Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The State should buy an element of the private housing in the development to use for social housing in order to tackle ghettoisation.

The idea that we would set national standards rather than leave it at the whim of the Minister of the day is not rocket science. It would be a very sensible way forward. The standards need to be set for the entire country. The point was made on Second Stage that there is too much diversity throughout the country. If, however, we set these minimum standards in primary legislation they will work for the whole country and there will be a standard across the board. These are workable. The Minister of State might say that in the country it is not necessary to have such a high ceiling but it should be. Why should it be any different? It is cheaper to build in the countryside than in Dublin. It is more expensive to build in Dublin than in any other part of Ireland. That is a fact. The idea of introducing legislation right across the board with really good standards would be a brilliant way forward.

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