Paddy McHugh (Galway East, Independent)

I welcome the Labour Party motion on housing, which comes at a time when many young people are striving to save the money to buy their first homes. Many fail to achieve their aim of owning the home in which they live. The motion before us makes a number of proposals, some of which I support and others which I do not. However, I concur with the motion's general tenor that we require a new beginning.

The proposal for increasing the maximum proportion of social and affordable housing in a Part V scheme from 20% to 50% is impractical. In 2000, the then Minister for the Environment and Local Government, Deputy Noel Dempsey, introduced a proposal for a completely new departure which should have been implemented. However, instead of progressing, we began to regress when the subsequent Minister, Deputy Cullen, began to row back on the provisions introduced by his predecessor. Rather than going from 20% to 50%, a reversion to the terms proposed by the Minister, Deputy Noel Dempsey, would perhaps be preferable.

The Labour Party motion also refers to the efficient management of housing estates, a matter on which the current Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government is not discharging his responsibilities in an honourable manner. The Minister wrings his hands and repeatedly states that the matter is the responsibility of local authorities when he should be acknowledging that local authorities come under his remit and that the buck ultimately stops with him. If local authorities are not taking charge of estates, the Minister should provide the resources they need to discharge their responsibilities. He should stop talking and begin to take effective and meaningful action so that residents can see real results.

The quality of design in housing estates and the recreational and other facilities provided in them leave a lot to be desired. It is true that some developments are built to high standards but it is equally true that others are substandard and, as a result, have contributed to many of the social problems being experienced at present. Again, the Minister has ultimate responsibility for ensuring that standards are improved.

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