James Browne
Wexford · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“I cannot accept amendments Nos. 10 and 11. The interpretation of "lawfully resident" and "habitually resident" is construed in accordance with section 20A, which sets out the new residency requirements for social housing applicants.”
“The safety net provision is to be provided by the local authority on a night-to-night basis, and this is to allow local authorities to reassess the circumstances each day to determine whether the safety net should still be provided.”
“I cannot accept amendment No. 21. This amendment proposes the introduction of a social housing passport allowing households to transfer between local authority areas while retaining their original waiting list or transfer list position. The amendment as it stands is well-intentioned.”
“No one factor is intended to be decisive and it is not necessary for a person to score strongly on all five factors outlined in section 20A(7) in order to get a positive decision. However, the local authority decision-maker must be confident that there is strong evidence that it is the applicant's main centre of interest.”
“In relation to Senator McCarthy’s amendment, while it was a very well intentioned and constructed amendment, it has been disallowed. It was not my decision on those matters. I am satisfied the safeguards and safety net are there for those who are not entitled by way of legal or habitual residence.”
“In practical terms, if an Irish citizen has severed ties abroad and has decided to return home, the process of establishing habitual residency could be determined from day one.”
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“I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "recognises that: — Housing for All, sets out an ambitious multi-annual programme that seeks to deliver more than 300,000 new homes by 2030; — record levels of investment are being provided for the delivery of housing in 2025, with overall capital funding now available of almost €6.8 billion; — this provision includes €450 million to support the delivery of 3,000 additional social, affordable and cost rental homes in the period 2025 – 2027; and €265 million to allow for a significant programme of acquisitions in 2025 for priority categories of need; — the capital provision for 2025 is supplemented by a further €1.65 billion in current funding to address housing needs; — over 36,700 social homes have been delivered under Housing for All to Quarter 4 2024; in 2023, nearly 12,000 social homes were delivered, including 8,110 new-build social homes, the highest level of delivery of new-build social housing since 1975, and in 2024, 10,595 social homes were delivered including 7,871 new builds, 1,501 acquisitions and 1,223 leasing units; — nearly 13,000 affordable housing supports have been delivered since the launch of Housing for All to December 2024 by Approved Housing Bodies (AHB), local authorities and the Land Development Agency (LDA), alongside schemes such as the First Home Scheme (FHS) and the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant; — over 7,100 affordable housing supports were delivered in 2024, the highest yearly delivery to date, exceeding the year's target of 6,400; — over €1.3 billion has been approved under the Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) since launch, to assist in the delivery of over 6,000 Cost Rental homes across 17 local authority areas, with over 2,000 homes delivered under CREL to end 2024; and — on 13th May, Government approved an additional €30 million commitment to the FHS, bringing the total State commitment for the FHS to €370 million, more than 6,700 buyers have been approved to date under the FHS and more than 3,300 homes have been bought using the FHS to the end of Quarter 1 2025; further recognises that: — while housing supply has increased significantly in recent years, much more needs to be achieved; — the measures introduced under Housing for All have helped establish a solid platform to 'scale-up' delivery of housing in the short-term and secure a sustainable level of supply that will help us meet demand; — the measures committed to in the Programme for Government, including a new housing plan building on the successes of Housing for All, will help us meet the enormous challenge of delivering more than 300,000 new homes by 2030; — the Government's new national housing plan will incorporate pragmatic actions to boost housing activity in the short-term coupled with strategic deliverables to drive comprehensive systemic change and subsequent increase in supply into the long-term; — there has been record levels of investment in infrastructure under the current National Development Plan (NDP) for the period 2021 to 2030; — new capital investments in infrastructure, particularly to support housing targets, are being considered in the context of the ongoing review of the NDP; and — on 30th April, 2025, Dáil Éireann approved the Revised National Planning Framework (RNPF), which provides the basis for the review and updating of Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies and local authority development plans to reflect critical matters such as updated housing figures or projected jobs growth, including through the zoning of land for residential, employment and a range of other purposes; acknowledges that: — to see the revised NPF translated to a local basis as urgently as possible, local authorities have been advised to start the process of reviewing and updating their development plans to align with the revised NPF; — the Planning and Development Act 2024, which is being commenced on a phased basis over the next 18 months, represents a radical reform of the planning system and will set, for example, new statutory timelines for decision-making