Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This is the gravest and greatest issue facing the State and the economy. One might not think that based on this morning's attendance but let us make no mistake about that.

The Government often takes offence at commentators and commentary to the effect that it is doing nothing in this area. The Government is doing something in this area - it is doing its best. Unfortunately, what the Government is doing is simply not working. If it was working, the statistics and stories we have heard from Deputy Casey would not be repeated day in, day out.

We facilitated the formation of the Government. We acknowledged that stability for the economy was paramount. It was paramount then and was paramount some weeks ago as well.

Our economy is improving. Deficits will be a thing of the past. This area allows the Government an opportunity to promote and ensure that there is growth in industry and innovation and an increase in the revenues. In turn, those revenues can be reinvested in areas that have been subject to under-investment in recent years.

However, the Government's success, when it is ultimately adjudicated upon, whenever that might be, will not necessarily be on those issues or on Brexit. That is because on those issues as well as Brexit, there is almost universal acceptance of and approval for the policy thrust and direction. There might be some differences in respect of the way in which it is done, but there is an acceptance that the Government has built upon the stability and stabilising policies of recent years. In any event, it will be adjudicated on how it has performed and met the challenge in respect of those who are less-well-off, the poor, the disadvantaged and those who have been left behind through no fault of their own. Most relevant will be the Government performance in tacking homelessness. Most relevant will be how it has dealt with those on the ever-increasing housing waiting lists; those who are paying crippling rents; those who cannot afford a home; those who are facing repossession or eviction and children who are having their childhood stolen. That is what is happening.

In a way, the Government response was personified, in no predetermined fashion, by the response of the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Deputy Regina Doherty, this morning to an item on "Morning Ireland". We heard from a man called Frank, who is 71 years old and facing eviction in the coming weeks. We thank him and appreciate his bravery in coming forward with his story. Many do not realise his predicament, despite the fact that Deputies most certainly do because they are at the coalface. They are stakeholders and are the people who hear similar stories recounted day in, day out. The Minister, Deputy Doherty, cried shame on the landlord who would allow this person to be evicted at this time of year. Of course that is the case, but shame on the Government that has not provided the necessary safety net for that person. That is the Government's job. She also referred to how the Respond! Housing Association deals specifically with the elderly and those in that predicament.

Respond! does but that should not have to because, in the first instance, it is a job for the State. That is the normalisation that has become prevalent in recent months and years. There seems to be an understanding or acceptance that it is the job of stakeholders and those who, thank God, are doing the great job they do. They provide assistance but, in many cases, this is because of the generosity of the Irish people. The Capuchins get €3.5 million from the people but €400,000 from the State. That is the difference and it demonstrates the innate nature and decency in the Irish people that they need to see in the Government too. We have not been seeing that.

I have been accused on many occasions of being part of the establishment and the response that is not working. As an elected representative of the Dáil and a member of my political party, I have a job to bring forward solutions. As my colleagues have mentioned, we have suggested many solutions and the Government has taken some of them on board. It is now time for me and others like me to say that there is a different direction in which we can go in order to help ameliorate the current situation. There are some local authorities that can do the job but many of them cannot. Many departmental officials can do the job but they are not doing it.

The time has come to recognise both the failings and successes of the past. The National Roads Authority built roads on budget and on time. The Dublin Docklands Development Authority developed the docklands. It is time for a housing authority to take control of this issue and it should be given terms of reference and a funding mechanism to ensure the job can be done properly. It can go off-balance sheet and it can have 51% investment from private sector elements, such as credit unions, pension funds and Irish private equity funds that wish to invest in capital projects. There could be Government-backed funds in which private citizens could invest. The 49% from the State could include the acres of land not being used. I have heard people in local authorities talking about expressions of interest but it takes them 18 months to put such expressions of interest into action and another three years to put a house in place.

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