Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

I share some of the principle espoused by Deputy Boyd Barrett and this is the reason I have been engaging with the National Asset Management Agency over the past two months to see what can be done to marry the supply and demand situation in the major cities. Approximately 10,000 units of accommodation are currently being assessed by NAMA, the Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency and my Department to establish how progress can be made to house people on the social housing list in those properties. I do not subscribe to the notion that the State must pay a lease or a rent supplement for ever and a day. There should always be an option to buy at the end of the process; otherwise the property reverts to the local authority or to the tenant in some way. We agree on the principle of trying to mobilise the high level of availability of housing units. For example, if NAMA could upgrade the properties and ensure they are in good building condition, because we do not want more problems of the kind we spoke about earlier, they could then be offered to people on the social housing lists around the country. This would be a way of dealing with a significant social problem.

See this speech in context