and streamline judicial review processes, which will help to reduce the delays that may be constraining housing supply; — the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2025, to be enacted before this summer recess, will ensure sufficient time is given to activate planning permissions for much needed housing; — under the Planning and Development Act 2024, the new Urban Development Zones (UDZ) will enable further housing development and the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage has signed an order that will enable local authorities to identify suitable sites for UDZs, and for the LDA and Regional Assemblies to bring appropriate sites to the attention of local authorities and the Minister, with work to begin as soon as possible; — a review of the Exempted Development provisions is underway that will provide further options for the provision of housing, with a public consultation commenced this month and updated regulations to come into force later this year; — Part 17 of the Planning and Development Act 2024 will also be commenced shortly to enable the establishment of An Coimisiún Pleanála to replace An Bord Pleanála; and — a series of reforms have been progressed to support a well-resourced planning system, including the implementation of the Ministerial Action Plan on Planning Resources, which will strengthen the planning system and support the timely delivery of critical infrastructure and housing; further acknowledges that: — Government continues to support local authorities in the delivery of housing programmes, with almost €4.8 billion provided to the authorities in 2024 and this will increase further in 2025; — more than 250 additional capital posts in local authorities nationally are being funded by the Department to support social housing delivery; in addition, over 140 professional/technical and administrative posts dedicated to delivering affordable housing are being funded by the Department in local authorities to strengthen their capacity to initiate, design, plan, develop and manage housing projects; — the Government is progressing a number of structured and coordinated initiatives to address vacancy and dereliction, including the review of the Derelict Sites Act 1990, the Town Centre First Policy Approach and the implementation of the Planning and Development Act 2024 and development of related secondary legislation, including the current review of exempted development provisions; — the Planning and Development Regulations provide for an exemption from the need to obtain planning permission for the change of use of certain vacant commercial buildings, including vacant above ground floor premises, to residential use such as 'above shop' living for up to nine units, subject to conditions and limitations, the most recent figures show that since 2018, local authorities have received 1,457 notifications relating to the provision of 3,429 new homes nationwide through use of this specific exemption; — a €150 million fund to end long-term vacancy and dereliction in towns and cities has been provided under the Urban Regeneration Development Fund (URDF); — by the end of Quarter 1 2025, over 8,652 Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant approvals had issued already, and €112 million has been paid out to refurbish almost 2,100 homes; — the Compulsory Purchase Order Activation Programme, launched in April 2023, requires a proactive and systematic approach by local authorities to bring vacant and derelict properties back into use, this includes the active use of compulsory purchase powers by local authorities, with URDF Call 3 and other funding supports available for such purchases; and — the vacancy rate of 3.5 per cent as reported by the Quarter 4 2024 Geo-Directory report is the lowest recorded vacancy rate since 2013; affirms Government efforts to: — support the housing needs of specific groups through a range of measures and supports, including a targeted second-hand social housing acquisitions programme, which responds to the needs of the most vulnerable, and which is supported by increasing the 2025 budget for the programme from the €60 million available under Housing for All to €325 million; — address the housing options available for older people, as committed to in the Programme for Government, including by mandating local authorities to find suitable sites for housing specifically designed for older adults, ensuring accessible options within local communities; supporting AHBs in developing and managing senior housing with on-site support services; and reviewing and standardising the older persons housing financial contribution scheme; — support older people and those with disabilities to continue living independently - Budget 2025 provided an Exchequer capital provision of €99.5 million for the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and Disabled People with every local authority receiving an increase in their capital allocation; on 9th June, €23 million funding was announced for local authorities to carry out adaptations, extensions and other improvements to their existing social housing stock; — fund Traveller-specific accommodation which has been fully drawn-down by local authorities over the past five years from 2020 to 2024, resulting in investment of over €100 million capital investment in Traveller-specific accommodation; — support Housing First which was expanded significantly under Housing for All; over 860 tenancies were created under the current plan up to the end of Quarter 1 2025 and 1,060 individuals were in a Housing First tenancy; and — increase the availability of suitable, financially accessible student accommodation as a key policy priority in the new Student Accommodation Strategy, being developed by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, which