Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy has raised a matter of very considerable concern to people. Clearly he and everybody else is aware that during the so-called boom years we built nearly 100,000 housing units when we had a requirement for perhaps 25,000 or 30,000. We are now building 6,500 to 8,000 when we need 25,000 to 30,000. Of course these cannot be provided overnight. I am well aware of the pressure, particularly in city areas on the need for detached housing for families, many of whom are now caught in apartments or rented accommodation that is not suitable.

Considerable work is going on here. The Minister, Deputy Burton, and the Minister of State, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, have initiated a pilot project in Limerick for the housing assistance payments scheme, which will be of interest to local authorities. That should be in legislation by early summer. On Thursday we will have a meeting of the Cabinet dealing with the construction sector in general, which will be of interest to the Deputy and others. We need to get the construction sector to contribute far more to the economy than it is. It used to be at 24% or 25% and is now down to 6% or 7%, which is much too low.

Clearly Deputies are aware of the pressure on local authorities for social housing. There is a programme in place for this year for the recommencement of local authority housing. There is to be a debate on housing in the Dáil in the next two to three weeks and the Deputy will have his opportunity to make a longer contribution to that with his many suggestions. The Government is conscious of the issue and it will be a feature of what we will discuss at Thursday's Cabinet meeting.

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