First, I join with colleagues in welcoming our former colleague, Ireland's friend and our Commissioner in the European Union, Commissioner McGrath, and thank him for the job he is doing in the European Commission on crucial areas at this time. I also join with Deputy Doherty in welcoming the group from the Shankill Shared Women's Centre to the Public Gallery. I thank him for the important work he is doing also. On behalf of Deputies right across this Chamber and the people of Ireland, I send our solidarity and support to the people of Hong Kong and to all of the families affected by the horrific apartment block fire last night. It was truly devastating and is deeply disturbing. We think of all of those impacted at this very difficult time. There is a kind of rhythm to Deputy Doherty's questions these days, whereby he selectively quotes from publications that have just come out. He may not have had a chance to fully read it yet, but the RTB report out this morning does show something that he chose not to share with Dáil Éireann or with renters, which is that the ESRI's individual property level analysis shows that 62% of properties nationally saw no change in rent year on year. That number is up by 4.8 percentage points compared with the previous year. We have a real challenge in terms of housing - indeed it is an emergency - but we are now seeing a situation where the number of rental properties not seeing an increase has increased further on last year and now stands-----
Sentiment score: -0.03
Deputy Gould should hang on a second and give me a chance. It now stands at 62% of properties, which affects more than six out of ten people. It also finds the benefit of the rent pressure zones because it finds that, where rents have increased, it is disproportionately in areas not covered by rent pressure zones. Deputy Doherty likes to talk a lot about what has happened since the election. What has happened since the election is that this Government that was re-elected and reformed took a decision to extend nationwide the rent property zones, including, in the Deputy's own county, Carndonagh, Buncrana, Lifford, Letterkenny, Milford, Glenties and Donegal town, areas that were not covered by rent pressure zones until we brought in those measures in recent times. I have no doubt that is also going to provide much assistance and protection. I accept we are seeing a churn in terms of landlords coming into the market and landlords leaving the market, but we are actually also seeing more tenancies than before. Nationally, approved housing bodies have seen their registered tendencies grow year on year and quarter on quarter. Private tenancies have also grown annually to 240,751. In Dublin, an area where there is often particularly acute housing pressure, registered private tenancies rose by 4.3% annually to 108,174. Deputy Doherty says his position on rent and rental protections is clear. I am not sure it is because I genuinely do not know today whether or not Sinn Féin supports rent pressure zones. Deputy Ó Broin did not support them. He said Sinn Féin would get rid of them and replace them with a reference system that the Housing Agency and the ESRI, both independent of Government, said would not work. They said it would be extremely complicated and it would not work. I believe it would have actually pushed up people's rent. Yet, I heard Deputy Doherty's leader say on national radio that scrapping RPZs would remove the only modest protection. I am not sure if that is discontent within the Sinn Féin party. Is Eoin telling the truth or is Mary Lou telling the truth? Which is the policy of Sinn Féin when it comes to renters? Deputy Doherty mentioned the rent tax credit. When this Government was returned to office, the rent tax credit was due to expire. We took a decision not just to increase it for a year but to increase it and keep it there for the next three years. It was going to go to zero euro and zero cent until we took the decision to put hundreds of millions of euro of taxpayers' money into the rent tax credit. Sinn Féin's position when it comes to rent pressure zones is truly Jekyll and Hyde stuff. We are bringing in a series of rental protections. I want people listening into this debate to know that on 10 June, we brought in a series of new rights and protections for both new and existing tenants-----
Sentiment score: 0.06
-----including ending no-fault evictions for larger landlords with four or more tenancies, and bringing in rent controls and extending them nationally through the RPZs for the first time ever, from 20 June. We are already seeing the benefit of that. There is a housing emergency, but there are some signs of encouragement in terms of the number of properties now that are not seeing an increase in rents this year. That is up on last year.
Sentiment score: 0.17
I will take the same latitude on the clock as well.
Sentiment score: 0.27
Thank you, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I do not understand a Sinn Féin policy that opposes every single support for small landlords to try to keep them in the market and then ones to make sure we have more rental properties available. How does Sinn Féin wish to have rental properties without landlords, yet it demonises small landlords across this country and opposes every single measure?
