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

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak on the motion regarding confidence in the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government. I have pleaded with the Minister time and time again and informed him that immediate action is needed to tackle the housing problem. The majority of those who are becoming homeless are from the private rental sector. We are all too aware that rents are rising to unsustainable levels. It has nearly come to the point where renting is more expensive than making monthly mortgage repayments. An endless list of my constituents from Kinsale to Goleen are unable to get on the property ladder and have to resort to paying huge rents.

I am aware of several shovel-ready projects in bigger towns in west Cork where planning permission has been given but where the green light has not been given to the people involved, who are willing to sell to the council. Meanwhile, they are still looking for sites in these towns where planning permission must still be sought. There are a lot of political shenanigans going on in west Cork that need to be looked at. I am looking at them.

During negotiations on the programme for Government, we spoke about a rural resettlement scheme. Depopulation is a worrying trend in rural communities. Eight businesses have been closed in the past three weeks in my constituency. Communities do not stand still. They either develop or decline. As the housing crisis in our towns and cities worsens, there was never a better time to actively promote the concept of rural resettlement. This scheme has been rolled out in County Clare. When can we see it applied to west Cork? This is not my first time asking this question. A plan needs to be put in place to source and build affordable housing in rural communities to enable urban-based families to move to rural areas through a rural resettlement scheme. Rural resettlement needs to be explored and promoted. It is time this Government listened and took real action.

If I saw real action being taken on rural resettlement, I might be able to stand here with some degree of confidence in the Minister. Action needs to be taken to protect rural Ireland and those living there. In the past two weeks, Cork County Council passed a vote of no confidence in the Minister. This was not personal but any honest politician could not stand for what is happening today. I will support the council by supporting this motion.

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