Results 621-640 of 1,099,100 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Ciarán Cuffe OR speaker:Michael McGrath OR speaker:Thomas Gould OR speaker:Eoin Ó Broin OR speaker:Matt Shanahan OR speaker:Pearse Doherty) in 'Committee meetings'

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (1 Jul 2025)

John Clendennen: 7. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his Department has undertaken a review of utility infrastructure deficits in rural towns and villages; how these deficits are currently limiting the delivery of rural housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36137/25]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (1 Jul 2025)

John Clendennen: Is the Department undertaking a review of utility infrastructure deficits in rural towns and villages and on how such deficits are currently limiting delivery of rural housing? Will the Minister make a statement on that?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (1 Jul 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank Deputy Clendennen for raising this important issue. Unfortunately, it is still the case that some rural towns and villages across the country require investment in infrastructure, be it in my area of west Cork or the Deputy's area of Offaly. It is something that to which the Government is committed to addressing. Under section 10 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, it is a...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (1 Jul 2025)

John Clendennen: I appreciate the reply but I want to give an example of a rural town in my area. Edenderry has a population of 8,000 and is within commuting distance of Dublin. Towns within its environs have grown, yet there will be no development from Uisce Éireann there until 2029. There is a key issue whereby theory and practice are not aligned. Offaly County Council referred to the delivery of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (1 Jul 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I again thank the Deputy and appreciate him raising these concerns on behalf of the people of Offaly and specifically Edenderry. My understanding is that quite a bespoke approach is being taken in Edenderry. A wastewater treatment plant that would be sufficient to serve the population of Edenderry will be designed. In the meantime, consideration will be given to an interim solution through...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (1 Jul 2025)

John Clendennen: I welcome the developer-led initiative, but a viability element has to be taken into consideration. Where developers are expected to provide an interim measure, Uisce Éireann has to engage and liaise with them to ensure that it remains economically viable for them to do so. The Uisce Éireann website is not developer friendly. The capacity register on the website provides an...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Vacant Sites Levy (1 Jul 2025)

John Cummins: As I said, the Government has put in place a number of schemes to empower local authorities on the exact thing the Deputy just mentioned. There is a revolving fund through URDF call 3 for the compulsory purchase of properties. It is true that some local authorities are doing better than others. We want to mainstream best practice across all local authorities. There are also other schemes...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Vacant Sites Levy (1 Jul 2025)

Thomas Gould: It is not happening.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Private Partnerships (1 Jul 2025)

Public Private Partnerships

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Private Partnerships (1 Jul 2025)

Rory Hearne: 5. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the reason he decided to withdraw funding for social housing PPP bundles shovel ready this week; and the measures he will take to ensure the 3,000 social homes planned as PPPs are going to be delivered in the original timeframe. [36246/25]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Private Partnerships (1 Jul 2025)

Rory Hearne: The Minister will be well aware that he and his Department decided to withdraw funding for up to 500 social homes that were due to be delivered through public-private partnerships. Will he set out the rationale that underpins that decision and give detail on it? How many value for money assessments were undertaken before the final decision was made? Will he outline the measures to ensure...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Private Partnerships (1 Jul 2025)

James Browne: It is the clear focus of this Government to increase the supply of new build social and affordable homes. As such, the decision not to proceed with the contract award for bundle 3 was not taken lightly and was made after much careful consideration of the costs involved and is ultimately the correct decision. I cannot comment on or discuss the tendered costs for PPP bundle 3 as these...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Private Partnerships (1 Jul 2025)

Rory Hearne: It has confounded and upset many people in communities where these social housing projects were due to be delivered. Two are in my constituency, Ballymun and Whitehall. These areas have high levels of social housing need. It is deeply upsetting and disappointing. Can the Minister guarantee they will be delivered according to the original planned timeframe? I wrote my PhD and a book 14...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Private Partnerships (1 Jul 2025)

James Browne: I understand people’s upset and frustration. My duty is to deliver the maximum number of homes we can but that means maximising the value so we can maximise the delivery of those homes. I will not blindly sign off at any price for social homes. These homes were frankly at an astronomical price. No doubt had I signed off on them, I would be before the Committee of Public Accounts...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Private Partnerships (1 Jul 2025)

Rory Hearne: The Minister did not answer how many value for money assessments were undertaken before the final decision was made. How was it let get to this point where he now says it is too expensive? Public-private partnerships involve lifetime maintenance costs and not just the delivery cost. I have been heavily critical of this model of delivery of social housing. The Minister still has not...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Private Partnerships (1 Jul 2025)

James Browne: It is not the end of PPP but we will review the processes to see how we can ensure that when the PPP process is used, there is value for money for the delivery of homes. We will use every method available to maximise the delivery of social homes. We will do that and we will continue to review it. We will deliver these homes as quickly as we can. We are reviewing the entire situation. ...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Schemes (1 Jul 2025)

Housing Schemes

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Schemes (1 Jul 2025)

Eoin Ó Broin: 6. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his views on the growing unaffordability of cost-rental schemes funded by his Department; the measures he intends to take to address this growing unaffordability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36136/25]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Schemes (1 Jul 2025)

James Browne: Cost rental is a key element of the Housing For All strategy to improve affordability in the rental sector and to provide secure, long-term homes for moderate-income households. Though it was only introduced in 2021, cost-rental delivery is accelerating, with over 3,600 homes delivered by the end of 2024 and a substantial pipeline is now in place. My Department is providing significant...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Policy (1 Jul 2025)

Conor Sheehan: The plan was supposed to be published in July. I understand from the Minister said and what we have seen in the media that it will be delayed until September. We know the Government has a target to deliver 303,000 homes by 2030 and that the target will be missed again this year by around 10,000. Will the Minister give the House an outline of what measures to scale up delivery are being...