Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We have before us an ambitious plan to tackle the housing crisis, which is an issue of vital importance to families up and down the country. Many of the points I have heard from Opposition Deputies today are simply that - opposition for opposition's sake. That helps no one who wants to own his or her own home. Listening to the debate, one could be forgiven for thinking Sinn Féin voted against the Government's Affordable Housing Bill. In fact, the party's Members voted for it. As for the legislation to establish the LDA, the body charged with the delivery of public homes on public lands, they opposed it without even attempting to shape or amend it. Their opposition to the shared equity scheme stands in total contradiction to their stance on the similar scheme operating in Northern Ireland, which party representatives there oversee. Sinn Féin's opposition to the help-to-buy scheme did not help the 20,000 people who need support to purchase a home.

Sinn Féin says it wants to solve the housing crisis but there is a big difference between what party members say and what they do. Local authorities are tasked with delivering homes on public lands and councillors are asked to support them in that objective. Fine Gael members on South Dublin County Council, which is my local authority, have voted in favour of 96% of proposed homes on council lands. Sinn Féin members have voted for only 44% so they voted against 56% of houses the council proposed to build on council-owned land. In fact, they have opposed almost 1,500 homes that the chief executive of South Dublin County Council has sought for approval. That figure is close to 6,000 when the numbers for the whole of County Dublin are included. Sinn Féin does not look like a party that is serious abut building homes. It does not look like a party that is serious about delivering homes on public land. Indeed, its stance looks an awful lot like opposition for opposition's sake. The latest tactic of the party's councillors seems to be to abstain altogether and refuse to use the voice and vote that people elected them to use. We saw this in Tallaght just a few weeks ago when Sin Féin councillors refused to vote either way on a proposal for 620 homes, 80% of which would be social or affordable. In the lead-up to that vote, they told people they were against the project. When it became obvious that they would not get away with a free ride in opposing it, they abstained, leaving their constituents wondering where they stand.

The Opposition's ambition for solving the housing crisis does not measure up against its record in my local authority. There is a big difference between what Sinn Féin says and what it does. As I speak, there are boots on the ground in Kilcarberry, Clondalkin, where more than 1,000 new homes are being constructed, in excess of 300 of which will be social housing. Sinn Féin voted against that development. Solving the housing crisis requires ambition, not opposition. Our ambition is set out in Housing for All. It is a radical, realistic and costed plan, underpinned by record State investment. It will help families to access affordable, high-quality housing for purchase or rent. It has been broadly welcomed by NGOs working with families who need homes, but surprise, surprise, it is being opposed by Sinn Féin. To reach our targets, unprecedented levels of funding are being provided for housing. Over the next five years alone, more than €20 billion will be made available. That represents a doubling of the budget, with €4 billion to be invested in housing every year. Housing for All is a costed and comprehensive plan. It provides multimillion euro funding on a multi-annual basis and it is going to deliver homes. At the end of the day, that is all people care about. When I speak to my constituents, they are not concerned about who builds houses or what ideology is behind their delivery. They just want good-quality and affordable homes. That is what Housing for All will deliver.

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