Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Fianna Fáil will be opposing this proposal. It is similar to the first one brought forward by Sinn Féin and is political virtue signalling. We all understand that cost rental means affordable rental accommodation. As with the serviced sites fund, funding can only be applied to affordable homes that are provided for purchase or rent. The funding cannot be applied to for-profit housing. I do not know exactly what is meant by for-profit, which is a really broad description. I know what the Deputy is getting at when he uses the term but just in case anybody missed it, the LDA legislation and the affordable housing legislation that we are bringing forward are designed specifically to insert the State into the picture, using public lands to deliver affordable homes for purchase and rent and to increase our social housing stock. That is what the aforementioned legislation is about, very simply, and this type of delaying tactic is very unhelpful. It displays a complete disregard for everybody who is trapped by the housing crisis, for those on the social housing list and those whose family has broken down because of the inadequacy of their housing conditions.

We will not be supporting this proposal and I would urge the Chairman to call a vote on it as soon as possible.