Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Labour Party. While I do not agree with parts of what it is proposing, I appreciate anyone trying to do anything about housing. I thank the Minister for all the work he has done but I must tell him that there is more to be done to get this off the ground.

Regarding what is being proposed, it would not be fair to stop landlords from selling their houses. Surely if they own a house, they have the right to sell it or give it to a family member if that person comes of a certain age and wants a house to live in once tenants are given proper notice. However, I also see the side that is very hurtful. It is hard when tenants are told to quit, possibly after a number of years in the property, and they are not even on the housing list. They did not think of doing that. It takes ten or 12 years to get a council house if someone is on the housing list in Killarney and rents are very high. The Government must do something in this area as well because most landlords are paying tax at 51%. When rents are going up and the Government's take is more, why does it not see fit to reduce the tax rate and spread it between the tenant and the landlord? This would be better business. The Government is saying nothing. It is taking 51% in tax while the cost of rent is outrageous.

I have spoken about the tenant purchase scheme for a long time. Between 2011 and 2017, a complete stop was put to people buying council houses. A number of people who have reached pension age are not allowed to purchase their house after possibly renting for 37 or 40 years. I know a family that is very hurt by this. There are many others. Regarding council houses built since 2015, I hear the Government.

Yesterday, the Tánaiste said the Government supported the idea of everyone, or as many people as possible, owning their own homes. However, local authorities are not allowed to sell a house built after 2015 to tenants. Any house built by a local authority after 2015 cannot be purchased by a tenant. When we size up and examine closely the new Bill introduced by the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, it looks like a lot will depend on the private sector building houses, whether developers or small builders. It is impossible for many of them to build like they used to because of the VAT rates, taxes and levies that have to be paid and the rules and regulations. Small builders are being affected whereby they can no longer get stage payments. They must carry the whole cost of building a house until it is completely finished and the key is being turned in the door. This is very hard on some builders. It is putting small builders out of business.

Why not give money to the local authorities to build rural cottages where applicants have their own sites? Kerry County Council tells me that where a house has fallen into disrepair, there is a system of taking out a demountable home. This was cited by the late Gerry Collins and his team. A demountable home can be put in place within a few days and means people no longer have to be in a house with no roof, which is leaking, where things have got very bad or where there is vermin. The local authority now says it has no money for this system. Will the Minister speak to Kerry County Council about this? It is a very serious issue. Demountable homes cannot be provided to people in such a situation and who will not leave the land or place they were born. At present, the local authority may allocate them a house in the local village but they will not leave the place they were born and reared. Will the Minister look at this?

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