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

I thank Dr. Hearne. He has hit the nail on the head. The lack of building by local authorities is the biggest issue with which we must deal. All local authorities have landbanks. They built houses 100 years ago and never experienced problems such as those we face today. We are relying on the private market. I note that Dr. Hearne mentioned leasing three or four times in his address. Leasing is the housing assistance payment, HAP. We have gone down the route of private leasing and because there is no joined-up thinking. The system is very unfair. The problem is that if we pump money into leasing and renting houses, it takes away from building. Local authorities are more affected by that than any other body. Of all the issues I have heard on housing, I congratulate Dr. Hearne on what he said. It was 100% right.

As I mentioned to our previous speakers, there is co-operative communal housing in Denmark in which people might share eating areas or laundry rooms. Is Dr. Hearne aware of that scheme? In the long term we need to change our perception of housing because people are living longer. People are in four-bedroom family homes but may need only one of the bedrooms. I refer to older people and people with disabilities.

In the long term, local authorities are key. They can build houses more cheaply because they have the land on which to do so. Why are local authorities not building on their land? We are told that finance is available, so what is the problem? What is the plan regarding elderly people and people with disabilities downsizing from four-bedroom houses to two or one bedrooms? We are told that the relevant figures are available. However, there has not been sufficient progress in my area, which is the only area on which I can focus. We need to deal with the housing issue on a national basis and come up with solutions for the thousands of people who are homeless. I ask Dr. Hearne to address some of the issues I have raised.