Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

We know the problem and we know the reasons and the circumstances that gave rise to the current housing crisis. We know also that this crisis was brewing for years. The interventions which could have been made at various stages and which would have made a difference to the situation not escalating or becoming worse were not made. One significant factor was that local authorities stopped building houses.

We know all the statistics, including that there are over 90,000 people on the social housing waiting list, that the numbers of people in homelessness are rising, that the numbers of those in emergency accommodation are also rising and that the numbers of individuals sleeping rough and the hidden homeless who move from couch to couch are increasing as well. In addition, many of the people on the housing lists long term are being pushed down those lists because there are more people coming onto them. We know that demand is exceeding supply.

Having been a member of the Committee on Housing and Homelessness, I know that the solution involves a multifaceted approach. I acknowledge the wide-ranging consultation in which the committee engaged, including with the Minister. We are at a point now where we need action rather than words. What we do not want is actions that will lead to negative consequences later. One of the key areas is social housing provision so that we can get people out of emergency accommodation and private renting, which is more cost-effective. When one balances what the Government is spending on emergency accommodation, homelessness and rent supplement versus what it would cost to build social housing and get people back into homes, that to which I refer makes economic sense. Many individuals and families are putting themselves under immense pressure to get top-ups to meet the cost of rent. It is essential that we get social housing right.

We know that 10,000 units per year is not enough but if we can deliver on 10,000 real social housing units, it will make a difference. Lone parents with children, senior citizens, couples and single men who are on the housing lists should benefit from this new build. For me, success will be the movement in significant numbers of such people into one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom units. I would like to speak about children because a number of mothers asked me to specifically refer to the devastating physical and mental affects on their children of living in emergency accommodation and the shame they feel when their friends see them going into a hostel or hotel. I know projects in the north inner city that are accessing counselling for such children.

I tried to read as much of the report as I could this afternoon. Obviously, I was looking at it from the point of view of the cross-party committee report. The latter report was pretty well received by those working in housing and homelessness and I did hear some positive reaction to this report. It is disappointing, however, that some of the committee's recommendations are not included in it. For example, was the advice of the Attorney General sought on the committee's recommendation for a moratorium on home repossessions? Will the Minister give an assurance that homeless shelters will not close unless residents have viable alternatives? Will he similarly provide that hotels that are in NAMA and being used as emergency accommodation cannot be sold until the residents get alternative accommodation? One of the key pillars of the plan ought to have been around prevention but I do not see any proposals in that regard in the report. On rent certainty and fixed tenure, I presume the affordable rental sector issue will be addressed in the autumn statement.

Yesterday, I attended a meeting with Social Justice Ireland on financing for social housing at which it was suggested that we could invoke the structural reform clause in the EU Stability and Growth Pact, which would, it was suggested, provide us with €1 billion in on-balance-sheet funding and, along with that, the off-balance-sheet mechanism of low-cost finance, which we know is available from credit unions and the Housing Finance Agency.

In the case of O'Devaney Gardens, I looked at submissions made to Dublin City Council by residents who live in the area. They are very much in favour of mixed tenure and want quality housing. They made an interesting point about the need to define "affordable". Perhaps that issue might be looked at also.

How much funding will be available to each local authority, particularly those with the longest housing waiting lists such as Dublin City Council? We suggested one framework. The Minister is suggesting the housing delivery office and the housing procurement office, but I am anxious to know who the actual driver will be.

I welcome what the Minister said about mental health and addiction issues, but there is a lack of specific measures to deal with them. We need timeframes for monitoring, evaluating and implementing measures. The Minister should come here before Christmas at the latest to give us a rundown on what the actions taken have achieved. I listened to the response of Brother Kevin Crowley, for whom I have great respect. He said action was needed and that the time for talk was over. We need action now.

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