Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to personally thank all of the speakers for their presentations; we have had a look at them and the word that is emerging here is "partnership". Ms Carroll talked about the need for partnership, joined-up thinking and synergy. Before we proceed, I contacted a number of councils across the country yesterday, as I would do as standard practice before any joint Oireachtas committee meeting on housing, planning and local government. I would circulate a certain amount of documentation and encourage them to come back and engage - it is one of the things I do. I received the largest volume of emails from councils and I will cite just three, without naming individuals, and one, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, which was mentioned by the speakers. Their councillors tell me that the provision for inspection for Dún Laoghaire is close to 2% of the rental income, approximately 300 of the 15,000 budgeted for. There is general frustration in Wexford and Meath where the common theme in all of the emails received is that a lot of people come from social housing lists. They are known and the accommodation has been identified as being unsuitable, with damp, mould etc. These people have been prioritised for housing. Yet, within weeks, these same houses that the council have come out and looked at as being not suitable for their housing needs, are filled again with another group of people. These people are then back on to the council saying, within weeks, there is damp, mildew, mould and the same problems recur.

I am particularly thinking of a block in my own area - which I am not going to single out here because I do not think it would be right or proper - which has effectively become a whole ghetto of really bad stuff. I went into a house the other day where the landlord had divided up one room into a three-room unit, drilled a hole in the wall for an outlet for a shower, and rats were coming up from the manhole. That is out in Dún Laoghaire. These people - I checked to see where these people went - ended up getting accommodated by the housing authority. No one is saying "stop". The argument is that there is a crisis and we need accommodation. People keep getting stuck in this kind of accommodation and we need to address this issue. Where it has come to a council's attention that accommodation is unsuitable and they have had to move people out of that accommodation, they should immediately have to serve some sort of order or restriction. That accommodation should be condemned and it should not be rented by other people.

Dr. Hayden's suggestion on an NCT makes sense. Threshold has been campaigning on tenancies long before anyone else. This is an initiative that makes common sense. If one does not get an NCT for one's car, one does not drive the car. It is as simple as that.

We must be very clear. The same roles have to apply for social housing. I accept Mr. Walsh mentioned that in the report. We have social housing stock that is not fit for purpose. I have seen letters that were written to tenants asking them to get Domestos, pull the beds out from the walls and wash the walls. People with asthma and really serious bronchial problems are in accommodation that is not suitable. Sometimes the entire focus is on the private sector, which I accept needs to be addressed, but the same standards and NCT-like approach should be applied to social housing because we have social housing stock in this country that is not suitable. I have seen some very unsatisfactory accommodation. That is an important point to make.

In 2016 the then Minister, Deputy Coveney, devised a strategy for the retail sector and launched Rebuilding Ireland. Many things were going to happen, including the introduction of a new standard of regulation and increased inspections. There was reference to coverage, compliance, ring-fencing funding and the development of efficiencies with IT services. That was all talked about in 2016 and it is now 2018. Everyone is on the same page. Everyone wants to get the thing done. It makes sense for us as a committee to promote an NCT-like approval for housing. We can discuss it later. If a property does not reach the standard, it is taken off the market and is not let. We have had a good discussion today but we need to progress it. Threshold has set out a very simple model which is doable, practical and easily understood and it is something we should pursue. I thank the witnesses for their contributions.