Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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261. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government for a timeline on the referendum on the right to housing. [5228/24]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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In line with Programme for Government commitments, I established the Commission on Housing in December 2021 as an independent body to examine and evaluate Ireland's housing system, including issues such as tenure, standards, sustainability, and quality-of-life issues in the provision of housing.

At the same time, I also tasked the Commission to advise the Government on the critical factors to be considered regarding a referendum on housing and, if appropriate, to recommend wording for a constitutional change. While not a commitment to a referendum on a 'right to housing', this was not precluded by the Commission's terms of reference.

The Commission has recently submitted its report and recommendations to me regarding a proposed constitutional amendment. In reaching its conclusions, the Commission examined inter alia the range of complex constitutional questions arising. It undertook a comprehensive consultation, researched international experience, evaluated various proposed wordings and considered other critical factors involved with introducing an amendment to the Constitution.

I am currently considering the Commission's comprehensive analysis and report, together with the next steps in the process, and I expect to bring these to Government in due course.