places affordability and equity at its core; further affirms Government efforts to: — work with all stakeholders to continue accelerating housing supply across all tenures and to deliver social, affordable and cost rental homes at scale and improve the availability and affordability of homes; — support individuals and families who may be struggling to purchase a home, through a range of schemes, including the Help to Buy, FHS, Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme and the Local Authority Home Loan; — sustain tenant in-situ acquisitions into 2025 as a clear indication of Government's commitment to preventing homelessness for Housing Assistance Payment and Rental Accommodation Scheme tenants who have been served a 'no fault' Notice of Termination; — support the rental sector through new policy measures approved by Government on 10th June that will modify rent controls with the aim of strengthening tenancy protections and security of tenure, while encouraging greater private investment in the rental market; — provide stronger protections and greater certainty for the rental sector by extending rent controls nationally, to protect all tenants from high rent increases, rent increases will be linked to inflation, whilst retaining the cap on permissible rent inflation at two per cent with limited exceptions; and — to provide greater security of tenure by introducing legislative changes to significantly restrict 'no fault evictions' for smaller landlords (three or fewer tenancies) and to prohibit them for larger landlords, these changes will further enhance the current provision of tenancies of unlimited duration with the introduction of rolling tenancies of a minimum duration of six years with smaller landlords; and notes that: — a Housing Activation Office in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is being established to identify and seek to address barriers to the delivery of public infrastructure projects needed to enable housing development at local level, through the alignment of funding and coordination of infrastructure providers; — an Infrastructure Division has been established in the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, that will lead a process of infrastructure reform; and — the Government is investing record levels of capital funding in critical infrastructure, including in the areas of water and energy, and will continue to do so under the NDP for the period 2025 to 2035, to be finalised by end of July.".”
“If a family is moving out, a health and safety assessment and basic repairs should be carried out, but leaving houses vacant for months and years on end is not on the Government but on the local authority.”
“We will continue doing everything in our power to minimise turnaround times, as referenced in the programme for Government, with the proposed introduction of a new voids programme to support local authorities to ensure their homes comply with the relevant standards and to provide good comfort levels for their tenants and implement strategic programmes for planned maintenance informed by stock condition surveys. When these houses are made vacant, there are families who have just been living in them. How it can take months and years to put new families into those houses in incomprehensible. It should not be happening. As the Minister, I will ensure that local authorities do not indulge in these delays any more.”
“Given the legal responsibility on local authorities with regard to management and maintenance, they play an important role to ensure adequate budgetary provision for the purpose of housing repairs and cyclical maintenance from their rental income. The funding my Department provides is supplementary rather than available to fully replace local authorities' own self-funding. Returning to the example Deputy Gould gave earlier, in five years the local authority could not find the wherewithal to put in stairs.”
“The disabled persons grant for local authority housing is receiving a budget of €25 million to support improvement works and additionality for existing local authority-owned dwellings in the form of adaptations and extensions, which allow people to live in their communities for as long as possible. The motion refers to the failure to properly fund and maintain homes and the failure to remove the cap associated with the costs of remediation for vacant units. As explained, there is no cap-----”
“It makes the point that we need to create a dedicated Department of housing with annual multi-euro maintenance funding, starting in budget 2026, but this is already in place and is further supported by the housing delivery co-ordination office. Some €90 million is available for the energy efficiency retrofit programme, which is an increase of almost 40% since the programme was implemented in 2021. Some €50 million is available in 2025 for a regeneration programme. Some €31 million is available under the planned maintenance voids, with over €10 million of that funding ring-fenced.”
“The move to the planned maintenance approach for stock management and maintenance is crucial in this regard to ensure that local authorities can maximise the funding available from relevant stock improvement programmes by only completing the measures applicable with the housing standards for rented housing regulations when a property becomes vacant. Providing cyclical maintenance over the life cycle of a tenancy will ensure houses can be re-let more quickly, deliver far better value for money and limit the exposure of the local authority to excessive costs and significant turnaround times when a property becomes vacant. The motion from Sinn Féin tabled for this evening's debate does not fairly represent the efforts and progress the Government has made and is making.”
