Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am not given to lengthy contributions so I will not detain the House unduly. The Minister of State has been talking about the positive aspects of this Bill. Undoubtedly, there are many very positive aspects to this legislation. Deputy Cowen and practically every other speaker has referred to them both on Second Stage and in addressing the multiplicity of amendments put before the House on Committee Stage. However, I must begin by saying that it seems inordinately disappointing that although we have reached the virtual conclusion of Committee Stage, the Minister of State has not accepted a single amendment from this side of the House. I see it as a sign of strength rather than weakness for a Minister to be able to listen to the Opposition and to take on board positive recommendations that are coming forward.

I made the point on Second Stage and in respect of some of the amendments, along with Deputy Cowen, that there are a number of lost opportunities in this legislation. Yet again, we have lost the opportunity to address the issue of the sale of voluntary housing units by voluntary housing associations to their tenants where the association is willing and has the agreement of the local authority to undertake such a sale. I must admit that this opportunity was lost when my own party was in Government, but the Deputy is the Minister of State now. This has not happened and is a missed opportunity. I hope it is something the Minister of State will address in the Seanad or in some future piece of legislation that she will bring forward at an early stage. There has been some confusion emanating from the Department. However, it is my very clear understanding that it is not possible under the current legislation for voluntary housing associations to dispose of houses built under the capital assistance and capital loan and subsidy schemes where 100% of the funding came from the Department and where 100% of the people housed came from the local authority waiting list, although people are trying to argue that it is. It not possible for these people to purchase their houses under the current legislation. The 2009 Act made it possible under the incremental purchase scheme to purchase houses built after 2009 with the agreement of the voluntary housing association and the local authority. I do not know if any such houses were even built, never mind sold, under this scheme.

During a very lengthy debate, many Members have referred to the role of NAMA. There has been talk of the number of houses NAMA has offered to local authorities and the number of houses that local authorities have in turn taken up. What has not been addressed is the fact that, as I understand it, NAMA did not make the houses available to the local authorities free of charge. They had to be paid for. If the Department did not give the local authorities the funding in the first instance, they were not in a position to purchase the properties that had been identified and were being offered.

Perhaps the Minister of State will address one other issue in respect of these NAMA properties. I am told that when local authorities across the country looked at the range of properties offered, some were deemed suitable and others were deemed unsuitable. Could the Minister of State explain to us whether or not the suitability of the properties had anything to do with the people on the housing list who required housing or whether it had more to do with criteria laid down by the Department relating to the type of construction involved and the size of the particular units that might be purchased?

Was it the case that the Department would not permit a local authority to purchase a house that was in excess of 1,100, 1,200 or 1,300 sq. ft. because such houses were considered to be too large to be used? Did that represent a problem in addressing the number of units offered by NAMA?

All of us focused on the importance of the building programme. When the country was in dire straits previously, there was a construction programme. I fully accept the Minister of State's commitment to house building, but she said she would work with local authorities to return to house building and that it would be off-balance-sheet.

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