Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise some issues regarding social housing. The headline above an article in this morning's edition of The Irish Timesmorning states, "Less than 1% of needed social housing has been built since start of 2016, says analyst". In the article, Mr. Mel Reynolds, a housing policy analyst, provides statistics that I will not go into in detail. That said, 6,005 people in Cork city are in need of social housing but only 59 houses were provided last year. That is less than 1%. Mr. Reynolds indicates that in the context of the demand for the social housing nationally, 120,598 people are in need of social housing and 1,093 units have been provided. Again, that is less that 1%. The purpose of what we are doing today is to look forward. In that context, will there be an improvement and will it be a major improvement as opposed to something more minor in nature?

Statistics indicate that 1,509 new units will become available next year, if one excludes those that will be built by the approved housing bodies, AHBs, and voids. At that rate, it would take 80 years to provide homes for 120,000 people. If we were to provide 2,000 homes on the basis of new builds - including those relating to the AHBs - for councils and excluding acquisitions, it would take 60 years to provide homes for 120,000 people. Even if we take the overall figure of 3,800, it would take more than 30 years to provide homes for 120,000 people. Will the Minister comment on the provision for social housing next year, which falls way short of what is needed in view of the crisis we are facing?

Mr. Reynolds is also quoted as saying that the figures are very poor and that "You have to wonder is this policy". In other words, he is veering in the direction of saying that not just the housing crisis but also, perhaps, that relating to homelessness are the result of Government policy. This is in the context of a raft of comments in recent days. The Taoiseach stated that the homelessness figures are low by international standards, which is not the case. The Chairman of the Housing Agency states that the situation is normal and the Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy English, indicated yesterday that the comments of those who are raising points about homelessness are having a negative impact on the country's image. These are attempts to minimise and to normalise the homelessness crisis. The comments that have been made are cold and calculating. I do not believe they are off the cuff; I am of the view that they are clearly part of a co-ordinated campaign and I ask the Minister of State, in light of what he said last night, to comment on that. Does he deny that this is part of a co-ordinated campaign to minimise and normalise the homelessness crisis?