“This approach will also ensure that the properties are returned to productive use as quickly as possible while allowing more extensive works to be carried out on a cyclical basis. From an asset management perspective, local authorities are moving to a position whereby properties are inspected and maintained at regular intervals.”
“My Department will support these work programmes by ensuring that the funding available under the various stock improvement programmes is aligned with this approach. In consecutive years, my Department has ring-fenced €5 million for planned maintenance under the planned maintenance of voids programme. This has been doubled to €10 million for 2025. I hope to increase it further in future years. This funding has supported the implementation of an ICT asset management system for the local authority sector, which, as I mentioned earlier, is now available, with all 31 local authorities on board. This investment is also available to provide a funding contribution for the completion of stock condition surveys while simultaneously funding planned maintenance works that arise from these surveys.”
“It is madness and should not be happening. Of course, in line with local authorities' best practice and with regard to rental standards, whether a house is old or has a long-standing tenant in situ, it should be inspected and improvement works carried out at regular intervals to prevent excessive maintenance costs and delay when the property becomes vacant. To that end, my Department and colleagues across the local authority sector are working to transition from a largely reactive response and a void-based approach to stock management and maintenance to a planned maintenance approach. This will require the completion of stock condition surveys by all local authorities and the subsequent development of strategic and informed work programmes in response.”
“A Sinn Féin TD earlier gave the example of a house having been left in immaculate condition. What did the local authority do? It went in and gutted it. That is absolute madness.”
“The Government has in the past given them the money to do so. The funding available from my Department under the planned maintenance voids programme is available to support minimal turnaround times, with all local authorities moving to a position of aligning works with the criteria of the relevant regulations and meeting their legal obligations as a landlord. This will limit the impact of funding shortfalls, which must be absorbed from the local authorities' own resources. Given the significant Exchequer investment into the stock improvement programmes over recent years, particularly for voids, I now envisage that local authorities should be in a strong position to continue the transition to a strategic and informed planned maintenance approach to stock management and maintenance.”
“This was supported again in 2021 with the non-standard voids programme. Further uncapped additional funding was made available to the sector in 2023 to finally tackle any remaining legacy vacant support for the transition to planned maintenance. There should be no long-term voids in this country after the substantial funding that was provided to get them back in place. Deputy Gould gave the example of a house that was waiting for a retrofit for five years because it did not have a stairs. The idea that a Cabinet Minister needs to get involved with a local authority to put in a stairs because it is beyond the wit or ability of a local authority to do it in five years is, quite frankly, farcical.”
“-----submitted by a local authority does not exclude €11,000. In addition, and where turnaround times are not impacted, local authorities can also complete the suite of works applicable to the energy efficiency retrofit programme on a vacant dwelling with additional funding up to a maximum of €48,850. There is evidence to suggest, however, that while re-letting costs are higher, the turnaround times are longer. Pre-letting works being completed to the highest possible standard in order to future-proof these dwellings does not need to be carried out between tenancies. Such an approach causes unnecessary delays in re-let times and is inconsistent with Government policy on the management and maintenance of local authority housing stock. Additional funding was made available in 2020, which provided uncapped funding levels.”
“I will be looking at the overall picture in respect of funding local authorities for voids management and planned maintenance, coupled with various other local authority stock improvement programmes by my Department. Since 2013 until the end of 2024, under the planned maintenance voids programme, the energy efficiency programme, including the midlands pilot, and the disabled persons grant scheme, local authorities have received just shy of €1 billion in Exchequer funding. That is substantial State support. With specific reference to voids, however, it should be borne in mind that there is no upper cap on the amount that can be spent or recouped on an individual dwelling, provided the total amount averaged across all dwellings-----”
“This funding was initially introduced to tackle long-term vacant units and is now, in light of urgent housing needs, increasingly targeted at ensuring minimal turnaround and re-let times for local authority vacant stock. Vacant properties need to be refurnished and re-let as quickly as possible, with the emphasis only on those works that are necessary to ensure compliance with the housing regulations of 2019. Works that may be desirable but not necessary to meet those letting standards should not delay the re-let and can instead be carried out later under a planned maintenance programme. Prioritising such work on vacant units ahead of similar works required on homes occupied by tenants is not advised or supported by my Department because it is contrary to the principle of good stock management through regular planned maintenance.”
