Dáil debates

Thursday, 8 July 2021

Affordable Housing Bill 2021 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages

 

3:20 pm

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will address the amendments but I want to address some of the points that have been raised as well. We have had a detailed debate right the way through. Deputy Matthews, who is the chairperson of the Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage, clearly outlined the long process the committee has gone through to get to this Stage and I thank all members of that committee.

On Deputy Cahill's point, I want to put this on the record of the House because he has been good enough to raise it. Affordability is an issue across the country and not just an urban issue. It is acute across the country and we want to address it across the country. In the last month, I instructed all of our local authorities to get out and acquire land banks because we need to build more social and affordable homes and we need our city and county councils to the forefront of that. That is why the Deputy has asked them to acquire land, not just for the provision of social houses but for the provision of affordable houses as well. I have changed the process to reimburse the local authorities at a much earlier stage and to get them back out building, particularly local authorities that have a diminished land bank. I assure the Deputy that is the case.

When we look at the legislation we have been bringing through in recent weeks, including this Bill and the Land Development Agency Bill, it has been clear and it has surprised me to some degree that some of our most vocal critics and commentators on the provision of housing have said that we want a State land development agency that does not build homes. There is a context to this and it will become clear momentarily.

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