Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)

I wish to share time with Deputies Brady, Curran, Andrews and Fitzpatrick.

It is interesting that the Fianna Fáil rota of speakers today is confined to Dublin Deputies because it indicates the interest we share in this particular issue. Other colleagues made that point last night. I preface my remarks by complimenting my colleague, Deputy Crowe, on his work in this regard. He and I are constituency neighbours. In any discussion on affordable housing, it is relevant to talk about major population centres. The Ceann Comhairle appreciates from his visits there that Tallaght is the third largest population centre in the country and housing is a serious issue throughout the constituency of Dublin South-West, in Firhouse, Greenhills, Templeogue, Brittas and Bohernabreena. When the affordable housing handbook was issued a couple of months ago, the picture on the front cover depicted a scene in the Belfry in Tallaght. Deputy Crowe and I must not have been around that day or we would have slipped into the picture. It highlights the importance of the issue for our constituency and many others.

The various contributions last night dealt with a range of issues. In any discussion such as this, it is difficult to tie matters down. However, before I talk about affordable housing, I wish to make a couple of other points. As someone who has been involved in the community for many years, I am particularly interested in the issue of homelessness. In any discussion such as this, it is right that we talk about people who are homeless. In that regard, I extol the virtues of the Tallaght Homeless Advice Unit, which has brought out an interesting publication, Out of the Gaff — Handbook, a guide to homelessness, housing and health services in south County Dublin. It is important that those of us privileged to represent our constituencies should take an interest in homelessness. As regards my constituency, I believe we should not be sending our problems into Dublin city and every effort must be made to facilitate homeless people in their own environment.

I would appreciate it if the Minister of State, Deputy Killeen, would point out to the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Roche, that I believe strongly in tenant purchase. Much progress has been made in this regard throughout the country, but there are still many gaps. With all the discussion taking place in recent days about the cost of housing, the price of houses and so on, it worries me that local authorities are taking advantage of current prices — South Dublin County Council is no different in this respect. People who have been tenants for many years, who went into houses that were priced in a different time, look longingly at the opportunities as they exist. Local authorities should be open to a situation where people would be enabled to purchase their houses as cheaply as possible, without them being given away. Whatever arrangements must be made to ensure they cannot be sold on for profit are fine by me, but we should be making tenant purchase easier.

I am a strong supporter, as are my colleagues, of the voluntary housing schemes. My constituency has benefited enormously from initiatives by CLÁR, RAPID and other groups. I have been campaigning on the basis that people who go into voluntary housing should be given an opportunity to avail of tenant purchase. I know the Minister is examining this and starting to think about a pilot project. I urge him strongly to consider this — there are many people in my constituency who would avail of it.

I want to deal specifically with the issue of affordable housing and I know my colleague, Deputy Crowe, made a point about this last night. I do not want to talk about Tallaght forever, but it is an interesting place in the context of housing.

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