Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)

While I welcome the publication of this long overdue Bill, its introduction is akin to closing the stable door when the horse has bolted. The legislation should have been enacted before the Celtic tiger period during which people joined the mad rush to buy property. It is one thing to buy a home to live in but many people bought property in response to campaigns by auctioneers and builders encouraging members of the public to purchase further properties. Whereas the main aim of most people used to be to provide a home for their family, many of us started to purchase houses for investment purposes. In recent years, I heard many people say they wanted to purchase a house as an investment for their retirement. In most cases, their investments have become a major liability.

Many people owe substantial sums of money arising from property investments they made in towns or in cities such as Dublin. These investments have landed them in serious financial debt. At the time, they acted in the best interests of their families and to provide some assurance for their future. That is not what has transpired, however, as their decisions have created great uncertainty in their lives. I am not blaming auctioneers, developers or any particular group for this problem as it was part of the culture of the time. How many times did we saw photographs of people queueing outside estates in Dublin to view a showhouse and buy houses off the plans? Many of the houses they bought were not of a high standard. The recent cases involving pyrite are one such example.

The guidance provided to people on what they were purchasing left much to be desired and people were caught up in the rush. Regulations are required in this area because purchasing a home is a once in a lifetime decision for many people. For this reason, people need to be protected. I hope such regulations will be written into the Bill to assist those who are purchasing homes.

With regard to the new estates that have been built nationwide, the problems associated with getting them under the control of the local councils and concerning their management must be addressed. I hope they will be addressed by this legislation because many people who live in new houses have concerns about the empty houses. They question who will buy them, what will happen to them, who will keep the place tidy or who will keep the place clean. In the past 12 months in particular, I have visited several estates that builders have been unable to finish. Such people wonder whether the half-finished houses will be knocked down or will be left as eyesores and what will become of them.

The real point of this debate concerns the protection of people, houses in the estates and their environment, as well as the role that estate management companies will play in this regard. The economic climate has changed so much that this issue must be addressed. Clear guidelines are required from local authorities on estate management companies to ensure the high quality of people's lives. Having returned home in the evening to take their rest, spend time with their families and so on, such people should be sure on rising the next morning that everything remains the same and that people have not run riot. I refer to boy racers and other huge issues that concern all such new estates. This is a new phenomenon in rural Ireland as people now live in housing estates to a far greater extent than used to be the case. Personally, I have never done so as I have the privilege and luxury of living in the countryside and am quite happy to so do. However, having visited housing estates, I have concerns regarding the issues that face people there. These people are under financial pressure and have concerns regarding their future, whether their houses will be left intact and how valuable will they be. In some cases, people who put their houses on the market are afraid to put up an auctioneer's sign because so doing would run down the value of a house. I am unsure whether this Bill addresses the concerns of ordinary people who have great commitments to various financial institutions.

Estate management and the appearance of an estate is always central to the value of one's house. The councils and local authorities have much of which to be mindful in this regard, as does the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. There are villages in the part of the country from which I come where new housing estates were built without the installation of sewerage schemes. I must admit there are not many such cases but there have been certain instances. Some months ago, the aforementioned Department received a list in respect of sewerage plants for villages in south County Tipperary, all of which have been turned down. I wonder how serious is the Government about protecting these villages, estates and those who live in them.

The lack of legislation has caused estate agents, developers and financial institutions to eliminate any form of competition in the housing market. If this is the case, and I believe it is, it is a sad state of affairs. When discussing this legislation and having noted previously the tardiness of its implementation, I welcome its introduction and believe it will have a positive effect. However, the proposed authority must understand the needs of the many people who live in such estates, as well as those who live in ordinary houses, flats, apartments or whatever the case may be. I reiterate my welcome for the introduction of this legislation and hope it will be good for both the community and the people.

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