Joe O'Reilly
Labour Panel · Fine Gael · Ireland
“As the Minister said, the Commission is coming up with proposals, and this exercise by us, and please God we will finish it before the summer, will make a difference in leading the European effort. We are winning support for suspension of trade.”
“At the outset, I welcome the Minister to the House and thank her for her leadership in this area and commitment in her opening remarks to go on pushing at European level to get a consensus on real action on the trade agreement and individual sanctions.”
“We recognise the State of Palestine. We have been consistent in our public criticism of the genocide in Gaza, we took a strong position at the UN, we were a co-sponsor of the ICJ, and latterly, we have given leadership at EU level.”
“To turn to the issue of today, the illegal settlements, in international law they are clearly illegal and are expanding. They cause access to land resources for Palestinians to be restricted, there is settler violence, and Palestinian families continue to face displacement and growing insecurity.”
“It will enhance our moral authority in Europe and give leadership to other European countries. It is, at its most fundamental level, coupled with our previous action on recognising Palestine, joining the ICJ case and strong public statements, another act of solidarity with the victims of these illegal settlements.”
“If the opposite were merited, we would be saying it equally loudly. The Minister of State made a point that was echoed by my colleagues, Senators Boyhan and Casey, about the importance of the necessary transition from fossil fuels. I would like to hear the Minister of State respond at the end of the debate.”
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“The Eurobarometer indicates that Ireland is a pro-European society. We look forward excitedly to our Presidency and I am sure the Minister of State will comment at the end on how we visualise that Presidency, our vision for Europe and what change we might try to effect. That is an exciting vista. Europe is great for us. It is good to be part of it. We cannot live in isolation from the world. We need to be part of that while maintaining our identity and important culture. It is good for us economically, socially and in every way, but we have to face two big challenges. There is the existential threat presented on the eastern flank and the rise of China. I would be interested in the Minister of State's response.”
“The challenge on the eastern flank is unavoidable and needs to be addressed on Europe Day. The Minister of State might address it in his response. The other challenge is the Chinese economy and the growing strength of China. There is nothing inherently wrong with China growing economically. We can work with that, but we have to insist on human rights in China and on proper non-exploitative labour practices and try to assist to achieve values in that sense as a trading partner. We can be in no way complicit in supporting, even if it has a short-term gain in terms of the consumer price index, products that are based on human exploitation and slavery or a modern day version of it. That is a second challenge that needs addressing or talking about on Europe Day. We should celebrate Europe Day.”
“I cite two challenges for Europe. There is an obvious challenge with the war of aggression from Russia to Ukraine and the problems on our eastern flank. It presents problems for Europe, and it presents fundamental questions for Ireland. We are a neutral country. We are proud of that neutrality and want to maintain it. We have to use our moral force as a neutral country to achieve peace and proper values, etc. There is no escaping that we will have to be part of peacekeeping forces. We will have to be part of an effort to prevent cybercrime. We will have to be part of the solution and the maintenance of a strong Europe, not in the military sense but in the sense of being peacekeepers, supporters and being active in and working and collaborating to avoid cybercrime.”
“It is transformative socially, economically and physically. On Europe Day we might need to talk of the current challenges. I should have mentioned that I want to give four minutes of my time to Senator Lynch. That takes me to six minutes.”
“There is a transformed trading landscape by virtue of the Single Market and access to 500 million people. There is free movement of goods and people, etc. That is transformative for the economy and the lives of people. We have had a transformed social landscape to the extent that rights have been bestowed on people by virtue of our membership of Europe and rulings of the European Court of Justice, ECJ, the social pressure of Europe and our general participation. It has greatly enhanced women's rights. Paddy Hillery, an Irish Commissioner, as social affairs Commissioner brought in a proposition on equal pay for equal work. Women's rights were transformed. The rights of people of all sexual orientations were transformed and put on an equal footing by Europe through rulings of the court of justice and the political assembly.”
