Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

Having regard to the substantial economic growth of recent years, the increase in population and the levels of inward migration, the provision of housing is a challenge for the Government. The Government has increased housing supply as the key response to the broad range of housing needs and demands. It has ensured that more than 500,000 housing units, an equivalent to one third of the total housing stock, were completed in the last decade. It is facilitating the tenth successive year of record housing completions through the addition of 77,000 new houses in 2004 and establishing Ireland in the lead position within the EU for the provision of new houses.

The Government is strengthening and extending social and affordable housing programmes for which €2 billion is available in 2005. It is bringing forward five year housing action plans by local authorities for 2004 to 2008 to co-ordinate, accelerate and bring together integration and action on housing at local level, with particular reference to social and affordable housing measures. In addition, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government is prioritising and advancing the special initiative on housing and accommodation under Sustaining Progress which will deliver more than 10,000 affordable houses through the affordable housing initiative and Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2004. He is ensuring, through the housing forum, an effective engagement with the social partners.

He is enhancing tax allowances to assist first-time buyers and is improving the operation of the private rented sector through the introduction of new legislation and the establishment of the Private Residential Tenancies Board. The Government is introducing a rental accommodation scheme to provide improved and more secure arrangements for supplementary welfare allowance recipients with long-term housing needs. An integrated strategy will be implemented and developed on homelessness, effective programmes for Traveller accommodation and an expanded role for the voluntary and co-operative housing sector.

Last December's NESC report on housing set out a radical blueprint to deal with the lack of social housing in Dublin and other parts of the country. The NESC addressed the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Environment and Local Government following the publication of its report. It clearly identified housing as a major national challenge, laying great emphasis on the provision of social housing. The target of 72,000 additional social houses over the next eight years is ambitious and one which must be met. Today, I received a pre-budget submission from the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. It has requested the building and acquisition of between 10,000 and 12,000 social housing units each year until 2012.

It is clear from the NESC report that the housing issue is not just about supply but about providing proper facilities in our built-up areas and protecting the community spirit that has been an integral part of our cities' lives. For too long, local authority estates have been built without proper consideration of facilities and services. We must learn the lessons of our past mistakes if we are to ensure young people, wanting to establish a family home, are given proper supports. The recent rioting in France is a wake-up call that the provision of housing must be got right.

The affordable homes partnership has been established by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, with effect from 1 August 2005 under the terms of the Affordable Homes Partnership Establishment Order 2005. The partnership's overall objectives is to co-ordinate and add impetus to the delivery of affordable housing in the greater Dublin area, for which it has been assigned specific functions for this purpose in Article 4(2) of the Order. In its work to date, the partnership has focussed particular attention on preparations for the call for proposals to issue to builders and developers to bring forward land for affordable housing. The partnership has also undertaken preparatory work on a number of land swap projects similar to the successful Harcourt Terrace pilot project, which concluded earlier this year. The procurement process for the first of these projects will commence next month.

The affordable homes partnership is also examining the integration of affordable housing schemes. The possible amalgamation of the various affordable housing schemes in operation was one of a number of issues highlighted for further consideration in the NESC report Housing in Ireland: Performance and Policy. The Government intends to address these issues shortly, taking into account the work under way by the housing forum in reviewing the effectiveness of existing social and affordable housing schemes in the context of the Sustaining Progress agreement.

I have been told that Dublin City Council is bringing forward its own amalgamated affordable housing scheme independent of the affordable homes partnership plans. I congratulate the council in this regard as I believe the amalgamated scheme will be published shortly. Until now, young couples have had to submit several separate applications, perhaps up to three, to different sections of one local authority to avail of the numerous schemes on offer. This duplication is unnecessary, costly to taxpayers and unfair to young couples in need of encouragement and assistance in taking the first step on to the property ladder.

I received some figures from Dublin City Council last month on the provision of affordable housing. There are three different schemes. Between now and 2007, 285 units will be provided across the city under the 1999 scheme; between now and 2006, 82 units will be provided under the Part V scheme; and between now and 2007, 444 units will be provided under the affordable housing initiative. This takes into account planning applications currently determined.

Progress has been slow in providing affordable housing in Dublin city. The Minister addressed this before and it was stated that builders put in a series of planning applications prior to the introduction of the new regime. Those houses are only now coming on stream and this is a reason for the slow progress. There are also difficulties in the negotiations between builders and local authorities, and this should be dealt with.

I wish to mention apartment development. The head of the school of real estate and construction economics at the Dublin Institute of Technology, Mr. Tom Dunne, last June stated that failure to maintain a large number of apartment blocks in recent years could lead to a serious deterioration in the quality of the urban fabric in cities and towns. He also stated that not enough money is being spent on the upkeep of new apartments. Latest figures show that apartments now account for 41% of planning permissions for housing throughout the State, and this rises to 74% in the Dublin area. This represents a major change in the housing stock and is likely to be a dominant trend in future. If such schemes are not made attractive, there could be a decline in the desire for apartment living. This is a serious issue.

I am pleased that the Minister intends to deal with the issue of management companies for apartment blocks. Currently, local authorities are making it a condition of planning permission that management companies be set up to deal with the maintenance of the proposed schemes. It appears that local authorities are abdicating from their responsibilities.

At a later stage I will deal with the energy efficiency directive, as well as the private residential tenancies board and its role in solving disputes arising from anti-social behaviour between landlords, tenants and third parties. I may also discuss developments in my constituency.

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