders in carrying out improvement works to their private water supplies. The amount of grant funding available to households is as follows. There is 85% of the approved costs for a new well, subject to a maximum grant of €5,000, and the Deputy outlined that there are issues with wells in this area in terms of the water quality that is provided.”
“We have achieved much since the plan was published and we will continue to work tirelessly over the Government's term to increase supply, address the affordability challenges and fix the housing system for our children, grandchildren and generations to come.”
“My Department is working closely with local authorities and their service delivery partners to support households to exit homelessness to a tenancy, that is, tenancies in local authority and approved housing body properties or in the private rental market supported by the housing assistance payment, as well as the tenant in situ scheme. While the Government measures are having an effect, increasing the supply of social, affordable and private housing and accommodation remains the ultimate solution to addressing the challenge in the longer term. This Government is dedicated to ensuring the continued success of Housing for All and implementing the far-ranging commitments in the programme for Government. In its countermotion, the Government highlights the substantial progress made to date and how we will build on this progress.”
“While we will continue to vindicate tenant protections, and successive recent Governments have significantly strengthened these rights, they must continue to be balanced with a landlord’s constitutionally protected property rights. Supporting households experiencing homelessness remains a priority for the programme for Government and it reaffirms Ireland’s commitment to working to eradicate homelessness by 2030. Budget 2025 allocates more than €300 million to this end, up €61 million on 2024. Additionally, €12 million in capital funding is being provided for supported emergency accommodation for families and individuals experiencing homelessness. We have also committed to creating 2,000 housing first tenancies to target long-term homelessness.”
“The first home scheme in particular has proven to be a key support for first-time buyers. The Government is committed to working with the banks to expand the scheme to first-time buyers of second-hand homes, extend it to 2030 and increase the targets in keeping with the increase in starter home targets. These matters are being examined by the Department and will help boost home ownership further and support younger people seeking autonomy in the housing market. In the rental market, we have committed to continuing support for renters and landlords, including measures to protect renters and landlords from abusive practices through enhanced enforcement powers for the Residential Tenancies Board.”
“We are already examining how to take this a step further. As per the commitment in the programme for Government to reduce delays and red tape, my Department is examining the scope to extend the single stage approval to all social housing projects with standardised designs. Affordability is a key focus of Housing for All, which introduced many measures to support access to affordable housing and assist those aspiring to buy their own home to do so, including the help-to-buy scheme, the local authority affordable purchase scheme, the local authority home loan, the ready-to-build scheme and the first home shared equity scheme. We continue to deliver the first affordable homes in a generation and we are going from strength to strength, with affordable housing supports provided in 2024 likely to significantly exceed the 2023 outturn.”
“While my Department sets out targets in line with national strategy and provides overall design guidance for capital funding, local authorities, including elected councillors, make the decisions on specific public housing delivery in their areas. The motion also calls for a single set of standardised design guidelines for social homes. Standard designs have been in place for all new social housing developments since 2022. I confirm they were rolled out to all local authorities several years ago and are a central part of the current social housing programme, which has resulted in the highest level of delivery of new social housing build for many decades. The motion further calls for a "single stage assessment and approval process". The reality is that this process already applies to over 80% of new social housing delivery.”
“We will develop new financing sources, especially for brownfield sites and small builders, supported by Home Building Finance Ireland, the Housing Finance Agency and domestic banks, as well as State support of equity investment. The Land Development Agency will provide 12,900 homes over the lifetime of Housing for All. The Government recently recapitalised the agency to ensure it is best placed to deliver the homes required and will do so again, if needed, in the coming years. The Labour Party motion calls for a reverse in "the increasing centralisation of housing responsibilities by devolving more power to local authorities." In reality, key decisions on delivering public housing are vested in local authorities.”
