Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am glad to have an opportunity to say a few words on this important subject. The Ceann Comhairle knows that there is a serious housing problem in our county that is not going away. We all have to combine to do something about it. It affects young people and families. There must be 100,000 young families all over the country who have been directly affected and cannot house themselves. A recent report showed that a two-person family on average incomes needs €96,000 in order to qualify for a house, never mind to buy a house.

Covid-19 is affecting this matter and it is deeply upsetting that the pandemic came at this particular time but nobody has any control over that. A number of us were members of a special housing advisory group four and a half years ago. I made some submissions to that group with which not everybody agreed, although that is not unusual. The fact of the matter is that drastic measures are required to deal with the housing issue. I am happy to do everything that I can by way of co-operation and will help the Minister to work out something that will bring results. We need to do that as a matter of urgency. I hope that we can bring Covid under control and, once we have, the next issue that has to be dealt with as a matter of national emergency is the housing issue.

House prices are far beyond what is affordable. Twelve years ago, I set out to prove that. With the acquisition of private sites from the local authority, we organised the building of 96 houses in two towns. When the houses were built, they came in at 50% less in cost than the affordable houses that were available through the local authorities at the same time. I felt at that time that house prices and costs were too high and so on. I believe it is within our ability to resolve that matter. I am not looking for a reply from the Minister. I am simply saying that I will do my best to help the Minister to achieve that.

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