I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 9, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on housing last met on Wednesday, 3 September, and will meet again in the coming weeks. The committee works to ensure a cross-government approach to the implementation of our commitments regarding housing policy. Housing supply has increased significantly over the past number of years, with almost 148,500 new homes delivered since the start of 2020. More people are buying their first home than in any period in well over a decade, with 2024 seeing first-time buyer mortgage drawdowns of over 26,000, supported by Government-backed measures such as the first home and help to buy schemes. However, we know that we must do more and that the scale of delivery of housing needs to be significantly increased in the coming years. This is why we have prioritised a range of far-reaching measures and the deployment of significant funding since coming into government. This includes the allocation of €1.4 billion in additional capital funding for housing in 2025, bringing the total capital funding for housing programmes this year to €7.5 billion to support the provision of new social and affordable homes, bringing vacant homes back into residential use, second-hand acquisitions to prevent vulnerable households falling into homelessness and continuing to support homeowners under the defective concrete blocks grant scheme. We have revised the national planning framework to enable local authorities to zone a significantly higher quantum of land. We are implementing the Planning and Development Act at speed to reduce delays and bring greater consistency, clarity and stability to the planning system. We have agreed reforms to rent pressure zones which will strengthen the rights of tenants while helping to stimulate much-needed investment and development over the longer term. We have initiated the process to regulate the short-term lets market to balance the needs of tourism with the aim of increasing long-term rental supply. We have taken action to drive down the cost of construction through new guidelines on apartment standards. We continue to support key delivery partners such as the local authorities and the Land Development Agency, which have a significant and central role to play in the scaling-up of our housing supply. We have also taken action to get things moving quickly, including the extension to planning permissions which are about to expire and the introduction of a single-stage approval process for social housing projects, up to a value of €200 million. Housing delivery, along with infrastructure and utility investment to enable delivery at scale, is at the centre of the recently agreed national development plan, which sets out a total investment of €275.4 billion, including €28 billion for housing programmes. As the largest ever capital investment plan in the history of the State, it will create the building blocks we need to deliver thousands of new homes through upgrading our water and energy infrastructure, delivery of roads and providing better public transport. We understand that the housing challenge impacts at many levels of our society, but clearly the impact is most acute and difficult for those who are homeless. Last week, the Minister, Deputy Browne, announced the prioritisation of €50 million for housing acquisitions to support larger families with children and housing first clients to exit long-term homeless emergency accommodation into safe, secure and permanent homes. Building on these measures already taken, we are now in the process of finalising a new national housing plan for the next five years and beyond. Key issues we are working through as we finalise the plan include the promotion of innovation in the construction sector, the need for private finance at scale to complement unprecedented levels of State funding and ensuring the viability of apartment delivery. We are working with our colleagues across Government to find the right mix of measures to address these challenges. The new plan will be published in the coming weeks and I am confident that we can build on our success to date and achieve further momentum across all different areas of housing delivery over the lifetime of this Government.
