Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill. I want to thank the Minister for taking the time to address some of the points that have been made on, what I hope can be, game-changing legislation for the betterment of all in our society. Indeed, his predecessor, and my former ministerial colleague, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, provided many Cabinet updates on the Bill’s composition throughout the last Government, so I am pleased to finally see it has reached publication stage.

I am sure that the Deputies will agree that the Bill opens up a new chapter in the Government’s aim of providing affordable homes to current and future generations, as well as representing concrete action by delivering many much-needed housing units that will go a long way to tackling the current housing crisis in our State. Indeed, we are used to reading and hearing about units during these debates, when it is just as important to remember that for every unit that is provided, another family can look forward to owning their own home.

I have been a public representative for almost seven years at this stage. There has not been one week since my first election when I have not received an email from a constituent, reaching out in the hope that something can be done to provide them, their families, a loved one or, indeed, a relative with a house at the earliest possible opportunity. We all entered the political arena to create, shape and implement real and meaningful change for our constituents.

This Bill gives us the opportunity to achieve just that.

Despite what many Members in this House may suggest, there is no quick-fix solution to solving the housing crisis that has unapologetically wreaked havoc on thousands of families over the past decade and beyond. Indeed, it is fair to say that no political party has got it right on housing in recent years, whether in power or in opposition. It may disappoint the Opposition to learn that sound bites have never and will never build houses. I will be happy to look back and reflect with pride that I was part of a Government that was proactive rather than opposing many housing developments. For members of some political parties in this House, that opposition seems to be part of their job description as public representatives.

The latest Sinn Féin-pedalled plan for Oscar Traynor Road, which has gained much attention in recent weeks, could set the development of hundreds of houses back an extra five years. In direct contrast to the Government, Sinn Féin seems to be in no great rush to solve the crisis that is before us. Its members cannot supply housing to their constituents if they continue to block supply. Any reasonable person sees through this cruel tactic of Sinn Féin of prolonging the housing crisis through its actions while continually pushing blame on the Government. After all, what good is it to Sinn Féin if the Government actually tries to solve the problems that have been raised on doorsteps across the country over the past number of years? I hope, with the agreement of voters in Dublin Rathdown, to be a Member of this House for many years to come. I hope that the passing of this Bill will enable my two children to acquire their own home whenever the time comes for them to leave our family home. I will have played my part in government in making it that bit easier for future generations to own their own home, which is what any parent wants for his or her children.

One of the many projects that the Land Development Agency wishes to develop is the site of the Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum, which is in the heart of my constituency of Dublin Rathdown. The hospital is due to be relocated to a new complex in Portrane in north County Dublin, an area with which the Minister is very familiar. The relocation date is not yet known and will be determined by the Minster for Health, as provided for under the Central Mental Hospital (Relocation) Act 2020, which was passed by the Oireachtas and signed by Uachtarán na hÉireann in December 2020. The relocation will leave an entirely empty shell for the LDA to work with as it plans for an ambitious housing development that could provide up to 1,300 units.

As I pointed out to the Minister in recent correspondence with him, the LDA has just concluded the latest stage of its Dundrum Central public engagement process within the community. Before Christmas, local residents who live within a 1 km radius of the site were invited to participate in a survey on the aims of the development, which sought information on how they wish to engage with the LDA. I welcome the fact that 80% of survey respondents believe the project "presents an opportunity for this currently inaccessible site to positively contribute to the wider community". I agree with that view. I also acknowledge the efforts of the LDA, while faced with the many difficulties that the Covid crisis has presented to everyone, to facilitate two recent public webinars and a virtual consultation room on the project.

I have received hundreds of emails about this proposed development and I would honestly struggle to count on one hand the number of correspondents who oppose the idea of developing the site. However, I ask the Minister to note the trend that is emerging from all the residents associations, including those in Annaville Park, the Dundrum Road, Highfield-Westbrook, Frankfort Park, Mulvey Park, Taney, Clonskeagh, Roebuck and Rosemount, that there are sky-high levels of disappointment among their members with the lack of meaningful engagement they have had to date with the LDA. The existing community has no intention of blocking this ambitious new housing development. All residents are asking for is the opportunity to work collaboratively with the LDA to ensure that the outcome of the proposed development is a safe and sensible integrated community that benefits both existing and new communities. I am sure the Minister will agree that this is a very fair and reasonable request.

I welcome the provision in section 73 of the Bill for housing developments to include a 50% baseline requirement for affordable housing units. This is something on which the LDA has not been fully clear in respect of the Dundrum Central project. I hope that further clarity can be provided in its master plan for the development, which I understand will be published early in the second quarter of this year.

I want to raise the provisions in section 56 relating to local authority lands. I hope the Minister, as a former councillor like me, will be able to provide some clarity in this regard. I am sure he can understand why there is concern from many elected county councillors in regard to this section. I have received some queries about it from councillors in my own party. Its inclusion presupposes that the LDA is better placed than a local authority to determine the best use of land owned by that authority. It also presupposes that councils, in the current environment, will continue to be opposed to the disposal of lands to the LDA. In fact, as I outlined, an overwhelming majority of public representatives, residents and councillors in the immediate vicinity of the Dundrum Central project are in favour of developing the site. Perhaps the Minister can examine whether this provision is entirely necessary.

I have also been informed of concerns regarding section 49(1)(a), which seems to interfere significantly with how democratically elected councillors can represent their area and appears to legally bind them to co-operate with the agency. If the Minister is to introduce these provisions, justification or clarity, at the very least, must be afforded to the 949 individuals in whom the Irish electorate place their trust to represent them in their respective localities.

On a separate matter, I find it incredible that the word "community" is used only once in a Bill that aims to enable the sustainable development of new and regenerated communities that are well-served by schools, public transport and public amenities. I am a strong believer in ensuring that local infrastructure is developed and improved as much as it can be alongside large-scale housing projects. This comes back to my earlier point of ensuring the LDA engages with local residents, no matter what the project is, in order that every development that comes through under the provisions of this Bill works for as many people as possible. I would be grateful if the Minister could explore suitable options to ensure that this becomes a reality rather than a box-ticking exercise, which I hope can be avoided. I am sure he will agree that the LDA cannot be a champion of community if it does not engage with existing communities.

I respectfully ask the Minister to ensure that his officials bring my correspondence and that of the local residents associations to his attention. A number of letters were issued to his office last week. I hope he will take on board the points that have been raised and address them through the progression of this legislation, which is long overdue. I look forward to seeing the development of the Central Mental Hospital in the near future. It is an exciting opportunity for the local area and I know many residents share the same eagerness to ensure their future neighbours can be part of a wider community that works for all who live in the Dundrum area.

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