Pat Casey (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank my colleague, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, for introducing this Bill, which forms another significant element of Fianna Fáil's practical, radical and evidence-based policy measures, designed to produce an emergency-level response to the ongoing crisis in housing. A generation faces being left scarred by a Government still not admitting the scale of the crisis or making the necessary decisions. Hearing that a toddler faces development challenges in walking and eating as a result of homelessness should make every Deputy in this Chamber ashamed and should mandate us to seek radical yet responsible policies to get a grip on our housing crisis.

Regrettably there are too many politicians in this Chamber and outside it, whose sole concern is to maximise the politics of Ireland's housing crisis and not offer solutions to it. We have even seen Fine Gael Dáil candidates state publicly that there is no homelessness crisis outside Dublin and that many of those who are suffering from homelessness are addicts and have made bad life choices. Political rhetoric designed to play down the Irish housing and homeless crisis is as inexcusable as populist stunts designed to make political capital out of the suffering of thousands of Irish families, our fellow citizens.

Those politicians who think that a general election in December or January will help ease the housing crisis at one of the most dangerous periods for homelessness should also reflect deeply on the politics they are promoting. These politically motivated tactics are disgraceful and bring shame to the responsible, mature yet radical actions that need to be enforced to address the Government's failure to provide homes for our people.

The Government continues to use the vast amount of expensive spin and public relations statements to attempt to convince us that the housing crisis is getting better. However, we know that it is worsening and an entire generation of Irish people face never being able to afford a home in the Taoiseach's so-called republic of opportunity.

We all know that the elephant in the Chamber tonight is how to increase the supply of affordable homes for sale and rent. Fianna Fáil has innovative, radical and purposeful policies in this regard such as this Bill, which will allow local authorities to earmark up to 30% of zoned land for first-time buyers. It will operate on a similar basis to current Part V provisions which ensure that 10% of units are set aside for social housing.

For example, a development of ten units must have up to three units available for first-time buyers to purchase. Each local authority must also review its housing strategy to set out its requirements for rental units over the lifetime of its housing plan. This will ensure a full picture of the housing market is considered when the local authority sets out its future development plans.

The goal of the Bill is to prevent the bulk-buying of entire developments by investment funds, also known as cuckoo funds, thereby freezing out first-time buyers. It contains exemptions to allow build-to-rent developments that would otherwise not be built to go ahead as part of an overall housing strategy while preventing developments already in place being snapped up by investors at the last moment. In this way investment in new build-to-rent developments will be allowed but they must be earmarked for rental only as part of an overall housing plan in appropriate areas.

Ireland needs around 35,000 new units a year and is building less than 20,000. This is driving up rental prices, overcrowding and ultimately homelessness. New investment that boosts badly needed supply should be welcome. However, it should be part of a proper planning process that builds sustainable communities along with social and economic infrastructure.

We all know that we are heading towards a general election in late spring or early summer. That gives this current Dáil just over 40 sitting days to pass this Bill and to bring in many measures that will provide solutions to increase the supply of homes.

I implore colleagues on both the Government and Opposition benches to use the remaining time to prove that representative politics can rise above tactical manoeuvres designed for a media agenda and vote for this Bill and other actions that this Dáil can still ensure are introduced. I ask that we do the job we were elected to do.

See this speech in context