Sentiment score: 0.33
There are a lot of questions there. At the outset, I will say that Cork City Council has a good record generally in terms of regeneration. Particularly in one half of that Togher area, there was very successful early regeneration but, in fairness, it did not cover the Cherry Tree Road side or the Clashduv Road Flats. I would, of course, support the regeneration of those flats and, indeed, Noonan's Road, which has been awaiting regeneration for quite some time. Councillors have been particularly involved in that. We will continue to support regeneration. In response to Deputy O'Meara's point, we have had discussions with Irish Water. I referenced the Cloughjordan case as illustrative of the need to facilitate developer-led wastewater treatment plants in small rural villages and towns because Irish Water has readily acknowledged that it will not be able to get those towns and villages notwithstanding the enormous allocations that we have given to Irish Water. There has to be pragmatism and realism, but it would oversee the construction and installation of those wastewater treatment plants and then would have a monitoring scenario with local authorities in respect of their efficacy and so on. That is something we are pushing strongly. We will get to a situation where that happens and that would release some housing, in particular, across rural Ireland. Deputy McGrath is correct. Cork City Council was probably one of the first councils to develop a very innovative approach to downsizing and it won a national award for the scheme on the Skehard Road. This was where people moved out of existing three-bedroom or four-bedroom properties that they owned and downsized by agreement. As a result, they had some extra personal funding. In any event, it worked well. That should continue all over the country as an option because we have not used existing housing stock optimally. We have to continue to look at ways of incentivising the utilisation of existing housing stock. Airbnb has absorbed an awful lot of existing housing stock in cities as well to the detriment of the rental market and the residential and housing market. In response to Deputy Brabazon in terms of the cost-rental pathway to ownership, it is early days yet in terms of building up cost rental as one particular strand within a menu of options for people endeavouring to get housing, either at affordable rent or at affordable purchase cost. That is something we will continue to keep under review. Deputy Daly raised a number of issues. The wastewater treatment plants issue was similar to that raised by Deputy O'Meara. On the planning framework, it is the case that we need greater speed from the local authorities in respect of following through on the planning framework and they need to rezone more land because the ESRI is saying the Government has adopted a 50,000 per annum assessment of need. That is a needs-based target and we have to work out how we get there. The ESRI is saying we need 50,000 a year. Some are saying we need 60,000. That cannot be done without rezoning and yet it is clear to us that certain CEOs are humming and hawing about rezoning. I have been talking to councillors and proposals have not come to the table. I understand Dublin City Council is saying that it will not rezone and that it has enough land. I believe Fingal is in a similar situation. There is a housing crisis out there. In response to Deputy Ward, I have not normalised anything. I am very clear about this. The cost of housing is excessive for young couples. That is why we need to rezone land and get more houses built and that has to happen over a ten-year period to get on top of the situation. We have moved from approximately 20,000 in 2019 or 2020 to 32,000, 33,000 or maybe 34,000 a year. That was a big shift from 2020 but we have to go much further than that. That needs both public sector and private sector investment.
Sentiment score: 0.14
Deputy Daly is also correct in terms of the development of the grid and off-site and modern methods of construction. We are driving that because that will also be key in accelerating the construction of housing. On the rezoning issue, there are legislative options available to the Minister to mandate - he has already instructed, but to go ahead and get it done - but, ideally, the councillors, with the officials, should do it. There will be engagement between the Minister and me and CEOs of county councils to drive that agenda. Deputy Bacik raised the issue of homelessness and the new housing plan. The new housing plan will be published within the next number of weeks. It made sense that we would get the national development plan done first in terms of having the capital framework over the next five years for the public sector investment underpinning housing announced. We have not waited for the plan. We have taken measures that, ordinarily, would have ended up in the plan, such as the rent pressure zone review, the change in the apartment criteria and the national planning framework. There is also the initiative the Minister has taken in respect of homelessness, including the €50 million he announced last week for acquisitions to take families off the homeless list through a more direct approach. I will come back to the Deputy on the student accommodation strategy. The LDA has a significant pipeline. Although I do not have the exact figures with me, thousands of houses will come onstream in the next number of years. Some significant advance work has been done on particular sites that the LDA has acquired and completed plans and designs for them. As the Deputy knows, it has completed significant projects and there are more to come. There are aspects of that finance report that I do not entirely agree with. The LDA will still have a significant contribution to make, along with local authorities and affordable housing bodies. In response to Deputy Geoghegan, work is under way on the structure for the implementation of the Dublin city task force, and that is continuing. When we have the details, we will come back to the House in respect of that. Living over shops in our cities is key and that also applies to the living city initiative. The existing scheme is quite limited and has had limited impact, so it is under review. We have had some discussions on that and apart from any task force, it would apply to a number of cities. There are also towns that could do with commercial conversions of over-the-shop accommodation to residential. The future in many urban centres will have to be more residential. The city living experience is changing. Deputy Ó Murchú referred to the housing adaptation grants. I have spoken to the Minister and I am well aware that we have had very substantial grants. I would make the point to everybody that there has never been more capital allocated to housing and to this area. It is enormous funding. We are at the limits of growth in public expenditure and it is significant in terms of the overall fiscal framework. The adaptation grants are very important for senior citizens and people with disabilities. The rural one-off housing guidelines are necessary. The Minister is working to update them because we need to give greater options to people living in rural Ireland, particularly those living on their own land, given the cost of housing. We need to ensure they are in a position to develop housing for themselves. Given the advances that have been made in wastewater treatment facilities, this is something that should be accommodated. I have dealt with the question from Deputy Ward. We are not normalising anything. We are very clear that we need consistent and sustainable investment in all aspects of housing in the time ahead. In response to Deputy Murphy, if we maintained the eviction ban, we would suffocate supply and we would have fewer houses. We are not going with the Deputy's agenda in many respects because we think his agenda would be even more damaging and would not ensure an increase in housebuilding, particularly in the private sector. The tenant in situ scheme has been very significant in the past two years. It needed refinement so that it is not used by councils as an excuse to just acquire instead of build. It has to be focused and targeted at those most in need.
