Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There are 60,000 people working today who were not working this day last year. There is a prediction for significant growth in the economy and job creation; we have reduced our unemployment rate from a high of 15%, as Deputy Donnelly knows, to 11.7%. It is still high but it is below the European average. Our economy is growing and the Government has put its efforts into economic recovery so it can deal with increasing investment in social supports like local authority housing and assisting people in debt who have difficulty emerging from that problem.

We could not do this within the economic spiral we inherited as a Government, as the country faced an appalling vista. We have put that behind us and the troika has left our shores, so there will be increasing investment and income from working people. In the last quarter there was more than €200 million collected in income tax; that means more people are working and there is less expenditure on social welfare, with more money to be put into social fairness and equality matters, including housing.

I accept that passion and commitment has been shown by everybody on this side of the House with regard to housing and homelessness. This issue is not the prerogative of any one party or person, and we are all deeply concerned by the matter. I acknowledge the deep commitment on both sides of the House to improving the lot of people who need proper housing and accommodation, fairer rents and a decent place in which to live. That is what this Government and those opposite are about.

Notwithstanding all the difficult circumstances we have seen, the Minister of State, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, is doing a tremendous job. The housing policy statement is categoric in its focus on housing supports, which must seek to meet the most acute needs of those unable to provide for their accommodation. This is particularly so because of the constraints on our resources and now there are clear signs that we are turning the corner, we will enhance what we can achieve in the areas of housing and homelessness and will also help to reduce the numbers of those at risk.

We are all out on the doorsteps these days and an issue raised by everybody is the question of vacant social housing units, with some being boarded up and remaining unoccupied for a year or more. It is a shameful position evident in housing estates around the country. This gives rise to vandalism and there is also a reduction in amenities in residential areas where significant numbers of units are closed. Repairs bills can be unacceptable.

There are approximately 90,000 on the waiting list for social housing. That is why on 17 April the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, announced a €15 million funding stream to bring vacant and boarded-up local authority units back into use. This investment will create, or bring back into play, 952 homes for families around the country. With the significant pressure on social housing supply, the Government is determined that no suitable homes will be left vacant when there are families in need of housing.

This funding will not only provide additional social housing, but will enhance whole communities by transforming vacant housing units that have blighted some communities for years. The investment is also good news for people in construction as work will be attractive to small and medium-sized contractors. Refurbishing vacant units is a quick and cost-effective way of boosting the number of houses for families on the waiting list. While this programme will kick-start the process, the Minister of State intends to meet with the directors of housing for all local authorities soon in order to discuss practical means by which the phenomenon of houses lying vacant while there is a clear shortage of accommodation can be resolved once and for all.

There are many other points I could make but the Minister of State has taken note of the individual contributions. We can all go forward together, as our economy recovers, to meet people's just and social housing needs and to put increasing resources into social supports for housing as our economy improves.

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