Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach. In a way amendments Nos. 897 and 898 are very similar. We have constructed them in slightly different ways. The Cathaoirleach has probably done it more efficiently. They both have the same objective. When I am speaking about amendment, No. 897 I also want to address amendment No. 909, which is related.

Amendments Nos. 897 and 898 seek to include new language in the list of items which the housing strategy shall take into account. At present the wording in section 219(5)(f) refers to the existing need and likely future need for housing, in particular houses and duplexes, for purchase by intending owner-occupiers. Amendments Nos. 897 and 898 seek to include the word "apartments".

Amendment No. 909 seeks to insert that a housing strategy shall provide as a general policy that at least 50% of any new apartment developments shall be reserved for the provision of housing for purchase by owner-occupiers. It qualifies this by stating it would not operate in any way to restrict any person, meaning an approved housing body, local authority or anyone else including a developer, from providing up to 100% of housing in any development as affordable housing or social housing, or restrict the provision of student purpose accommodation. This qualifier is included.

I want to speak about the issues surrounding this. As the Minister is aware, last year in Dublin 72% of new-build homes were apartments. Almost none of these was available to buy. The vast majority of new-build homes in Dublin last year simply were not available for individuals or families to buy. Every week in my constituency I meet older couples or individual older persons who say they are in a large family home where they no longer wish to be and that they would like to move to an apartment. They also say they will not move some miles away as they want to stay in their local communities where their friends, networks and families are. They might be involved in local activities. They may play in a local bridge club. Some of them play boules. They might be involved in a local sports club or local church. They know various people in the shops and their neighbours. They know places to go for a walk.

They want to move out of a larger home which they may be finding hard to heat and maintain. They may not be in a position to be able to renovate the new home and get it up to scratch in terms of insulation and so forth. They want to move into an apartment and are highly frustrated that new apartments are being built in their community of the right size but they cannot move into them. The only way they could do that would be to pay an exorbitant rent, but they have no ability to buy. They will clearly say they will not sell their home to pay a high rent and have an insecure position in one of these new build apartments but if they were able to buy, they would.

I do not want to overstate this but research backs it up. Research shows that about 20% of people are in this situation. Most people in this situation want to stay in their home, as is their right. They may have lived there for decades and raised their family there. However, a significant minority of people want to move into new build apartments and want to be able to buy them. They are often at the older end of the age group. Of course, there are also smaller households, younger people as well, who say they do not want to and cannot pay €2,000 in exorbitant rents for these new build apartments, but they would like the option to be able to buy. Not being able to buy causes a problem for single people who would be more likely to want to live in an apartment than in a family-sized house. Of course, they are effectively locked out or discriminated against by these new build apartments not being available for individuals and families to buy.

There is a mismatch in the housing stock where increasingly families are in small apartments and unable to access larger family homes. Increasingly, smaller families, couples or individuals in family-sized homes want to move out of them but do not have the options. We will never get a perfect match in the housing stock; it is not possible. It is private property and people are entitled to stay in their family-sized home if they wish to do so. However, people want to move and want to get a better match. In terms of housing stock, given that Government policy is strongly in favour of compact growth for sustainability reasons, we will see more and more apartment development. To have home ownership tenure almost excluded from new build apartments, except maybe in some very high-end developments, is hugely problematic. It does not make sense from an environmentally sustainable point of view for encouraging compact growth not to have the tenure choice in home ownership.

Since Independence, the State has invested massively into home ownership, in breaking up larger holdings and the redistribution of land. Huge resources went into that. We achieved 80% home ownership levels and now we have the lowest level of home ownership in more than 50 years. We need to do something about treating apartments in a similar fashion to houses and duplexes. I am not suggesting with my amendments that all apartments should be available for individuals and families to buy. Of course, a good chunk can be available for rent. However, if we do not do something on this and as more and more apartments become part of our new housing stock, particularly in our urban areas, home ownership will continue to shrink.

If somebody wants a new build home, all they can do is buy it out in the commuter belt which of course is more car dependent. On the one hand we are encouraging compact growth, but we are undermining it by not having the ability for people to be able to choose to buy there. That is why I have tabled these amendments and I would like to hear the Minister of State's response.