Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)
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706. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the legislative observations made by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission in relation to the general scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024; if he is aware of the Commission’s recommendation (details supplied); the steps or actions his Department has taken in view of that recommendation; the further steps his Department intends to take; if his Department has issued any written response to the Commission in relation to this recommendation; if his Department intends to issue any public written response to the Commission’s recommendation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48968/25]

Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)
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707. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the legislative observations made by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission in relation to the general scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024; if he is aware of the Commission’s recommendations (details supplied); the steps or actions including engagement with the Commission his Department has taken in view of those recommendations; the further steps his Department intends to take in this regard; the steps or actions his Department has taken to comply with its obligations under Section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014 regarding the proposals contained in the general scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024; if the steps or actions have included the preparation of any human rights and equality impact assessments and if any such assessments will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48969/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 706 and 707 together.

In January 2024, Government approved the priority legal drafting of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill which seeks to amend the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 by making provision for residency and habitual residency as an eligibility criteria for social housing support.

The General Scheme of the Bill was subject to pre-legislative scrutiny and the Committee published their report in May 2024. It has has also been considered by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) who provided me with detailed and complex observations on a range of legal issues contained in the Bill.

My Department sought legal advice from the Office of the Attorney General in relation to the legal issues raised by IHREC and the Joint Oireachtas Committee. There has also been important consultation with local authorities and the the Departments of Justice, Migration and Home Affairs and Social Protection.

Arising from this consultation and legal advice, I recommended a number of amendments to the General Scheme of the Bill which have since been approved for drafting by Government. In addition, Government has recently approved my proposal for the development of further amendments to provide for a statutory appeals process for decisions relating to assessments for social housing.

The drafting of the Bill is well advanced and I intend to bring it to Government in the coming weeks.