Grace O'Sullivan (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

It was shocking to wake up this morning to the news that over 10,000 people are homeless in this State. Everything possible must be done to facilitate the building of more housing. Professor Drudy said that the market is failing us and Mr. Reynolds agrees. On the legislation, local authorities are telling me that the site levy is not working because they do not have the capacity to collect it. While I completely support and welcome Deputy Wallace's legislation and hope it passes through the Houses soon, how can we ensure that the levy will be collected and then ring-fenced in order to boost the supply of housing? We are totally failing at the moment. It is very depressing to sit here, two and half years into the Rebuilding Ireland programme, and see every facet of it failing. Reference was made to student housing but everywhere one looks, the system is failing. I support this legislation but I ask Deputy Wallace what can be done to ensure that the levy, which was increased from a meagre 3% to 7%, will be collected and will have the effect of freeing up land for building.