Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Sinn Féin motion. I mean nothing personal towards the Minister but I will be highly critical of the Government's handling of the housing crisis for the past six years.

I was a little thrown when I heard Deputy Jan O'Sullivan tell the House that we should bring back affordable housing given that the Labour Party got rid of it. I was even more upset when she started to tell us about the expertise in the National Asset Management Agency.

Yesterday, I put three questions to the Taoiseach. I asked him to seriously consider introducing real measures to deal with land banking because the vacant site levy is a joke. I assure the Minister that no developer in his right mind will be bothered by the levy. Not one will be caught by this minuscule levy that will not have any effect.

I also asked the Taoiseach about his plans to relaunch NAMA as the solution to our housing crisis. It is incredible that we would even consider the notion. These people who are under investigation in three countries. They know nothing about housing. Not one person on NAMA's board has expertise or a background in property, including residential property. They clearly know bugger all about the markets, given that they are selling stuff for peanuts, but now we might ask them to build on some of the lands the agency controls.

Yesterday, I pointed out the example of Project Abbey, under which NAMA took 72 acres of land, with planning permission for more than 900 units, off the hands of Harcourt Developments . It boasted about that, claiming that it would keep the land for housing. That would have been grand, but what did NAMA do? It gave the land back to Harcourt Developments to build the houses. Developers are not interested in making €5,000 or €10,000 on a unit. They are interested in making €50,000 plus. They are the only people with whom NAMA will work because it does not have the expertise itself. The developers have the expertise, but they cost us too much and are producing units that are too expensive.

Yesterday, I asked the Taoiseach whether he would give NAMA's lands to the local authorities. We all know that they have problems delivering housing. The Government might say that they are not fit for purpose, but why do we not make them fit for purpose? The previous Minister, Deputy Coveney, told us last November that local authorities could produce three-bedroom houses in Dublin at a cost of €205,000 and for €154,000 outside Dubin. Why would we want to get developers to build houses and pay them €350,000 or €400,000 per unit? The average price of a house in Dublin is €461,000. Where is the rationale? I do not understand what the Government is thinking. I do not understand why the State does not engage directly in building social and affordable units via local authorities. It is not rocket science. Yes, it requires a great deal of organising and a restrengthening of local authorities after their powers being watered down for over 30 years. Rebuilding them would be a good idea. We did away with local authorities, leaving us with just weak local administration. We can have local authorities again and get them to provide social and affordable housing. The alternative will not work. I assure the Minister of State that the Government will need-----

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