The Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2025 will not solve the housing crisis and the Government knows it, according to Waterford TD Conor D. McGuinness.
Speaking across the chamber to Minister of State John Cummins during this week’s Dáil debate, McGuinness said:
“We’re in the middle of a deepening housing emergency — house prices, rents and homelessness are rising, and social and affordable targets are being missed yet again. But instead of serious action, Government brings forward a ‘tidy-up Bill’ and pretends it’s a solution. It’s not. It won’t build homes, cut rents or help families locked out of housing.”
He said rural areas were being left behind:
“In communities across rural Ireland, young families can’t build, buy or rent in the places they were raised. There is no strategy to tackle the demographic crisis hollowing out our villages and towns.”
McGuinness highlighted local failures in Waterford:
“In Bunmahon, raw sewage flows into the river and families are blocked from building homes. In Lismore, water outages and a lack of infrastructure meant 20 new homes were refused planning just last week. Today’s EPA report confirms what we already know — the Government is failing to invest in the basics.”
He said the original Planning Act of 2024 had been rushed and flawed, and this clean-up Bill showed how weak the Government’s overall housing approach has become.
Sinn Féin had brought forward a series of practical amendments — including statutory timelines for judicial reviews, guarantees on public participation, tighter limits on extensions, and anti-speculation measures. All were rejected by Government.
“These were focused and reasonable proposals to improve the legislation. The Government asked for solutions — we brought them. But they were voted down.”
McGuinness concluded:
“This Government points the finger of blame for the housing crisis at everyone – local authorities, renters, the opposition, builders – but refuse to even consider that their botched policies are at fault. Government has the power to act. Until it takes responsibility, we’ll be back here in a few months debating the same problems all over again.”
Conor D. McGuinness TD 