“We will continue to grow construction sector capacity, tackling barriers in construction careers, promoting career opportunities and making construction more attractive to all. The additional capacity will establish a platform from which to deliver the Housing Commission's recommendation of addressing unmet demand within ten years. We will continue to diversify sources of investment. The level of investment required in the long term cannot be solely the responsibility of the State. We also require a considerable level of private investment, including appropriate institutional capital which is essential for the delivery of apartments and private rented homes. We will engage with domestic lenders, ensuring the banking sector is maximising its lending capacity to support the development of new housing nationwide.”
“Importantly, the target of 300,000 homes is not a ceiling. In this regard, we will adopt an agile approach to revisit the targets again in 2027 if, reflecting demand and growing industry capacity, we need different targets for 2028 and subsequent years. Scaling up to 60,000 homes a year and building on that figure further thereafter will be an enormous challenge. We will rise to this challenge. We will do so by, among other things, prioritising investment in infrastructure development and establishing a new office of strategic housing and infrastructure delivery to co-ordinate homebuilding and investment in the servicing of zoned lands and remove barriers that stifle supply.”
“Some 60,000 residential commencement notices were received in 2024 on the back of the Government's water connection and development levy waivers. While it is hard to predict with certainty when these developments will be completed, there is undoubtedly more work on-site. Feedback suggests it is more a matter of when, rather than if, these notices will translate to new homes. We do not underestimate the scale of the task ahead. Building new homes remains a key priority for this Government. To this end, we have committed to delivering 300,000 new homes by 2030, rising to 60,000 homes per year by the end of that period. Our focus now is to meet both new and existing need. We believe the new targets are ambitious and credible and provide an appropriate pathway to deliver on this objective.”
“Since its publication in September 2021, almost 107,000 homes have been added to the national housing stock through new builds, completion of historical unfinished housing developments and vacant properties brought back to use. While much still needs to be done, we have also achieved a lot. The step-change in delivery in recent years has helped many households achieve autonomy in the housing market. Last year’s dip in delivery is disappointing but supply continues to grow in the longer term. From a stagnant 20,000 or so new homes per year, we are now on a firm upward trajectory. Almost 92,500 new homes were built between 2022 and 2024, up almost 50% on the three previous years, and a robust pipeline is in place to support a renewed uptick in supply this year and next year.”
“-----I can attest to the fact that in my constituency of Cork South-West, hundreds of couples have been able to avail of this much-needed scheme. They simply would not have been able to afford their own homes without it. That said, over the next couple of minutes I will set out the Government's countermotion and our response to the motion before us. Housing is a cross-sectoral societal challenge that has a real impact on people’s lives. I reassert this Government’s commitment to addressing the housing crisis by implementing Housing for All and the suite of measures outlined in the programme for Government. Housing for All is a multi-annual plan to accelerate and increase the delivery of new homes.”
“Where we differ is how we achieve those targets. However, we also share some goals and solutions, for example, in terms of devolving power to local authorities. That is already happening on many levels, in that councillors in local authorities have within their remit the ability to supply housing. Single stage assessments are also an area on which we share views but we differ in many other areas. The motion calls for an end to the help-to-buy scheme, which it describes as inflationary but-----”
“The Minister, Deputy Browne, is unavoidably absent as he is at Cabinet. Unfortunately, the Deputies will have to make do with me. I assure all Deputies that the Minister, the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, and I will work together as a team to find housing solutions and increase the supply of housing. I thank the Labour Party for raising this very important issue. The Deputies expressed severe criticism of my party and the Government. Over the past five years, I have found the Labour Party to be constructive in its opposition and in providing solutions. I acknowledge that. In many areas, although the Deputies may disagree, we have a shared ambition of ending homelessness, reducing rents, increasing the number of affordable homes that are available and increasing housing supply in general.”
