Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I do not think there is one person in this House who does not want social and affordable houses to be built for people of different generations so they can begin their lives. What I have against the way the LDA is set up is it caters for population centres of 30,000 or more. I was elected in Limerick county and there is not one town in Limerick county with 30,000 people living there. While I welcome any houses coming to Limerick city, Limerick should be treated as a whole. The Land Development Agency is only delivering for cities.

Successive governments for 33 years have promised to invest in infrastructure in County Limerick. I have said on more than one occasion that infrastructure, sewerage systems and adequate water are waiting for investment promised by Minister after Minister. At every election that comes our way, they promise they will put funding into infrastructure. Askeaton is one example that is 33 years waiting for a sewerage system upgrade. Drumcolliher and Hospital are others. A report done during the year showed the biggest polluter in Ireland is a local authority because of the lack of infrastructure and raw sewage being put into the waterways.

The Minister is capable in the job he is in and I have faith in him. However, this does not deliver outside population centres of 30,000 or more. It does not deliver for the people of County Limerick. The Minister's party has been in government going back decades and still has not delivered on promises through all the elections to put in infrastructure and give equality to the people in cities, towns, villages and rural areas. That would mean people could live in local areas, whether towns, villages or rural areas, and they would support locally. We would have our own infrastructure and it would bring businesses to our areas to support locally. How can anyone be expected to open a business in an area where they are told there is a cap? People are told: "You have what you have now and what infrastructure you have we are going to upgrade but that it will not mean you will have extra houses". They are told the infrastructure will be upgraded it so it does not pollute the area as much. Any businessperson will say that to get people into an area and to support people and businesses in the area, basic infrastructure is needed. Limerick has been crying out for investment in infrastructure for 30 or 40 years and it has been failed by governments.

Limerick 2030 was set up. I was on the board before being elected here and now my brother John is on it. There are executives from Limerick City and County council and local councillors from around Limerick county and city on it. They are trying to deliver for the people of Limerick city and county. Unless the LDA works with the likes of the local authority and Limerick 2030, Limerick county will not get investment. Traditionally, Deputies have been promised that but now we know that, even with the LDA, the Government will not invest in our areas. When people want to build their own houses, put in infrastructure, septic tanks and water supply, the Government votes against amendments for that. It will not even allow people build in their own areas or put in infrastructure to support those areas. This Bill needs to make sure the number goes down to 1,500 or lower to ensure the LDA covers city and county. It is called equality. Not everyone wants to live in the city. I am a culchie and proud of it. That is where I grew up and what I support. I support locally.

I have been listening to Deputies talk about developers and contractors. I have been a building contractor all my life. I have been in the building trade since I was 15 years of age. I have seen all the different elements of building and how difficult a job it is. The price of housing has increased by €40 per square foot in the past 12 months. While it is a global issue, the Government could have helped by issuing felling licences and easing restrictions at ports so that we could bring in material and prevent extra costs. The price of a house has been added to by €40 per square foot, yet the Government talks about social and affordable housing. The increase means that the price of public sites, which would normally be approximately €17,000 per service unit on a housing estate, has jumped to approximately €27,000 per service unit. There is nothing affordable about that.

I ask the Minister to consider the counties and dropping the population threshold from 30,000 people to 1,500 people to ensure that houses are built in rural areas and everyone can have equality and avail of social and affordable housing. The councils in our areas cannot build houses at the moment. They need contractors to do that, but there are no contractors. We need help, investment and infrastructure to do this work.

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