Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As we speak, the Minister with responsibility for housing is attending with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and others at the formal launch of the Government's housing action plan and so the Deputy's question is very pertinent and appropriate.

We have made no secret that the issue of providing accommodation and proper housing for people, both social and affordable, and dealing with homelessness is a key priority of Government. That is why €5.3 billion is being provided, with 47,000 houses to be provided by 2021. Obviously, execution of the plan is an important point. The consultation with the entire spectrum of interested parties has been thorough. I commended Deputy John Curran and the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Housing and Homelessness on the report they produced. There is an appendix at the back of the plan dealing with each proposal brought forward by the Oireachtas committee, which is right and proper because these formed part of the detailed conversations and discussions that were held by the committee on this matter. The plan contains five pillars. It will be debated in the House this evening and tomorrow, during which time Deputies from all sides and all parties will have an opportunity to comment on it.

It is important to note that in recent years, local authorities have not measured up in the building of social housing to the extent needed. The Minister, Deputy Coveney, has looked at this carefully and has provided local authorities with a €200 million fund for access to sites that are currently inaccessible, either by bridge or road and to allow councils to design their own schemes in respect of certain conditions being applied. He has also provided for expedited capacity for An Bord Pleanála to allow it deal directly with applications that are usually first lodged with the local authorities and then transferred to An Bord Pleanála, such that in a situation where there is no further requirement for information, an answer will be given one way or the other inside 18 weeks. This is a serious attempt, following serious discussions by Government, to deal with this matter.

The first pillar of the plan on housing and homeless deals with homelessness. As the Minister, Deputy Coveney, has pointed out everybody should read the long and detailed first chapter of the plan because of the impact of homelessness. It is not appropriate that families and children in particular would be in inappropriate accommodation, bed and breakfast establishments or hotels. Obviously, the plan is set out in detail and is not only costed but timelined. It will be overseen by the Cabinet sub-committee and monitored carefully by the Minister. It is a case now of seeing if local authorities can measure up to the challenge they have been given with the resources they have been supplied with.

See this speech in context