Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I raise this issue again, having raised it first on 26 November 2014. I refer to the scandal of a very substantial housing development consisting of 99 units which has been lying idle since July 2014, in the middle of a housing crisis.

I raised it out of frustration in November and again in December and January, but nothing has happened to date other than a decision taken during a meeting in this House before Christmas, involving the Minister, the archbishop and the board of the Catholic Housing Aid Society, that the original tenants who had been put out in 2006 would be restored by Christmas. This indeed has happened, but that involves approximately 20 people. The other - close to 80 - units of accommodation remain idle and have remained idle since July 2014. It is a scandal given that people are desperately looking for accommodation, homeless people are on the streets and other people are in emergency accommodation. The local authority has given to the Catholic Housing Aid Society the names of people who have been waiting for months to be processed to enter their new accommodation.

This is all because of a petty wrangle between the board of the agency and Dublin City Council. The council quite rightly insists that they pay the differential rate for the accommodation. There is always a small top-up for voluntary housing and that would also be paid. However, what this board is seeking is quite extravagant and it would be quite improper to give in to the board's wishes in this respect. It would be quite improper particularly given that the Government has invested on behalf of the people €17 million on the construction of this accommodation.

From that point of view, it is extremely important that we protect our investment and get the people, who have been nominated to occupy those units, into those units in this very cold winter without delay. I cannot understand why there should be objections. I cannot understand why we cannot sort out the wrangle over the rent while at the same time people are moved in. I cannot understand why the Minister should not insist on having members appointed to the board so we can protect our investment.

Voluntary housing gets the lion's share - almost all the investment is contributed in capital assistance - and then has no say whatsoever in the running. Indeed it does not have the final say in the selection either.

It is important that we look afresh at developments of this nature. In this case, we need to act immediately. The Minister needs to state categorically that February will not go by without all people who have been nominated - almost 80 elderly people - for housing in Fr. Scully House being accommodated there.

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