Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for taking this topic. We will have the chance to discuss other issues in respect of housing tomorrow. One thing that has come across clearly to all Members is the fact that housing construction has fallen to critically low levels. Output is not keeping pace with the additional households that are formed every year. We are told there are 100,000 people on the housing waiting lists. However, the figures I have received for housing units provided last year indicate in the region of 8,000 were provided. Perhaps the Minister of State will confirm this. It is important that social housing should be increased in particular because of the increase in homelessness in the past two years.

I hope the Government can assist the housing associations by resolving some of the existing hurdles and, in turn, deliver more social housing. I have in mind in particular availing of private finance with appropriate terms and conditions and removing the administrative hurdles that exist such as State mortgage charges. The NAMA model has been referred to frequently but I believe the NAMA model should be speeded up in respect of property transfers. I hope we could have at least a three year planned housing development programme. Many areas could be examined but I hope the Minister of State will consider the position of voluntary housing projects.

I have a case which I raised before by way of a parliamentary question in respect of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul project at Ozanam House, Ballinasloe, County Galway, a proposed voluntary housing project for the elderly in Ballinasloe. The project is one of many that requires the Department's capital assistance scheme funding to proceed to the next stage. I understand that by 27 March, which is only 14 days away, local authorities must submit their prioritised lists of capital assistance projects. I hope the project in Ballinasloe will be considered in this allocation. Ballinasloe does not have any housing for the elderly. Let us compare this with a town such as Tuam where Clúid has a successful sheltered housing project, mostly for elderly people.

Given the amount of work that has gone into the project by the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, I hope this can be favourably considered.

Many elderly people are feeling the effects of a combination of social welfare cutbacks and increased rents. This is particularly so in Dublin where due to those issues, more people are on waiting lists for social housing. Homelessness will continue if we do not tackle the issue. The Minister of State has said we will deal with homelessness once and for all by 2016, but a lot more work is needed now if we are to meet that target.

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