Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I had not signalled to speak but given some of the contributions, I feel I have no alternative but to educate some members. In 2011, I proposed a development of a site involving the building of 800 houses on Old Whitechurch Road that got the support of the majority of members of Cork City Council but was then blocked by the Minister at the time, Phil Hogan. Affordable housing was part of that plan. That site is now being developed ten years later. They are putting in the infrastructure with LIHAF funding. Not a single house has been built on it so for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Members to accuse Sinn Féin of trying to slow down the delivery of affordable housing is mind-boggling.

The LDA got planning permission last week for the St. Kevin's site in Shanakiel, Sunday's Well for 266 units. I proposed this eight years ago. This is the level we are at. I did not want to come in here and get adversarial but this is where Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are. I mean no disrespect but I do not know how the Green Party can stand over this because there were Green Party councillors on Cork City Council when I was a member. We could have delivered thousands of houses years ago so how can others come in here and say that we are trying to slow down delivery? We want to make affordable housing affordable. Housing is the number one issue for the people I represent in Cork North Central. We want to get this done and dusted. Some have said we want to tie the State's hands behind its back. For years, we wanted to free the State's hand and that of the local authorities and everyone else to build houses. Members should go to corkcitycouncil.ieand read the motions I tabled and how Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Green Party councillors voted because most of the time, the Green Party voted with us. They should go back and look at those motions aimed at delivering affordable housing.

Going back to the recommendation, what we are trying to do is make affordable housing as affordable as possible. This is like a golden egg to private developers-----