Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have not yet had the chance to review the Bill Fianna Fáil is bringing forward. Regarding Part V units, which I meant to address during the first part of my reply to the question, I do not necessarily agree with the Deputy's views. The Department has a very clear view on this as well, and it is a view I will share until someone convinces me otherwise or that we are wrong on this. The reason Part V units are excluded from the scheme is to ensure that units delivered under this mechanism will remain available for people in need of social housing support and that we get the mixed tenure we are trying to achieve. That is the logic of the Part V provision. I accept that perhaps there was a different logic when it was first brought in. I know there was also a lot of pressure at the Committee on Housing and Homelessness for Part V to be changed and reviewed, but it is the best way to generate a proper mixed tenure of housing in housing development. It is the right idea and the right scheme. There is a danger if one allows Part V houses to be sold off that the aims of the original Part V provision will be diminished, we will not achieve mixed tenure and we will be back to square one. I therefore disagree with the Deputy but I am willing to tease out the matter, as we all are. There is a genuine reason for its exclusion, but if the Deputy could convince me otherwise, I would change it.

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