Grace O'Sullivan (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I want to follow up on Mr. John O'Mahony's and Mr. Derek Tynan's point about the Netherlands. I lived there for nine years. It strikes me, having lived there, that its methodology for densities is incredible. The problem here is cultural. We are used to older people living in their family homes and it is no longer smart living. It is inefficient in many senses. It is not efficient to adapt the house because it is three bedroom and maybe one person is living there. What communication mechanisms does the Department have in place? What the witnesses have identified here is clear, that we need to change the way we do business with regard to housing for older people in Ireland and housing in general. The models are there in other countries. What is the Department doing to inform older people of the options? The witnesses identified that if older people are provided with options, they may consider it. How will we do that cultural shift to help people to go into secure, proper, energy-efficient housing? If we do not communicate the message to older people, we will keep coming up against friction. The point is to help and empower older people to make good choices about housing.

How do we support families who support older people? This issue of housing for older people is not just about the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government or the Department of Health but also the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment and Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. In the Netherlands, when an area is being developed, the infrastructure, such as roads networks, is developed first and the housing often goes in afterwards. Here in Ireland, older people have reduced mobility when walking and have difficulties going to services and supermarkets. We have a real problem with overall support for older people. Housing is part of that but we have to give the older people the chance to live in their communities. We identified living in the community as important. To access services of libraries, supermarkets and community centres, they need to be able to get around, both inside and outside of their houses and to access services. How are we doing that? How are the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government and Department of Health supporting people to live decent and fulfilled lives?