Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)

It is in the housing area, one of the many areas under this Minister's stewardship, that he deserves most criticism. In his reply, the Minister will probably talk of the 70,000 houses built in the State last year. He must be aware that many of these represent a mismatch of the housing needs of many. There are 50,000 people on local authority housing lists. In its programme for Government, the Government promised 10,000 social housing units, none of which has yet been built. No planning permissions have been lodged for them and no architects have been appointed. In terms of building, the Government supports the private sector, allowing it build what it wants for maximum profit. I expect nothing less of a Minister who received the largest sum in political donations in the last general election, receiving more than he was required to spend in his constituency.

When these double standards apply, the Opposition has the right to ask questions. Many of the 50,000 people on local authority housing lists have no hope of being housed, given the current rate of construction in local authority areas. We all know from our constituency experiences of people awaiting housing for over ten years. The Minister, his Department and the Government have not addressed the changes which involve more single people seeking housing and families of different structures. Those in the private sector get the best support. The billions granted in foregone tax reliefs, which could be better spent through the Department in building houses, represent a scandal which should not continue one day longer and which the Minister helps to perpetuate by remaining in office. The private rented sector involves 150,000 units, only 16 of which are registered under legislation which the Minister is responsible for seeing enforced. No questions are asked. The people benefiting are those who support the Government financially as well as politically.

The Simon Community says that €6 million is needed to house the homeless. In my constituency, the Cork Simon Community has been short-changed by the Minister in the most recent year, with a promised allocation of €2 million reduced to €800,000. If this represents the Minister's sincere attempt to deal with homelessness, even he must be aware that the problem will worsen. The Minister's telling silence on the recent social welfare and supplementary rent allowance changes at the end of last year indicates his real concern for housing needs. The only progression, so to speak, the Minister has offered to the housing debate was to forego on the Government promise regarding the 20% of social housing. Almost the first item of environmental legislation he introduced in the House changed section 5 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, again for the benefit of his and his party's development friends.

The Minister has negatively changed legislation in every respect, not only in planning and development but also in foregoing powers in the Waste Management Act and in rowing back the move to allow greater public accountability in the matter of electing mayors in city and county councils.

It is in the Green Party's political interests that the Minister, Deputy Cullen, remain in office. The longer he is there, and the worse job he does, the better it is for us politically. However, we fear for the damage he is doing to the built and natural environment. We move this vote of no confidence because it is in the country's interests that someone else attempt to put in place policies which make more sense environmentally, ecologically, democratically and for the benefit of our society.

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