“I welcome our distinguished alumnus from the Seanad here, the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, who we thought very well of. He is one our best products and doing extremely well in his Ministry. I am delighted to welcome him back and we are proud of his achievements. I will start by reiterating for a moment the obvious benefits of the EU. I happen to be of the vintage that lived before and after our membership - for a short part of my life I hasten to add, but it was before we joined. In terms of physical infrastructure, the country is unrecognisable with our roads, motorways and technological universities. Our physical, educational and medical infrastructure was supported by structural funding and cohesion funding. You have a transformed physical landscape because of Europe.”
“It should be organised in a way similar to the fair deal scheme and we get home care workers paid properly on a full-time basis. As they give up one portfolio when a person dies, they get another client. There is a need for radical reform here. The Senator is absolutely right. These things are above party politics. I have no inhibition about having a debate on the matter in the Chamber or about joining the Senator in raising it here, particularly as it is so important. Colleagues are nodding in agreement. We are picking all picking up on this in our clinics. Well done to the Senator for raising the matter. I do not think I have not left anyone out. If I have, sincere apologies. I thank the Senators for their contributions.”
“I could not agree with her more. Her office is located just up the street from mine in Cavan. It is possible that we have some of the same people. Certainly, in my office - and it cannot be that different in the hers - people are coming in and stating that they have got home help approved but they are waiting for months and can get no help. What good is that letter to a poor creature who cannot get out of bed or have a shower, when her family have to collect the children from school and there is no help. We all know the difficulties involved. I will not labour the point. The Senator is absolutely correct. We have to bring in a State system of home care along the lines of the fair deal model in order that people will have an automatic right to home care.”
“We have to keep a contingency fund. You never know when we will have a virus, a natural disaster or an act of terrorism. We do need to have money in reserve. There could be a national outbreak of animal disease like foot and mouth or avian flu. We cannot spend the family silver exclusively at one time. That merits saying. Senator McCarthy raised a valid point. We are concerned about the two Irish citizens. I anticipated the big news things that would come up here and I contacted the Department of foreign affairs on this question. The Department is following up with consular assistance for the two Irish people involved. It is a concerning situation, that is all I can say. The Senator is right to raise it. Senator Pauline Tully raised a matter that I previously raised on the Order of Business a few weeks ago.”
“Indeed, Senator Tully was on the JPC with me in the past. You would raise a point in broad terms in the public arena there and the superintendent might come down and chat to you afterwards on the specifics of that and there was follow-up. Very often the superintendent would come back to you later. The input of public representatives is a big loss to those committees and I think it does need reform. Senator McCarthy sounded a very interesting note on the hantavirus. It is a sobering reminder to all of us that we are never all that far from a potential global pandemic. With global travel and things the way they are internationally we can have a pandemic at any time. That is one of the reasons, without being party political, that we cannot squander the family jewels and spend every penny in the public coffers.”
“That is the point Senator Conway was making. Senator Sarah O’Reilly was making the point that there must be protection for birth mothers, foster parents and adoptive parents. Hers was the flip side of the same point but they are not mutually exclusive. There is no reason that we cannot live in a society that accommodates the human rights of all concerned and ensures rights and that there is not an abuse of women, whether they are abroad or in this country. I thank both Senators. I personally agree with Senator Duffy. I was a member of a joint policing committee, JPC, and it did great interactive work. It was very good. I was a local representative. You could attend the meetings and know what was happening in your area. Often the superintendents and senior inspectors would come down chatting.”
“They will be shamed into doing it. It is amazing how public shaming can get the right result. I agree with Senator Andrews on that point. I will try to get that point brought to the Minister for justice and he should raise it again. It is worthy of further discussion in this House. I will take the contributions of Senators Sarah O’Reilly and Martin Conway together. The two addressed the question of surrogacy from differing perspectives. I will start with Senator Conway and go back to Senator O’Reilly’s well-made points. Senator Conway is right that there are children all over this country in limbo. We had a colleague in this House, Senator emeritus, let us call her, Mary Seery Kearney, who is a great pioneer in this area. She has an 11-year-old child who does not have full legal rights from a family perspective as things stand.”
“If I understood correctly, he proposed that a specific dedicated unit be established. My own nephew, Brian Tully, from Roscommon - the Senator will know the young man and his family - was one of those who graduated last week and I want to congratulate him. Senator Scahill is correct that part of that group which came out of Templemore should be dedicated to this issue. I have to give Senator Scahill very full answers or I would be in trouble domestically. Senator Andrews raised the very important and fascinating issue of the reform of the in camera rule and the accountability for parents which can be hidden by the in camera rule. He is right that we need to look at this. We need transparency here and for parents to take responsibility. If justice is seen to be done publicly, those parents will step up to the mark.”
