Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak today on the issue of homelessness and housing. There is no doubt that this issue is one of the greatest challenges facing not only the Government but society as a whole.

There is no quick-fix solution. I strongly believe that this issue should not be used as a political football simply to score political points. We all need to work together to find a solution that will not only provide a short-term solution but also prove to be a long-term sustainable answer. It is clear that we now need a strategy to increase the supply of quality housing for a population that is increasing and an economy that is growing faster than any other in Europe.

I agree that it is simply not acceptable in 2016 to have families in emergency accommodation. A proper solution to the housing issue needs to be found and it must include home ownership, sustainable construction, social and affordable housing, protection for renters and addressing homelessness.

We also need to work more closely with people in local authorities who are at the coal-face dealing with these issues. This week I met Denis McArdle, a full-time housing officer in Louth County Council. He gave me an update on the current state of affairs in County Louth. In County Louth, the Simon Community has a total of 25 beds available, of which the council has an allocation of 14. The Gatehouse has a total of seven beds while Drogheda Homeless Aid has a capacity of 30 beds, of which eight are allocated to Louth County Council. In addition to these facilities, the council also has exclusive use of three bed and breakfast houses in Dundalk and five in Drogheda. I note that 12 new units are due to come on stream in the Linen Hall Street area of Dundalk soon. This is welcome news.

Louth County Council is one of the few authorities which has a 24-hour contact number for people at risk of homelessness. Officially, Louth does not have any people sleeping rough or homeless. I believe this is a result of the measures already mentioned and the good work of people like Denis McArdle and Joe McGuinness, the current director of services in Louth County Council. Denis McArdle and Joe McGuinness deal head-on with housing problems and homelessness on a daily basis. It is clear to me from speaking with such people that a workable and sustainable solution can be found if we work together. For example, a short-term temporary solution could be to use private accommodation to replace the expensive bed and breakfast accommodation and hotels. Not only would this prove a more cost-effective solution, it would also provide a better living standard for the families involved. It is estimated that this measure alone could save approximately €2,750 per family per month. Another measure worth investigating is a system whereby families could be encouraged or incentivised to rehouse family members who have found themselves in the unfortunate position of being homeless.

I imagine Members from all sides of the House will have further ideas on housing issues and I would welcome an opportunity to discuss them if it means we can improve the situation and improve the lives of our constituents. It is incumbent on us to act now. I know many people will highlight the problems in today's debate but that is not what we need.

We need work together to find solutions. Solutions to the housing crisis can only be solutions if they prevent homelessness, eliminate the need to sleep rough, eliminate the need for long-term occupation of emergency accommodation, provide long-term housing solutions and ensure effective services.

I know from working with my party colleagues that Fine Gael has a sustainable solution which would provide long-term answers. This includes the delivery of 110,000 social houses by 2020, working with housing associations to provide a low-cost rental option for low-income families, increasing tax relief for landlords who accept rent supplement and HAP tenants, the protection of renters, the introduction of a positive retention scheme to operate by 2017, an increase in the relevant notice period for compliant tenants in the event of rent increases or lease terminations, streamlining the powers of the Private Residential Tenancy Board and supporting the concept of home ownership through the tenant purchase scheme for social housing tenants.

It is critical that we do not make the same mistakes as the last Fianna Fáil Government when it comes to creating a sustainable construction industry. The people of this country have already paid a very high price for the mistakes and the boom-and-bust policies it pursued. To create a sustainable construction industry which will provide the necessary housing, Fine Gael proposes the following: annual housing output at sustainable levels of 25,000 by 2021; improving the availability of finance for new home construction with a €500 million joint venture to finance the building of 11,000 new homes through the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund; tackling the holding of land by developers by introducing a vacant site levy on serviced land in urban areas; streamlining the local planning process with "use it or lose it" planning permission; and amending the planning guidelines with respect to student accommodation to support the construction of on-campus or near-campus purpose-built student accommodation.

I would like to put on the record of the House my support for any measures that would improve the housing and homelessness issues, no matter from what side of the House they come. We must all work together to tackle these issues and, once and for all, eradicate housing issues and homelessness from Irish society.

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