Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Bill and the publication of the Affordable Housing Bill 2020. Separately, I take this opportunity to welcome the establishment by the Minister of the working group to examine the issue of defective housing, which is an issue in my constituency. As we all know, housing was a big issue in the general election held this time last year, particularly the provision of social and affordable housing. The measures proposed in this Bill and the Affordable Housing Bill 2020 will ensure the provision of homes for affordable purchase, cost-rental and social housing.

I would like to raise the situation regarding a site on the Oscar Traynor Road in Santry, Dublin. Many people will know that last November Dublin city councillors voted against plans for 853 homes on this site despite the fact they had previously voted in favour of this scheme in general. The arrangement with Glenveagh Homes would have seen the construction of 428 private houses, 253 social houses and 172 affordable houses. The site has been idle for years, certainly since 1985 when I was first elected to Dublin City Council.

The scheme was not ideal and the affordability of the proposed houses was an issue. We now have another delay. The pursuit of ideology by certain councillors is getting in the way of the practical provision of social and affordable housing.

The area in question, which comes under Dublin City Council's area B, has the largest social housing list in the country. I understand that a cross-party group of councillors has now come up with its own plans for the site. The proposals are currently being assessed by Dublin City Council management and I wonder whether they are practical. This scheme needs to be brought to finality and the houses must be built on the land. A mixed-tenure development is required. Ideally, it should be done by the council but, if that does not happen quickly, there could be a role for the LDA in co-operation with the council. New measures provided for in this legislation and in the Affordable Housing Bill 2020 should be utilised to ensure that much-needed homes in this area are built without any further delay. I hope the two Bills are enacted as soon as possible in order that people have the full details of the various schemes and can fill out application forms in their local authority. At the moment, they are hearing about general plans and principles only. They just want the Government to get on with the job.

I welcome the fact that the LDA will have no role in regard to individual planning applications and that the existing arrangements will remain in place. I am also glad that the strategic housing development provisions will not be renewed at the end of this year. They have led to unsustainable planning in my area, including the construction of huge build-to-rent schemes. Building and construction, which has been suspended because of the Covid-19 situation, must resume as soon as possible. We need to start building houses.

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