“I thank all Members for their contributions. I echo the comments made by the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, and reassert this Government's commitment to tackling the challenges in the housing sector. I will highlight the steps being taken by the Government to minimise vacancy and to ensure strategic and informed programmes of planned maintenance work for local authority housing are implemented and support by stock condition data and the appropriate ICT asset management solution. The completion of the roll-out of the ICT solution to all 31 of our local authorities has occurred in the past few weeks and is an important step. Furthermore, since 2014, Exchequer funding has been provided through my Department's voids programme to support local authorities in preparing vacant units for re-letting.”
“We recognise that a radical step change is needed in housing supply. That is why we are considering every lever at our disposal. We remain steadfast in our commitment to meet the challenge head on and ensure all those who aspire to independence in the housing market can realise their aspiration.”
“The forthcoming national housing plan will encompass many additional strands of work, including the scaling up of social and affordable homes; address the homelessness challenge; boost the capacity of the construction sector; continue to reduce vacancy; and bring much-needed stock back into use. The new national housing plan will follow the review of the national development plan. Until then, I will continue to engage with Government colleagues, including the Minister for public expenditure, Deputy Jack Chambers, as these reviews take shape over the coming weeks. I will make the case to reaffirm the critical importance of housing as recognised in the previous national development plan review. I wish to make it very clear that we do not underestimate the scale of the challenge.”
“The Government also intends to keep student-specific accommodation under rent control and to develop proposals for specific arrangements for that sector with the Minister, Deputy Lawless, and the Attorney General. We will revert to the Government with these proposals in the near future. Numerous market expert reports have identified our current rent control system as an impediment to the supply of new private rental accommodation. Increasing the supply of private rental accommodation is crucial in supporting the Government's overall housing targets and addressing affordability in the private rental sector. Today’s measures represent just one avenue of support for new housing delivery.”
“Given the critical need to attract investment in new apartments for the rental market, the Government will provide that any rent increases for new apartments - those subject to a commencement notice to a planning authority today or going forward - will be restricted to the inflation rate. To mitigate the risk of economic evictions where landlords seek to move tenants out in order that they can charge a higher rent, it is intended that resetting rents will not be allowed for no-fault evictions. The RTB will enforce this by ensuring that any improper conduct by landlords is sanctioned. We will ensure the RTB is properly resourced. The measures providing greater certainty of protection from no-fault evictions will also be a critical intervention in preventing homelessness.”
“Landlords will also be able to reset to market rent for new tenancies from 1 March 2026 where previous tenants have left of their own volition. Under the Residential Tenancies Act, it will remain prohibited to set a rent above market rent. I need to make it absolutely clear that those who have tenancies at the moment will not be subject to the proposed six-year resettings. Ultimately, we aim to improve the situation for renters by increasing the supply of rental accommodation to stimulate investment and keep existing landlords in the market. The resetting of rents to market value will be allowed for new tenancies as part of the reform of rent controls.”
“The key changes approved today by the Government include significant improvement to tenant protections for all new tenancies, further enhancing security of tenure following the introduction of new legislation. Tenancies of unlimited duration are to be enhanced by the introduction of rolling six-year tenancies of minimum duration for smaller landlords with restricted grounds for ending a tenancy. While no-fault evictions for larger landlords will end, landlords with four or more tenancies will not generally be able to end a tenancy where the tenant has complied with their obligations. All landlords will have the right to reset rent where below-market rent is in place at the end of each six-year tenancy unless a no-fault eviction occurs.”
“I will use my time to focus on a crucial decision that the Government has made today regarding new policy measures to support the rental sector by strengthening tenancy protections and security of tenure. The current system is not optimal for renters or potential new landlords, and changes simply have to be made. The changes that the Government has approved today will provide significantly stronger protection for tenants and a fine balance between the interests of tenants and the need for further private investment in the rental market. In order to boost the supply of new homes available for rent, the Government has today approved modifications to rent controls to come into effect immediately, following the expiration of rent pressure zones. Legislation will be introduced later this year to give effect to these measures.”
