Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The moratorium on evictions remains in place for the duration of Level 5 restrictions, which is vital. The deadline for applications for local authority mortgage payment breaks has been extended until 31 March 2021 but that does not go far enough and I ask the Minister to look at it again. What are we doing for private mortgage holders? Is the Government actively calling on the banks to do the right thing and reinstate mortgage and loan payment breaks? I have had many phone calls from people who are out of work through no fault of their own and who are finding it very hard to pay their mortgages. I ask the Minister to revert to me on that issue.

Last week I highlighted the case of the Carlow man who was turned away from an emergency accommodation hostel in Dublin. I was in contact with the Minister about it and have been working with a member of the man's family in Carlow and Carlow County Council to get the issue sorted. We are continuing to work on the case.

I welcome the affordable housing Bill. It is important that the Government builds affordable housing for those people who do not meet the criteria for inclusion on the local authority housing list. What is the situation with regard to the income threshold review? It has been ten years since the income thresholds were last reviewed. The review must be completed urgently because we are in a different time. I ask the Minister to come back to me in that regard. We also need to build more local authority housing.

I cannot let the Minister go without asking him about the urban regeneration and development fund, URDF, which is so important to me. I have been in touch with the Department constantly to find out the timescale on that. I believe it will be announced in February but I ask the Minister to confirm that today. That fund is important for Project Carlow 2040. We all welcome the good news that institutes of technology in the south east will be granted technological university status in 2022. That is very welcome. We are very lucky in Carlow to have two excellent third-level institutions but we need to make sure that we have proper infrastructure in and around Carlow town itself for the people of the town and the wider county. We also need to look at the supply of housing in terms of local authority provision, affordable housing and making sure that those who need to rent are able to do so. I look forward to the Minister's answers.

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