“We were anxious about a young fellow travelling out in Asia at the time when I got that message. I was sure he had lost his phone and I was really concerned and I was about to send money. I nearly did it. I went almost to the wire. Senator Scahill is right in what he says. I heard a figure of €160 million on the radio the other day, which is a huge amount of money to be gone in fraud. As Senator Scahill said, that money is gone to very dubious actors, places and causes. Approximately 57% of people retrieve their money but think of the poor unfortunate 43% whose hard-earned money evaporates. Very few people can afford to lose whatever is in their bank account. The Senator also mentioned the gardaí coming out of Templemore last week and that something should be done about that.”
“In fact, I almost fell victim to this scam myself. Quite seriously, my youngest son has a tendency to lose a lot of things, which he did not lick off the grass. Neither did he lick off the grass a level of disorganisation, so when I got that call, my son was abroad and I was sure that he had lost his phone. I had gone most of the way to dealing with it and to sending money. They looked for money. The next message that comes back after one responds is that the son wants money. One transfers it and then one gives them access to one's bank account and they can get more money. It is a very effective scam because it pulls at the heart strings and gets to one's insecurities about a child abroad. Senator Scahill's child happened to be eight or nine years of age and sitting beside him but how many people were like me when it happened?”
“Apologies, Senator Scahill was next. I will come back to him presently. Staying with Senator Byrne, he argued that there should not be that level of delay and he is right. We will get that point made and fed in and will try to see what can be done about it. I personally have an interest in that issue. I know from work in my office that people are waiting too long. The Tánaiste said recently that we should focus on energy support and he is right. We have to give people fishing rods as well as fish. It is not enough to just apply a patch to deal with the present-day problem. Of course, we have to do that but we also want to get the heat pumps, solar panels and insulation in and create a situation where we do not need this into the future and where we would be fit to cope in an energy crisis. Senator Scahill raises a very good point.”
“I will move on now to Senator Cathal Byrne. I hope I have not missed any one in between. Senator Byrne was next, or at least I hope he was. He made a point about the warmer homes scheme and he is correct. It is crazy that there is a 12-month waiting list. It is daft that it is so slow but in my own office in Cavan town I have encountered this too. It is a problem.”
“We ran on the same panel for the Senate and I got more votes but he had a much more glamorous and glowing career subsequently, so he got me back. There is one thing that should be said, unpatronisingly, to Senator Davitt, which is that he raises very intelligent points and innovative and creative ideas in the Senate. That is, in theory, what the Senate should be about and he does that in spades. He raises the good point today that if we support businesses financially, through taxation or grants, in having good, effective camera systems we avoid the need for community cameras and the vexed questions around civil liberties that arise with them. These cameras in businesses can be made available to An Garda Síochána. Senator Davitt is well placed to go to the Minister for justice with that and he should do so because it is a very good point.”
“That is what Christ would want and what anyone with even humanist values would support and I know that the Senator does not dispute that. However, I do take her point that we have a housing crisis. It is certainly the case that in the housing of IPAS applicants, we cannot in any way prejudice the housing of young people who need homes. It is a worthy point that she raises and we will bring it into focus. I am sure the Minister for housing and the Department are monitoring these things but if they are not, they should be. We will try to get that fed in. Well done to the Senator. I support the Cathaoirleach in welcoming the former Senator, Paudie Coffey. I beat him one time on a panel, which has been a great source of good humour between us since.”
“We must bring back rail travel to the maximum possible degree. Well done to the Senator. Knowing her, her tenacity and grit and the way she dealt with the insurance question, as sure as anything she will deliver a railway. Having worked with her close up, I would warn the Minister to ignore her at his peril. She will keep insisting until he does it. Senator Keogan talked about a difficulty. I believe that she cited Stamullen specifically but then broadened it country-wide. It goes without saying, although she would be the first to say it, that we have to be a warm place for victims of international trafficking, for victims of the Syrian civil war and victims of violence abroad. We have to be a warm and gentle place for asylum seekers.”