“To this end, the programme for Government commits to a new national housing plan to build on the success of Housing for All. The plan will incorporate pragmatic actions to boost housing activity in the short term, as well as longer term actions that will implement systemic change and help to achieve and sustain the levels of supply that we need for the long term. There is no one single policy approach, decision or silver bullet that will solve the housing challenges we face. We must therefore consider every means available to us. The Ministers of State, Deputies Cummins and O'Sullivan, have set out some of the key changes we have made already in this regard and our plans, including those relating to planning, critical infrastructure and affordable and social housing delivery.”
“While there is still so much more to do there has been considerable progress made to date under Housing for All. We have laid a solid foundation for future delivery. The measures introduced under Housing for All have helped to establish a strong platform to scale up housing delivery further in the short term and secure a sustainable level of future supply that will help us to meet the emerging demand. At the same time, we must acknowledge that housing remains an enormous challenge. The number of new homes coming onstream each year remains far short of where it needs to be. The Government has committed to delivering more than 300,000 new homes between 2025 and 2030, targeting at least 60,000 homes annually by the end of that period.”
“I very much welcome the opportunity to come before the House this evening to speak on housing matters. I take this opportunity to thank all of the Members who contributed this evening to the important, worthwhile and very interesting debate. First, I echo the contributions of the Ministers of State, Deputies O'Sullivan and Cummins, earlier and reassert the Government's commitment and determination to tackle the challenges in the housing sector. We know these challenges are having a very real impact on people's lives. We understand the urgency and need to ensure sufficient numbers of homes are delivered right throughout this country. We are working tirelessly to address these challenges and to implement policies that will make a very real difference.”
“Let this week serve as a powerful reminder - nature is not separate from us; it is part of us. By safeguarding biodiversity we protect not just the environment, but our health, food systems, culture and our future. I thank everyone once again for their contributions.”
“This investment will enable communities across the county to take meaningful action to protect unique habitats and species. This is essential work for places across our county and coastline. I also want to highlight some of the excellent events taking place this week in my county of Wexford. These events include Seashore Explore in Kilmore Quay on 24 May, along with a series of biodiversity walks and talks, and show what is possible when local knowledge, State support and citizen interest all come together. These are the kinds of efforts that make a difference. With just a few days remaining in National Biodiversity Week, I want to encourage everybody to take the opportunity to engage, explore, listen, learn and visit somewhere new. Every step we take to connect with nature strengthens our commitment to its protection.”
“I sincerely thank all of those across Ireland, from volunteers and local authority staff to farmers, educators, researchers and conservationists whose daily efforts often go unrecognised but their impact is so vital. Their work is laying the foundation for a more sustainable, balanced relationship with the natural world. I also want to highlight the role of young people. Through initiatives like the Green-Schools programme and youth biodiversity networks, a new generation of environmental stewards is emerging that is informed, engaged and passionate. We owe it to them to keep moving forward. Just yesterday in my constituency of Wexford, I was delighted to announce nearly €89,000 in funding for local biodiversity projects through the National Parks and Wildlife Service local biodiversity action fund.”
“As the temperature rises and we enter the summer months, I must echo the call of the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, to please avoid lighting fires, using disposable barbecues or discarding cigarette butts in parks, woodlands or any areas rich in biodiversity. Even a single spark can cause devastating harm to delicate ecosystems and endanger human lives. It is not good enough and it should not be happening year-on-year. Respecting our wildlife means protecting it, especially during dry spells when it is most vulnerable. This week is about our nature and our biodiversity, yes, but it is also about the people who care for it.”
“With record levels of investment in nature and heritage, including €78 million in core funding for the National Parks and Wildlife Service, this funding supports the protection and restoration of vital habits, the improvement of water quality and the conservation of threatened species. It also strengthens enforcement capacity, enhancing monitoring and research, supports the management of protected areas and enables collaborative, locally-led projects through initiatives like the local biodiversity action fund. It is a whole-of-society, a whole-of-government approach, and one we are committed to deepening. However, investment alone is not enough. Personal responsibility also matters deeply.”