Sentiment score: 0.10
It was never meant for the landlords to sell. The focus was always on tenants who were in danger of being made homeless. Examples have emerged. For example, in some local authorities, no sooner was a house acquired than enormous funds were immediately put into retrofitting it and so on. That was never the original objective of the scheme. It was to get houses acquired to stop them from being sold and to stop someone from being made homeless. Some councils did not operate the scheme as it should have been operated. I know the Opposition just wants to keep on throwing money at every scheme and not review or examine it.
Sentiment score: -0.20
There are issues that the Minister has examined. He found things that, in our view, were not in accordance with the original objectives of the scheme. The scheme has not been shelved or dropped, as has been suggested.
Sentiment score: 0.11
Many cases were raised with regard to city councils and I tested this with one or two. In some cases that were raised in the House, they got sorted.
Sentiment score: 0.00
Hold on a second. They got sorted because the council could sort it. They are not helpless either.
Sentiment score: 0.12
I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 to 16, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on children and education oversees the implementation of programme for Government commitments in the area of children and education. It receives detailed reports on identified policy areas, such as child poverty, well-being and education. The membership of the Cabinet committee on children and education comprises the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence and the Ministers for Finance, Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, Children, Disability and Equality, Health, Social Protection, Education and Youth and Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The programme for Government contains many important commitments intended to improve the lives of all children, especially those children who need our help most. These commitments include: setting an ambitious child poverty target; progressively increasing the child support payment; expanding eligibility for the fuel allowance to families in receipt of the working family payment; and exploring a targeted child benefit payment. Just last week, the Minister for Social Protection and I published the new child poverty target. The target is that, by 2030, no more than 3% of children should be living in consistent poverty. This would be the lowest figure in our history and would put us among the very best performers in Europe. That said, no figure is acceptable in terms of any child being in consistent poverty. Investment in education is central to this work to address child poverty and disadvantage. The Government’s vision for education is to deliver a world class education system that breaks down barriers and ensures every child can achieve their full potential. That is why we remain committed to building on the work of the DEIS programme, which, since 2006, has been operating to tackle educational disadvantage. We are looking at a DEIS plus programme to support schools in areas with the most deprivation and disadvantage. The Cabinet committee meets quarterly and met for the second time recently. It will meet again in the period ahead.
Sentiment score: -0.07
Which commitment? Was it childcare?