“The issue was also raised by Senator Nelson Murray, who met them in Navan. It behoves all of us in our respective counties to meet and support them if we possibly can. They should be saluted from here. It is a wonderful thing. Jordan and Cian are the two young men. They are inspirational people. Senator Nelson Murray raised a point dear to my own heart. In fact, I live on this route and know exactly what she is talking about, as would Senator Tully. I am referring to the N3, the whole chock-a-block thing on the M50 feeding off it and the lunacy that it is in terms of the waste of human effort, family time and quality time and all the awful things that go with it. I have sat in car parks on the M50 myself many a day. It is awful. The Senator is right. We have to prioritise the Navan to Dublin rail link.”
“The Senator went on to make various points around the need to promote robotics and so on. I am sure that Senator McCormack will be happy to make submissions on that to any relevant Department. It was a very good point. Senator Costello raised the question of RTÉ's "The Late Late Show" the other night. I did see a bit of it. As Senators know, I am a bit of a fan of the show, for a combination of reasons. I have been one of the beneficiaries of the show, next to Patrick Kielty. In all seriousness, Senator Costello makes a good point about the two young men - two brothers - who are going around the country doing a marathon in each county to highlight dementia, celebrate their wonderful mother, Geraldine, bring attention to this issue and, hopefully, raise funds for it.”
“They are important. It is important to affirm. We all thrive on affirmation and it is important to affirm good things when they happen. Senator McCormack talked about Rosenallis National School in County Laois, whose robotics team represented Ireland this weekend at the Vex Robotics World Championship in St. Louis in Missouri, one of the biggest robotics competitions in the world, and came home with the prestigious judges' award. That is a huge achievement for Rosenallis. I congratulate and applaud Senator McCormack for bringing this success of young people to the floor of the Parliament of the country. It is important that we applaud those children and that whole concept and that we revel in their success. There is enough bad news in the world, so it is great to have that.”
“I will address the specific point raised by Senator Craughwell, however. He cites the fact that 21,000 homes have been affected and a frightening figure of 277 women have died in violence since 1996. Domestic violence was a big issue for the Minister for foreign affairs, Deputy McEntee, when she was in justice. She did a lot of pioneering work on coercive control and domestic violence. The current Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, is similarly committed to this. He said today in the course of his reply to me that it was a huge priority for him. Senator Craughwell makes the point well. It is a point we cannot lose sight of. Let us work together on it. It would be worthwhile to discuss the issue as a House. I will discuss this with the Leader, Senator Kyne. Senator Maria McCormack raised a pleasant and good story. We need good stories, too.”
“Indeed, Deputy Maeve O’Connell made the point publicly, both on the plinth the other day and on the radio yesterday evening, that the Minister is extremely proactive and doing an excellent job in his Ministry. He is quite visionary in this regard. We will emerge at a consensus and the Government will honour its commitments. Senator Craughwell raised the point about violence against women. It is interesting that he does so on the day in which, through the good office of the Cathaoirleach, I had a Commencement matter on this topic myself. The Minister, Deputy O’Callaghan, encouragingly answered me by saying that there will be a refuge centre for women and children who are victims of domestic violence in County Cavan. He committed to that publicly. It is already in train in Monaghan.”
“The Minister, Deputy Lawless, has said that he will do everything possible to avoid cutting college fee supports. He makes the point that it is early to announce the budget. He clarified the position well yesterday when stating that once Department allocations are made, he will examine the spending room available and negotiate to secure the best outcome for students across fees, grants and support for skills and apprenticeships, while at the same time recognising that overspending at the Department could risk possible cuts in the future. Basically, as the Minister outlined, it is a balancing act. The Senator’s point is well made, however. Personally, it would be worthwhile to have a debate in the Seanad on student fees, third level financing and the whole sector. It is a relevant debate, and it should be acknowledged.”