“I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: acknowledges that: - Housing for All - A new Housing Plan for Ireland, sets out an ambitious multi-annual programme that seeks to deliver more than 300,000 new homes between 2022 and 2030; - while the policy aim is to reach, if not exceed, the target in each successive year, the primary goal is to maintain an upward trajectory in supply and in line with or ahead of the overall target over the longer term; - since Housing for All - A new Housing Plan for Ireland was published in September, 2021, almost 99,500 new homes have been built, with delivery of 92,500 new homes in the three years from 2022 to 2024, representing a considerable 49 percent increase on the quantum delivered in the previous three-year period; - delivery of affordable housing supports will significantly exceed 2023 outturn, while the supply of new build social homes continues to be at a level higher than it has been for many years; and - Government measures such as the development levy waiver and water connection refund have been a catalyst for increased construction activity in the last 12 months, establishing a robust medium-term pipeline and supporting significantly accelerated supply of new housing in the coming years; recognises that: - the measures introduced under Housing for All - A new Housing Plan for Ireland, have helped establish a solid platform to 'scale-up' delivery further in the short-term and secure a sustainable level of supply that will help us meet fully unmet and emerging demand over the next decade; - the Government's revised housing targets, informed by expert, peer-reviewed research by the Economic and Social Research Institute and targeting a minimum of 300,000 or so new homes over the next six years, are an ambitious and credible pathway to achieving these objectives; - the measures committed to in the Programme for Government, including a new housing plan building on the successes of Housing for All - A new Housing Plan for Ireland, will help us meet the enormous challenge of delivering 60,000 or more new homes per year by 2030; and - the target of 300,000 new homes is not a ceiling, and the Government will revisit the targets again in 2027 if, reflecting demand and growing industry capacity, different targets are required for 2028 and subsequent years; and affirms the efforts to: - adequately resource the Land Development Agency (LDA) to deliver increased quantum of new homes required, noting the recently increased resourcing to the LDA and will look to capitalise it further as required; - prioritise infrastructure development as a critical means for increasing housing supply, noting the commitments including, for example, investing additional capital in Uisce Éireann and establishing a new office of strategic housing and infrastructure delivery to coordinate homebuilding and investment in the servicing of zoned lands; - expand the capacity of the construction sector as another key measure to scale up delivery to the levels necessary by 2030, and thereafter building upon ongoing measures to tackle barriers in construction careers, promote career opportunities, and make construction more attractive to women; - establish a land price register, which work is committed to in the Programme for Government, and already underway; - boost homeownership and help support younger people seeking autonomy in the housing market through measures like First Home Scheme, Help-to-Buy scheme, the Local Authority Home Loan, revised social housing income eligibility limits, and the introduction and expansion of the renters credit, as well as the delivery of 130,000 or so new homes over the last five years; - diversify sources of investment, noting the level of investment required in the long term cannot be solely the responsibility of the State, it will also require a very significant level of private investment, including appropriate institutional capital investment which is essential for the delivery of critically needed private rented stock - engage with domestic lenders to ensure that the banking sector is appropriately using its lending capacity to support the development of new housing nationwide; - develop new financing sources, especially for brownfield sites and small builders, with support from Home Building Finance Ireland, the Housing Finance Agency (HFA) and domestic banks as well as State support of equity investment; - enhance protections for tenants, while appropriately vindicating landlords' constitutionally protected property rights, through measures introduced by successive recent Government's via the Residential Tenancies Acts; - tackle homelessness through a suite of Cross-Government responses, acknowledging that homelessness is a complex issue requiring multifaceted responses to deal with considerably varying causal factors and family circumstances; - build on the significant number of social and affordable homes provided in 2024, expanding State investment with almost €5 billion available for the delivery of social, affordable and cost rental homes in 2025, supplemented by LDA investment and HFA lending which will bring the overall capital provision to over €6 billion; and - deliver on the far-ranging commitments in the Programme for Government and informed by the Housing Commission's proposals for the long-term reform of the housing system, accepting this is an appropriate response to the current housing challenges which Ireland is now facing.”
“As he outlined, there were many people who were happy they had a stove of some sort that would heat water but it is pretty clear there in black and white that there is nothing required by the Department that says chimneys have to be removed or that they cannot be installed once they are compliant.”
“More than 280 emergency response hubs have been set up in the counties most affected by service outages. Emergency response hubs are assisting people with basic needs such as water, hot food, phone charging, broadband access and shower facilities. A key focus is ensuring the welfare of vulnerable or isolated people and making sure supports or resources are directed to where they are most needed. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae has made his point well and has outlined the difficulties that people in Kerry and right throughout the western seaboard are having.”
