Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

-----but I congratulate all those who made their maiden speeches tonight. We have to be serious here but the Minister's behaviour tonight, as per usual, was bullish and dogmatic. He promises everything and delivers nothing. The modular homes are proving that. Local authorities and the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government have failed to build houses for the people. We were able to build them in the 1950s and 1960s. It is just ineptitude now. We met two very senior officials in our talks with the Government party on housing and they could not answer our questions or tell us anything. It is very disappointing. They have lost the will and the way to look after the people in terms of the provision of houses. I refer to a note which mentions 20 houses in Tipperary. Interviews for architects have been held. It is all about interviews, architects and consultants, pushing paper around and creating jobs for people instead of getting houses built and trying to do something decent. There are 2,800 people in Tipperary who are approved for housing not to mention all of those whose houses are being repossessed and the terror behind that lucrative industry involving the banks and NAMA and their friends the sheriffs, county registrars and receivers. We saw what happened with a farm in Cork the other day. While it was nothing to do with the house, the house will probably go next. There was a €2.4 million debt and the receivers appointed have run up a bill of €1.6 million in 11 months. There will not be a shilling for anyone. The sooner the Government wakes up and stops this murky business, the better. Cromwell was not as bad in his heyday as these people. There are homeless people in hotels. The folly of it is pure crazy and I cannot understand it.

The voluntary housing sector has huge capacity. People acting in a voluntary capacity set up the water schemes and everything else. However, the mandarins in the Department do not want them. Bord snip disbanded the unit that was dealing with the voluntary sector because its house building was causing embarrassment. They were asked to up their game from 1,500 to 2,500 and they did it. We cannot demonise the small builders who can and will deliver. Deputy Fitzmaurice referred to price and value. To pay that kind of money for modular homes is extortionate. Too many people are involved in the racket of take, take and take. There is nothing about providing houses for ordinary people who want to pay for them. I just got a telephone call an hour ago from a young man in my constituency who has been refused planning. It is going on now for 18 months. He wants to build a house on his own land but the planners say he cannot put in it this place or that place and that he must put it in such a place or he will be refused. It is disgraceful. There is too much shenanigans and antics by officialdom which will stop people who want a home from housing themselves. They will not support people who are in trouble with the banks to keep them in their homes but rather force them onto the housing lists and make their children homeless. Trauma, stress, sickness and marital breakdown goes with that and accumulates huge problems for the years to come.

Past Governments have failed in their duty to house the people. Governments will have to get back to basics and allow people who want to build their own houses or get loans to do so. Approximately two years ago, the Minister, Deputy Alan Kelly, announced the mortgage to rent scheme. Three people were approved for that in Tipperary in three years. It is pathetic codology. The sooner we cut out the codology in here about forming a Government and listen to the people, the better. It is public service not self-service.

See this speech in context