“Again, that should be facilitated. We should do these things locally. Support should be provided around the country. The Senator acknowledged the good work being carried out but it needs to be expanded upon and it needs support. She raised a point worthy of debate. We will try to ensure that, through the Civil Service, this point gets to the Minister for possible discussion. Senator Kennelly raised the entire question of university fees. This issue has featured in the news in recent days. I know Senator Kennelly is personally interested in the whole question of third level grants, university fees and the ambition and stated objective in the programme for Government to abolish those fees over the lifetime of the Government, as well as to augment the grants as much as possible. I take the Senator’s well-made point.”
“I thank colleagues for all their comments and participation. I will begin with Senator Rabbitte of Fianna Fáil on rehabilitation for children with acquired brain injuries. Senator Rabbitte, who was an excellent and distinguished Minister of State with responsibility for disabilities, is aware of the issues and has real expertise in this regard. It is great that such expertise is now available to the Seanad. It is good that she is speaking out on these things because we need someone who has been on both sides of the fence. I agree with her that these children should be dealt with and sorted at community level and that teams should also be available at community level. Through my office, I recently dealt with an adult with a lot of injuries of this nature who wanted residential care locally in order to have the support of family, etc.”
“and to conclude at 8 p.m., if not previously concluded, with the time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed 15 minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes each and all other Senators not to exceed four minutes each, with the Minister to be given no less than ten minutes to reply to the debate.”
“I join the Leas-Chathaoirleach in welcoming Deputy Devlin and his visitors. I was telling them on the way in that they were in august company. The Order of Business is No. 1, statements on international developments, to be taken at 5 p.m. and to conclude at 6.30 p.m., if not previously concluded, with the time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed ten minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes each and all other Senators not to exceed four minutes each, with the Minister to be given no less than ten minutes to reply to the debate; and No. 2, Arbitration (Amendment) Bill 2025 - Second Stage, to be taken at 6.30 p.m.”
“I again thank the Minister for being here and for his overall proactive approach. I am delighted with this response in that he has clearly, publicly and on the record of the House - and he does not do that lightly - committed to delivering this project to Cavan, and that he has put processes in place to so do, including being in touch with the Minister, Deputy Browne, on the issue. I am extremely happy that this will be the case. There is no need to repeat the argument only to say that it is so important for those victims and is so important that this facility be in their county within their communities and with whatever support they can access otherwise. I am very happy with the Minister's response and grateful that it is going to come on stream. Mar fhocal scoir, I urge the Minister to make sure that this happens as quickly as possible.”
“This is about providing a safe, secure place for women and children when they have nowhere else to go. It is about giving them certainty in a moment when their world has been turned upside down. It is about ensuring that Cavan is not left behind as national services expand. People in Cavan deserve the same access to protection as anyone else in the country and with the right focus and decisions, we can finally deliver the refuge the county has needed for far too long. I look forward to the response from the Minister as this is a real human issue. This is not some fanciful notion; it is very important on the ground.”
“It shows that when someone is in danger, we do not turn away or expect them to manage on their own. We step up, we put the supports in place and we make sure help is available close to home where it is needed most. We are developing safe homes, which are welcome and will help, but this is not enough on its own. A county of Cavan’s size and with its strong communities should not be without a refuge. It is a basic service that people expect to be available locally, just as it is in other parts of the country. Local organisations are doing incredible work. They are supporting families, often in very difficult circumstances, but they cannot continue to bear the full weight of this issue without the proper infrastructure being in place. They need a facility that provides the space and capacity to respond quickly when someone is in danger.”
“Women in crisis should not have to travel long distances across county boundaries or face uncertainty at the very moment they are seeking safe shelter. At present, a woman in Cavan who needs emergency protection has to leave the county to find it. That is the simple truth. For many women, that journey is not easy. It means leaving behind their community and whatever support network they have. It adds pressure at a time when they already face enormous fear and uncertainty. We must also recognise that providing this refuge is not just about responding to emergencies; it is also about sending a clear message about the kind of country we want to be. Cavan is a place that values community, fairness and looking out for one another. A refuge reflects those values in a very real way.”
“At the outset, I thank the Cathaoirleach for selecting this matter. I welcome the Minister. His presence here, as the senior Minister, to deal with this issue is an indication of his commitment to the whole area of dealing with domestic violence. I am very heartened by that, irrespective of how we get on debating the matter. I want to highlight an urgent gap in essential services for women and children in County Cavan. Despite national commitments to expand refuge capacity and strengthen support for those fleeing domestic violence, Cavan remains without a purpose-built refuge facility. Across the country, we have made significant progress in improving responses to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, yet the absence of a dedicated refuge in Cavan stands in stark contrast to the local community's need.”
