Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Ireland's housing system to date has failed its people. Houses are not affordable for most and waiting lists are too long. This document, put together by the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, and his Department, is our first real chance to address and solve that. I urge Deputies to get behind it because it is ambitious and financed and has measures that will bring housing affordability within people's reach and solve the social housing waiting lists. These measures have been outlined by Deputies Carroll MacNeill and Devlin. I urge people to get behind it and commend the Minister, Department and staff on the extraordinary work they have put into this document.

It is a long-term plan. It is financed to the tune of €4 billion per year for the next five years, but there are urgent measures I want to highlight. One urgent measure is around disability. There is good policy and text in this document around provision of housing for people with disabilities and the building of accessible housing. In the short term, there are people with disabilities, wheelchair users in particular, who do not have access to accessible housing. These are people on social housing lists, in particular. We need interim measures to ensure local authorities are given finance and backing to source houses and units they can upgrade, finance and make accessible. That is incredibly important because it is happening throughout the country. People with disabilities are not able to get accessible housing. I would like to see that addressed in the short term.

There is an infrastructural deficit impeding the building of housing. In west Cork right now, there are applications for 50 to 100 houses being refused because of the lack of infrastructure. This is addressed in the Housing for All plan, but we need short-term measures to ensure these applications can proceed and be successful. To ensure that, we need investment in wastewater and drinking water. Otherwise, we will not see results as fast as we need to see them.

Over-the-shop premises and on-street premises that have been vacant for years are contained in the Housing for All plan. They provide a housing provision solution and could be a cornerstone to ensuring we bring vibrancy back to our high streets and main streets in rural towns and villages so we get people living there. Incentives for landlords and local authorities to take on and refurbish these premises are needed in the short term.

I commend the Minister, the Department and the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, on the work and effort they put into producing this document.

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