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

I am glad to get the opportunity to speak. I thank Deputy Cian O'Callaghan and the Social Democrats for bringing this Bill before us. I am amazed that there was no way to deal with this offence before. Remarkably, the Minister for Justice has confirmed that no specific criminal offence for this practice currently exists in Ireland. It is amazing that, as matters stand, there is no way to deal with some landlord or other person who could prey on vulnerable women, and men also. It is wrong and we have to support this Bill. I thank the Social Democrats for highlighting it. We read what an examination by the Irish Examinerfound, with advertisements offering properties in Limerick and Dublin. I only hope there is not much of it, but we have to stamp out whatever there is now. It is imperative that we all work together to ensure this Bill is put through without delay.

As has been stated, we do not seem to be improving housing options for many and there are many still without homes. We appreciate what the Government is doing for the Ukrainian community and we are very sad about what is happening in Ukraine. It is a terrible situation and we appreciate what the Government is doing.

In saying that, there are still a lot of people who have been on lists here for years and who are still ringing and ringing, and they have no options available to them. While we see that most of the Government's activities are directed towards Dublin, there needs to be more direction and assistance with housing in Kerry. For example, take people whose houses become derelict on family farms. In times gone by, people could have a demountable home so they could stay in the place they gave all their life to and finish out their days on their farm. That option is not there anymore. We are told that local government no longer has funding for those demountable homes. I have a number of applicants who are in demountable homes for many years and the homes are disintegrating around them, but we have no funding to replace them. That is a crying shame. People in rural Ireland need homes just as much as those in Dublin or anywhere else, but especially on family farms where they gave 60 or 70 years and where they want to finish out their days. Surely the Government must look at that. I ask the Minister of State to have some input into that and to deal with it.

Another problem was created by the Tánaiste, Deputy Leo Varadkar. When he was the Minister for Transport in 2012, he gave a direction that there was to be no more planning granted for properties coming out on national roads, even where there is current access. It is ridiculous to think that someone is denied the right of putting a roof over their heads even though they are coming out the same exit onto the national road. If they stay in their mother’s or father’s house, or whatever house was there before, there is no problem with that, but it is only the same level of activity when they build a house for themselves and stay in it. I ask the Minister of State to look at that again.

There are many more issues but those two specific issues that I have related to the Minister of State are hurting people at the present time in the county of Kerry which I represent.

See this speech in context