“As the roll-out progresses, more communities will see the benefits of a network designed not just for today's needs, but for the demands of the decades to come. What is wonderful about this is the equality that is in it. It does not distinguish between areas or people. Everybody is getting it and it is making a real difference.”
“Local broadband officers note that most premises are expected to be fully connected by the end of 2026, so it is a huge success. The success of the broadband is not measured in kilometres alone, but in the fact that students in rural schools can now access digital learning tools, small businesses can trade globally from a village in the west, a farmer can adopt smart technologies, medicine can be delivered and there is even talk of e-wards, and we can connect from home and work at home. As we look ahead, the work continues as new homes built in the intervention areas over the past 25 years will also be connected, ensuring that this investment serves not only today's generation, but the next.”
“This area involves more than 564,000 premises and 1.1 million people. These are families, farmers, small businesses and schools that would otherwise not have access to normal, modern life. Yet today, thanks to the national broadband plan, high-speed fibre is being delivered to them reliably and affordably. In Cavan, the NBP is delivering clear and measurable success. According to reporting, up to a few weeks ago, almost 14,800 premises in the county can now connect to the new fibre network, representing the vast majority of the 17,000 premises in the intervention area. The county was among the earliest in the country to see active roll-out and at one stage recorded some of the highest uptakes. Work is now concentrated in the final remaining areas around Bawnboy in west Cavan.”
“According to National Broadband Ireland, this is the largest telecommunications project in the history of the State, involving the deployment of fibre across 1.5 million poles and the installation of 142,000 km of new fibre. To date, the roll-out has achieved remarkable milestones. Almost 500,000 detailed surveys have been completed, laying the groundwork for precise planning and efficient construction. Over 2,800 people are now working on the project, bringing together expertise from Ireland and around the world. Their work has already delivered fibre infrastructure to many parts of the country, including some of the most challenging terrain Ireland has to offer. One of the clearest indicators of success is the progress in the State's intervention area, those regions where private operators have no plans to invest.”
“I was proud to support its ambition to deliver high-speed broadband to every corner of Ireland. Being part of that work, helping to advance a vision that is now becoming a reality in communities across the country, remains one of the most rewarding responsibilities I have had. Seeing the success of the follow-up today, especially in counties like my own, which I will go back to the figures on later, I am extremely proud of it and to have been one of three committee members from my party then. That early vision has since grown into one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects ever undertaken by the State. The NBP represents a bold commitment to deliver high-speed fibre broadband to every home, farm, school and business in the country, not just in our cities and towns, but in our villages, our remote townlands and our offshore islands.”
“I welcome the Minister of State to the House and thank him for his opening remarks, setting the scene and explaining the current situation. In an era when connectivity is as essential as electricity or clean water, the national broadband plan is reshaping the future of rural Ireland and ensuring that no community, no matter how remote, is left behind. When the plan was first published, I had the privilege of serving on the Oireachtas joint committee on communications. It was an extraordinary moment to be directly involved in shaping a project of such national importance and the then Minister, Richard Bruton, did extraordinary work at that time. From the outset, communities recognised the transformative potential of the plan, and those of us who believed in the plan made sure it went through the committee.”
“For too long, services have been fragmented, allowing people to fall through the cracks. We need a system that is integrated, community based and responsive, one where mental health and addiction supports are delivered together and where intervention happens early rather than at a crisis point. We must continue to increase housing supply across the social, affordable and private sectors. That is essential, but it is not sufficient on its own. If we are serious about reducing homelessness, we must match increased supply with deeper supports tackling addiction, improving mental health services and ensuring that no one is left behind by a system that is meant to support them. Homelessness is a challenge we can address with the right investment and the right determination and it behoves us all to try to do that.”