“That is underlined by the point that building regulations are performance based and technology neutral. There is nothing preventing new dwellings from including fireplaces or chimneys and it is possible to comply with building regulations when these are installed. That is pretty clear. We can send the Deputy a further note on that. New rated homes are highly insulated and will retain heat for longer than traditional poorly insulated houses. There are also multiple benefits during normal operation of improved comfort, improved indoor air quality and carbon emissions reductions. Local authorities, supported by the national emergency co-ordination group, are co-ordinating a local level a humanitarian assistance response to the needs of people who have significantly been impacted by the storm.”
“I take the Deputy's point. I have the response here and it is quite clear on the energy efficient retrofit programme, EERP. I will read it out because it should answer the Deputy's question. Works eligible under the Department's revised EERP include attic-cavity wall insulation or external wall insulation, where required, window and door replacement, heat pump installation as well as ancillary and associated works. I will repeat the following line: the removal of chimneys is not required by this Department.”
“Overall, modern highly insulated houses retain the heat for much longer than traditional uninsulated houses and are more resilient during power cuts, while, at the same time, reducing carbon emissions from the built environment. With regard to the retrofit of local authority homes, in 2021 a new holistic approach was applied to the local authority energy efficient retrofit programme. This was designed around a programme for Government commitment and led by the Department for the Environment, Climate and Communications.”
“NZEB means a building that has a very high energy performance with nearly zero or a very low amount of the energy required covered to a significant extent by energy from renewable sources. As NZEB dwellings have a very high fabric performance, the heat will typically be retained for a longer period in an NZEB dwelling than in an average dwelling. Building regulations require new dwellings to achieve an overall energy and carbon emissions performance which is calculated using the dwelling energy assessment performance published by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland. Secondary heating systems such as single room solid fuel stoves using renewable wood can still be installed in new housing under building regulations once the overall energy performance requirement for the dwelling is achieved. That speaks to the Deputy's point.”
“In response to the Deputy's point, there is no requirement, from this Department at least, to remove chimneys. That is set in stone, as I will explain later. The technicality involved is that all new dwellings must comply with building regulations, the aim of which is to provide for the safety and welfare of people in and about buildings and, in addition, to achieve 60-year durability for all key elements. The building regulations set out the minimum requirements for the construction of new buildings and certain works to existing buildings. The climate action plan commits to reducing the use of fossil fuels in buildings and that the energy performance requirements for new buildings are set out in accordance with the nearly zero energy building, NZEB, requirements of the energy performance of buildings directive.”
“On the night of the storm, before the worst winds hit, staff and nurses in hospitals throughout Ireland, including Clonakilty Community Hospital, Bantry Hospital, Cork University Hospital and, I am sure, hospitals in County Kerry, got mattresses out and stayed overnight to ensure patients received the best care. I want to acknowledge that. On the point Deputy Healy-Rae put across incredibly well, I am sure lots of people along the western seaboard who have fireplaces or stoves were very glad they had them. Electric heat pumps are the way to go in electrifying heat and having efficient homes but that will be at a point where we have a steady and reliable grid and supply of electricity. People across the country were glad they have stoves and fireplaces and the Deputy put that eloquently.”
“I thank Deputy Healy-Rae for raising this matter. It gives me an opportunity to say for the first time that my heart goes out to the people affected right across the country, especially on the western seaboard, many of whom have, for almost two weeks, gone without either power, running water and the bare essentials. I cannot begin to imagine how difficult that is for them. Luckily, west Cork, where I am from, was not hit as bad as other areas. Some parts of Kerry were clearly hit pretty bad and we have to take cognisance of and acknowledge that. I thank wholeheartedly the emergency services, local authority staff, fire crews and medical staff. Across the board, their response to this emergency has been incredible. In particular, I pay tribute to the nurses and staff of some hospitals.”