David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)

I welcome the Bill. It is very important and I am glad to have the opportunity to speak on it. The Bill has four Parts, 44 sections and three Schedules. Part 1 contains preliminary and general material but Part 2, pertaining to the functions of housing authorities, and Part 3 are the important ones.

The Bill makes provision for an allocation scheme or housing list and it will be mandatory that the details be made public. The housing authorities will have to create the list. From now on, people will know where they are on the housing list. Until now, this has not been the case in many local authorities. People do not know their position or who is ahead of them, how long they have been waiting or perhaps how they reached their current position. Very often in our clinics, people state they were on the list for six years while someone else, who may only have come to the country within that period, got a house straight away. I hope this provision will address this. It is important that the list be constructed properly, carefully and fairly.

Section 22(12) states:

The manager shall—

(a) prepare and submit to the members of the housing authority not later than 30 April in each year a written report on allocations made under its allocation scheme by specifying the different categories of dwellings and households ... .

The manager, where he or she must submit reports for the members of the housing authority, should also make copies for the Members of the Oireachtas in his area. Will the Minister consider providing for this in the legislation? Quite often, Members of the Oireachtas are asked to make representations about housing. We must pass legislation and monitor how it operates. Therefore, it is only fair that, where mangers are required to furnish members of local authorities with their reports, they should also furnish them to Oireachtas Members in their administrative area. This would be simple and useful.

Section 11 contains a very welcome provision that refers to ancillary services. It is a pity such provision was not made years ago before the housing boom started. Ancillary services include roads, shops, playgrounds, places of recreation, parks, allotments, open spaces, etc. The Bill alludes not only to providing houses, which are basically boxes in which people live, but also to providing community services. By including shops, roads, playgrounds, parks, schools, etc., one is building community. This must be central to our vision if we are providing housing. This vision has been lacking.

Residents in some housing estates, perhaps in our own areas, will argue they do not have enough space in which to park their cars. Rows occur between neighbours over parking space because developers have concentrated too many houses in the same location. There is plenty of land in this country but people have had no room because developments have been too condensed. We need to give children space in which to play and ancillary services must be provided. The Bill states a housing authority "may" provide ancillary services if it considers them appropriate but the housing authority should insist that they be provided because they are essential.

Section 35 is a large section on anti-social behaviour. It is a very important section because people have a right to live in their own homes in peace without being interfered with in all kinds of ways. It is a very strong section. Subsection 35(5) states:

When drawing up a strategy, or before amending a strategy, a housing authority shall consult with—

(a) any joint policing committee . . . ,

(b) the Garda Síochána,

(c) the Health Service Executive, and

(d) any other person as the authority considers appropriate.

I have referred time and again to the importance of out-of-school youth services. Youth workers, youth clubs and youth organisations engage with young people on the streets. Young people are very often at a loss because of the lack of facilities in the housing estates we have constructed. They have nowhere to go because we have not been building community. I suggest to the Minister of State that youth services should play an integral part in preventing anti-social behaviour. I want to turn this into a positive proposal. Not only can properly resourced and supported youth services prevent anti-social behaviour, they can also harness to positive effect the energy and innate good-will of young people. Young people could contribute in a positive way to their communities.

Unfortunately, due to cutbacks, youth services are very often the first services to be hit. The anti-drugs strategy and other strategies are being hit across the board. When talking about anti-social behaviour, we must think positively and ascertain how to prevent it and turn things around such that those who engage in it will engage in positive behaviour instead. This is important.

Article 9(2)(VI)(f) of SI 412 of 2007 provides that one can refuse rent supplement twice and still not be debarred from receiving it in the future. If for some reason one refuses the offer of a house, perhaps for what one considers to be a very good reason, one is told in many local authority areas that one will be placed at the bottom of the list. I am sure all Members have encountered this. If a person refuses an offer of a house, he or she should not be put on the bottom of the list straight way. Although I have read the Bill, I have not noticed a provision in this regard. People who refuse a house should be subject to a provision such as that in SI 412 of 2007 such that they would be allowed two refusals before being placed at the bottom of the list. This would be reasonable.

I came across a case recently in which a single mother with a ten-year-old daughter refused a house. Not only was the house in very bad condition when she was offered it but her daughter was being bullied by a child in the estate where it was located. Her daughter was nervous and afraid of the other child, yet she was told she would be placed on the bottom of the list. The local authority did not take into account the mother's concern. This type of case may be provided for in the Bill — I am not sure — but, if not, it should be considered, if possible. It would make a difference because the person in question would be offered a second and third house.

It is important that there be discussion with applicants who refuse houses to ascertain the problem with them. If a person refuses a house, he or she should not be offered the house next door, which could very well happen. This should be addressed.

From time to time, someone is offered a house which is not in good condition. Will the Minister of State ensure that houses offered by local authorities are in good condition? The condition should be so good that the Minister of State would not mind moving in. These are the criteria we should have. I have come across cases of houses being offered to people which are in appalling condition with back gardens dug up, missing sewerage tank covers and drafty doors. People should not be offered houses in these conditions. People are then told to paint the house themselves.

In many areas, including my own, town councils and county councils are housing authorities and people must make two applications using the exact same application form. Is there any way this duplication can be avoided and a person can make one application which is sent to both housing authorities? This could be examined.

I know issues arise with regard to funding for disability grants and I have a suggestion for the Minister of State. Stair lifts are given to people who need them. Often, the stair lift is not taken back after the person passes away. Many such pieces of equipment could be taken back when they are no longer needed. The Bill contains much more we could discuss but I have touched on most of the points I wished to raise. Colleagues mentioned other points and I did not want to duplicate.

A buzzword at present is "energy conservation" but I do not see it mentioned in the Bill. Perhaps it is included in other legislation. It should be a priority to take advantage of sunlight to warm houses through glass and windows facing south. We should also ensure as far as we can that we maximise energy conservation. I wish the Bill speedy passage and the Minister of State good luck with it.

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