Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We have been very clear as a political party that the housing and homelessness emergency is the No. 1 priority which must be addressed by this Oireachtas. Hence, I support strongly and pay tribute to the special committee on housing which was chaired by Deputy John Curran and which is completing its work this week. It will present its work on Friday. What we have here is an inclusive, a comprehensive and an energetic process which raises the issues and points towards solutions. In that context, I advise some misgivings about the tendency towards and disturbing signs of a return to the old days of policy by leak whereby Ministers plant stories in the media rather than to engage in constructive discussion. We need to avoid that as it can cause damage as it did in the past number of years. We do not need a new strategy every three months. If there is buy-in from all sides of the House to the recommendations of the Oireachtas committee on housing and homelessness, what we need then is an implementation plan on those recommendations. Therefore, regarding the €200 million that has been announced now, it is essential that whatever is said fits within the overall full policy approach. However, I must say following the contribution of the former Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brendan Howlin, on Leaders' Questions, it appears it is not new money at all. It is a bit longer put out than one is led to believe from the statements.

When we met the housing officials during the meetings with Independents prior to the formation of a Government, there seemed to be a distinct ideological resistance to building council houses. That needs to stop and we need to build them. It can represent the most effective and speedy way to get some housing stock back within the possession of the State apart altogether from purchasing housing and so on. Down through the decades, some great schemes were built which have left an indelible and positive impact on our communities. For whatever reason, there is a sense of inertia and reluctance to build council housing, which is an approach we need to change in order to start providing them.

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