Sentiment score: 0.46
Mom and pop landlords - people in my constituency and Deputy Doherty's - who rent out one or two properties are demonised. We need them to stay in the market. Deputy Doherty wants to drive them out and increase rental property. It does not make sense. It is probably why he is celebrating his 15th anniversary as the Opposition spokesperson on finance. Five finance Ministers later, he is still sitting in the same seat because the people of Ireland do not trust him when it comes to the economy. They know the angry jack-in-the-box routine does not build homes.
Sentiment score: -0.00
Angry Pearse.
Sentiment score: -0.51
In the extra time available to me that was available to Deputy Doherty, can I point out there is only party in this House that receives very significant financial funding from builders and construction companies?
Sentiment score: 0.58
The published accounts of Friends of Sinn Féin in the United States of America show that of its €366,000 in donations-----
Sentiment score: 0.71
-----the bulk of them came from construction companies and builders. Do you know where the biggest donation from?
Sentiment score: 0.00
It came from one construction company in America that gave Sinn Féin $20,000. Sinn Féin tells the young people of Ireland it is on the side of the working people and Mary Lou-----
Sentiment score: 0.00
-----flies out to America to take the dollars from the big businesses, big companies and big builders.
Sentiment score: 0.00
Sinn Féin is the party that takes big money from big American building companies. Deputy Doherty is a hypocrite.
Sentiment score: 0.20
Funny boy, Pearse.
Sentiment score: 0.44
Funny boy, Pearse. Happy anniversary.
Sentiment score: 0.51
Fifteen years of shouting and roaring, offering nothing positive to anybody. That is you, Pearse. Happy anniversary.
Sentiment score: 0.04
The rent tax credit and RPZs are benefiting people in Donegal for the first time ever. You are welcome.
Sentiment score: 0.42
You are very fair.
Sentiment score: 0.38
You can say that again.
Sentiment score: 0.00
I thank the Deputy. I am very much aware that the cost-of-living crisis is still real for very many families across the country. The Deputy has asked me a specific question, so I am going to spend the time on it. I do want to acknowledge that and I also want outline why the Government has taken a number of measures to protect the most vulnerable, including a very significant increase in the working family payment, an expansion of the fuel allowance and the permanent reduction of the VAT rate on energy bills. There is also the fact the Christmas bonus, which is paid to pensioners and people with disabilities, factually the most vulnerable people from an income point of view, will also be paid in the coming days. I know this makes a real difference to people at this time. The Deputy has asked a very specific question. I acknowledge the work of my constituency colleague, Deputy Whitmore, in relation to this issue as well. As the Deputy said, an independent Agri-Food Regulator was established back in 2023 under the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Act 2023. It has two key functions. One function is to enforce the law on unfair trading practices while the other is to perform price and market analysis and reporting functions. The Agri-Food Regulator has reported to my colleague, the Minister for agriculture, Deputy Heydon, that it does require more enhanced powers to compel businesses to provide information not in the public domain. I believe this relates specifically to the price and market analysis function. The Deputy referenced some examples where there has been a real challenge or inability to do that so far. The regulator does already have extensive powers to compel information when pursuing complaints under unfair trade and practices legislation but this aspect is more about the broader price and market analysis element as well. Before I talk about expanding the powers of the regulator's office, I should also acknowledge that it has successfully secured a conviction under the Act. I acknowledge the regulator's work in relation to that. I know the Minister, Deputy Heydon, is fully committed to ensuring the regulator is equipped with the necessary powers to fulfil its statutory function. He has had to go through a consultative and now a legislative process. This is required to ensure the additional powers granted are proportionate. This is somewhat novel, and I only mean novel in a legal sense in terms of trying to get this right, seeking legal advice and making sure whatever we put in place stands up to the scrutiny of the law. I know the Department of the Minister, Deputy Heydon, has engaged with key stakeholders in the supply chain, whether these are representatives of farm bodies, industry, retail, Departments, State agencies and, of course, the Agri-Food Regulator himself as part of a detailed consultative process. There has been legal scrutiny now of a draft statutory instrument. As I said, the legislation is novel. It does exceed the requirements under European law. That is not a reason not to do it but it does. Therefore, it is essential that anything we do does stand up to robust legal scrutiny. I am pleased to assure Deputy O'Callaghan today that the process to deliver on this commitment is significantly advanced. I understand that my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Heydon, expects to be in a position to sign that draft statutory instrument in the coming weeks and no doubt will engage constructively with the Social Democrats and Deputy Whitmore on their proposals.
