Housing Schemes
Dail Éireann — 2026-10-01
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Brendan Smith (FF), Cavan-Monaghan

I thank the Minister for his reply. He will have heard me raise this particular issue on many occasions, both in written correspondence to him in parliamentary questions and within our parliamentary party. I welcome the very substantial funding provided to Cavan and Monaghan county councils since January 2025 to continue a very impressive and comprehensive house-building programme throughout both counties. Houses are being delivered, and that is very welcome.
The Minister visited County Cavan a few months ago at my request. He met with senior councillors and council officials from the housing division. One common theme in all of those contributions was the urgent need to improve the income eligibility limits. As the Minister knows, we all meet constituents at weekends. Every weekend, I have people with me who are working hard in low-paid jobs and whose income is still above the limit for social housing. These people have no chance of getting a mortgage or home loan. We cannot condemn them to renting for life. I know the Minister wants to make progress on this matter. We need that to be achieved as soon as possible. Since the 1930s, when Seán T. Ó Ceallaigh began the major house-building programme, there has been a very successful social housing programme in this country.
We want to continue it, with a mix of people in housing estates.

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Retrieved: 2026-10-05T01:01:00+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-10-01