Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate on this motion. This Dáil is reactive, not proactive. Mr. Barry O'Kelly had to bring what was happening to our attention. Where people are living is scandalous, but let us be straight about it - this situation will continue for the simple reason that we have not put in place the necessary resources to conduct checks.

The national framework plan is an insult to people who have put effort into this. If the Government keeps driving people to one part of the country, we will end up with these ghettos. The Government cannot see this. We need balanced regional development.

Something within the Department's remit needs to be addressed, namely, the number of idle houses that have not been flipped quickly and put right. Simple schemes could be put in place to ensure that people are lined up to do up houses quickly and turn them over. From what I can see, however, the leadership at the top of some councils is falling apart. This is a major problem everywhere.

As Deputy Danny Healy-Rae mentioned, people down the country would not treat an animal like the tenants in that programme were treated. It should not be tolerated. Measures should be put in place to ensure that such landlords do not get away with it. Unfortunately, the Minister of State will not be able to flick a switch and change this overnight. We need people to be out there conducting NCTs on houses at least once per year in order to ensure that the rogue landlords are removed.

The more jobs that are driven into an area, especially lower paid ones, the higher the number of people living together in rooms because that is all that they can afford. If we keep doing this instead of pursuing balanced regional development, that is the Ireland that we will end up with. The same Department needs to examine the national planning framework. What has been done on that front outside Dublin is a disgrace.

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