“This week's events have helped to shine a light on the everyday places that matter, from protected national parks and nature reserves to hedgerows, riversides and urban green spaces. These are not just habitats; they are homes for wildlife and spaces of meaning and well-being for communities. This stuff really matters. Each event has highlighted the powerful role that individual and collective action plays in supporting biodiversity. These events encourage the public to discover new things about their local surroundings, to learn and to share knowledge and to experience the riches of biodiversity. Under the programme for Government 2025, the Government has made a clear statement of intent.”
“There is very clear and strong cross-party support for preserving and enhancing our environment and I welcome that shared determination. As we approach the end of National Biodiversity Week, I want to pay tribute to the countless individuals, community groups and organisations who have organised and participated in events right across the country. Their passion and energy is absolutely critical in driving real change on the ground. In particular, I want to commend the Irish Environmental Network and the National Parks and Wildlife Service on their exceptional co-ordination of this year's programme. The growing engagement speaks for itself. With more than 350 events taking place nationwide, up significantly from 293 in 2024, this reflects our rising awareness and a deepening connection between people and nature.”
“Biodiversity is essential to our basic well-being, our economy and our responsibility as stewards of this island. The land we walk on and the air we breathe depend on so many factors interplaying. We are so incredibly lucky to have what we have in Ireland around us and it is imperative we do not lose sight of that. As Minister for housing, I am in conversations every hour of the day about significant building and infrastructure projects but our environmental duties are never far from those discussions at every level. It should be embedded in how we think and how we approach all our work across Government. We actually do not have a choice if we are to set ourselves up for a future where biodiversity thrives.”
“As we conclude this important discussion, I express my sincere thanks for the opportunity to mark National Biodiversity Week in the Dáil and to reaffirm my Department's enduring commitment to the protection and the restoration of Ireland's natural heritage. I acknowledge and thank all Members who contributed, both today and at last week's debate in the Seanad. The quality of debate and the variety of issues raised by Deputies and Senators reflects the growing recognition that biodiversity is not a peripheral issue. In fact, it cannot be. Biodiversity and its protection is not a nice to have and something we can look at supporting only when it suits us. Such an approach would be both careless and genuinely frustrating for the good work done so far. It would also be dangerous.”
“I take the housing first programme very seriously. I engage with my officials daily in relation to homelessness, in particular, which is an absolute priority for me, both preventing people going into homelessness and people exiting homelessness. The housing first programme for people who have particular difficulties is something I am very aware of and have dealt with both as a TD and now as Minister for housing. It will continue to be an absolute priority for me.”
“The provision of a capital funding allocation will help promote best practice in obtaining value for money and provide local authorities with the flexibility to respond to the needs and priorities locally within the categories of needs of people who need those supports. Tenant in situ acquisitions continue to be supported and prioritised where other solutions cannot be found for the affected tenants. It is a matter for local authorities to assess the circumstances of each case and decide the appropriate action. The arrangements for 2025 will ensure a more targeted and focused acquisitions programme. My Department continues to engage with local authorities on any challenges which emerge in order to ensure that tenant in situ acquisitions can continue in 2025 where no other solutions exist for the affected households.”
“My Department engaged with local authorities on the operational details for the second-hand acquisitions programme and a circular setting out the arrangements was issued to them on the 31 March 2025, with individual allocations for the local authorities being notified to them on 1 April 2025. Under revised arrangements for second hand acquisitions in 2025, local authorities have received a capital funding allocation for the acquisition of homes for the priority categories of: tenant in situ properties that allow persons or families to exit homelessness; one-bedroom properties to deliver on housing first targets; specific housing required for people with a disability or the elderly; and vacant properties under the buy and renew scheme.”
“I thank the Deputy. His question relates to the urgent review of the cut in funding for the social housing acquisition programmes, given its negative impact on key homelessness schemes such as the tenant in situ and housing first. Tenant in situ acquisitions have been an important measure in the prevention of homelessness since their introduction in 2023. The Government has therefore agreed to continue such acquisitions in 2025 and has increased the funding available for second-hand social housing acquisitions from the €60 million allocated under Housing for All to €325 million through the allocation of an additional €265 million this year. To date, local authorities have only drawn down 20%, or €64.13 million, of the €325 million which has been allocated for acquisitions in 2025.”
