Seán Kenny (Dublin North East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Thank you, a Cheann Comhairle for the opportunity to raise this matter. I refer to the inordinate delay in the handing over of 48 apartment units at Clare Village, Malahide Road, Dublin 17, from NAMA to Tuath Housing for allocation by Dublin City Council to families on the council's homeless list. There is a housing crisis in the country and a serious homelessness problem, which dates to the collapse of the property market and the cessation of building projects. To address the situation the Government instructed NAMA to make available vacant units under its administration that were built by builders who went out of business or otherwise into liquidation and whose units were lying idle. Clare Village, Malahide Road is a case in point.

There are half a dozen homeless families in my constituency who come to me on a regular basis. At the beginning of January this year they were informed through Dublin City Council that they were to be selected for the allocation of those particular units. They had been homeless for some time before that but they were hopeful of being housed in the near future. Their expectation was that it would happen within a short time.

I know of a number of cases of ongoing delays. I am full of praise for the homeless section at Dublin City Council because its job is difficult but is done properly and professionally.

In January a family was told it would be allocated a unit and could move in towards the end of March. The family had previously been in refuge and temporary accommodation and there are other such families who must move around. I do not know the reason but March passed and the family were not allowed to move in. Instead they were told they could move in towards the end of April but this did not happen either. At the beginning of April the family were told there were unspecified administrative difficulties but that they could move into the unit in eight weeks. This period has long passed. The family were then told they could move in at the end of June and this has now changed to the end of July. There is a pattern to this.

I asked Dublin City Council to explain the delay but it will not tell me nor the two housing associations that contacted it. This accommodation is under the control of NAMA and that is a difficult body to deal with because of the regulations under which it operates. One must be careful what one says if one contacts NAMA because one could be accused of lobbying.

The point is, there are half a dozen such families in my constituency and there are 48 apartments available, so families from across the city could be housed. Instead they are still in emergency accommodation and hostels waiting to occupy units that are ready. I do not know the reason for the delays. It could be a matter of legal conveyancing, administration or simply somebody not getting on with things, but it is unacceptable.

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