Sentiment score: 0.16
I tried to largely agree with the Deputy on this occasion too. I accept it has taken a period of time since the regulator said it needed these new powers to get to this point we are at today where we have a draft statutory instrument. I would genuinely point out that those reasons are valid because this is a novel area. We are going beyond the requirement under European law. What we do has to be proportionate. We want to avoid any unintended consequences. In fairness, I know the Deputy wants to avoid that too. There is a whole supply chain here and we need to consult with all parts of it, including with representatives of the farming bodies, industry, retail and relevant Government Departments. We have increased the budget and the Minister, Deputy Heydon, secured this funding for the Agri-Food Regulator in the last budget, which enables it to prepare for and begin the process in terms of those new significant powers and hire the staff necessary to implement them. It is our expectation that this should be signed by the end of the year but I do want to give the Minister the space just to get this right. He is certainly working to try to get this done in a very short period of time. He will engage and keep in touch with the Deputy and his party colleagues on this matter.
Sentiment score: 0.19
I thank Deputy Stanley for raising these matters. I was indeed in Laois canvassing during the election. I was delighted that my new colleague, Deputy Willie Aird, joined the Deputy in Dáil Éireann.
Sentiment score: 0.30
They are promises that Deputy Aird is going to keep and he will work with the Deputy constructively in relation to that as well because we have a lot of work we need to do to deliver for the people of Laois and the midlands. The Deputy makes constructive and fair points. We obviously have to put the infrastructure in place to enable the housing capacity to be delivered. That is a statement of fact. What the Deputy saw yesterday was another piece of the jigsaw in terms of approval for a sectoral investment plan for transport under the national development plan, NDP. This is a very significant increase with regard to a number of projects. We will be in a position to deliver approximately €9.7 billion in investment in roads, protecting and renewing existing roads, delivering many new national road projects, trying to mitigate seasonal and climate-related impacts, rolling out electric vehicle, EV, charging infrastructure and delivering new strategic regional roads. The Minister for Transport was at pains to say yesterday and on many other occasions - the Ministers of State, Deputies Buttimer and Canney, are here with us also - that this list is not exhaustive. It lists a number of projects that will be delivered. There will also be an annual Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, capital plan and we expect that plan to come early in the new year. There will also be opportunities, specifically in relation to the housing point, to look at how we can work with the likes of the housing activation office. I see this in my constituency where, if key infrastructure is funded through the housing activation office or other structures, it opens up opportunities to develop and deliver further housing supply and crucial infrastructure. I know that when you publish a list it very quickly becomes about not just what is on the list but what is not on it. That is why I know the Minister for Transport, while welcoming the sectoral investment plan, was clear, as is all of the Government, that this is not exhaustive but it is about moving forward with some degree of clarity. There will be many further opportunities, including in relation to the TII capital plan. We will work very constructively with Laois Deputies in this House and also with the local authority. Specifically on the issue of water and wastewater, my officials in the Department of Finance met with Uisce Éireann last week, or in the last couple of days anyway. I am certainly very satisfied from my conversations that capital funding is not now the constraint in relation to Uisce Éireann. We have provided Uisce Éireann with billions of euro in additional funding. The capacity constraint here is the planning and regulatory systems and how we can actually get things done more quickly. I will work constructively in relation to the water and wastewater projects that are needed in Laois. I also look forward to next February when the rules change to finally bring a bit of common sense and allow developers on small-scale or relatively small-scale housing developments to put in their own wastewater infrastructure. I believe this will open up huge housing opportunities in many rural towns and villages. I am happy to continue to engage and I will send on the specific projects the Deputy referenced to the relevant Ministers.
Sentiment score: 0.26
They certainly will be. When I look at the budget that was introduced just across the Irish Sea yesterday, I am very thankful to be the Minister for Finance in a country where we are able to dramatically increase our capital investment. That did not happen by accident; it happened due to the hard work and ingenuity of the Irish people. It also happened as a result of the policies that my party, Fianna Fáil and others have delivered in government over the past several years, which have resulted in us being able to run budget surpluses, put money into future funds, increase our social welfare payments to look after pensioners, older people, carers and people with a disability, and make real differences in regard to public services too. I note that in the Deputy's second question he expanded, understandably so, the area of projects across his county to other areas, as is appropriate. We have taken a decision to roll out a series of investment plans so there will be, in the coming days, a number of further capital plan announcements in relation to health and disability and, today, in relation to childcare. There is a very significant amount in public capital funding for State-led public childcare. This is something I talked about a lot in the election and we are determined to deliver it. We will keep in touch on Laois.
