Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 December 2025
573. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to a video advising adults how to move back in with parents, if a video will be done on advising adults who cannot return to the family home for reasons of domestic violence, on the way in which they should approach notices to quit and unaffordable rents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [71779/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe video and information campaign referred to is not a direct Department of Housing campaign but was shared by my Department.
The Housing Agency, in partnership with Spunout - Ireland’s youth information and support platform - developed and funded the information campaign.
However, my Department develops and implements information and awareness campaigns on a regular basis on topics to keep the public informed on everything from the housing supports available to them, to fire safety and registering to vote.
Videos for our social media platforms, are created in-house on an on-going basis to keep the public informed of housing opportunities, grants and schemes, local government, planning and heritage news updates, weather events and the works of our National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Our website also contains press releases and publications relating to the wide remit of my Department.
Information campaigns are being planned in my Department and are active on traditional and digital platforms on a regular basis. At the moment, our annual Fire Safety campaign is running across digital and broadcast platforms. A campaign encouraging individuals to apply to be entered on the Register of Electors for the Seanad Éireann Higher Education constituency will begin in January.
Our new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities commits to a new Starter Homes communications campaign to ensure that everyone has the information they need to understand the range of housing supports and opportunities available.
The Residential Tenancies Board is the independent public body that regulates Ireland’s rental sector. It regularly runs information campaigns for the public. It is planning a campaign on the new rules on rent regulation and security of tenure for new tenancies created from 1st March 2026.
In the interim, information on the Government’s approved new policies which will strengthen rent controls and tenancy protections for new tenancies is available on my Department’s website.
The response to Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (DSGBV) is a cross-Departmental and multi-agency issue, with overall policy coordinated by the Department of Justice.
Responsibility for the development and provision of services to support victims rests with the Minister for Justice working in conjunction with Cuan, the statutory DSGBV agency under the remit of the Department of Justice. My Department currently provides capital funding support for the construction of new Domestic Violence Refuges, via the Capital Assistance Scheme.
In 2017, my Department issued policy and procedural guidance to local authorities relating to the role they can play to assist victims of domestic violence. The issuing of this 2017 policy and guidance was a significant action in the second national strategy on DSGBV 2016-2021, and has since played an important role in addressing the housing needs of victims and survivors of DSGBV, providing direction to local authorities in supporting victims of domestic violence. It covers a range of scenarios that may arise for victims of domestic violence currently in receipt of social housing support and those seeking social housing supports. These include provisions around the use of the Housing Assistance Payment scheme, or the Rental Accommodation Scheme, where a victim has a joint interest in the family home, or ownership of alternative accommodation, but would otherwise qualify for social housing support.
In addition to the above supports, a new protocol was established in 2020 when the Minister for Social Protection agreed to make rent supplement more accessible to victims of domestic violence. This measure aims to ensure that they are not prevented from leaving their homes because of financial or accommodation difficulties.
In June, 2022 the Department of Justice published Zero Tolerance, the Third National Strategy on DSGBV 2022-2026. As an action in this strategy, my Department committed to a review of the 2017 Policy and Procedural Guidance for Housing Authorities in relation to assisting victims of domestic violence with emergency and long-term accommodation needs in order to ensure continuing effectiveness and consistency in responses to assist victims of domestic violence.
Work is ongoing on updating the 2017 Guidelines to clarify that housing authorities should support the victim to remain in the home or return to the home wherever possible once it is safe to do so and it is the victim’s preference.
