Mary Seery Kearney (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

My thanks to the Minister of State for his comprehensive briefing. I am heartened by the ambition of the Department to increase the social housing stock by 50,000 in the coming five years.

I note that studies of the economic well-being of disabled persons and person with disabilities regularly show that they are disadvantaged economically. While I welcome the plans for inclusion of disability needs across all types of housing, including social and affordable and private housing, we should make particular provision for social housing. I am heartened to see the figures on that and in particular that 10% of all social housing during the past ten years has been provided to persons with disabilities. Can the Minister of State give an idea of the percentage on the housing list who have denoted a need relating to disability and mobility provision? I am curious to know where the 10% figure fits in.

I note the strategy on community inclusion and the provisions relating to the policy on time to move on from congregated setting. Even with universal design houses are built to baseline standards. This costs organisations in trying to advance community inclusion in terms of having to retrofit houses. It would be wise for the Department to have conversations with great organisations like Cheeverstown regarding its advice and input. I believe it would be important to have a discussion with those involved about how universal design could be made even more universal and inclusive. Mobility champions like Colin McAndrew have really influenced my thinking on the surrounding infrastructure and the environment around housing to ensure we have accessibility by design. He has commented on how when we make society accessible for people with the least mobility, then we make it accessible for everyone now and in the future. Any planned need for housing provision should be linked up to the environmental infrastructure surrounding it.

My next question relates to the role of the local authorities from a social housing and infrastructure point of view. What engagement has the Minister of State had with local authorities specifically to advance that? My experience of South Dublin County Council was that it was fantastic, ambitious and open. I am keen to know how the local authorities are engaging with the Minister of State on this matter.