I thank the Minister of State for taking this issue on behalf of the Minister for housing. Arklow is a fine coastal town with Viking heritage but for a long time, its infrastructural development had been held back because of the lack of wastewater capacity. In May of last year, the Taoiseach opened the Arklow wastewater treatment plant, a €139 million project. It was completed six months ahead of schedule and within budget, so it was a good news story. The Taoiseach made clear at that opening the importance of such strategic infrastructure not just in terms of cleaning up the Avoca River and for environmental reasons, but critically to provide housing within the community of Arklow and south Wicklow. He pointed out that the wastewater treatment plant could end up supporting a population of 24,000, with the potential of expanding that up to 36,000. In the 2022 census, Arklow had a population of 13,399, so there is going to be capacity there as a result of the new wastewater treatment plant. The Minister of State knows as well as I do how strong the demand is for housing. In my office on the main street in Arklow, the most common issue that arises is raised by people who are looking for social or affordable housing. It is raised with me on the streets regularly in Arklow, as it is right around the country. We would imagine, after the hold-up for all these years, that suddenly we would start to see a surge of housing, particularly affordable housing. I asked in November 2025, by way of parliamentary questions, what progress had been seen. It was pointed out in reply that since 2022 Wicklow had 970 households availing of affordable housing supports through the mix of various schemes. I inquired further as to how many of these were in the Arklow area. It was not the case that anything seemed to be happening. I contacted Wicklow County Council, which, in April this year, told me it had a number of schemes in the planning and detailed design stages at Tinahask and Sheephouse in the town, but it stated it is currently awaiting the housing delivery plan from the Government, which will determine the output required throughout the county. Not happy with that, I went back to the Department to obtain clarity on what social and affordable housing supports were being made available in Arklow through Wicklow County Council. The Department, in response to a parliamentary question, told me that to date it had not received any applications or plans for new starter home delivery in the local area of Arklow. I am really frustrated about this. Arklow is a town that has been in need of development and housing for a long time. There is a problem with enrolment falling in some of the schools because there are no new families moving into the area. The town is within the commuter zone; it is a very fine town. Whether it is a matter for the Department or Wicklow County Council, we are just not seeing homes in general being built but I have a particular interest in social and affordable homes. I contrast Arklow with the other main town in my constituency, Gorey, where we regularly see social and affordable schemes developed. In fact, there is another being opened in the town tomorrow by Wexford County Council. Considering that the Government has invested so much in the wastewater infrastructure in Arklow, whose lack was holding everything up, why are we not seeing the necessary social and affordable housing that we were expecting to see there?

Sentiment score: 0.09

I thank the Minister of State for the answer. As he knows, I am supportive. There is an extensive programme of building social and affordable homes right around the country. As he acknowledged, Wicklow County Council has been very good in north Wicklow. The key line in the answer the Minister of State gave was about the fact that there are no applications from Arklow. He went on to say that "this is clearly a matter that requires continued engagement and focus". Can the Minister of State name any other town in the country with a population of over 13,000 where a single social or affordable home has not been constructed and where there have been no applications to the Department? For those waiting for homes in Arklow and living around south Wicklow, there is no point telling them that there are many more homes being made available in Bray, Gorey or Clare, much as I welcome all of those homes. This is the largest town in the country where we are not seeing any progress on social and affordable homes. I have raised the issue with the Minister but I ask the Minister of State to bring the issue back to him. It needs to be communicated to Wicklow County Council that it needs to prioritise this. The evidence is clear. We are not seeing any social and affordable homes. It is no good talking about it being a priority if we are not seeing progress. I do not know what it is that Wicklow County Council has against Arklow but it does not seem to be prioritising it in the context of the building of social and affordable homes. That is why I am getting it in the neck in my office over the Government's failure to deliver in that area. I am not getting it to the same extent in Gorey, where I am seeing real progress being made by Wexford County Council, as I am sure the Minister of State knows is happening in other parts of the country. I ask the Minister of State to raise the issue directly with the Minister. I want the Department to call in Wicklow County Council and demand to know from it, if it is saying Arklow requires continued engagement and focus, what specific actions the council is undertaking.

Sentiment score: 0.10