Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Fianna Fáil for bringing this motion forward, which is very important, even though we have already spoken many times in the House highlighting different aspects and the measures that could and should be taken to alleviate the housing problems we have.

I support the motion for the provision of affordable houses to buy or to rent. It is a very laudable idea. There are many couples and young people struggling to pay even the rent. Consider the town of Killarney, for example, where rents of more than €1,000 and €1,200 per month are now common. Rent of €2,000 per month has been asked for houses in and around Killarney. With the incomes people have, and with families and everything else, they cannot afford these rents. When they get a notice to quit, which many of them seem to be getting recently and especially around Killarney, Tralee and Castleisland, they are very worried that they will not find a home, that they will be out on the road or their family will finish up in one room in the homeless centres in Tralee or Killarney. They are scared of their lives of this happening. Many couples are very worried about this.

This evening I want to determine the funding available for demountable homes, which I have come across in Kerry. The information I have heard from the housing section is that it is hard to get money from the Department to fund demountable homes. These people have an asset which is the site on which to place the demountable home. I want to determine if the Government is giving enough money to the local authorities or if it is the case that something has happened whereby the local authority is not approving this funding. I praise our local authority, especially the housing section and the grants section, for the great work it is doing giving grants to older people and to those who have a disability so they can stay in their homes for longer. That is where everybody wants to stay.

Deputy Collins has said that many houses are vacant but I do not agree with my colleague that these houses should be knocked or taken away from the owners. I believe that many of those who have a house and who cannot use it for the time being may come back when they get the opportunity. Funding must be made available for rural cottages because, again, those people have the sites.

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