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

I welcome the opportunity to speak to the Bill on the establishment of a new dedicated institution, Home Building Finance Ireland, which will lend to residential housing developers. I sincerely hope it is not just all talk again. An amount of hours has been spent on this issue during the past two and a half years - one Deputy who has just left the Chamber went on the whole time about filibustering - but I can assure the House that no one has ever heard filibustering about announcements and discussions on an issue more than this one. This is the second time this week I have had to ask the same question. Will this just be another layer of bureaucracy? Is it just another announcement? It sounds great, but down the road will we find that it cannot work?

We are all aware of the housing crisis and I am sure some people think a new dedicated institution which will supposedly lend to residential housing developers will help to easing the crisis by the creation of new houses. In all honesty, will this be like the Rebuilding Ireland scheme that was launched earlier this year? It sounded great on paper and certainly made it look like that the Government was finally taking action. However, it was just another smokescreen for it to hide behind. As I was one of those who had got caught up in all of the razzmatazz, I contacted all of the young people, especially couples, who had been in contact with me looking to see if they could get their lives off the ground by securing a loan. They had been refused by the banks and went looking for a local authority loan. Unfortunately, they were refused by it too. It was the usual old game - one was not earning enough, while the other was earning too much. I advised them that the Rebuilding Ireland scheme would save everyone, but what happened? They were refused. I know of no one who has been accepted, which is extremely disappointing. When the Government makes an announcement from the other side of the House, as Deputies, we must take it as an option to the constituents we represent. Unfortunately, the scheme has proved to be a great disappointment. I know of many couples who spent a lot of time trying their best to get across the line, but they were refused. They were given very poor explanations as to why they had been refused. The Rebuilding Ireland scheme could really have made a difference in dealing with the housing crisis by helping people to get onto the property ladder. Instead it was a scheme that had been launched without adequate resources to deal with the number of applicants. Recent figures indicate that 50% of applicants are rejected.

The Government has spoken many times about its plans to build more houses. It has promised to deliver 47,000 social housing units by the end of 2021 in a bid to tackle homelessness. My concern about this promise is that we are only three years away from that deadline. Can we have certainly that the Government will deliver on its promise?

The Government was offered a shovel-ready project in Skibbereen in my constituency, but it turned it down. We tried our best. The local authority advised on planning and everything was sorted to try to get it across the line, but it was told "No," that another site was being looked at. However, nothing had been done on that site. For me, it epitomised the mindset. There are many announcements but nothing else besides. The situation is the same for those on the massive housing waiting list in Clonakilty. When I was a member of the local council three years ago, people were promised that a number of houses would be built for the families who were waiting. Unfortunately, not a sod has yet been turned. We were promised that 12 houses would be purchased in Enniskeane. Recently I met one couple in Clonakilty who, with many more, had set their hopes on moving away from Clonakilty to Enniskeane, but we have now found out that the negotiations did not work out and that the houses are for sale on the website for €170,000. There is nothing happening in my constituency in that regard. For a lot of people I am painting a picture of a very bleak future. Some are looking for planning permission but finding it extremely difficult to obtain it. They meet a block wall everywhere they go.

I have called on the Government numerous times to invest in existing properties. There are countless vacant spaces available above commercial units that need to be refurbished to provide much needed residential accommodation in west Cork. One only has to drive through villages and towns such as Ballinadee, Ballineen, Dunmanway, Goleen, Kealkill, Leap, Schull and Skibbereen to see the pattern of vacant spaces above shop units. I have pleaded with the Government to consider offering grants to refurbish these vacant properties in a bid to ease the housing and homelessness crisis and protect and restore rural Ireland. It is time it listened and took real action. I ask the Minister of State to, please, not let Home Building Finance Ireland be another unsuccessful scheme. The people of Ireland truly deserve better.

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