Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The budget for 2024 glaringly falls short of addressing the pressing housing issues that continue to plague our society, exposing a litany of deficiencies in its proposed measures. Most notably, the absence of any increase in voted capital expenditure compared to the level set in 2023 raises serious doubts about the Government's commitment to tackling the crisis. It is abundantly clear that the budget fails to take adequate steps to bolster the Government's social and affordable housing targets. Additionally, the Government seems to turn a blind eye to the urgent need for reforms in the public spending code that would expedite the delivery of social and affordable housing. Furthermore, the budget offers no innovative strategies to combat the issues of dereliction, vacancy or the ever-increasing problem of homelessness. It is imperative to emphasise the gross inefficiency in the utilisation of allocated funds.

Despite allocating over €1 billion in voted capital expenditure for social and affordable social and affordable housing between 2020 and 2022, these funds remain largely untouched. Even more concerning is the fact that as outlined in the motion, by the end of September 2023, less than half of the allocated €4 billion for housing expenditure had been put to use. These figures not only highlight a gross mishandling of the critical funding intended to address the urgent housing needs of our citizens, they also highlight the glaring chasm between the Government's financial commitments and their effective implementation.

The one issue about housing I raise that affects the people of rural Ireland involves planning laws. Planning laws are making it almost impossible for young people to get off the ground even to the extent of getting a preplanning meeting. It is scandalous that ordinary people cannot speak to someone around the table the way they used to do. The cost of building has gone beyond all reason but the hardest thing for young people who want to build a house on their father's or mother's land is the fact that they are being refused permission to do so or if they are not being refused, they are being run around for years before they can start. This has to stop.

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