Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 1:

To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following:recognises:

- that the housing crisis is a national economic, social and moral challenge; and

- the need for affordable housing to dampen down unsustainable property price rises and ensure ordinary families can secure home ownership;

criticises:

- Fine Gael's decision to abolish the affordable housing scheme in 2012;

- the failure to adequately invest in social and affordable housing from 2011; and

- the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government's decision not to spend the €10 million allocated to an affordable rental model in budget 2016; and

calls on the Government to:

- launch a new off-balance sheet housing delivery agency to lead in delivering social and affordable housing;

- compulsory purchase and develop State and State agency land in key areas of demand;

- reduce construction costs and expand finance to ensure construction is viable;

- initiate a new tenant purchase scheme to enable local authority tenants to avail of home ownership at an affordable level; and

- restore Part V to 20% of social and affordable housing.

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