James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Thank you very much, a Chathaoirligh. I thank Deputies and Senators for the opportunity to say a few words here today.

I am committed to addressing the challenges of securing a housing system that meets the needs of society. Building new homes is a key priority and we must use every means available to do so. I will set out what we are doing to build on the achievements of Housing for All. All of our efforts are focused on increasing the supply and delivery of 300,000 new homes between 2025 and 2030.

The record level of investment in housing delivery in 2025, with overall capital funding of almost €6.8 billion now available, is a demonstration of my determination and that of the Government.

Key to achieving those targets will be the delivery of new apartment developments in our cities and urban cores. Recent changes announced to rent pressure zones are expected to attract private investment back into the Irish rental sector. Increased supply of much-needed apartments for the private rental sector will follow. The measures strike a fair balance and provide much-needed certainty for everyone. Since 20 June 2025, all renters everywhere in Ireland enjoy the same protection, security and certainty following the enactment of the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2025. I have moved swiftly to implement national rent controls, expanding the rent pressure zone framework across the entire country, in advance of sweeping changes to our rental system and a strengthening of rental rights from March 2026.

Addressing homelessness is also a key priority. I am acutely aware of the profound impact homelessness has on individuals, particularly children. In that context, there has been a concerted effort to increase homelessness preventions and exits. In 2024, almost 9,000 adult preventions and exits were achieved, an increase of almost 30% on 2023. In the first quarter of 2025, more than 1,600 adult preventions and exits were achieved. Funding of €303 million is available for the delivery of homeless services in 2025. This funding supports the provision of emergency accommodation and wraparound supports. In addition, capital funding of €25 million will support the delivery of high-quality transitional and emergency accommodation for individuals experiencing homelessness. The programme for Government includes additional measures the Government will take to address homelessness, including expanding Housing First. However, it is clear that more needs to be done. My Department is engaging with local authorities on the need to increase exits from emergency accommodation. This is being supported by investment in new social housing stock.

With regard to social housing, almost 50,000 social homes have been delivered in the last five years. Including HAP and RAS, 20,292 social housing solutions were delivered during 2024 alone. This increased supply of social housing is supporting the increased allocation of homes to households on the social housing waiting list, including households in emergency accommodation. There is also a very strong pipeline, with over 24,000 social homes at all stages of design and build across the country, which will be delivered over the coming years. The Government has also introduced a range of measures in recent months that will ensure we are in a position to continue the State’s largest ever social and affordable housing programme and to increase housing supply across all types of tenure. Last week, I announced that we are introducing a single-stage approval process for all social housing projects costing under €200 million in order to increase and speed up the delivery of new homes. Furthermore, to ensure that social housing projects offer value for money and to promote greater use of modern methods of construction, I will also be mandating the use of specific design layouts and specifications for all new-build social housing projects. It is expected that these new arrangements will become operational in quarter 3 of this year.

Turning to affordable housing, from the launch of Housing for All to December 2024, nearly 13,000 supports have been delivered by approved housing bodies, local authorities and the Land Development Agency alongside schemes such as the first home scheme and the vacant property refurbishment grant. Furthermore, the Government has recently agreed to an expansion of the remit of the Land Development Agency to support the delivery of housing. This includes unlocking key strategic public lands for urban brownfield delivery through infrastructure investment.

The revised national planning framework provides the basis for the review and updating of regional spatial and economic strategies and local authority development plans. I have already written to local authorities advising them to start the process of reviewing and updating their development plans to align with the revised NPF.

As part of the implementation of the Planning and Development Act 2024, new urban development zones will enable further housing development. I have signed an order that will enable local authorities to identify suitable sites for UDZs with work to begin as soon as possible. Further to this, the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2025 was approved by Cabinet for priority drafting on 27 May, which will ensure sufficient time is given to activate planning permissions for much-needed housing across the country. It is intended to have the Bill enacted before the summer recess.

The new planning design standards for apartments, guidelines for planning authorities 2025, which were brought to Cabinet this morning, set out guidance, standards and policy requirements in respect of the design of apartment developments. These guidelines will assist in addressing viability constraints and promote the increased delivery of apartments while safeguarding standards to address the growing need to supply a greater range of housing types to meet the needs of our citizens. All of these measures are about getting things moving and ensuring we do not lose out on important developments and that the many planning permissions granted to date are realised and increase housing supply.

The Government is also investing record levels of capital funding in critical infrastructure, including in water. Uisce Éireann has ramped up capital delivery for water services and infrastructure with funding for the organisation increasing from €300 million in 2014 to just over €2.2 billion in 2025. The programme for Government also commits to investing additional capital in Uisce Éireann under the revised national development plan, which is to be finalised by July of this year. I am also establishing a housing activation office in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, which will identify and address barriers to the delivery of public infrastructure projects needed to enable housing development at local level through the alignment of funding and co-ordination of infrastructure providers.

The new national housing plan, which will be underpinned by the required funding under the national development plan, will focus on policies and structures that set us on a sustainable and resilient footing as we seek to secure a long-term pipeline of delivery and funding to 2030 and beyond. I look forward to today's discussion.