Dáil debates

Wednesday, 13 June 2018

Housing: Motion [Private Members]

 

3:30 pm

Photo of James BrowneJames Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Solidarity-People Before Profit for bringing forward this motion and I thank Deputy Darragh O'Brien for the work he has done. We know what is happening. Rent prices are out of control. That is the case across my county of Wexford, whether it is Enniscorthy, Gorey, Wexford town or New Ross. In particular, vulnerable people - older people, single people and carers - are being priced out of the market. Housing prices are ballooning. Ordinary people are priced out of the market and working families cannot afford to buy a home. We were warned in 2012 that this would happen. When I was a candidate in the county council election in 2014 I was told by Government councillors to stop complaining, that it takes a year or two to build houses and that it would be done. It is now 2018 and houses are still not being built.

I want to address three bugbears of mine, one of which is the family income supplement, FIS. If someone wants to go on the housing list, FIS is deemed as an income and therefore many families are over the threshold and cannot get on the housing list. For someone who wants to get a council mortgage, FIS is deemed as a social welfare support and they cannot get a council mortgage. The Government should make up its mind up one way or the other. Is it income or a social welfare support?

On the mobility adaption grant, €6,000 was the maximum amount available. That was fine up to about two years ago in that if a bathroom needed to be adapted for someone with a disability they would get quotes for about €8,000. Those quotes are coming in now at €16,000 and €18,000. Unfortunately, that is the going rate, and engineers will say that. If a bathroom needs to be adapted for someone with dementia and their carer is on an invalidity pension, that €10,000 of a difference may as well be €1 million. They cannot get it. I ask the Minister to consider increasing the €6,000 maximum amount. He might put it as a percentage similar to the housing adaption grant.

There is a lack of apprenticeships. We also need to allow apprentices increase their skills. I refer to having four men and four women in centres. Upskilling is vitally important. The market is failing. That needs to be addressed, but the Minister needs to step up to the mark.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.