Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank all the witnesses for attending today. I am delighted that this is at least the second time that this committee has met to discuss the right to housing since being established, which reflects the importance that this committee places on that right. The programme for Government contains a commitment to granting a right to housing and, as part of the Housing for All policy, the establishment of the Housing Commission.

Like many members here, I attended the conference at UCD which was organised by the Housing Commission. The conference helped to move the debate on and it is good that this committee has set aside time for this discussion today. The public consultation on a referendum on housing in Ireland is now open and invites members of the public to make a submission by Friday, 2 September. We should all encourage the members of the public to make a submission.

Professor O'Cinneide has clearly set out the delicate balancing act required when setting people's expectations as to what can be achieved by inserting a right to housing in Bunreacht na hÉireann. He talked about the European Social Charter and the review of previous housing initiatives. It struck me, having read that, that it did not review the initiatives under Housing for All and I ask him to confirm that for this committee, as that would be important. The Housing for All plan has commenced and is far from complete but it marks a very significant change in the State's approach to the delivery of housing. It is important for this committee to understand that when Professor O'Cinneide referenced criticisms, whether those criticisms reviewed Housing for All and its commitments.

Professor O'Cinneide has said the value of having a commitment and an objective in the Constitution or Bunreacht na hÉireann is largely symbolic but balanced his comment by saying that it can act as a catalyst. I ask him to elaborate on how it has been used as a catalyst for change in other jurisdictions.

I commend Home for Good and all its members, who are in the trenches on a daily basis trying to help people who struggle with the housing crisis and emergency. One of its delegation clearly said that "including a right to housing in the Constitution will not fix the housing crisis". The delegation has recognised that changes have been made to housing policy. What tangible good would the right bring to the people who are in the grips of the housing crisis?