“Even with all of this, homelessness is not solely a housing supply issue. For many, it is the end point of a complex chain of disadvantage. Addiction remains a significant driver, with individuals caught in cycles of substance misuse often finding it extremely difficult to sustain tenancies or rebuild stability in their own lives. Our response must be routed in support for these people. That means better integration between addiction services and housing supports as well as expanding access to long-term recovery accommodation that allows people to rebuild their lives in a stable, supported environment. Mental health is another critical factor. A significant proportion of those experiencing long-term homelessness are living with untreated or undertreated mental health conditions.”
“It is about having a system that can deliver efficiently. Planning reform is central to that effort and significant attempts have been made recently. We need statutory timelines, streamlined judicial reviews and a modernised planning authority all helping to reduce delays and increase certainty. Infrastructure investment is equally critical. Homes cannot be delivered without water, wastewater, transport and utilities and that must match what is going on in the building. Government investment in these areas is already unlocking development and enabling more sustainable, higher density communities. Through regeneration funds, towns and cities are also being revitalised in a planned and co-ordinated way. Housing delivery depends on a system that works from end to end and these reforms are essential to making that happen.”
“We need a planning system that provides clarity and predictability rather than delay and risk. We also need to continue incentivising the activation of vacant and derelict properties, which can be brought back into use far more quickly than new-builds. At the same time, we must ensure that regulatory and cost pressures do not unintentionally stall development. If we want private supply to increase, the system must support builders to build. As the Government cannot finance the entire investment needed to fund the level of housing requirement, we need that investment. Therefore, the private sector, twinned with the other areas, is critical to helping us build our way out of the housing crisis. This brings me to the wider reforms under way. Increasing housing supply is not just about funding.”
“The first home scheme is helping first-time buyers bridge the affordability gap and it has a good pick-up. While affordable purchase schemes deliver through local authorities and the Land Development Agency, LDA, is creating mixed sustainable communities, the vacant property refurbishment grant is another practical measure that is delivering. The recent croí cónaithe scheme has been a big success and the help-to-buy scheme is important in terms of a tax rebate. Across towns and villages, buildings are being brought back into use, quickly adding supply while revitalising communities. These are tangible effective tools and the priority now is to expand them, simplify access and ensure they are delivered at scale. In the private housing sector, viability and certainty remain key.”
“It also means strengthening project management capacity within local authorities so delays between planning, procurement and construction are minimised. In that context, I am proud that Cavan and Monaghan have a good record on social housing but one is never comfortable that one has enough. Social housing is not just about units; it is about stability. When a family has a secure home everything becomes more possible. Children do better in school, parents can focus on work and communities become stronger and more settled. Investing in social housing is investing in opportunity, dignity and the long-term health of our society and I am a great believer that we need to focus big in there. On affordable housing, we need to scale up what is already working.”
“The reality is that housing delivery is moving in the right direction with supply increasing across social, affordable and private housing. That matters because ultimately the only sustainable way to reduce homelessness at scale is to build more homes. However, if we are serious about making a lasting impact, we must go further in accelerating delivery, removing barriers and ensuring that the entire system, from planning to infrastructure, can sustain that growth. On social housing, we need to continue scaling up delivery while also building smarter. That means expanding modern construction methods so homes can be delivered faster and more efficiently. It means maximising the potential of State-owned land through the Land Development Agency.”
“I welcome the Minister to the House. I salute my colleague Senator McCarthy for his practical contribution in this area. It is admirable. My family has an association with this question that I am proud of. My son, Eoghan, has worked for the past couple of years for the McVerry Trust in Dublin as a social care worker with the homeless. I am particularly proud of that involvement, and it makes me acutely aware of a number of the issues from conversations with him. He is passionate about these questions. I will make a few formal comments. No one in this House is comfortable with the current homelessness figures. Every individual or family without a secure home represents a failure of systems, of supports and of supply. We must recognise both the progress that has been made and the scale of what still needs to be done.”
“We need more bus services for towns and villages and serving hospitals and other healthcare establishments, education establishments and workplaces. Apart from global warming or the environmental element of carbon emissions, it is an issue of efficiency and cost as regards fuel. This is a logical thing to do. We have to go at this with gusto. Let us do so now. With God's help, there may be a settlement in the coming days in Lebanon and Iran. Even with a settlement, however, who knows when the next situation will erupt, so it is critical that we do this. I expect and hope for a positive response because this could be a game changer.”