Sentiment score: 0.19
In response to Deputy McDonald, the issue with Gaelscoil Choláiste Mhuire was a contractual one. It was not a case of the Government pulling the plug or anything like that. The Deputy and I know that. I will ask the Minister to communicate directly with her. I presume she has been in touch with the Minister for education on the matter and also on the use of Cathal Brugha Street. It is an interim solution. The situation is very unsatisfactory. My understanding from the last time we discussed this is that it is a contractual disagreement. Deputy O'Meara raised school transport. He is absolutely correct. No one should have to go through that rigmarole. Common sense and flexibility should apply. I will speak to the Minister in respect of the issues he raises. Deputy Dempsey spoke about affordable childcare. Much progress has been made to date. There was a major issue with places this time round. We are always trying to balance the number of places, access to places, cost, and support for staff. We will have good proposals again coming forward and substantial moneys being made available to the joint labour committee for an increase, but developmental career pathways for people working in childcare is still an issue. Deputy Ardagh raised the proposal by the Department of education to redesignate 29 schools, which I heard about in recent days. I will pursue that with the Minister. These are very important schools, which fulfil a very clear purpose. I am aware of them in my own constituency as well. A different approach should be adopted. I will have to talk to the Minister for education in respect of this, as well as the Minister of State with responsibility for special education. The school the Deputy referenced in her constituency is Scoil Eoin. I agree with Deputy Brabazon that capitation is a significant issue. We did increase it significantly during and after Covid to levels that had not previously been seen but I acknowledge that, nonetheless, the cost of living impacts on schools as well, in particular energy costs. Deputy McGreehan made a point about research into the advent of technology and tried and trusted methods of education. A lot of research has been done which shows that technology is not all it is made out to be in terms of the development of the child, the learning process and creativity, but it can be a significant additional aid to learning. We have to work with schools on how to best ensure a reduction in costs for parents in particular, given the cost of iPads. Mechanisms can be developed in that regard. There are limits to public expenditure. We have done great work in reducing costs in recent years, but there are limits to what we can do. Deputy Hayes's party specialises in articulating that life in Ireland is miserable. That tends to be the-----
Sentiment score: 0.20
That is how the party goes about it.
Sentiment score: 0.40
Everything is bad.
Sentiment score: -0.54
I am not putting words in his mouth.
Sentiment score: 0.00
What he is saying is that everything has doubled – unemployment-----
Sentiment score: 0.00
He said it is the most unequal employment market in the world-----
Sentiment score: -0.40
-----at a time when we had 500,000 extra jobs in five years.
Sentiment score: 0.00
Yes, but who has the highest school completion rates in Europe?
Sentiment score: 0.21
Who has the better progression rates?
Sentiment score: 0.44
This country has. All I am saying is that we should have a bit of balance. I know the Deputy might be a bit, you know - but he should take it handy. A bit of balance would be appropriate in terms of the different narratives.
Sentiment score: 0.00
We have a lot of things to do. I have always acknowledged that. We had a national child poverty summit recently. Deputy Hayes might be aware of that. I can inform Deputy O'Sullivan that approximately 90% of providers are in the scheme at the moment. Some did opt out. I have spoken to the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Deputy Foley, who has arrived beside me in the Chamber. There is a cap of €750,000 for the larger users. If fees are going up by 34% that will have a big impact on the community for the 450 children the Deputy referred to. It seems that some people are going out into the private market thinking they can get that, which is a problem. It is regrettable if people leave the scheme. They should do everything they possibly can to stay in it for the benefit of the parents, and work with the Department in that regard. Deputies Murphy and Tóibín raised the discovery of Daniel today. I do not accept the automatic impulse to blame the State. There needs to be a better analysis of this in advance of jumping to blame.
Sentiment score: -0.09
Deputy Tóibín used a phrase which I wrote down referring to a three-year old boy who went "missing from State care". This is his classic propagandising of a situation. It is regrettable that he would adopt such a cynical attitude, because that boy did not go missing while in State care. Does the Deputy accept that?
Sentiment score: 0.01
No, I am not asking Deputy Tóibín that. Does he accept he did not go missing while in State care?
Sentiment score: 0.24
I apologise. I should have done it through the Chair.
Sentiment score: 0.19
The point I am trying to make is-----
Sentiment score: 0.00
Yes, but the chair of the national review panel gave a very robust articulation of its role, and the effectiveness of its role. There are ongoing issues in terms of legislation and so on that can be progressed, but that should not be conflated with what happened with Daniel. We need to await the outcome and get the facts first before we jump to conclusions.
Sentiment score: 0.25
I have observed Deputy Tóibín's position on this for quite some time, and the overriding objective seems to be to blame Tusla for every child in the country who goes missing. That is wrong.
Sentiment score: -0.52
There can be wrongdoing or neglect in some cases but Deputy Tóibín raises it in every case. That is wrong.
Sentiment score: -0.36
It is unfair to those working in Tusla and to social workers.
Sentiment score: -0.48
That is what I believe.
Sentiment score: 0.00
I apologise to Deputy Ó Murchú.
Sentiment score: 0.38