Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

As all Deputies know, the housing crisis is out of control. Far too many people are being refused the basic human need of shelter. Their need is not being met though absolutely no fault of their own. Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have failed repeatedly to build the housing our citizens need in the right place, at the right price and in the right quantity. The crisis is touching every demographic. It can be felt across the country and has victims numbering in the hundreds of thousands. Housing has become too costly and too scarce and the ability to buy a home has become the reserve of the privileged few. The time has come for radical action. In the absence of action being taken by the Government, it is up to others to step in.

In spite of the boom, bust and boom again in the housing market, the housing needs of an ever-growing number of people are not being met. The housing system is one of winners and losers. The winners are landlords, investment funds, property speculators and developers, while the losers include the homeless, those on low incomes, first-time buyers, tenants and those with special needs. In my constituency of Cork South-West it is becoming an impossible situation. The Government will have to step up because it has put so many restrictions on young people trying to get planning. These people are not looking to get a house through the social housing system at all. They are being refused planning day in, day out. I have been approached by numerous people who have been refused planning permission. These are young people trying to get off the ground. Some of them cannot get a mortgage even if they go through the system. The system is completely and utterly corrupt and wrong and against ordinary young families trying to start off, get a little bit of ground from their father and mother and apply for planning permission. It is outrageous how the Government has stood idly by.

Deputy Canney is quite right regarding waste water and Irish Water not being properly funded. I refer to towns such as Castletownshend and Goleen and the extension to the sewer system in Ballinspittle. All these towns are stagnant. Nothing is happening because of the inaction of the Government.

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