Sentiment score: 0.30
If I start making diary commitments for the Minister for Transport on the floor of the Dáil, I will find myself in a peculiar situation. I will certainly pass on the Deputy's request as I am sure the Deputy will be in touch with the Minister's office also. I live in a county not too dissimilar to the Deputy's in relation to commuter issues. I do take the point that far too many people are spending far too long sitting in traffic. I take the societal points the Deputy makes about the impact it is having on quality of life, childcare arrangements and a whole variety of other things, including emissions in terms of people sitting in traffic. I want to directly address the transport issues but we also need to have a really integrated conversation around work in the 21st century. It is why the Minister of State, Deputy Dillon, and the Minister, Deputy Peter Burke, are leading the consultation on remote working. There is this idea that people have to sit in their car five days a week and travel for hours on end. Not everybody, but some people can successfully work in their community in remote working hubs, connected hubs or indeed in their homes. This can work for some businesses and some public services. I look forward to the outcome of that consultation. Yesterday the Ministers with responsibility for transport announced the Department of Transport capital ceilings for 2026 to 2030. The Deputy will acknowledge that by any yardstick it is a very significant increase in investment. There is a breakdown in that for active travel, public transport, road networks, road safety, civil aviation, maritime transport safety and ICT. The Deputy will also note that in that, the largest budget for 2026 is in respect to €1.6 billion for the road network, closely followed by €1.4 billion for public transport, rising to €2 billion in 2027, €2.5 billion in 2028, €2.3 billion in 2029 and €1.9 billion in 2030. Specifically on the issue of the Navan rail line, which I know is very important in the Deputy's constituency, the NTA's transport strategy for the greater Dublin area does set out a framework for transport investment over the 20-year period from 2022 to 2042. The issue of a rail connection between Dublin and Navan was re-examined as part of the development. The re-examination supported the development of a rail line from Dublin to Navan so it is a fact that it is required. The final strategy includes delivery of the line subject to the various planning and funding approvals. In 2024, the NTA did allocated funding to Iarnród Éireann for the establishment of a design team to commence work on the Navan rail line project. This work involves route option selection, and planning and design phases of the project. Iarnród Éireann commenced the procurement process for the pre-construction phase of the project and issued a tender to pre-qualified consultants at the end of May of last year. In November of last year, about a year ago, multidisciplinary consultants RPS were appointed by Iarnród Éireann for the duration of the project to work with the rail company's in-house project team. It is anticipated that a public consultation on the route options will now take place next year. That process will ultimately recommend the defined route and then allow the project to move forward to the business case stage, which will require it being approved in line with infrastructure guidelines as well. As the Deputy said, the Navan rail line is mentioned in the NDP, under a sectoral implementation plan. We had a debate earlier about what is and is not mentioned. This is mentioned in the plan. We are committed to the delivery of it. I make one final point. The Deputy refers to times gone past and I know he has a view on this too. In times gone past, I do reckon there was an awful lot less around regulatory, planning, delays and likes as well.
Sentiment score: 0.17
We do need to see how we streamline that for important capital projects.
Sentiment score: 0.20
I generally believe it is very important for public officials to listen and engage, including those who have responsibility for the delivery of the projects in terms of the various agencies. I am sure if the Deputy reaches out to the Minister's office, he can engage with him. I am sure he has done so. I will certainly pass this on as well. I am in a point of agreement. First, I disagree with the idea that the project is going backwards. I very much believe it is moving forward. That is why it is in our national development plan, and the investment plan of yesterday. We will go to consultation on the preferred route in 2026. I think that is progress. I agree with the Deputy on the diagnosis of the challenge in terms of how we streamline infrastructure delivery. The Deputy will remember from our debates on these issues that I ran an election campaign where my party heavily advocated for the need for a Department of infrastructure in our programme for Government. We got a division in the Department of public expenditure and reform on infrastructure delivery. We are going to see the outworkings of that, probably next week and certainly within the next two weeks in terms of how we can streamline processes. As Minister for Finance, I believe funding will not be the major challenge in the delivery of those capital projects. It will be timelines and making sure we can look at running some processes in parallel rather than waiting meekly for this to end, and then this and so on. There are more gates here than you would see in many country estates. We need to look at how we can reduce that as well.
Sentiment score: 0.24