Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank my colleague, Teachta Ó Broin, for bringing this Bill before the House. It will scrap the power Ministers have to make sweeping changes to planning law without a vote of the Oireachtas. It will also ban co-living and the substandard design of build-to-rent properties for renters.

We are told the housing Minister is conducting a review of co-living. While in opposition, the Minister labelled co-living as "bonkers". The current Taoiseach when in opposition referred to "battery cage-type accommodation". It is not often I agree with the Minister or the Taoiseach on housing policy, but these are indeed strange times. On 11 June last year, the Green Party produced a paper on co-living and co-housing, labelling the former "inhumane and profit-driven". It was wrong then and it is wrong now. The Green Party was in opposition then; it is in government now. Co-living is still wrong and needs to be rectified. The reason for co-living is not to cut the very long housing waiting lists; it is to maximise profits for developers by squeezing as many housing units as possible into small spaces. While Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael may have a cosy relationship with developers, I urge the Green Party not to be tainted by association.

In County Kildare the standard response from the council when I make a representation on behalf of a constituent requiring housing is that the council is dealing with 2007 and 2008. That is 12 and 13 years ago, respectively. That is a disgrace. Everyone else will have to find a HAP tenancy. HAP tenancies are like hen's teeth in Kildare. Bad and all as the situation is in general, for single people HAP tenancies are even worse. They cannot be found for single people. Most often one is asked to go to the charity shop and buy a tent.

Last Friday, I slept outdoors for Focus Ireland's Shine a Light sleep-out. I commend the work of Focus Ireland and Housing Action Kildare, whose members between them raised over €1,000 for Focus Ireland. My experience gave me a tiny glimpse into the life of a rough sleeper. The cold gets inside the body and it takes hours the next day coming in out of the cold to warm up. Sounds are amplified, and I am sure nobody who sleeps rough ever gets a good night's sleep. I felt safe. I was in my back yard. I ask Members to imagine what it is like trying to sleep in the constant danger of being on a public street.

The only solution is to build public housing on public land and to ensure that homes are affordable for the poor. I ask that the Bill gets the support it deserves.

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