Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

Ar son Sinn Féin, cuirim fáilte roimh Bille na dTithe (Forálacha Ilghnéitheacha) 2008. Cinnithe dearfacha a chabhróidh le seirbhísí tithíochta an Stáit atá i gceist sa reachtaíocht seo sa chuid is mó. Is trua é, áfach, nach ndéanann an Bille déileáil níos iomláine leis an cheist ríthábhachtach seo, go háirithe sa chomhthéacs ina bhfuilimid ag obair faoi láthair. Is mór an trua é go bhfuil roinnt bunábhair in easnamh sa Bhille. Is féidir linn an fhadhb sin a leigheas, áfach, má chuirimid na leasuithe is gá chun cinn ar Chéim an Choiste. Is féidir leis an Aire a leasuithe féin a moladh nó leasuithe an bhFreasúra a ghlacadh. Measaim gur chóir don Aire an deis seo a thapú chun reachtaíocht níos iomláine agus níos foirfe a achtú agus córas tithíochta níos cothroime a fhorbairt sa Stáit seo. Ba cheart dúinn bheith in ann léiriú os comhair an domhain go bhfuil ceann de na seirbhísí tithíochta is fearr againn. Tá bealach fada le taistil againn sula shroichimid an phointe sin. Tá mé chun iarracht a dhéanamh impí ar an Aire déileáil, ar Chéim an Choiste, leis na ceisteanna móra gur chóir dúinn a réiteach sa Bhille.

One of the key areas which this Bill fails to address is the question of homelessness and it is disappointing to see such a Bill published only a month after the publication of the Government strategy on homelessness, The Way Home. We have all been lobbied recently — and the Minister in particular — by the MakeRoom campaign and I encourage people to continue this lobbying. It is an indication that the public is concerned about the issue and is looking for us to address the shortfalls in the Bill relating to homelessness.

Lobbying in this way leads to a participative democracy, although some people seem to be afraid of it. There was talk recently of restricting e-mails to Deputies and Ministers but such talk is against the policy of open democracy. That some are afraid of dealing with the public in such a fashion is an indication that lobbying is having an effect.

I would like to see legislative commitments outlined in The Way Home strategy included in this Bill. Placing local homeless fora and action plans on a statutory footing would, I hope, ensure that all local authorities and statutory agencies would have to meet their commitments under that strategy. I have one word of caution, as we are still waiting for some local authorities to deliver on their statutory commitment to produce Traveller accommodation in their areas.

It is interesting that, to quote from the Green Party document on homeless and Traveller accommodation, the Minister's party policy is that if local authorities continue to fail in their obligation to deliver and implement Traveller accommodation programmes, the Green Party will consider sanctions against the local authorities which fail to meet the requirements. I am looking forward to the Minister, Deputy Gormley, introducing those sanctions in this legislation as it goes through Committee Stage. It is scandalous that at this stage, some local authorities have not addressed their commitment.

On the issue of homelessness itself, recently Sinn Féin's Dublin MEP, Mary Lou McDonald, initiated in the European Parliament Written Declaration 111, the aim of which is to promote an end to street homelessness by 2015. The declaration was passed by the Parliament last year and I hope this Government and others in the EU will live up to the commitments and strategy included in that declaration.

We in Sinn Féin believe homelessness is the most acute denial of housing rights in our society. The fact that the Government cannot bring itself to propose an adequate legislative definition of homelessness in this Bill, let alone keep its own commitments to combat the problem, is an indictment of an appalling Government which has no regard for those people who sleep in doorways off our streets and in lanes at the back of shops or restaurants, many of which are frequented by Ministers and the infamous bankers we hear so much about these days.

The Government has done nothing to realistically help address the homeless people living in emergency accommodation, shelters, hostels and bed and breakfasts. Homelessness is a real-life manifestation of social exclusion and poverty, as well as an inadequate supply of secure and appropriate social housing. If this Bill is left unchanged, it will do nothing to rectify the problem.

Official data significantly underestimates the real extent of the problem of homelessness and this Bill will not change the Government's indifference to this plight. For example, I was made aware last year of a large number of unemployed Polish men living rough in tents in the Phoenix Park for a while. Although this is no longer the case, with the current recession how long will it be before this happens again? Street homelessness is on the increase despite the good work of many voluntary groups. That is why the strategy must be fully implemented and put on a statutory footing.

I also have reservations about the proposed new definition of social housing, which will now include dwellings under the rental accommodation scheme, RAS. It is our view that the RAS has a role in addressing social housing problems but it is also our firm belief that the provision of social housing funded by central Government via the local authorities must be the central element in any successful housing strategy. Once a person is renting through the rental accommodation scheme, he or she is effectively housed, according to the local authority. Why should the taxpayer continue to subsidise private landlords through this scheme when it would make far better sense for the State to provide those in need with the social housing accommodation they require?

I mentioned Traveller accommodation earlier. This Bill is a missed opportunity to remove the disproportionate provisions in the last Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act in 2002, which criminalised Travellers living on the side of the road where no alternative is available or where local authorities had failed to deliver on the Traveller housing strategy commitment. I ask the Minister to even at this stage consider removing that provision on Committee or Report Stage.

There are currently nearly 60,000 families on the social housing waiting list and this number will continue to escalate at a rapid rate, particularly given the State's dire economic circumstances, of which Fianna Fáil is also trying to wash its hands. This will happen unless current levels of social and supported housing provisions are dramatically increased. Sinn Féin did not accept homelessness nor did it accept the glib attitude of the Government parties towards those who were homeless during the booming years of the Celtic tiger. We will certainly not entertain the idea that it is now okay not to deal with the issue.

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