The Government has defended the removal of annual targets for housing delivery, with the Minister for Housing saying they "can become a distraction".

James Browne said that data on completions will be available each year.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin also defended the absence of annual targets, saying it was difficult to put yearly precise figures on private sector delivery in particular.

This morning on The Agenda we spoke to Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment & Fine Gael TD, Peter Burke, some more about this.

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Taoiseach Micheál Martin was giving it the big ‘ní neart go cur le chéile’ in his speech at the COP30 climate change leaders’ summit in Brazil last week, as he stressed the need to act with “unity and with more urgency”.

But in carefully-worded remarks midway through his speech on Thursday, he said that the “spirit of common purpose is weakening” and the world’s attention is being diverted elsewhere.

This morning on The Agenda, we spoke to Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora & Fine Gael TD, Neale Richmond, to talk some more about this.

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Sinn Féin TD for Meath East, Darren O'Rourke, has said the government must end the rip-off and cut the cost of driving. 

Deputy O'Rourke was speaking as the party moved a Dáil motion this week that calls on government to stop hikes, end the financial penalties for paying motor tax in instalments, reverse the latest carbon tax increases on petrol and diesel, and to stand up to insurance companies once and for all. 

Deputy O'Rourke joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this.

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Drogheda City Status Group has utterly rejected a suggestion by Taoiseach Micheál Martin that Drogheda could have its Borough Council restored, saying that such a move would be simply not good enough, falling way short of what Drogheda need.

Anthony Murphy, PRO of Drogheda City Status Group, joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us in more detail

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The Government has been accused of "actually worsening the housing crisis" after the publication of its National Housing Plan, which the Taoiseach has claimed amounts to "the most unprecedented investment in housing ever".

Minister for Housing James Browne said he believes the measures will reduce homelessness figures, and deliver a "real shift in how we get housing moving in this country".

The strategy seeks to deliver 300,000 homes, including 90,000 starter homes, over the next six years.

This morning on The Agenda we spoke to Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence & Meath-East Fianna Fail TD, Thomas Byrne, some more about this.

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MEP Barry Andrews is beginning a four day visit to Ukraine with the HALO Trust

The HALO Trust charity that clears and manages explosives around the world.

Barry Andrews joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this.

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"You can't let your guard down," says Andrew Boylan, whose poultry farm is only 16km from the latest outbreak of bird flu in Co Monaghan.

The latest cases were detected in a flock near Clontibret, close to the border with Northern Ireland. It is the third confirmed outbreak in less than a week.

Andrew Boylan joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this.

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Weather events similar to Storm Éowyn could become more common in future, an Oireachtas committee has heard.

The Joint Committees on Climate, Environment and Energy, and Housing, Local Government and Heritage met on Wednesday to review Storm Éowyn and storm preparedness.

Climate Committee member & Social Democrats TD for Wicklow, Jennifer Whitmore, joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this.

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Senior Ministers will sign off on the Government's long awaited housing plan this morning.

Its' understood it will be called 'Delivering Homes, Building Communities.'

There will be a commitment to fund 12,000 social homes a year in a bid to tackle the homeless crisis.

While an expanded use of compulsory purchase orders by the Government is also likely to feature.

Ber Grogan from the Simon Community doesn't feel it will be that radical, and Ger spoke to us about all of this this morning on The Agenda.

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