Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to contribute on this important motion. In A Programme for a Partnership Government, the Government made a promise: "Providing affordable, quality and accessible housing for our people is a priority for the New Partnership Government." In fact, this is the very first line under the general vow to end the housing shortage and homelessness. It is sad to say that the shortage of housing has not been reduced in the two years since the Government regained power. If anything, the demand for housing and accommodation has increased.

I have spoken on the housing crisis numerous times in the Dáil. Every time I do, the homeless figures have increased. There were 8,587 people homeless across Ireland in the week of 25-31 December 2017. That includes adults and children. The number of families becoming homeless has increased by more than 17% since December 2016.

The need is not just to create accessible accommodation for these people, but to make it affordable as well. Last year's €90 million help-to-buy scheme has been driving up house prices and doing the opposite of what was intended. It is urgent that the compulsory purchase and development of land and landbanks currently tied up in NAMA in key areas of demand is seen to, as is re-introducing the affordable housing scheme that the Fine Gael Government wrongly scrapped in 2012.

All of the schemes that the Minister, his predecessor and the Government have introduced are aimed at first-time buyers. However, they have been leaving behind those who fell victim to the economic downturn, whose houses were repossessed or sold due to the large and unattainable mortgages given to them by the banks, and those who are trying to start again but are not considered first-time buyers. I hope that the Government will take these people into consideration and allow them a second chance at owning their own homes.

In its motion, Sinn Féin mentions a number of areas around Dublin city and other major cities that are in a bad way, but this crisis reaches far beyond city boundaries. It is in every constituency in Ireland, including my own of Cork South-West. I hope that "affordable housing" will not turn out like many of the affordable sites that we have in places like Schull and Bantry in west Cork. While they were affordable initially, they became incredibly expensive and were being sold to the highest bidder. That was wrong and unfair. Young people who wanted to set up in their local communities were turned away because bidders came in to buy homes in west Cork. The House knows the popularity of some holiday resorts.

Unfortunately, that was the situation with which they were met. I cannot understand the pressure being put on so many young people. If they want to build homes or get planning permissions it costs thousands of euro. If one is granted planning permission, one then has to go to a bank only to be told one's wife, partner or oneself is not earning enough. One then goes to local authorities and is told one is earning too much. It is a mess. I meet people in my constituency of Cork South-West every week who are applying for social housing, which adds to the pressure which is already there. We all know how many families are waiting for a long time to get council houses. The Minister of State has an opportunity to set the record straight and do some good in regard to housing for the people of the country.

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