Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for attending this morning. It was great to see him in Carlow. It is welcome to see houses being built but my biggest issue is that we do not get a timescale in that regard. The two housing estates the Minister was launching were brought to the local authorities two years ago. We are now two years on and a brick has not been laid on those two sites, although I understand the Minister is probably not aware of that. When a housing estate is being launched, a timescale for its completion should be given because people see the pictures in the newspapers and think the houses are coming on stream but one cannot state they will be available next year, for example. While I understand we must be careful on giving timescales, issues like that need to be addressed.

The issue of affordable housing is not being addressed. As previous speakers said, too many people are falling between the cracks in the system and are not qualifying to go on the local authority housing list. That is a problem. I could give the Minister ten examples of applications for mortgages that went from Carlow County Council to Dublin. One was passed and nine were refused. These are the people who are not going on the housing list but they do not seem to be getting any help. Will the Minister look at the issue of local authority mortgages because it is one option that needs to be addressed?

We still have not addressed the question of people left in their family home when they have a mortgage. I know that is a separate issue but each member present could speak about the number of people who come into their clinics in dire straits and who have nowhere to go for help. We are not addressing any of those issues. That is why we are seeing a new homelessness. I appreciate that we have to have the hubs in Dublin, but the new assessment of rent pressure zones the Minister has brought in, and they are working, should have been national. When in a housing crisis such a measure should be rolled out across the board. Areas such as Carlow, Kilkenny and others are not included in that assessment. That is a disaster for us because I know of people who cannot afford to pay €1,000 a month rent. They are not going on the housing list and they cannot qualify for the housing assistance payment, HAP. That is where I believe the Minister is creating a new homelessness and it is not being addressed.

I believe the Department is looking at more private housing, as in co-operative organisations such as Clúid and Respond!. That seems to be the way it is moving forward, which is not good. I believe the Department is pushing that approach.

In regard to NAMA, there has been funding available for seven years for purchasing houses but I still believe the Department is pushing the lease-to-rent idea. NAMA needs to be examined and we need to get figures from NAMA. I have many issues to raise and I will do that later because the Minister is due to address the Seanad-----