Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
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10. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to hold a referendum and legislate for a constitutional right to housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53899/25]

Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
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Will the Minister update us on the plans to deliver the social housing projects via public-private partnerships? I understand that there are legal issues in relation to those. Is there any progress on that, particularly around the projects in Ballymun and Whitehall in my own constituency and elsewhere in Dublin? What is the status of those social housing projects? When will they be delivered? The Minister might update us on those. What are the future plans for public-private partnerships?

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy. The question I have in front of me from the Deputy relates to a housing referendum.

Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
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There may have been a different notification in relation to the question. Apologies. I will ask that question briefly.

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I am happy to get the Deputy a written answer on the other question but-----

Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
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Perfect.

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I will answer the question on the housing referendum now.

The Housing Commission was established in December 2021 to consider housing policy post 2030 and make proposals building on Housing for All. It was also tasked with advising the Government on the critical factors to be considered regarding a referendum on housing and, if appropriate, to recommend wording for a constitutional change. The commission submitted its report to the Government, including recommendations pertaining to a referendum on housing, in May of last year. There were differing views within the commission on the right to housing and no consensus on what was a complex issue.

At the moment, the Government is fully focused on measures to tackle homelessness, increase housing supply and affordability and ensure access to housing of an adequate standard for all. As work continues on our new housing plan, we are continuing to focus on measures in the short, medium and long terms to boost supply. In the past few months alone, I have secured record levels of funding for social and affordable housing. Furthermore, the establishment of a new housing infrastructure fund in my Department will help to secure the enabling infrastructure needed for public and private housing developments and unblock infrastructure delays on the ground. This practical focus on housing supply is my priority right now but I will keep the report to the commission on this area under review.

Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
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There was a very clear commitment in the 2020 Fianna Fáil manifesto in relation to holding a referendum on housing. I cannot remember whether it was in Fine Gael’s manifesto as well, but I think there was a commitment around it in the 2020 programme for Government. There was also a Seanad motion passed calling for a referendum on the right to housing and a constitutional change that would insert a very clear right to housing. That was proposed by a Fianna Fáil Senator and backed by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Senators. What has changed? Why has this new Government run away from the right to housing? The Minister's response was not accurate as regards the Housing Commission. The majority recommendation from the commission was to insert a right to housing in the Constitution.

There was opposition but that was a minority. The majority of the Housing Commission recommended the insertion of a right to housing in the Constitution, so why is the Government not progressing that?

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy is right that there were differing views on the commission, and well-reasoned views I think on both sides among the commission members as set out in the various reports. While it was a majority it is not that straightforward either due to the different views. We are keeping this under review but my priority is actually delivering on housing. It is a basic necessity, one of the most fundamental basic necessities, for people to have a home and to have a roof over their head. We are very proud in Ireland in ensuring people can live in their own communities. Very strong communities are essential in the way we do things. That is where my priority is right now. I am not against a referendum on putting housing into the Constitution but it is not where my priority is right now and certainly not in my first year as the Minister for housing.

Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
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It is very disappointing to hear that. We are in a housing crisis and housing emergency now for well over a decade. One could argue in some respects that we have been in a housing crisis since the 1990s. House prices have been on the rise, then we had the crash, and now we are back into rising and unsustainable house prices. There is still something fundamentally wrong with our housing system, our housing market, the way we treat housing and the way we understand housing. Other countries, for example, Spain, have a right to housing in their constitutions. Their starting point in the creation of housing policy and the treatment of housing is that it is a human right. This matters because there is confusion; is it an investment commodity, is it something about a public good, or is it social need? The majority recommendation of the Housing Commission was very clear that there should be a referendum and the right to housing should be inserted into the Constitution, which would then guide all policy decisions and all our interactions around housing from a Government perspective. I am disappointed to hear it is not a priority for the Minister.

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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It is important to set out that putting it into the Constitution is not going to deliver one more house. This Government has set out that housing is a priority. This is evidenced by the fact that almost one in three euro in our national development plan is going towards housing delivery. This is not even including the funding for grids and roads, which are all prioritised towards housing delivery as well. Spain, for example, is engaging with our Department and Government because it is in a housing crisis. Their minister for housing is looking at schemes we are doing to see how they might work in Spain to help advance and deliver housing and affordable housing. Other countries such as Slovakia, Romania and France are also looking to Ireland. I had important meetings with the minister for housing from France only last week and with the ministers for housing from Denmark and Romania, all of whom are facing housing crises. Nobody has a simple answer to this at the moment. While reviewing whether we put that into the Constitution is important, let us not pretend it will deliver housing.