Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

Based on what you say, a Cheann Comhairle, I am not going to respond to the specific query Deputy Coppinger raises relating to the article in The Ditch. It is a matter for the individual to respond. I do not have the factual position on that case and I do not think it would be appropriate to make any assertions or allegations connected to it. We must respect the ruling of the House. The named individual the Deputy references is not here to defend himself.

The new housing activation office the Deputy continues to criticise is being established by the Minister, Deputy Browne, to ensure we bring that radical step to the delivery of homes across our economy. Deputy Coppinger references the example of Fingal County Council, which can be a central local authority for the increased provision of social and affordable homes, but to deliver at scale, we need to ensure co-ordination across the respective utilities - in water, the ESB, and the local authorities themselves - to have the enabling infrastructure to deliver homes at scale. What the Minister, Deputy Browne, is seeking to do is to have a structure within the Department of housing, which brings co-ordination to strategic sites that can deliver homes at scale. That is what he is doing in the context of the strategic housing activation office that he is establishing.

In response to Deputy Coppinger's question on funding, we have seen record levels of funding by this Government, with more than €6 billion of capital investment planned for 2025. We know we have to do more, not only specifically for voted allocation for housing itself, but also to the respective utilities that have been raised here today. That is why enabling the infrastructural agencies such as Irish Water, and the respective needs in terms of the grid infrastructure, will be central to increasing the supply of homes. For that reason, in the review of the national development plan, we have identified the strategic priorities that will receive much greater additionality as part of the multi-annual programme we will agree. Housing, energy, water and transport are all central to that. We will not have a national development plan like we have had in previous iterations where there was a general disbursal across government. This is about prioritising clear areas to focus on the supply of homes, so that we support local authorities with strategic land banks, such as Fingal County Council that Deputy Coppinger referenced, to enable the delivery of additional homes. There are probably ten or 11 other local authorities that have the ability to deliver homes at scale. That is why the strategic housing activation office will play a clear role, working with the respective utility companies to try to accelerate the delivery of more homes, including social and affordable homes, complemented by additionality that we will bring in the context of the NDP review. That is what this Government is seeking to do. It is what the Minister, Deputy Browne, is seeking to do through the establishment of the strategic housing activation office. It is all to deliver more homes and more social and affordable homes for families across the country.

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