Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

Sinn Féin has a realistic alternative vision for housing that is based on our understanding that housing is a human right. Our objective is to establish an equitable, balanced and fairly regulated housing market where the people who rely on housing in the social sector are catered for. Reversing the small gains made in the original Part V in 2002 has done nothing to address the current acute housing crisis that exists in this State.

I noted the comments of the Minister of State, Deputy Noel Ahern, this morning when he debated this legislation with my party colleague, Deputy Crowe. The Minister of State claimed it was too early to judge the effect of the changes in Part V, which was introduced in 2002, because it takes five years for the various planning permission requests to work their way through the system. I have no doubt the irony of what he was saying was lost on the Minister of State. Fianna Fáil was happy enough to introduce the change in 2002, less than two years after it was set to deliver. Sinn Féin argued at the time that because of the delays in planning permissions, and the appeal to the Supreme Court against the constitutionality of the legislation, the Government's real motive in introducing the current loophole for developers was to appease the construction lobby. Although we said more time should be given to allow the benefits of Part V to become apparent, the Minister, Deputy Cullen, would have none of it and guillotined the Bill through the House as fast as possible. As my colleague, Deputy Morgan, observed at the time, reading the construction industry's trade publications is as good a guide as any to forthcoming changes in Fianna Fáil policy on housing in particular, and it was clear that the industry wanted Part V changed.

When the construction industry got its changes the ordinary working-class people were affected most by them. Dublin is among the areas most directly affected by the chronic lack of social housing. The housing crisis in Dublin is a direct result of the Government's cosy relationship with its developer and property speculator friends. The dilution of Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 at the behest of the developers has led to €32 million being paid to local authorities by developers buying their way out of their obligations to provide 20% of social and affordable housing in all housing developments. Meanwhile the housing waiting list has soared with 43,684 families waiting to be housed. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has received almost €3.5 million, more than any other council in the State from developers buying their way out of their obligations, while the social housing waiting list continues to grow. Some 3,519 families are waiting to be housed by the council. These are disgraceful statistics. Units need to be provided for low-income families and developers buying their way out of providing social housing units is legalised bribery.

In Dublin City Council's area a similar situation exists, with developers trying to wrangle out of even the small obligations they have under the Government's changes. They are forcing the council to go to court to try to compel them to meet those obligations. The situation in Dublin is out of control. Reports over the summer indicated that key public sector workers, such as nurses, fire-fighters and teachers, are being forced out of Dublin and other major cities as they cannot afford to buy a home. Developers feel they are immune from the law and from moral decency, and have been issued a blank cheque by the Government for their actions. If the Government is serious about promoting social inclusion in housing, it is high time the Minister of State, Deputy Noel Ahern, stood up to those developers who are buying or bullying their way out of their obligations to provide social and affordable housing.

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