Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)

I am astonished at the Minister of State's speech. He did his best to deliver it in a manner to prove that everything is in order, but that is far from the case. It was difficult to resist interrupting him but I managed it.

Ireland is in the midst of a housing crisis. Official statistics for 2006 indicate first-time buyers are paying, on average, more than €250,000 for their first home, some of which are apartments. More than 100,000 individuals are waiting for local authority houses. Despite a Government promise to assist the voluntary housing sector to achieve the target of 4,000 accommodation units per annum, as envisaged under the national development plan, only 600 voluntary housing units were completed in the first half of this year. There are enough homeless people to fill the Point Depot.

In putting forward this Bill, the Sinn Féin Party is proposing something that will benefit communities instead of destroying them. It is clear that the easy option of accepting money in lieu of social housing units has become too common. The figures speak for themselves. According to the Department's housing statistics bulletin, 43,899 units were completed nationally in the first six months of 2006. In the same period, however, only 616 units of social and affordable housing were provided under Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000-2006. Instead of 20%, only 1.4% of new builds were social and affordable units. If the local authorities are being given land or money in lieu of providing such housing——

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