“We are working with the Department of enterprise to ensure that the relevant requirements are in place and that this happens as quickly as possible.”
“I thank Deputy O'Meara for raising this important issue. I am legally precluded from commenting on any particular planning cases. As already stated, the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, is leading the public consultation. That consultation will commence next month as opposed to than next week. The Minister of State has already completed the interdepartmental consultation process, so his work on this matter is advancing quite rapidly. We are looking at all options as to what we can do to deliver. Modern methods of construction are crucial to ramping up the speed of delivery of homes, be they modular or of any other type. The programme for Government is clear in its significant commitment to the use of modern methods of construction.”
“I thank the Deputy for his passion and determination regarding the provision of housing solutions in his county and across the country. The Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, has been working hard and has come up with significant proposals on log cabins. There will be a consultation next week, led by the Minister of State, about that matter, particularly as it is being worked on. We will continue to work across the Department to find the necessary solutions which are required in order that people can have the homes they need where they need them.”
“In addition and building on this experience, Wexford County Council is currently tendering a 3D pilot project of 22 social housing units utilising off-site three dimensional construction methods which are essentially what are referred to as modular units. The recent programme for Government contains a further range of initiatives to support MMC, including modular housing. These initiatives include a modern methods of construction innovation fund to directly fund new and existing factories; targets for modern methods of construction use in at least 25% of all State-backed housing; resourcing the National Standards Authority of Ireland to ensure regulatory certificates are issued in a timely manner; and increasing training programmes in modern methods of construction.”
“In 2023, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, in collaboration with my Department, published the roadmap for the increased adoption of MMC in public housing delivery which was a priority deliverable under Housing for All. The roadmap set out a series of initiatives and policy interventions needed to advance the use of compliant MMC in public housing delivery and remove barriers to adoption. The publication of the modern methods of construction roadmap set in train a live agenda for modern methods of construction development in Ireland. Under Housing for All, a range of initiatives have already been put in place to support modern methods of construction. These include the accelerated delivery programme to deliver over 1,500 modern methods of construction dwellings through local authorities, led by my Department.”
“I thank Deputy O'Meara for raising the important question around the expansion of the provision of modular housing. I thank the Deputy for his ongoing work and engagement in this important area of housing delivery. My Department, working closely with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and other relevant stakeholders, is progressing work to increase delivery capacity in the residential construction sector through promoting the adoption of modern methods of construction, MMC. MMC is a collective term which describes innovative construction alternatives to traditional construction, which includes modular housing.”
“That money has not been drawn down and only a proportion of it has. I have visited and met with the Cork city executive in Cork city and will continue to work with them.”
“I thank Deputy Daly and, indeed, I am always happy to go to Roscommon. I have asked our local authorities to use the full range of options for tenants in situ who have received a notice of termination. Acquiring the landlord's property is one option but it is not the sole option. In some cases, local authorities might use the thousands of new social allocations that they make each year to provide a new tenancy for families they are supporting. These and casual vacancies are a valuable option given the record numbers of social homes delivered over recent years. Local authorities might also use their tenancy sustainment officers to work with tenants and landlords on options that are available. In relation to Deputy Gould and Cork city, €20 million has been provided for Cork city this year.”
“I thank Deputy Daly again for raising this very important question. In relation to Roscommon County Council's acquisitions from 2020-2024, the annual acquisitions funding provided for Roscommon for that period was €1.8 million, with €2 million funding provided for them in 2025. During the period of 2020-2024, my Department provided €8.9 million to Roscommon County Council for the delivery of 57 acquisitions. Funding of circa €590,000 provided to Roscommon to date in 2025 relates to two acquisitions and agreed refurbishment works in acquisitions delivered prior to 2025. I assure the Deputy we will continue to keep tenants in situ and, indeed, all second-hand acquisitions under the programme under review.”
“Tenant in situ acquisitions continue to be supported and prioritised where other solutions cannot be found for the affected tenants. It is a matter for local authorities to assess the circumstances of each case and decide the appropriate action. The 2025 arrangements ensure a more targeted and focused acquisitions programme. My Department continues to engage with local authorities on any challenges which emerge in order to ensure that tenant in situ acquisitions can continue in 2025 where no other solutions exist for affected households.”